The Book Catch-Up April #2

This month consisted of me reading so many books that I've had to split by book catch-up in to two seperate posts. This second posts consists of the 5 books I read in the second half of the month. It seems like I just had a lot of spare time this month which meant I was able to do a lot of reading. And I got to read some pretty good books.

Misfit - Charli Howard

Charli Howard had always wanted to be normal - but for some reason, she couldn't quite find out how to do it. As a teenager, she felt like the only one who struggled with anxiety and self-esteem issues when everyone around her seemed to fit in. So she tried to embrace standing out: by becoming a model. Believing it would make her happy and envied, she set out single-mindedly to make it - and she achieved her dream. But the reality wasn't quite as glamorous as she'd hoped. The pressure on Charli to look a certain way took an extreme toll on her body and self-image, and no matter how thin she got, she was never thin enough. When Charli, though medically underweight, was fired by her modelling agency for being too big, she decided she'd had enough. She used her platform for good and spoke out about the insane standards of the modelling industry, whose images influence young women and girls all over the world. Now, Charli is comfortable in her skin for the first time ever, working happily as a plus sized model in New York. Here, she shares her journey, from anorexic and bulimic teenager to happy, healthy twenty-something.

This book is about a true story. The story of Charli Howard. I found myself learning so much about the model world from reading this book. All the crazy standard and what someone had to go through to be successful. Definitely a book worth reading.

Night Swimming - Steph Bowe

Imagine being the only two seventeen-year-olds in a small town. That’s life for Kirby Arrow—named after the most dissenting judge in Australia’s history—and her best friend Clancy Lee, would-be musical star. Clancy wants nothing more than to leave town and head for the big smoke, but Kirby is worried: her family has a history of leaving. She hasn’t heard from her father since he left when she was a baby. Shouldn’t she stay to help her mother with the goat’s-milk soap-making business, look after her grandfather who suffers from dementia, be an apprentice carpenter to old Mr Pool? And how could she leave her pet goat, Stanley, her dog Maude, and her cat Marianne? But two things happen that change everything for Kirby. She finds an article in the newspaper about her father, and Iris arrives in town. Iris is beautiful, wears crazy clothes, plays the mandolin, and seems perfect, really, thinks Kirby. Clancy has his heart set on winning over Iris. Trouble is Kirby is also falling in love with Iris...

I've found I'm reading a lot of books that are set in Australia at the moment. I love these kinds of books as things mentioned in them are normal to me and places I know which makes me even more interested in the storyline. I found this to be a story I really enjoyed. It's a story about friendship, love and family. A perfect read.

More Than We Can Tell- Brigid Kemmerer

With loving adoptive parents by his side, Rev Fletcher has managed to keep the demons of his past at bay. . . until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back. Emma Blue's parents are constantly fighting, and her only escape is the computer game she built from scratch. But when a cruel online troll's harassment escalates, she not only loses confidence but starts to fear for her safety. When Rev and Emma meet, they're both longing to lift the burden of their secrets. They connect instantly and deeply, promising to help each other no matter what. But soon Rev and Emma's secrets threaten to crush them, and they'll need more than a promise to find their way out.

I sort of wish I'd read this book a lot earlier. It's one I'd had on my reading list for quite some time but never got around to purchasing it., I really did enjoy this book. (cont...)

Room Empty - Sarah Messie

Two young people meet in rehab. They both have problems and they both doubt their ability to cope. They don't care and they don't share. Until they meet each other and then things begin to change for them both.

This book is all about disorder and change. How trusting someone and thinking back to your past can help. I found this book to be a bit heavy at times. As I've never really had an inside look into what someone with a disorder is going through. But in the end I loved it and would highly recommend it.

The Girls Guide To Summer - Sarah Mlynowski

Nineteen-year-old Sydney has the perfect summer mapped out. She’s spending the next four and a half weeks travelling through Europe with her childhood best friend Leela. Their plans include Eiffel Tower selfies, eating cocco gelato, and making out with très hot strangers.

Her plans do not include Leela’s cheating ex-boyfriend showing up on the flight to London, falling for the cheating ex-boyfriend’s très hot friend, monitoring her mother’s spiraling mental health via texts, or feeling like the rope in a friendship tug of war. 

To star things off with this book I was not a big fan of the lack of chapters. It was sectioned off by each city they visited but I found there was too much space in-between. Even though it was hard to read I did end up enjoying the story. It was a cute summer romance contemporary with an added dash of romance which I think really worked. Definitely one to check out.

So there you have a look into the books I read in the second half of April. I'd love to hear what you've read recently.

Until next time...

Brooke