I make no secret of the fact I am the biggest geek when it comes to books. Belle is by far the best Disney character - brains & beauty (and also non judgemental cause she fell in love with a beast!). My favourite thing to do in the entire world is go to a book store (usually Waterstones, or Nomad books if I'm in Fulham), and get lost in books (and stationary). A lot of people ask me for book recommendations so I thought, as many people make New Year resolutions to read more, I would share some of my favourite recent reads with you. So in no particular order...
The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling
Whatever you may have heard about JK Rowling not being able to write adult novels is a horrible lie. I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan, and I can assure you that the Casual Vacancy is brilliant. Not a global phenomenom perhaps, but one of my favourites nontheless. I don't want to give the plot away, so in a nutshell the novel focusses on people living in the small town of Pagford following the death of Barry Fairbrother - the priviliged and the underprivileged. You can check out the amazon synopis here, but this book took me on an emotional rollercoaster, and I could totally associate with the gossip and stereotyping of the small town people. The last quarter of the book had me staying up all night wishing I could read faster, and literally had me in floods tears. Please write more adult books JK Rowling - F**K the haters.
You can buy this book here.
Before I go to Sleep - SJ Watson
I came across this book because my trusty kindle recommended it to me - thanks technology. (I still feel guilty when I read my kindle around my good old paperback books, I just feel like they are really disappointed in me - just me?!). This book is possibly the biggest turn-pager I have ever read - probably avoid it if you suffer from anxiety! The protagonist of the novel is Christine, who forgets all her memory whilst she is sleeping and spends each day piecing her memory back together and trying to discover what happened to her. The reader is taken on a journey of discovery and you become so frustrated with her lack of memory when you start to discover some very dark secrets ... You can see a synopsis here, but trust me this book is unputdownable - I think I finished it in 2 days as I stayed up each night until about 5am.
You can buy this book here.
The Humans - Matt Haig
I never say I have a favourite author without having read a few of their books, but Matt Haig is an exception to this rule; The Humans is so well written that Matt Haig is now without a doubt one of my favourite authors based on this book alone. I came across the Humans during a late night trip to Waterstones (sometimes I just like to get lost in there), and I was drawn to the cover because it made me think of the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - an incredible book (and play if you get a chance to see that). The book is thought-provoking and makes you look at the highs and lows of the human race as an outsider. I feel like nothing I say can do this book justice, but be prepared to laugh and cry. It is also full of some of the most inspiring and amazing quotes such a this one:
To like something is to insult it. Love it or hate it. Be passionate.
You can buy it here.
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Suspense. That's the only word that can describe this book. I love a good crime novel and have read so many of them I started to become immune to the thrill of them... Until I read Gone Girl. There is not much I can say on this book because I do not want to give anything away, but the principal suspence comes from an uncertainty about the main character, Nick Dunne, and whether he killed his wife, Amy. The book has won so many awards and, according to Wikipedia, sold over 2 million copies in the first year it came out. READ THIS BOOK.
You can buy it here.
Room - Emma Donoghue
I'm not going to lie, this book took me a while to get into, but only because the book is told through the eyes of a 5 year old child, and I found it difficult to relate to someone below my emotional and intellectual level. I hope that makes sense. However as the story unfolds, this quickly becomes the most powerful tool in the book. I am fascinated by stories about people who abduct young girls who go missing and are presumed dead, and then are discovered years later safe and well (in the sense of having consciousness and a beating heart). This book portrays this brilliantly, both from the perspective of the captive and her child. You can see a synopsis here.
Buy this book here.
Why Men Love Bitches - Sherry Argov
Ok, ok, ok... This book may not be high brow but my gosh did it change my life, and I do not agree with playing games with anyone. It's not so much about abiding by a set of rules, rather just understanding the way a man thinks. It may be a self-help book but I really do think every girl should have to read it, and ultimately it will help your boyfriend be happier with you too. Selfelss-help. You are welcome.
You can buy this book here.
I would love to hear your opinions if you've read any of the above books! I'd even love to hear if you totally disagree with my recommendations. And I would be delighted to hear from you with your own suggestions.
Until next time... X
PS Never downloads Candy Crush, I've barely read since downloading it!
