What I'll be reading in August 2017.

Oh hey, August. We're just 2 weeks in and you're already driving me crazy – in good and bad ways. I'm already nervous to write my end of month wrap up, to be honest with you... 

Reading-wise though, dearest August, you're gonna be a treat. I already have cracked the spines of 2 excellent YA novels 'Lola Offline' by Nicola Doherty and 'Another Place' by Matthew Crow, and now I am ready to realign with my 2017 reading schedule – which really is not as thought out or concrete as I'm implying in these posts, oops. 

This month, I have celebrated my 24^th birthday. It made me think about all the books I've read in my life, and which ones have stuck with me. Also, which ones would I maybe read again? Like, to see if I love them as much the second time around or give them another chance because I didn't enjoy them the first time?

Well, I have managed to condense a very long list to just these three – although I have a couple of extras stored safely, just in case I devour them too quickly or even give up halfway through one...which is a real danger. 

So, first up we have 'Stargirl'. Probably the first American YA I ever read – this goes back to a time when I didn't know what YA even was. I just saw this bright pink book mama had bought and recently finished reading, and I wanted it.

I love the character of Stargirl. She's everything I wish I could be – or, y'know, pull off convincingly. She wears flapper dresses and flower garlands to school, serenades her peers on their birthdays, meditates in the desert, dances in the rain – and changes her name now and again. Leo is a boy who hasn't got a whole lot of sparkle in his life, and he's completely taken in by this new girl when she lands in his lap. 

I'm excited to read this one again, and see if it's just as magical the second time around. In recent years my liking for American YA has faded somewhat – team #UKYA have had their way with me – but maybe this re-read will re-ignite it. 

Next, 'The Secret Diary & Growing Pains of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4'. I f*cking loved the Adrian Mole series and its main character character growing up – Sue Townsend, God rest her, was a genius and a treasure. She didn't just write these 'diaries' like an actual teenage boy writing about his mad lusty urges while being blissfully ignorant of his parents' many marriage problems, she made it relatable and hilarious.

I recently found a tiny copy of Adrian Mole's 'collected poetry' (ta Oxfam Books, my bae) and actually cried laughing reading the 'poems' to myself – and then aloud to my friends as we sat drinking wine and eating baked pea snaps. This little return into the mind of young Mr Mole reminded me of my love for him and his many mishaps - so I found a nicely discounted copy of the first book and I will now get to revisit him for a little longer. I am so confident I will adore this, and I won't be rushing through it, no sir. 
(Pictured above: my dog-eared and well-loved copy of 'Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years')

And finally, funnily enough another cute edition I found in Oxfam (not spon!), 'How I Live Now', by Meg Rosoff. 

Yep, I'll be honest; this is the re-read I'm most apprehensive about. More so even than I was when I re-read 'One Day' – because I did not love this book the first time around. It actually distressed me slightly, and when it wasn't doing that it was boring me. I first read it when I was about 12, so maybe the (very little) maturity and life experience I now have under my belt will make it more relatable and readable now. We shall see. I am optimistic, I assure you! I skimmed the first few pages recently and realised that the narrative style is pretty unique, and intriguing. So.

That's it! That's my lot for this month. I have another re-read thing in mind for September if all goes to plan – which it often doesn't in my life, let's be honest – and it'll be quite a major undertaking if I do it, so let's see how this little re-read experiment goes first, and if it'll prepare me...

What books would you consider – or have enjoyed – re-reading? Are there any you'd rather throw into a pit and erase the stories from your mind? Let me know in the comments below or by tweeting!

Happy reading,