Reading Round-Up: July/August 2020

I think it's safe to say that 2020 hasn't exactly happened how any of us planned, but at least there are plenty of great books to keep us company! I've been smashing my reading goals over the last few months and I can't quite believe that July and August have passed already. It will be Christmas before we know it!

So, take some time out, grab a cuppa, and sit down to check out all the books I've been reading, acquiring, and adding to my wishlist during July and August 2020!

If you missed the last reading round-up, you can catch up with that here. 

Review: Blue Tea Box

AD* | With the cooler weather we've been having recently, it definitely feels as though there's a chill in the air and autumn is on its way. Once the nights start to draw in and we all dig out our cosy jumpers again, there's nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa with a blanket and a mug of tea. 

I am a big tea lover and I'm always up for the opportunity to try different blends and types of tea. So, when the lovely people at Blue Tea Box contacted me and offered me the chance to try one of their tea subscription boxes, there was only ever going to be one answer!

Book Review: In a Cottage, In a Wood by Cass Green

AD* | A strange encounter...

Neve comes across a troubled woman called Isabelle on Waterloo Bridge late one night. Isabelle forces a parcel into Neve’s hands and jumps to her death in the icy Thames below.

An unexpected gift...

Two weeks later, as Neve’s wreck of a life in London collapses, an unexpected lifeline falls into her lap – a charming cottage in Cornwall left to her by Isabelle, the woman on the bridge. The solution to all her problems.

A twisted secret...

But when Neve arrives, alone in the dark woods late one night, she finds a sinister-looking bungalow with bars across its windows. And her dream home quickly becomes her worst nightmare – a house hiding a twisted secret that will change her life forever...

Review: The Umbrella Academy Season 2

The Umbrella Academy has swiftly become a cult hit since the first series landed on streaming giant Netflix in 2019. With millions of viewers around the world left wanting more - especially with the last episode of season one ending on such a cliffhanger - it was a long wait for many until season two was finally released on July 31st 2020.

So, nearly a month later, what was season two's reception? Many eager fans have already headed online to read up about the show and beg for a speedy release for series three, but just how good was season two? Did it manage to live up to the high standards set by the first series?

Book Review: Writers & Lovers by Lily King

AD* | Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. 

A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, mouldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. 

When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfil her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.

Film Review: The Kissing Booth 2

The Kissing Booth 2 is a fun teen rom-com movie and the sequel to 2018's The Kissing Booth. This film is the perfect antidote to counteract the washout that is summer 2020. It has plenty of humour, excitement - and, kissing, of course - in-store and ready to offer you a fun-filled escape from reality.

So, if you're in the mood for a little romance, buckle up! The Kissing Booth 2 is the film for you this summer!

Book Review: The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

AD* | Some secrets are unspoken. Others are unspeakable...

August 1939.

Thirty-year-old Hetty Cartwright is tasked with the evacuation and safekeeping of the natural history museum’s collection of mammals. Once she and her exhibits arrive at Lockwood Manor, however, where they are to stay for the duration of the war, Hetty soon realizes that she’s taken on more than she’d bargained for.

Protecting her charges from the irascible Lord Lockwood and resentful servants is work enough, but when some of the animals go missing, and worse, Hetty begins to suspect someone – or something – is stalking her through the darkened corridors of the house.

As the disasters mount, Hetty finds herself falling under the spell of Lucy, Lord Lockwood’s beautiful but clearly haunted daughter. But why is Lucy so traumatized? Does she know something she’s not telling? And is there any truth to local rumours of ghosts and curses?

Part love story, part mystery, The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey is a gripping and atmospheric tale of family madness, long-buried secrets and hidden desires.

Book Review: The Jam Factory Girls by Mary Wood

AD* | The Jam Factory Girls is an uplifting and emotional novel of friendship set in the heart of pre-WWI London from bestselling author, Mary Wood.

Life for Elsie is difficult as she struggles to cope with her alcoholic mother. Caring for her siblings and working long hours at Swift's Jam Factory in London’s Bermondsey is exhausting. Thankfully her lifelong friendship with Dot helps to smooth over life’s rough edges.

When Elsie and Dot meet Millie Swift, they are nervous to be in the presence of the bosses’ daughter. Over time, they are surprised to feel so drawn to her, but should two East End girls be socializing in such circles?

When disaster strikes, it binds the women in ways they could never imagine. Long-held secrets are revealed that could change all their lives...

Film Review: Eurovision The Story of Fire Saga

Sadly, this year's Eurovision Song Contest had to be cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, all is not lost for Eurovision fans as a brand new movie is here to fill the gaping hole left by the absence of Eurovision 2020!

With an explosion of fun and crazy antics, enter Eurovision Song Content: The Story of Fire Saga.