it ends with us – Zakiya N. Jamal

It’s been way too long since I’ve done a wrap-up so here we go. I read a lot of books this month and none of them were on my TBR but hey, it happens. Here’s my faves from this month.

Number of Books I Read This Month: 12

1. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae and Gemina actually tie for first place. They were both amazing and I got sucked into both. I couldn’t put them down. If you haven’t heard of these novels yet they’re told in this really cool format that makes it look like the book is a case file. Filled with emails, chat logs, video surveillance logs, and so much more Illuminae tells the story of Kady, who’s home has been destroyed. Now on ship filled with other refugees Kady will do anything to know what’s going on and how to fight those who destroyed her home and changed her life forever.

2. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This was the perfect sequel to Illuminae. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone that hasn’t read Illuminae yet so I’ll just this book has the same level of action, humor, and crazy plot twists that Illuminae has. Gemina follows new characters but your favorites from Illuminae also show up as well. It’s amazing!

3. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

I loved Ugly Love. This is by far my favorite Colleen Hoover book. The book is told in alternating point of views. We get Tate’s point of view in the present and Miles point of view in the past, explaining why he is the way he is when Tate meets him. This book was heartbreaking, romantic, and a little funny. I need this on my shelf immediately.

Books I Received This Month

I only bought three books this month and I received five books from publishers. I put myself on a book buying ban this month and I think I did fairly well. I’m excited to buy more books next month though. Is it pay day yet?

Synopsis:

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

I wanted to love this novel. Everyone told me I would love this novel. I was sure I would love this novel. I did not love this novel. That being said I think Colleen Hoover handled the subject matter really well and I could tell this was a very personal novel for her. Still, this is my second least favorite book I’ve read by her, followed closely by November 9.

The truth is my issues with this novel really comes from the fact that there was too much of Ryle (who hated) and not enough of Atlas (who loved). However, I don’t think Hoover could’ve written this book any other way to get her point across so I feel bad faulting her for this but it’s truly how I feel. I wanted to see way more of Atlas than what was given and that drove me crazy. I was not satisfied at all with how this book ended and I desperately wanted more than what I was given. Moreover, I really liked Lily but I didn’t really love her or any of the other characters in this book. I can’t even remember the name of Ryle’s sister (I checked, it’s Allysa) and her husband (Marshall) right now because they left no impression on me.

I’m not sure what I was expecting going into this novel. I guess I was expecting to cry like so many people said they did and that didn’t happen until I finished the book and read the note from Colleen, where she talked about how her mom inspired this novel. That brought me to tears but this novel did not. Again, I really wanted to love this book but for me this is definitely not a book I’ll be reading again. If you disagree feel free to tell me in the comments. I’d love to discuss this one.

Also, please note if you plan on reading this book it deals heavily with physical abuse so if that’s triggering for you please read this book with caution.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“In the future…if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again…fall in love with me.”

Other Reviews

Aestas Book Blog

Latte Nights Reads

BiblioJunkies

Tag: it ends with us

‘Illuminae,’ ‘Gemina,’ And Other Books I Read This Month (August Wrap-Up)

Top Three Books I Read This Month