@haley___reads March 2020

As you may or may not know, in the past year or so my passion for reading has recently been reignited. You may think that being quarantined for much of the month of March would have given me more time to read than usual, but with three toddlers running around the house, my reading time hasn’t increased too much. However, thanks to audiobooks, I can usually get a few chapters in here and there in addition to reading my hard copies.

Along with reading the books, I have created a “bookstagram” account where I post my thoughts before, during, and after reading each book. If you are interested in checking out my account, you can search @haley___reads (that is with three underscores). Continue below to find out what I read this month and decide whether or not you should give these books a try as well!

Followers by Megan Angelo

Quick synopsis: Followers tells the story of Orla, a young writer in 2015, and Marlow, a reality-type star in the year 2051. The book goes back a forth between each of their stories, leading up to and exploring the aftermath of a technological apocalypse.

What I thought: I loved this book more than any book I have read in a long time. The story was so interesting and I felt like a detective trying to figure out what happened between the two time periods each woman lived in. It deals with the themes of technology addiction, social anxiety, loneliness, friendship, and motherhood. I could not put this one down and the story has stuck with me.

Who should read it? Fans of Black Mirror on Netflix and anyone who is interested in how social media and technology has affected the millennial generation and generations to follow.

My rating: 10/10

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Quick synopsis: A pair of new parents go next door to a dinner party and leave their baby home alone, within range of the baby monitor. They check on her every half hour and discover she is missing at the end of the night. The book follows the case of the missing child and all of those involved.

What I thought: I read this book a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I reread it because it was a book club pick and I was underwhelmed this time around. The story is interesting and easy to read, but definitely not one of those books I would recommend to everyone. I like books, movies, and documentaries that have to do with crime, so I still enjoyed it but it wasn’t up to par with some of the books I have read recently. I rated it higher than I would have just because I liked it so much the first time I read it so I feel like that has to count for something.

Who should read it? Fans of Law and Order SVU and anyone interested in a beach read with some plot twists.

My rating: 8/10

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Quick Synopsis: Harry returns to Hogwarts and must enter the Chamber of Secrets to defeat the heir of Slytherin after chaos ensues at school. Ron and Hermione are, of course, there to help along the way.

What I thought: As an unapologetically obsessive Harry Potter fan, I unsurprisingly really enjoyed rereading this book. I started rereading the series a little while ago in between book club books. Due to the hold schedule at the library, I read the first book, the third book, and now the second book. I liked this one better than the first one and probably equally as much as the third one. I love the story line with the diary, and any time Tom Riddle is in the story I am there for it.

Who should read it? I know I am biased, but I think most people of all ages can get something out of reading any of the Harry Potter books.

My rating: 10/10

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Quick synopsis: Charlie, an eccentric boy first starting high school, writes letters to a stranger describing his experiences, good and bad, as he tries to figure out his place in the world.

What I thought: I liked this book although it made me feel like I am very old. Many parts of the story would have been much more meaningful to me if I had read this about 15 years ago. That said, the story deals with many important themes including family relationships, loneliness, sexual abuse, homosexuality, and identity making it an interesting read for me. This was a book I read with a group of girlfriends and we then watched the movie together during a virtual meet up. I liked the movie a little better than the book, which is unusual, but the book droned on a bit. The movie left out some of the darkness of the book which was good and bad in different ways.

Who should read it? Fans of The Smiths and emo music. High school students would probably like this book today even though it takes place during the nineties. However, I wouldn’t say the content of the book is necessarily appropriate for a teenager.

My rating: 8/10

Crooked House by Agatha Christie

Quick synopsis: An old man who lives with several odd and interesting family members is murdered. Charles, the love interest of the old man's granddaughter, narrates the story as they try to figure out who did it.

What I thought: Meh. This book was okay but definitely not memorable. It was written in 1949 and much different from my usual choice of book. I read this for another book club (yes, that is the third book club book). I liked the beginning and ending of the book but the middle was kind of boring to me.

Who should read it? Fans of Downton Abbey and The movie Clue.

My rating: 6/10

Final Thoughts

Read Followers by Megan Angelo. It was such a unique story. It isn’t as highly rated on Goodreads and Amazon as I think it should be. Also, a trip back to Hogwarts is always a good idea. Both of these books are a great way to escape and fully dive into an interesting world.