Reading Slumps

Hey guys, today I wanted to talk to you all about reading slumps!

So I've had a bit of a rollercoaster over the last six or so months; lots of things have been happening in my personal life (both highs and lows) and so my reading has been quite erratic. Sometimes I find reading takes me away from the outside stuff but there are also times when I can't bring myself to read as I have other things to do or I'm just not feeling it. Reading slumps are not generally something I have to deal with but on the odd occasion I can get reading numbness (that's what I call it anyway).

I seem to be back on an updrive recently and I wanted to share with you some things I have done to evade the reading slump nightmare!

1) Buddy reads

As of September, I have stopped doing buddy-reads (at least until the new year) unless I have a particular urge to read a book and someone else wants to read it at that moment. I found myself feeling distant from reading because I was forcing myself to read pre-picked books that I no longer wanted to read at the point I picked them up. Don't get me wrong I love reading with my friends but I think I need to find another way to do that for now.

2) Readathons

I am trying to do more readathons and less readalongs / buddy reads. If you don't know, a readathon is where you read books based on prompts over a set period of time; whereas with a readalong or buddy read, you read a set book over a set period of time. I like reading based on prompts but this way I can pick books that I feel like reading that still fit the theme I'm reading from. I can still feel included and like I'm reading with my friends without feeling so constrained.

3) Mixing up short and long books

I have found that reading all short or all long books is not particularly fulfilling and doesn't make me feel accomplished either way. I definitely need a good mixture to make me feel as if I'm getting somewhere but also enabling me to tackle some of the beasts on my shelves.

Overall, these three tips have been helping me immensely and I feel really good about my reading right now. 

Until next time, happy reading!

Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Geek Girl
by Holly Smale
Published by HarperCollins Children's Books: 28th February 2013
Paperback: 378 pages
Goodreads
Amazon
Star Rating: 1/5










Synopsis from Goodreads:

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.
She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a ''jiffy'' lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.
As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did.
And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

My Review:

This will probably be my shortest review to date because I really didn't like this book and so I DNF'd it at about 60%. I just felt like I was reading for it to end and that's never a good way to read. This book for me was a completely pointless exercise in rounding up cliches and unrealistic characters. It somehow feels much more out of date than expected; it's uncomfortable reading and I honestly despised the experience.

The thing that could have swayed it for me would have been some characters we could get behind and root for but honestly I found all of them to lack development and they didn't feel real to me. I didn't care what happened to them and I especially found the main character Harriet to be unrealistic and completely boring.

The writing of this was incredibly poor and I found it to be juvenile and the target audience seemed to be lost. It's marketed as YA but I think the language used was more Middle Grade with a seemingly YA subject matter. It didn't fit into any category which would make it difficult to know who should be reading it.

I found a lot of the characters in this to be problematic (mainly it's incredibly sexist) which made it so frustrating to read and eventually I decided not to bother anymore. I also hated the fact that for the majority of this book, we were told what was happening rather than shown and being part of the action.

Overall, Holly Smale is not an author that I think I will read from again.

Until next time, happy reading!

Why Do I Love To Read?

Hey guys, reading is such a massive part of my life and I wanted to tell you why I love it so much!

1) You can learn about new worlds and things you'll never be able to experience yourself.

2) Nostalgia brings back memories of childhood or certain times in your lives.

3) Reading means never being bored.

4) You can make friends due to shared reading experiences or favourite books.

5) Keeps your mind active.

6) There are so many different types of books; something for everyone.

7) You can learn right from wrong and ethics and morality from reading.

8) Reading helps you to forget pain, broken hearts & mental health issues just for a while.

9) Books don't change; you can be sure of stability when you read a book again.

10) If I didn't read, I wouldn't be me.

YA Books I've Read

Hey guys, there are so many YA books out there that I love but today I wanted to share five of my favourites! Happy reading!

1) Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Although quite an unconventional YA book, Forbidden deals with the topic of incest. Maya and Lochan (16 and 17 years old respectively) have had to run their family home predominantly since their father walked out on them and their mother is constantly absent. The stresses and strains of looking after their younger siblings causes the two of them to rely more on each other and they start to fall in love.

This book is a tough read because you don't know whether to root for the relationship or not. The characters of all of the siblings and some side-characters are completely fleshed out and every step of the way is equal parts heartbreaking and moving. A great read about a very difficult topic and I would recommend to all.

2) The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling

This is a short story collection that is taken directly from the Harry Potter series. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, there is a scene where Hermione reads one of the tales from this book as it gives the clue of the Deathly Hallows. J. K. Rowling wrote this book as an extension of a set of childhood stories that wizards get read to them as children. 

If you're a fan of the Harry Potter series, this will be a wonderful read for you. There are five stories and then each of them has a note after them which is supposed to have been written by Dumbledore himself. It's a great addition and one I would suggest you read!

3) Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On is another book that is linked to a different book by the same author. I adored Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell so much and in that book, the main character writes fan fiction. This book is the fan fiction that she has written about the Simon Snow series (heavily influenced by Harry Potter). This is essentially about two roommates Baz and Simon; one who is the chosen one and the other is a vampire. 

There is lots of great references in this book and I'm so excited that the sequel is out soon. I've been waiting a long time for it and I can't believe it's actually out now.

4) Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

This is a book that I read in April 2018 and although it wasn't my favourite book ever, it has stuck with me. This book follows Meg who just wants to get away from her parents, her small town life and her high school. One night she takes part in a dare on a rail track and she gets in trouble with John, the local police officer.

This book has much more meaning than just a contemporary YA romance story; not that there's anything wrong with that of course. This talks about life and how to live it to the fullest. It's a great romance and even a little bit juicy at times.

5) Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Wonder is a beautiful story about August Pullman, a young boy born with a facial deformity who is about to start mainstream school for the first time. He has spent his childhood being stared at and comments being made about him. His new classmates struggle to get past his face and this book is the story.

This is such a wonderful story and so perfectly written and I could read about August all day. It's such a sweet read about a character you can't help but love. I need to watch the movie as soon as possible too!

These are some great YA books I have loved; let me know which you have enjoyed! 

Until next time, happy reading!

Review: The Accident by C. L.Taylor

The Accident
by C. L. Taylor
Published by Avon HarperCollins: April 10th 2014
Paperback: 404 pages
Goodreads
Amazon
Star Rating: 2/5











Synopsis from Goodreads:

The person you trust most may only be telling you half the story...
Sue Jackson has the perfect family but when her teenage daughter Charlotte deliberately steps in front of a bus and ends up in a coma she is forced to face a very dark reality.
Retracing her daughter's steps she finds a horrifying entry in Charlotte's diary and is forced to head deep into Charlotte's private world. In her hunt for evidence, Sue begins to mistrust everyone close to her daughter and she's forced to look further, into the depths of her own past.
There is a lot that Sue doesn't know about Charlotte's life. But then there's a lot that Charlotte doesn't know about Sue's...

My review:

This was my second C. L. Taylor book and I was really excited to read it because I loved The Missing which I read earlier in the year. That was fantastic and I have since bought another couple of her books too! However, this one unfortunately left a bad taste in my mouth and I wasn't impressed. I would like to stress that I don't believe this is typical of her stories and I am still keen to read more. Having looked more into it, this is actually C. L. Taylor's debut novel and I think it just shows some immaturity of writing and an unbelievable ending.

This book follows Sue Jackson who has a seemingly wonderful life until her young teenage daughter deliberately walks in front of a bus and she then ends up in a coma. Sue reads Charlotte's diary and finds an entry that makes her question everything she knew about her daughter's life.

This book is told in two timelines; the first is present day where Sue is trying to trace Charlotte's footsteps before her accident and the second is years before in Sue's past. There is something she is keeping secret from her husband and her family that has caused her to suffer from anxiety and PTSD.

There were a number of reasons that this book wasn't for me. The main one was that because of Sue's troubling past she currently has and previously has had mental illnesses and because of this, my least favourite trope happens; the people in her life and others around her don't believe what she says and blame it on a relapse instead. This is something I despise reading about and it always rubs me up the wrong way.

I also found the ending to be completely unbelievable and ridiculous and some of the things that happened throughout, especially that Sue did in order to find out the truth about her daughter were just farcical! It's difficult to explain just how strange this book was without spoiling but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

I will say that although the writing was a little immature and underplayed, I do think the character development was great and I really loved reading about Sue and her husband. Again, having read more of Taylor's books, I know how fantastic her books are so although not loving this one, I'm excited to read more of her work!

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book but still enjoy the author!

Until next time, happy reading!

Review: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Sense and Sensibility
by Jane Austen
Published by Oxford University Press: April 24th 2004 (originally 1811)
Paperback: 327 pages
Goodreads
Amazon
Star Rating: 3/5










Synopsis from Goodreads:

In her first published novel, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen presents us with the subtle portraits of two contrasting but equally compelling heroines. For sensible Elinor Dashwood and her impetuous younger sister Marianne the prospect of marrying the men they love appears remote. In a world ruled by money and self-interest, the Dashwood sisters have neither fortune neither connections. Concerned for others and for social propieties, Elinor is ill-equipped to compete with self-centred fortune-hunters like Lucy Steele, while Marianne's unswerving belief in the truth of her own feelings makes her more dangerously susceptible to the designs of unscrupulous men. Through her heroines' parallel experiences of love, loss, and hope, Jane Austen offers a powerful analysis of the ways in which women's lives were shaped by the claustrophobic society in which they had to survive.


My review:

This was the third of my Jane Austen reads (although I have now read four) and unfortunately it was my least favourite. The synopsis was definitely something I was looking forward to and I honestly expected this to be one of my favourites, but I didn't like many of the main characters so there it fell flat for me.

Elinor Dashwood was the only character I enjoyed reading about; she's a charming, polite, helpful woman with bags of potential and so much love to give. She's super sensible and she cares deeply about her family. If this book had only her in it, I would have adored it! Funnily enough, I think she's one of my favourite Austen protagonist's even though the book definitely wasn't!

My main problem with this book was the character of Marianne Dashwood. I couldn't find her likeable and as Jane Austen mainly writes very character driven plots, this made the book feel heavily out of balance. I wanted to like her so much more than I did and therefore I was more and more disappointed as the book went on.

If you are looking for an action-packed book with lots of backward and forwards between the characters, this is the one for you. Lots happens but it does sometimes feel a bit lacklustre in my opinion. There's lots of talk in this particular novel about societal expectations at the time of this book and that is something I adore most about Jane Austen's stories. It's amazing the pressures that young women had at that time; and I think that this is very well discussed in Sense and Sensibility.

I will also say that the sisterly relationship in this book is much more accomplished and interesting than the romantic ones. I found the male counterparts in this book to be irritating and altogether uninteresting. They were all over the place and I didn't enjoy the uneasiness I felt when they were involved. Something about them was just not as successful as the others in her repertoire. However this is also the first of Jane Austen's published novels so I think she got better as she wrote more and more books.

Altogether this was an enjoyable read just not quite as successful as her other works. I am still very much looking forward to reading the other two of her novels that I have left.

Until next time, happy reading!

Books I'm Glad I Was Recommended

Hey guys, today I want to share with you 5 books I have been recommended or inspired to read by some of my favourite BookTubers/friends.

1) The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (inspired by Sam from Sam's Nonsense)

Although Sam doesn't make BookTube videos anymore (you should definitely still check out her old videos though), she is definitely the person who inspired me to actually pick up the LOTR series. She raves about this series so much and I'm pretty sure she's reread it as much as I've read Harry Potter!!

I'd obviously seen the movies and knew it was a book series but I had always been put off because I'd heard it was a really difficult read and very high fantasy and it is those things. However, watching Sam's videos intrigued me and made me think I was missing out. I'm glad she inspired me to read it as I enjoyed the first one a lot! Thanks Sam <3 p="">

2) Looking For JJ by Anne Cassidy (inspired by Hannah Tay)

I was watching a video from some time ago that Hannah did where she was talking about Anne Cassidy as an author and how fantastic she was. She actually talked about a number of her books in this video and I was particularly drawn to this one. I reserved it at my local library and when the book came I devoured it as it was incredible!

Looking For JJ follows a young girl who has been released for juvenile detention and has been given a new identity. A young girl was murdered by her friend and this book explores how, why and if you can move on from that. It's a great read and one I would highly recommend myself. Thanks Hannah!

3) Gone by Michael Grant (inspired by Amy from TwoPaperGirls)

Again here is another channel that doesn't upload anymore but Laura and Amy's channel was one of my favourites about a year ago. Amy especially (the redhead on the left), always talked about the Gone series as one of her favourites. I decided to give the first book ago and am so pleased I did!

It's a dystopian novel about what happens when everyone over the age of 15 disappears and the politics of what happens when everyone else is left to fend for themselves. Great read so thanks Amy!

4) The Giver by Lois Lowry (inspired by Cece from Problems of a Book Nerd)

Cece is a big BookTuber that I have followed for a long time and I adore her channel. She makes some fantastic videos with lots of LGBTQIA+ content. I watched one of her videos where she talked about her favourite books of all time and she mentioned The Giver by Lois Lowry. The way she raved about it made me instantly want to read it. I was not disappointed. 

The Giver is a dystopian sci-fi story that follows Jonas who is living in a world where he is being trained as the Receiver and he learns lots of dark secrets about the seemingly perfect world he's living in. It's a really short book as well as being brilliant, so I read it in one sitting (a perfect readathon pick)!!! Thanks Cece!

5) Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh (inspired by Nicole from A Beautiful Chaos of Books)

As you all will probably know, I adored Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh and I've been raving about it since I read it! Something else I love is Nicole from A Beautiful Chaos of Books; you may know if you watch my YouTube channel that I love this girl and I can't sing her praises enough. I heard Nicole talking about this book so I added it immediately to my TBR. Then the beautiful Charlie Brook sent me a copy and we buddy read it together, so a double whammy of wonderful recommendations!

This book is a courtroom thriller and a fantastic one that is definitely a contender for my favourite book of the year. It's gritty and so unexpected so I think everyone will love it. Thanks Nicole!

Would you like me to do another one of these? Let me know as I have lots more!!

Until next time, happy reading!

Review: The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish

Swimming Pool

by Louise Candlish

Published by Michael Joseph Penguin UK: May 5th 2016

Hardcover: 400 pages

Goodreads

Amazon

Star Rating: 5/5

Synopsis from Goodreads:

'I can't take my eyes of the water. Can you?'

It's summer when Elm Hill lido opens, having stood empty for years. For Natalie Steele - wife, mother, teacher - it offers freedom from the tightly controlled routines of work and family. Especially when it leads her to Lara Channing, a charismatic former actress with a lavish bohemian lifestyle, who seems all too happy to invite Natalie into her elite circle.

Soon Natalie is spending long days at the pool, socializing with new friends and basking in a popularity she didn't know she'd been missing. Real life, and the person she used to be, begins to feel very far away.

But is such a change in fortunes too good to be true? Why are dark memories of a summer long ago now threatening to surface? And, without realizing, could Natalie have been swept dangerously out of her depth?

My review:

Before I get started, you should know that I read The Disappearance of Emily Marr by Louise Candlish in July last year and adored it. That book was a contemporary with a touch of mystery in it. So when I found out that Louise Candlish also writes psychological suspense thrillers, I was astounded and then unsure if I would love it as much. Well, no worries there because I adored it! This book is amazing and in my eyes Candlish can do no wrong.

This book follows Natalie and Ed Steele, both teachers, who work and live within a wonderful, if slightly distant neighbourhood. Natalie feels a bit left behind and not sure of herself. She is working in a public school whereas her husband is doing private tutoring and she feels judged by the people around her. However, she soon meets Lara Channing, an incredibly sophisticated and charismatic childhood actress and model and although Natalie has nothing in common with her, she soon starts to fall for her charms. But something is not quite right.

You might be forgiven for thinking from this description that this book is a contemporary-style book about friendship between different women but that is not the case at all. This book's third main character is the swimming pool itself. Lara helps to open the lido that has been closed for a long time which is where Natalie's anxieties start; her daughter Molly suffers from severe aquaphobia due to something that happened in her childhood and she wants nothing to do with the water.

There are so many elements and surprises in this book that just when you think you know where it's heading, it changes course again and becomes something completely different. It has twists and turns and so much suspense and foreboding. You don't quite know where to turn but it all makes sense everytime you get there.

My favourite part of this story was that the first chapter hints of something that will happen at the end without names, places or a clear understanding of what that thing is. So throughout the book as you read it, you start to think you know who the people involved are or what it means, but trust me, you will be very sorely mistaken!

This is a truly wonderful thriller that deserves so much more hype than it has.

Until next time, happy reading!

Feminist Books

Hey guys, today I wanted to share some of my favourite books with feminist themes. Here goes!

1) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

This book follows a slightly autobiographical storyline based around the character of Esther Greenwood. She is searching for her identity as a woman; she's trying to establish her career all while struggling with her mental health. 

One of the main themes throughout this short book is the idea of the sexual double standard. Esther talked about the idea of women being expected to be virgins when they get married but she struggles a lot when realising that the men she is seeing are not held to the same ideals. She really hates this and quite a bit of the story is her struggling with it. 

2) The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

It should be said that Alice Walker preferred the term 'womanist' to feminist but generally this book is about a black woman named Celie who is writing letters to God to try and get her through her difficult life. She has been raped and beaten throughout her young life and is now trapped in an unhealthy marriage.

This book has a huge disparity between victimised and successful females. The successful women in this story most often have gained their success by teaming up with the other women. But the victimised women are not aided at all; they are routinely subjected to rape and abuse and the men in this situation are not expected to be faithful in their marriages. Again there is also a strong theme of the double sexual standard.

3) Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This set of short stories is a letter Chimamanda wrote to her friend when that friend asked for help raising her newborn baby girl as a feminist. This has some great ideals and it also brings into view some more specific feminist ideas based on the Nigerian culture that Chimamanda is part of.

The main theme throughout this story is that there is a lack of equality between the sexes and Chimamanda give fifteen pieces of advice that help to combat that in raising a child in the twenty-first century. 

4) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is without a doubt my favourite classic of all time. I think Charlotte Bronte is a complete genius and I adore her writing. This book follows the titular character who starts off life with a lot of sadness. She is treated terribly by her aunt and then similarly at the boarding school she is sent to. She then goes to Thornfield Hall, the home of Mr Rochester, to be young Adele's governess. There she learns about love and lots of things ensue.

Although the ending of this book may not be completely within feminist constraints, I think it is completely realistic to accept that there are strong feminist themes in Jane Eyre as a character. At numerous times throughout the book, Jane refuses to let situations happen which try to take away her independence, she is incredibly sympathetic to her fellow women and constantly talks about women being able to feel as men feel. 

5) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Austen as an author has been seen as a feminist author throughout her novels but I think one of the best and most interesting portrayals of these principles is in Pride and Prejudice and more specifically, the character of Elizabeth Bennett.

The main points of Elizabeth's feminism for me, shows itself when she refuses to accept marrying merely for money or financial gain and power. Instead she wishes to be married for love, as a man would be able to do no matter the social status of her potential suitor. I love Elizabeth's character because she is definitely a go-getter and is happy to go for what she wants.

These are some of my favourite texts with feminist themes but let me know which ones you love.

Until next time, happy reading!

Harry Potter Tag

Hey guys, today I have decided to do the Harry Potter Tag!! I did one on my BookTube channel last month but wanted to do a different one on here. I saw this on Jenny In Neverland's blog Hope you like it!

1) What house are you in?

I am a very proud Hufflepuff! When I first took the Pottermore test, I honestly thought I would be in Ravenclaw but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I also have lots of BookTuber friends who are Hufflepuff so it works out really well.

2) What is your Patronus?

I got a hare! Apparently it's because I'm a bit of an oddball and my eccentricity and honesty are my best features. I could believe that too so I think it's another great choice!

3) What is your wand?

My wand is a 9" cherry wood wand, with a unicorn hair core. Apparently it shared Neville Longbottom's wand makeup.

4) What would your boggart be?

I think I would have to copy Ron and it would probably be a spider!

5) What position would you play in Quidditch?

I used to be Goal Defence in Netball so I'm going to say I'd be a Keeper.

6) Would you be a pure-blood, half-blood or Muggle-born?

I think I would be a pure-blood as both my parents have read the books and seen the films therefore I think I qualify!

7) What job would you want to have after leaving Hogwarts?

I would like to never leave Hogwarts and instead become a professor but I confess, I don't know what subject I would want to teach.

8) Which of the Deathly Hallows would you choose?

I would choose the Resurrection Stone honestly, I would definitely be tempted. I'd love to see my Great Nan again and all my childhood dogs.

9) Favourite book?

Definitely Goblet of Fire!!

10) Least favourite book?

Chamber of Secrets but only because I've read it so many times.

11) Favourite film?

I would say Goblet of Fire again but I also really love the final Deathly Hallows film. The finale battle is incredible viewing.

12) Least favourite film?

Prisoner of Azkaban, I don't love the repetitiveness of the Time Turner.

13) Favourite character?

This changes all the time but for today I will say Professor McGonagall. I adore her strictness yet admiration with her students.

14) Least favourite/most hated character?

Other than the obvious, I surprisingly really hate Ollivander. I find him super creepy in both book and film and I'm not a fan.

15) Favourite teacher at Hogwarts?

Other than obviously McGonagall, I'd be lying if I said anyone other than the amazing Hagrid!

16) Least favourite teacher at Hogwarts?

UMBRIDGE!!!!

17) Do you have any unpopular opinions about the series?

I hate Ollivander; I wish Neville had been the chosen one; and Albus Dumbledore has some serious issues and I'm not his biggest fan.

So there you are guys, that is my answers to the Harry Potter tag. 

Until next time, happy reading!

Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

Final Girls

by Riley Sager
Published by Dutton: July 11th 2017
Hardcover: 342 pages
Goodreads
Amazon
Trigger Warnings: rape, suicide, addiction
Star Rating: 4/5










Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie-scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to - a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media's attempts, they never meet.
Now, Quincy is doing well - maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won't even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past. 
That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy's doorstep. Blowing through Quincy's life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy questions why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa's death comes to light, Quincy's life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam's truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.


My Review:

Before reading this book, I was honestly unsure about it as Charlie Brook wasn't the biggest fan. But I decided to give it a go and I was not disappointed in the slightest.

This book feels like a strange horror movie of the B-variety but it's still great anyway. At the start it definitely has a much slower pace to the rest of the book so it might need a bit of investment to get through to the good stuff but I promise it's worth it! Final Girls is also the obvious trope for the 'one that got away' as the main protagonists have previously endured some pretty horrendous ordeals. However it doesn't get any easier for them.

Quincy is trying to forget about her past especially as she has amnesia from the event itself. She doesn't remember any of the details of what happened to her but she does know the outcome and she has lots of memories of her friends who were murdered. She has to take medication and regularly sees the man who save her life, Coop but she is running a baking blog and is trying to move forward. However, all that starts to unravel when another of the Final Girls, as depicted by the media, dies in potentially suspicious circumstances and Samantha (the third girl) shows up. The question then becomes what does Sam want?

I love the way this book was laid out and I felt like it really kept me guessing. The good thing for me was that this book has multiple twists and just when you think you've worked out the twist, something else happens. I did guess a few of the twist moments but still found myself surprised by the final outcome. It's also a story where no matter what happens, you still find yourself second-guessing which can be a fun experience.

The one downside to me and the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of the full 5 was none of the characters were likeable or endearing to me. I don't always have to like the characters in a book to enjoy the reading experience but because I was supposed to be so invested in Quincy and her life, I found that a little challenging because she was essentially another carbon copy character. The plot to this book is far more interesting and well thought out than the individual characters are so if you enjoy plot-based over character-based books, you will have a fabulous time reading this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would recommend to any light horror/mystery fans who don't want anything too heavy or gory! 

Until next time, happy reading!

Best Book Couples

Hey guys, today I wanted to talk a bit about book couples and my favourites. I love when you can really root for a couple in a book and the following are no exception. Here goes...

1) Hadley & Oliver

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

This book was a really sweet and cute read where I didn't mind the insta-love that it was laced with. Hadley and Oliver were both great characters individually but the impromptu meet-cute on the plane was great to read about and made me love them even more. It becomes a will-they, won't-they type of tale and I was behind it every step of the way. Definitely a couple I believed in and adored!

2) Mr & Mrs Owens

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Although not necessarily expected for this list, Mr and Mrs Owens have always stuck with me even months after reading this book. The two of them adopt Bod when he moves into the graveyard as they are both ghosts. They have one regret which is that they never had children so Bod fits in perfectly and they make a great, albeit dysfunctional family unit. Something about the two of them made me want to add them to my favourite couples list.

3) Betsy Taylor & Eric Sinclair

Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

This is one of my favourite series that takes on a completely different type of vampires. Betsy Taylor 'dies' one day and somehow wakes up as a vampire. She then finds out she is the new Queen of the Vampires and meets Eric Taylor who is trying to become her King. It's delicious, sexy and absolutely hilarious. A great read and something completely different but the sass between the two makes for a fantastic couple alert!

4) Cormoran Strike & Robin Ellacott

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

I don't think anyone could read the Cormoran Strike series and not fall in love with the idea of the two main characters together. Although not technically an official couple, I like to think of them as one. I despise Robin's partner Matthew so much and sometimes I feel like I'd rather anyone be with her except him. However, Cormoran and Robin have so much respect for each other and they have such a wonderful relationship that I had to include them on this list.

5) Aza Holmes & Davis Pickett

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

This book is absolutely not predominately about the relationship but I enjoyed it a lot anyway. This is a book about mental health and OCD so don't go into it thinking it's a romance novel. However, the relationship in this worked perfectly for me. I loved how it explored how mental health can affect your relationships but in Davis, I saw a man who was willing and capable of working with Aza to help her. Davis wasn't completely fleshed out in my opinion but in his relationship with Aza, I thought John Green did a fantastic job.

So there you are, that is my top 5 book couples. Who are some of yours?

Until next time, happy reading.

Best Book Club Picks

Hey guys, today I thought it would be fun to talk about some of my favourite books that I think would work well for a book club setting. Not every book works well in that sort of situation but I think you need a book that has some great talking points and lots of fun. So here are my suggestions...

1) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I personally did not like this book at all but I think sometimes a book with polarising views can be a great book club pick as it gives you more to discuss. Also, a classic in general is always a good option as most people will have some understanding of the story or some parts of it and reading it will feel like an achievement too.

2) A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Again, this is a classic of sorts but it's also a slightly easier read as it's a young adult/children's classic. This could depend upon the people in your book club but sometimes you don't want heavy hitting difficult reads every month so this could be an option for something different. This has also been made into a movie so it could be an added bonus to watch the film before the book club as well.

3) A Meditation on Murder by Robert Thorogood

This is a completely different type of read and it's good to have a varied list throughout the months so as to keep everybody interested. Again, this book has a TV adaptation so could be a good one to watch the series of afterwards. A fun quick read but it will also keep people guessing so another great one to discuss.

4) Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Obviously this book is not for the faint-hearted as it's 1400+ pages long. This would be a great classic to read over the summer break for the more advanced book club reader. Maybe something to venture into if your book club has a few months off.

5) The Secrets of Happiness by Lucy Diamond

This is more of a women's fiction contemporary read and there are some amazing themes of friendship, family and love throughout. It could work really well for a book club where you have shorter meetings (maybe on a lunch break at work for example). It's a quick study but a really fun and uplifting one.

That is my suggestions for book club picks, I hope you enjoyed this post. 

Until next time, happy reading!!

Review: Memoirs Of A Geisha by Arthur Golden

Memoirs Of A Geisha

by Arthur Golden
Published by Vintage Books USA: September 1997
Paperback: 503 pages
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Star Rating: 4/5










Synopsis:

A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.
In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable.

My review:

In reading this synopsis, I have actually only just realised that this was a debut novel and for that I am even more amazed by it. This is a beautiful book and I am so glad that I read it. Having seen the movie a long time ago, I remember I enjoyed it but honestly didn't recall that much about it. I found a copy and got to reading.

Before going in to this book, you should know that it is a beefy reading experience. It's a long book and a tough read but for me, totally enjoyable! This follows Sayuri Nitta, who was one of the most famous geisha in Kyoto. It is told in an interview style talking about how she got to where she is and the things she witnessed and did along the way. She is such a wonderful character full of so much depth and charisma and I loved hearing her story.

When her and her sister were much younger, Sayuri is sold by her father to the geisha house where she has to learn to be a geisha. She soon learns all the different rituals and beauty secrets that the geisha have to take part in (resting their necks on wooden blocks when they sleep for example) and the social etiquette required to make them successful.

It is tough but the side characters make this book what it is. Even though many of them are unlikeable, I still felt deeply for them and connected to their stories so much. My favourite character was probably Pumpkin (I know, strange name) but I felt so strongly for her as she is trying her best but being manipulate by Mameha (who is so frustrating but I can't help but admire her despite that fact).

The reason I gave this book a four star rather than the full five was because of the fascination of the main character with the man named as the Chairman. The sexual/relationship part of this book wasn't the problem and I found it interesting to read about especially as I had a very prejudicial thought about geisha women as being very connected to prostitution which is not the case at all. However, Sayuri's obsession with the Chairman doesn't make sense at all to me when there is no reciprocation or enjoyment for her.

There is also a LOT of slow paced elements in this book and honestly I don't think it needed to be over 500 pages long.

NOTE: I didn't know this at the time of reading/rating but having looked into it some more, Arthur Golden has come under some fire for the historical/geisha inaccuracies in this book. In fact, I believe a geisha has herself written a book in response to Memoirs of a Geisha so although an enjoyable book, don't necessarily go into it looking for an accurate representation.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would love to rewatch the film sometime soon.

Until next time, happy reading!