Summer Holiday Reading Wrap Up 2020!

Hello Everyone!

Today is my reading wrap up for summer 2020! This is a new concept for me so let me know if you want this to be a regular occurrence! I am including all the books I read this strange summer, as well as a short review. Enjoy!

Kidnapped by R.L. Stephenson

I didn't actually finish this book but I thought I would include it anyway. It is pretty hard going with a challenging style and vocabulary, which is the reason I haven't finished it yet. I was, however, enjoying the storyline so I will definitely carry on with it. I think this is a book for 12+ as it really depends on your reading ability and what you are used to reading.

It is written from the perspective of David who upon his Father's death, is left with a letter and the instruction to make his way to the 'House Of Shaws'  where he meets a strange man who turns out to be his Uncle with a complicated relationship with David's Father. From here he befriends him but can he really trust him? 

I can't wait to find out the end of this book, although it may take me a while!

The Vanishing Of Billy Buckle By Sally Gardener

This is a very easy book that I therefore read quickly! It is a book suitable for those aged 8-12. It is generally a funny and very enjoyable read. It is the third book in the Wings & Co series, but the first I have read. I found this book on my bookshelf but I can't remember who gave it to me or if I bought it! 

The fairy detective agency is investigating the vanishing of Billy Buckle. They have to work together to solve the mystery. But Billy Buckle is no ordinary human: he is a giant. You are probably thinking that he should be easy to find but his kidnapper is very cunning and on top of that the society are left with  his daughter who is growing and soon won't be able to fit around the house. Their investigating uncovers a stolen diamond and a murder...

This book made me laugh and it was a relaxing read after Kidnapped!

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

This was the second time I read this and I devoured it. I simply love it! The way it is written is so full of charm and the plot is marvelous! I don't know how else to describe it. I have a Full-Colour Harper Collins Collectors Edition which enhances the reading experience with intricate illustrations by Pauline Baynes, a winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal. I highly recommend this edition! It is by far the best book of the Chronicles of Narnia.

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent away to a big house in the country as a result of the second world war. Lucy is the first to fall through the wardrobe and discover the world of Narnia. But the others don't believe her and she starts to doubt herself. One day they end up all falling through but a troubled world awaits them and they have to help. Together they meet the beavers and race to meet Aslan, the mighty lion. But a betrayal makes their work even harder. Can they kill the White Witch and reverse the cruel spell she has cast on Narnia? Can there ever be summer in Narnia once more? Can Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy save the animals captured and imprisoned by the White Witch?

This is a book so full of magic, adventure and suspense that I couldn't put it down, it is a must read for everyone of all ages.

Internment By Samira Ahmed

This is a gripping novel set in a frightfully close U.S. It has such a powerful message and is a truly beautiful book. It makes you think again about the discrimination that is still present in today's society and really touched me. It is a real gem of a book and I love it so much!

Layla Amin, her family and other Muslim American citizens have been declared by the president 'A threat to America' and placed inside an internment camp. The director and his guards only put the nice in for show and when the medias' backs are turned, the camp isn't all comfort and smiles. With the help of her boyfriend on the outside and some new friends on the inside, will Layla be able to show the world what it is really like in the camp and close it down? Or will the director catch wind of it and send her somewhere no-one has ever come back from? And will she manage it before too many tragedies occur?

This is a book that shows what the future holds if the discrimination in today's society continues. This is a book full of hope, courage and friendship. It brought tears to my eyes and is such a thought-provoking and heart-warming story that I just want to read it over and over again. I highly recommend it!

The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

This is a breath taking book narrated from the intriguing perspective of Death. It is a very long book but a magnificent one all the same. It is so emotionally charged and was a pleasure to discover. It is now a film and a No.1 international bestseller. 

 Liesl Meminger is sent away to live with some foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. She is still troubled by the death of her brother, which she witnessed. When her Papa learns she is illiterate, he teaches her at night after her nightmares. These midnight classes are a refuge for Liesl but when she gets to a point she wants to read books, she brings out the first book she stole when her brother died, The Gravedigger's Handbook, not exactly an easy first book to read! But her family can't afford to buy books for her all the time, only Christmas and birthdays, so she resorts to stealing. She makes friends and in the end not only steals books but fruit too. 

Hans Hubermann is against the Nazis, most people know it. But being against the Nazis in WW2 is dangerous. And on top of that the son of someone who once saved his life turns up wanting to be hidden. You guessed it: a Jew. So the Hubermann household now not only not support the Nazis but hide a Jew in their basement. A close friendship develops between the Jew and Liesl. But there can be no happy ever after for the Hubermanns and soon the jew is forced to leave. 

The bombings are more regular and parades of Jews on their way to concentration camps fill the streets. Among them Liesl searches for the Jew. Her refuge is books. Stealing them and reading them, everything to do with them. And with her best friend Rudy by her side she is finally happy. But it isn't to last and a bombing tears apart everyone she met, knew and loved. But one day she has a surprise awaiting her. And another day she shall die but with a family of her own and her soul sitting up...

There is so much more I want to say about this book. It is so action-packed and made me cry more than once! There are so many other surprises but i won't share them, you have to read the book! Perhaps you have read it? If so I would love to know what you thought of it!

And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie

This is the first Agatha Christie book I have read and I loved it! It is so ingeniously crafted and plotted and the story line is heart-racing. 

It tells the tale of ten people on an island who all had a convincing letter telling them to go there. Each one hides a secret. One by one they are murdered. There is no one else on the island so the murderer is one of them. But the murderer is very cunning and soon there are none...

The murderer is so intelligent and I will definitely read this again, but it won't have the same first time effect on me, as I know the murderer. I expect many of you have read this especially older viewers so i would love to know your thoughts on it!

Anne Frank and the children of the Holocaust by Carol Ann Lee

I actually read this in French as I am bilingual for those of you who didn't know, but it was originally published in English,although a lot of the texts were written in German or other languages. It is such a fascinating book and covers a part of our history that is very important we don't forget. It is written in a beautiful way with thoughts, memoirs and photos. It tells the story of Anne Frank from a different perspective to the diary we all know and offers an insight to her personality, family and most importantly her life. It tells not only her story but that of other Jewish children during the Holocaust. Some surviving, others not. It talks about Anne's family and their memories of her as well as letters and notes mainly from Buddy Elias's private collection (Anne's cousin). It tells the tale of Miep Gies, Bep Voskuijil, Johannes Kleiman and Victor Kugler, the brave individuals who at their own peril, helped the Franks while they were in hiding. I think these people are very inspirational and this book helped me learn more about them. It is a book that looks on the inside of Anne Frank's story and answers the many questions we have on it. It is a book highlighting a tale that mustn't be forgotten and an era that can't be repeated. It talks about why the war erupted, what it was like on arrival in the concentration camps and how Anne and many others died. In this book there are lots of individual tales about leaving family, friends and everything behind for the sole reason of your religion. May what happened then never be repeated even not in a context like the book i mentioned above, Internment...

Agnes Grey By Anne Brontë

This was my first of the Brontë sisters' novels and I loved it! I was recommended it on Lucy Powrie, the author of The Paper and Hearts Society's YouTube channel in one of her 'Classics For Beginners' videos. I thought it sounded good and so got it from my Grandma's house and started reading it. 

Anne's debut novel, it covers love, marriage and religion in the nineteenth century as well as everyday life for a governess. It follows Agnes Grey through the ups and downs of her life. She is first of all governess to a two naughty and disrespectful children, but then goes to a different family where her students are older and very different but they bring their own challenges, especially when she takes a fancy to the village Curate... 

This semi-autobiographical book really gives an insight to what life as a governess was like and I loved it! The ending is so perfect and I highly recommend it!

Anne Frank's Tales From The Secret Annex

This is a collection of the short stories and reminisces Anne Frank wrote while she was in hiding. Her diary is so famous but she didn't just write a diary and many people forget that. She had such a talent and her stories are so full of humor and are bursting with creativity and  imagination. Her fables are so beautiful and if she could have lived I have no doubt she would have made a very successful author. Her memories are so funny and give an idea of what life was like in the secret annex. This book is a real treasure. 

Ewilan's Quest By Pierre Bottero

I read this in French but it is also translated into English. I loved the story line more than I thought I would and I can't wait to read the next ones in the series!

When Camille discovers she has special powers and actually comes from a parallel world, she needs all the help she can get from her best friend Salim. She embarks on an adventure that promises plenty of monsters, friends and challenges as she attempts to save the country. But will she find her brother, who she has never met but who might be more powerful than herself and so could help her on her mission? 

It is so gripping and reading it in French was a good challenge. 

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I have only just started this book and  so far it is really good.

This book is the diary of a girl who lives in a ruined castle. Her eccentric Father and glamorous Step-Mother as well as her sister make her life very interesting and I can't wait to find out more! And the arrival of two American men moves the plot along. The language is very descriptive and it is a beautiful book. So far it is very intriguing and I don't really have more to say than that as I have just started it but you might be hearing more about it once I have finished it!

So there you have it: all the books I read this summer during my holiday. If you have read any of these or would like to then feel free to leave a comment, likewise if you have any questions, put it in the comments and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Also, let me know if you like this concept!

 I also want to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the new features on my blog: Categories, About Me and Why I love Reading, please take a look! Thank you!