Most Anticipated Books for August/ Book of the Month

Well June was bad enough for reading, but July was absolutely hideous. Luckily I read enough to come up with a book of the month, which is featured at the end of this post. There are some amazing books coming out this month. These are the ones I'm looking forward to the most.

1) The Yellow Room by Jess Vallance 

This has to be one of the most talked about books last weekend at YALC. Everyone was desperate to get hold of it. The book was flying off the shelves of Waterstones. I've heard it is super creepy but also funny. Just my kind of book.

Published by Hot Key Books

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Anna receives a letter from her father's girlfriend telling her he has died and asking to meet. Anna is drawn to Edie: her warmth, her character, her ability to rustle up delicious meals, all of which her own mother is seemingly incapable of... and the way she can tell Edie the secret that is buried inside her.

2) The Creeper Man by Dawn Kurtagich

I really enjoyed Dawn's debut novel, The Dead House, so definitely looking forward to this one. It really sounds creepy! 

Published by Orion Children's Books 

Summary

When Silla and her little sister, Nori, escape London and their abusive father, Aunt Cath's country house feels like a safe haven. Leaving the smog and fear behind, the girls have the love and freedom they never had in their violent home. But slowly, ever so slowly, things begin to unravel.

Aunt Cath locks herself in the attic and spends day and night pacing; every day the surrounding forest inches slowly towards the house; a mysterious boy appears from the enclosing wood offering friendship, and Nori claims that a man watches them from the dark forest. A man with no eyes who creeps ever closer. . .

3) To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey

I loved The Snow Child sooooo much! It is one of those novels that has stayed with me. So I am super excited abut Eowyn Ivey's new novel and I can't wait to read it. 

Published by Tinder Press

Summary

In the winter of 1885, Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester sets out with his men on an expedition into the newly acquired territory of Alaska. Their objective: to travel up the ferocious Wolverine River, mapping the interior and gathering information on the region’s potentially dangerous native tribes. With a young and newly pregnant wife at home, Forrester is anxious to complete the journey with all possible speed and return to her. But once the crew passes beyond the edge of the known world, there’s no telling what awaits them.

4) Cuckoo by Keren David

It's another case of loving this author's previous book, which makes me desperate to read this one. I adored This Is Not A Love Story. Karen is an author who never disappoints. 

Published by Atom

Summary

He's a household name . . . without a home

Jake is an actor, a household name thanks to his role on the UK's most popular soap. But his character went upstairs to his bedroom six months ago and never came down again, and now Jake is facing an uncertain future. Add to that his dad's anger issues, the family's precarious finances and the demands of a severely autistic brother; Jake's home feels like a powder keg waiting to explode. It's easier to spend nights on friends' sofas and futons, but what happens when you feel like a cuckoo in every nest?

5) The Special Ones by Em Bailey 

I didn't really know much about this book, until I hit the Egmont stand at YALC and all the Egmont team were raving about it. They were raving enough to have my full attention. The author's first novel was a huge success and the book is being described as "Gone Girl meets Seed."

Published by Egmont

Summary

Esther is one of the four Special Ones. They are chosen by him to live under his protection in a remote farmhouse, and they must always be ready to broadcast their lives to eager followers in the outside. But on renewal day when he decides that a new Esther, Harry, Lucille or Felicity must take their place, the old ones disappear – forever. The new ones don’t always want to come, but soon they realise.

Until one day Esther has a realisation of her own – and it changes everything.

Book of the Month

The Other Alice by Michelle Harrison.

Michelle is one of my favourite authors and this book was pure magic. I love that there is a story within the story and that the characters are brought to life. It reminds me of one of the first Middle Grade books I ever read, Ink Heart by Cornelia Funke. The Other Alice is unique, magical and reminiscent of classic tales from my childhood. 

Published by Simon and Schuster

Summary

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . 

Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and ‒ most of all ‒ stories. Especially because he’s grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer.

When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a clue. Soon he discovers that her secret book, The Museum of Unfinished Stories, is much more than just a story. In fact, he finds two of its characters wandering around town.

But every tale has its villains ‒ and with them leaping off the page, Midge, Gypsy and Piper must use all their wits and cunning to work out how the story ends and find Alice. If they fail, a more sinister finale threatens them all . . .