April was a crazy month, but I did finish 3 books. Even though this is a late post I still need to share it!
I'm now at 17/60 finished books for my 2018 Reading Challenge! Check it out here - https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/7501-2018-reading-challenge
You'll find each book's review and synopsis below
1) ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL - BY: NORA RALEIGH BASKIN - 195 PAGES - 4/5 STARS
MY THOUGHTS: I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading more about autism to learn more on the perspective on what it could be like. That is not saying that everyone who is autistic is like the main character in this book because each case is different.
While this book is written for a younger audience, I think it's written in a way that really portrays autism in a clever way to help put the reader in the shoes of the main character. There are struggles every day. Some days, the struggles can be worked through, others not so much. I think some people can really relate to Jason's story, while for others his story might be more like having a new door opened up. At the very least, you can take away some characteristics of an autistic kid so that when you know someone who has autism you know how to make it easier to interact. You could make a new friend out of it!
Hopefully that makes sense without me going into super detail.
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS: Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world. Most days it’s just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does.
Jason can be himself when he writes and he thinks that PhoenixBird — her name is Rebecca — could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to meet her, he’s terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca will only see his autism and not who Jason really is.
By acclaimed writer Nora Raleigh Baskin, this is the breathtaking depiction of an autistic boy’s struggles—and a story for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.
2) ASTRAY - BY: AMY CHRISTINE PARKER - 340 PAGES - 4/5 STARS
MY THOUGHTS: Since I read Gated and liked it I figured I should dive into the second book as quickly as possible so that I could still be thinking about the plot and storyline.
This book focused more on what it was like for the main character when she was trying to integrate back into society. There were many struggles for her and for her old Community. It's from her perspective but you also see the storyline and plot development of the rest of the Community. Her integration was more positive whereas the rest were still trying to hold onto the past. It was interesting to see how her new relationships developed throughout this book and how they were pulled astray (just shows how perfect the title is) as her old Community tried their hardest to push their old morals back onto Lyla.
I'll stop there because I don't want to give away too much.
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS: Lyla is caught between two worlds. The isolated Community that she grew up in and the outside world that she’s navigating for the very first time. The outsiders call the Community a cult, but Pioneer miraculously survived a shooting that should have killed him. Are the faithful members right to stay true to his message? Is this just a test of faith? One thing is for sure: the Community will do anything to bring Lyla back to the fold. Trapped in a spider’s web of deception, will Lyla detect the sticky threads tightening around her before it’s too late? She’ll have to unravel the mystery of what Pioneer and the Community are truly up to if she wants to survive.
Suspenseful and chilling, Astray is Amy Christine Parker’s nerve-fraying sequel to Gated. This fast-paced psychological thriller is masterfully plotted and sure to leave goose bumps. Perfect for fans of creepy YA thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.
3) A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT - BY: SANDY HALL - 244 PAGES - 3/5 STARS
MY THOUGHTS: This book was more of a cutesy read. I liked it but not as much as I thought I would have.
I really enjoyed how it was laid out with the story being told from 14 viewpoints. At times some of those viewpoints were a little weird, they always worked towards the end of the love story though. Since this book has a college setting, there's definitely a touch of that side of things. There are times throughout the book that I felt like the love story that I'd been promised wasn't going to happen. It all worked out in the end.
So if you're interested in reading the love story perspective of a squirrel, and even a bench, then you should give this book a try.
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS: The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.
Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....
I might have only read three books this month, but I seriously enjoyed all of them. My favorite thing about the mix of them was that they all had pretty different plots! Keep on the lookout for my April reads, and if you have any questions or want to discuss any of my reads just let me know!
