Chased By My Imagination: June Wrap-Up.

I had a really bad start to this month, mostly down to the fact that I was on holiday (at least for a few days)! I've also been really busy this month so it wasn't until about halfway through that I'd even read my first reading choice. That considered, I've had a really good month, having read 6 of my 7 chosen reads!

'Salt To The Sea' by Ruta Sepetys. This read took me an absolute age to get through at the beginning of the month because I had so much to do! I managed it though and for the most part it was an enjoyable read. Sepetys really knew her stuff and world-building is absolutely key in Historical Fiction, so that was a huge plus point for me. The characters were also pretty likeable too, though the first third of the book is a little confusing and the ending didn't offer as much closure as I'd hoped. 3.5/5 Stars.
'Crow Moon' by Anna McKerrow. I finally got round to this series that is highly advocated, particularly by Lucy Powrie at Queen Of Contemporary. I enjoyed it a lot and felt that the plot was both original and had great direction. McKerrow's writing style was okay too, though I'd prefer if she showed me important plot points and character traits rather than telling me about them because it resulted in a lack of continuity. Once again, great world-building and I'm eager for book two! 3.5/5 Stars.
'The Girl On The Train' by Paula Hawkins. I've said before that psychological thrillers and most things that involve crime are not really my kind of read. I do dip into them now and again though, and occasionally stumble across a really great one such as this. Hawkins is a very talented writer who chose three very different, unique female POVs. They aren't there to be liked, just listened to and that finale was fantastic. Bravo to Hawkins for keeping me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! 4/5 Stars.
'Notes On Being Teenage' by Rosalind Jana. This is my second non-fiction read for this blog and I'm pretty impressed with Jana's creativity. The opinions expressed in this book are mostly in accordance with my own so it was nice to see a book that is accessible to young people talking freely about issues such as mental health, sexuality, feminism and fitting in. I also adored the handy resources that Jana included for more information/inspiration. That being said, I would definitely have appreciated reading this book in my teens more than I did reading it now. 4/5 Stars.
'Thin Air' by Michelle Paver. Changing things up a bit with a ghost story, I found this to be my favourite read of the month. A mountain setting is an unusual idea for a haunted location (there's only so many spooky old houses or abandoned hospitals that avid horror fans can sit through) and I thought the characters were well-written, the time period well-portrayed and the balance between atmosphere and supernatural events was a real winner. 4.5/5 Stars.
'All The Bright Places' by Jennifer Niven. I managed to squeeze this one in right at the end of the month and I'm so glad because it was amazing. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I had I was impressed by Niven's handling of some really sensitive subjects (mental health, suicide, bereavement, abuse etc.) and the complex characters that she wrote. Some people are angry at the adults in this book and I can't blame them because they are pretty frustrating. But what this book does also provide is a heart-breakingly beautiful story that will probably make most of it's readers bawl their eyes out. 4/5 Stars.

This month I have read three books for Pretty Deadly Review's Backlist Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to twenty three. This month's reads were:

- 'Crow Moon' by Anna McKerrow

- 'The Girl On The Train' by Paula Hawkins

- 'All The Bright Places' by Jennifer Niven

This month I have read three books for Falling For YA's Netgalley & Edelweiss Challenge bringing my yearly total so far to eleven. This month's reads were:

- 'Salt To The Sea' by Ruta Sepetys

- 'Notes On Being Teenage' by Rosalind Jana

- 'Thin Air' by Michelle Paver

This month I have gained zero points for Novel Heartbeat and Writer Grrl Reads' Prequel & Sequel Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to thirty eight.

This month I have read three books for [un]Conventional Reviews' New Releases Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to nine. This month's reads were:

- 'Salt To The Sea' by Ruta Sepetys

- 'Notes On Being Teenage' by Rosalind Jana

- 'Thin Air' by Michelle Paver