Reading Lately June

These reading lately link ups are probably my favorite time of the month. I love being able to share what I’ve been reading with you and seeing what you have been reading lately! And I love that I get to say I’m working when I’m reading 🙂

This month I was able to read several great books that I definitely recommend. I’m really excited for next month because Erin’s Book Challenge 5.0 starts on July 1st! It’s not too late to join if you’re interested! Follow me on Goodreads so you can see what I’ve been reading before these linkups and so we can find new books to read.

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva
c/o Netgalley

Wow. Just wow. I don’t normally want to jump to the end of the book to find out what happens first. My mom always read the last chapter or two and it made me so angry – why would you want to spoil the suspense and mystery of a story?! But I was seriously tempted to do just that reading this book. I wanted to get to the end to find out what was happening and what was going to happen but I couldn’t get there fast enough. Not in a “just let this book end please” kind of way, but a “it’s so good I have to know what’s happening this suspense is killing me” way. I couldn’t put this book down, and stayed up way too late to finish it.

A woman nicknamed “Zoo” goes on a reality tv survival show that’s designed to push people to their limits and find their breaking points. There are 12 contestants and they face group and solo challenges. It kind of reminds me of Survivor or Naked & Afraid (only because they’re in the wilderness – they’re not naked). While they’re filming the show, something happens and a plague wreaks havoc on society. The contestants are unaware of its occurrence, so as Zoo comes across this destruction she only assumes it is a part of the show.

The book is told in alternating perspectives, which at first I didn’t like because it seems that a lot of books are doing it now. But wow does it add to the suspense of this novel. In one perspective, Zoo is in the present, devastated world and the other is at the beginning of the challenge leading up to the present. In the present world, we learn more about why she decided to go on the show and watch her struggle with the decision to quit the show. She believes that the plague is all a part of the show, that all of the chaos she sees is just part of the game.

There are parts that are a bit too graphic for my taste, but it was very interesting to read about their survival in the wilderness. It also provided an interesting take on reality tv shows. But I feel like the book just sort of ends leaving me with questions and wanting to know more. What happens next? Why caused the plague? I got a little annoyed with Zoo because of her stubbornness or inability to discern the game show from the real world. Still, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it!

Purchase The Last One on Amazon here

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

You should know by now that I am absolutely obsessed with the Jurassic Park franchise. I love all the movies, and have even dreamed about becoming a geologist or paleontologist. So I knew I just had to read this book. And it did not let me down.

The story is about John Hammond and the InGen Corporation creating a theme park/resort off the coast of Costa Rica. Hammond “spares no expense” in researching and creating his park featuring dinosaurs grown from preserved DNA.

The novel was quite different from the movie but just as intense and thrilling. Definitely a page turner, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in two days. And now I have to know what happens in the next book (even though I know what happens in the movie). Dr. Ian Malcom was definitely more confusing in the novel. The parts where he went into his scientific and mathematical explanations were slow and hard to understand. But I love Crichton’s writing and want to binge read all of his other books now!

Get Jurassic Park on Amazon here for 50% off!

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
c/o Netgalley

This was an interesting book in several different aspects. It was told in a unique perspective that at first I thought was weird then I actually enjoyed because it added to the suspense and helped solve some of the mysteries. The book is told backwards, so it starts setting up the premise of the story and why a young woman returns home, then jumps two weeks to Day 15 where it starts going back, day by day, to the beginning. Back to day 1.

Nicolette (Nic) Farrell comes from a small town, which she left after her best friend Corinne disappeared. The case was never solved and Nic wanted something more than this small town, leaving behind all those close to her – her father, brother (Daniel), and friends Tyler, Jackson, and Bailey. She has returned only a handful of times to help with her sick father and for other important family matters.

When she receives a haunting letter from her father and a phone call from her brother saying their father isn’t doing well, she packs up as soon as she can and heads home to Cooley Ridge, North Carolina. She returns home and history repeats itself as another young girl, Annaleise Carter, is missing. Is there a connection between the two disappearances? As the story goes on, we dig through a web of lies and uncover the truth about what happened to Corinne ten years earlier and what’s happening to Annaleise now.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it was very intriguing, I had to know what had happened and didn’t predict any of the twists. It read quite quickly but I was probably spending more time reading than I realized. The ending definitely surprised me and I actually found it a little weak which was a let down because the plot was interesting and the way it was told was extremely unique. I didn’t feel like I connected with the characters because they weren’t well developed but they were also horrible people. I wouldn’t say there were plot holes, but there were a few things that didn’t seem to add up. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it!

Purchase All the Missing Girls on Amazon here

As always, join our link up below so we can see what you’ve been reading lately! Have you read any of these books before? Have any suggestions for next month? Tell me in the comments 🙂

I’d also like to give a shoutout to Erin of TexErin-in-Sydneyland. Not only does she host a super fun Book Challenge, but she also posts pictures using the Reading Lately hashtag (#readinglately)! Is this not the most adorable picture of her fur baby cuddling with her while she reads?! Thank you for your support Erin!

A photo posted by Erin Gray (@texerin) on Jun 6, 2016 at 1:27am PDT

 

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