June 2019 | Monthly Consumptions

Happy Summer Everyone!!!

June was a great reading month for me. I was able to read some of the ARCs I received at BookExpo as well as read some book that were already released that I have been wanting to read for a while!

The first show I watched this month was HBO's Big Little Lies. Based on the same-titled best-seller by Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief in the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey, Calif. Amidst doting moms, successful husbands, beautiful children, and stunning homes exists a community fueled by rumors and divided into haves and have-nots, exposing fractured relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors. Told through the eyes of three mothers – Madeline, Celeste and Jane – the series' narrative explores society's myths regarding perfection and its romanticization of marriage, sex, parenting and friendship. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star as the three prominent Mothers of Monterey. I strongly dislike each one of these mothers, but I cant help but watch the drama unfold. They have pulled me in with their fire-side wine chats and pristine houses. I am so invested, I just want to know what is going to happen next! Tantalizing and thrilling till the last drop! 5 out of 5 stars.

PAST PERFECT LIFE BY ELIZABETH EULBERG REVIEW

Past Perfect Life by Elizabeth Eulberg

Release Date: July 9th 2019
Source: ARC from Book Expo
Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository

        Small-town Wisconsin high school senior Allison Smith loves her life the way it is-spending quality time with her widowed father and her tight-knit circle of friends, including best friend Marian and maybe-more-than-friends Neil. Sure she is stressed out about college applications . . . who wouldn't be? In a few short months, everything's going to change, big time.

        But when Ally files her applications, they send up a red flag . . . because she's not Allison Smith. And Ally's-make that Amanda's-ordinary life is suddenly blown apart. Was everything before a lie? Who will she be after? And what will she do as now comes crashing down around her?

        Ally lives quite an ordinary life. In fact it might be too ordinary considering she is struggling to think of anything substantial to write about in her scholarship applications. But that all changes when her whole world is flipped upside-down and the girl that Ally thought she was is no longer.
        This was a good and quick read but was nothing exceptional. With a synopsis that is filled with suspense, this story lacked any sort of thrill. There was potential for this story to be reviting, but this story was focused around Ally's emotions and her adjusting to her new life. I was waiting this entire book for a single monumental moment, but there was no real climax or plot twist. While the secret that was reviled at the beginning of the book was quite dramatic, the reactions were average and not interesting at all. The plot and writing were nothing groundbreaking. My highlighter was not used once because there was not a single line that made me feel something. 
        The pacing was slow and the characters were nothing special. They felt one dimensional and bland. While nearly all the characters were likable, the lacked development that would make them more interesting. The mother pissed me off because she was irrational and not considerate of Ally's situation. The relationships between family members were cheesy and typical. I just want to see something more from some of these books. I'm tired of the same old story, with the same old characters that offer nothing new. I will refer to Jordan Peele's statement on casting white men in movies:

        I have trouble writing reviews for average reads, because I have no passion for the book. I would give Past Perfect Life 3 out of 5 stars. Past Perfect Life is out July 9th 2019.

What types of books do you want to see more of? PoC, LGBTQIA+, Disabilities, etc?

Let me know in the comments down below!

Thanks Hons,

Lee Chand

• • I received this ARC from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review • •