Quite Spectacular

Sofia Khan is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik

2015-11-05T10:00:00.000+00:00

Publisher: Twenty7
Source: Netgalley

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"Brilliant idea! Excellent! Muslim dating? Well, I had no idea you were allowed to date.' Then he leaned towards me and looked at me sympathetically. 'Are your parents quite disappointed?' Unlucky in love once again after her possible-marriage-partner-to-be proves a little too close to his parents, Sofia Khan is ready to renounce men for good. Or at least she was, until her boss persuades her to write a tell-all expose about the Muslim dating scene. As her woes become her work, Sofia must lean on the support of her brilliant friends, baffled colleagues and baffling parents as she goes in search of stories for her book. In amongst the marriage-crazy relatives, racist tube passengers and decidedly odd online daters, could there be a a lingering possibility that she might just be falling in love . . . ? Sofia Khan is not Obliged is the hilarious and authentic debut novel by Ayisha Malik."

I absolutely LOVED this book! It was positively bursting with love and laughter. Sofia's voice is definitely up there with Bex from the Shopaholic series and Georgia Nicholson (albeit quite a bit older than the latter). I don't often like to read books where the main character and I share the same name (yes - I'm a bit strange like that but it takes all sorts) but I was intrigued by the blurb and the cover. Plus, it's Sofia with an 'f', so that probably helped. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

First of all, this is a great book if you'd like to gain insight into what it means to be a young, British Muslim. I especially found the scenes with Sofia's sister - Maria - dealing with living with her in-laws touching. This book is also great if you want to know about the second generation immigrant experience in general. I'm third generation (my grandparents moved to the UK from the Caribbean as I've spoken about before) and could relate to some of the things Sofia experienced. For example, like a few of us (yes - just a few - you've all seen the diversity stats) working in creative industries, Sofia is a bit of a novelty in her office. Her colleagues don't mean to treat her differently but every now and then, what could be seen as well meaning questioning, only ends up highlighting their differences and turns into a bit of exotification.

Secondly, you'll enjoy this book if you like a good old fashioned marriage plot. Sofia is very much an Elizabeth Bennett. At times, she notes that even when you seem happy enough to be alone this does not seem to be enough to make others happy (especially if those 'others' are in relationships themselves). However, thanks to the central premise - Sofia writing a Muslim dating book - we get lots of anecdotes and hijinks and Mr Wrongs to enjoy. Oh and her Mr Right is awesome!

Finally, there's plenty of family love. Sofia's parents were absolutely hilarious. At one point her mum talks about their cousin coming to London thinking she's all that and it sounded so much like something my gran would say! I also loved how much her friends featured in the books - they really were part of her family and they had quite a few dilemmas to deal with themselves.

I have a fairly long commute, so I'm always hopeful that the book I've chosen to read for the week is a good one. It's always a pleasant surprise when the book is good and funny. It's always good to have a little giggle on the train (although this doesn't usually go down well with fellow commuters. Thankfully I haven't come across anyone like Sofia's Northern line nemesis). Overall, this is a lovely book and I encourage those of you with a love of heartwarming, witty reads to give this one a go.

The Clasp by Sloane Crosley

2015-10-26T10:00:00.000+00:00

Publisher: Random House UK, Cornerstone
Source: Netgalley

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Part comedy of manners, part treasure hunt, the first novel from the writer whom David Sedaris calls "perfectly, relentlessly funny" Kezia, Nathaniel, and Victor are reunited for the extravagant wedding of a college friend. Now at the tail end of their twenties, they arrive completely absorbed in their own lives—Kezia the second-in-command to a madwoman jewelry designer in Manhattan; Nathaniel, the former literary cool kid, selling his wares in Hollywood; and the Eeyore-esque Victor, just fired from a middling search engine. They soon slip back into old roles: Victor loves Kezia. Kezia loves Nathaniel. Nathaniel loves Nathaniel. In the midst of all this semi-merriment, Victor passes out in the mother of the groom’s bedroom. He wakes to her jovially slapping him across the face. Instead of a scolding, she offers Victor a story she’s never even told her son, about a valuable necklace that disappeared during the Nazi occupation of France. And so a madcap adventure is set into motion, one that leads Victor, Kezia, and Nathaniel from Miami to New York and L.A. to Paris and across France, until they converge at the estate of Guy de Maupassant, author of the classic short story "The Necklace." Heartfelt, suspenseful, and told with Sloane Crosley’s inimitable spark and wit, The Clasp is a story of friends struggling to fit together now that their lives haven’t gone as planned, of how to separate the real from the fake. Such a task might be possible when it comes to precious stones, but is far more difficult to pull off with humans.

I really like this book. It has all the elements I usually enjoy - twenty somethings trying to figure stuff out, weddings, snarky wry characters, a decent sprinkling of humour - but it also had a pleasantly surprising bonus...a fast moving plot that was a bit of an adventure!

I've seen The Clasp mentioned in my usual magazines and on a few websites when I've been searching for new reads. Usually it's featured alongside Fates and Furies (which we know I wasn't so keen on) but I was so pleased that The Clasp was enjoyable. For me, the thing that separated the two (other than a decent plot) was the character development.

I think we all know a Victor, Kezia and Nathaniel (perhaps we're even like one - or more - of them) and relatable characters are usually part of the recipe for a successful novel. The perspective jumps from one to the other and I'm pleased to report that all of their voices sounded different (I have read many stories where all of the different points of view blend into one). They were all endearing in certain ways as they searched for both the necklace and their purpose. I liked Kezia in particular - after all, she was flying the flag for the ladies - as she walked her own walk and didn't seem to be terribly preoccupied with finding that special someone, which is something that seems to plague every female character I've come across recently. There's nothing wrong with that at all - especially if you chose to read a romance novel - but sometimes it's nice to hear a different song. She also wasn't overly nice and sweet nor was she terribly unhinged (again, seems like much of what I'm reading these days have one or the other.) Instead, it was nice to have Nathaniel - who, as the writer, is technically the romantic out of them all - go down that path instead. Finally, Victor was the perfect Eeyore of the story. All of the friends and minor characters were also used to great effect.

I didn't read 'The Necklace' in school or university (Theology graduate here) so I wasn't familiar with the story but it's recapped plenty of times throughout the book, so that's not a hindrance if you haven't read it either. I thought using the story within the story worked very well.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Clasp and look forward to reading Sloane Crosley's next work of fiction.

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

2015-10-12T10:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Hot Key Books
Source: Netgalley

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Set in gilded age New York, These Shallow Graves follows the story of Josephine Montfort, an American aristocrat. Jo lives a life of old-money ease. Not much is expected of her other than to look good and marry well. But when her father dies due to an accidental gunshot, the gilding on Jo’s world starts to tarnish. With the help of a handsome and brash reporter, and a young medical student who moonlights in the city morgue, Jo uncovers the truth behind her father’s death and learns that if you’re going to bury the past, you’d better bury it deep.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book but didn't really know what to expect. I haven't read anything by Jennifer Donnelly before but I think I have The Tea Rose somewhere. So, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed These Shallow Graves - I thought it was brilliant! A real adventure though late 1800's New York City.

The plot twists and turns were just right and the suspense was maintained throughout. Often these murder mystery type stories can become a little drawn out but even at almost 500 pages, this book remained interesting. It also didn't feel like 500 pages - I could've done with another 100 pages I think! Even though whilst reading it you kind of know that certain people are not quite what they seem, it's still thrilling when all is revealed. Also, I read a lot of YA contemporary (and 'adult' contemporary - is that the correct classification?!) so it was also refreshing to not have the romance as the plot driver.

Jo was a very well written main character - extremely likeable, which obviously helped make the big reveal even more of a kick in the guy. Her drive and curiosity really helped to maintain the onetime and increased empathy for her situation. Eddie was also wonderfully written. His backstory was interesting too and I liked all of the other characters who were pulled into the story because of him such as Fay and Oscar. There's only so much space in a book but it would've been nice to see more of Jo's mother and her best friend, if only to get more of a sense of the kind of life she was straining against.

Equality was at the heart of the story. Jo wanted the freedom to do what she needed to do - such as get a job, follow her dreams or even just walk down the street without the threat of being branded immoral. I thought the opening of her mind and her eyes - by the likes of Eddie, Fay and her maid - was really well done. It wasn't condescending or patronising. Along with women's rights, there was a great deal about poverty. Once again Jo's eyes were opened to how the other half lived and this stirred up a need to tell the truth and lobby for change within Jo.

Overall, These Shallow Graves was a great read. I think it's classed as YA but I'm sure it could quite happily sit in the general fiction section as well. I really like Jennifer Donnelly's style of writing, so I'll have to try and find The Tea Rose or purchase another one of her books. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good murder mystery fronted by an extremely likeable and inspiring main character.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

2015-10-07T14:28:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Source: Netgalley

Rating: 3/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Recklessly loyal. That’s how seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley has always thought of herself. Caring for her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But lately she’s grown resentful of everyone—including her needy best friend and her absent mom—taking her loyalty for granted. Then Arden stumbles upon a website called Tonight the Streets Are Ours, the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter, who gives voice to feelings that Arden has never known how to express. He seems to get her in a way that no one else does, and he hasn’t even met her. Until Arden sets out on a road trip to find him. During one crazy night out in New York City filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn’t exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn’t exactly who she thought she was, either.

I think I've read most - if not all - of Leila Sales' books now. This Song Will Save Your Life will always be my favourite but I'd rate Tonight the Streets Are Ours alongside Past Perfect (although that one might have the edge because of the historical reenactment setting, which was nice and different). I suppose what I'm trying to say is Tonight the Streets Are Ours is a solid YA novel!

One thing I really liked about this book was the main character. Arden was so normal. She wasn't the most popular but neither was she socially challenged (we're past all of that now, right? That's what 21 Jump Street showed anyway...) She wasn't great at any one thing (except for being nice but that's not a talent so much as being a decent human being) but she also wasn't a degenerate. All in all, I liked her as the main character and the eyes through which we experienced this story.

The blog aspect was really interesting and timely. I've never met any of the bloggers I follow in real life but I can imagine for those who have, it can sometimes end up a little bit like Arden's encounter with Peter - especially for those in the lifestyle and fashion arena. Ultimately, this part of the story really highlighted the fact that what people put online is highly curated (I know we hate that word now but it's true!) - no matter how real their posts and photos might seem. This isn't to say people are liars but any time you start a project, you have an end goal. Writing blog posts, taking photos for Instagram, filming clips for Youtube and all of the other mediums I'm too behind to have caught up with yet all takes time, so an agenda needs to be set. Nobody has the time or resources to document every minute of their day for real - we know this from reality television (thank you series finale of The Hills). So, all of what happens to Arden is important in reiterating this 'not everything is as it seems' message and people do need reminding. It's very easy to fall into the 'oh, woe is me, if only my life were like so and so on Instagram's life' trap.

I liked Arden and Lindsey's friendship. Everyone knows that in every relationship someone is the adored and the other is the adorer (or whatever the terms are). Sometimes it is very obvious, other times you have to look a bit deeper to discern which is which. I like that Arden got enraged because all adorers/givers/protectors are allowed to throw a tantrum every now and then for being under appreciated. However, she soon simmered down and came to terms with the fact that she's Lindsey's person (I will always be grateful to Shonda Rhimes for coming up with that because that one word says so much). It was also nice to see Lindsey maturing and gradually taking responsibility for her actions and even being proactive about certain things, along with truly coming through for Arden when it really counted.

Arden's parents story was quite heavy. I'm sure many relationships end up like theirs at some point and I'd actually quite like to read her mother's story! Again, the mother was the giver in the relationship and just ended up burnt out, so she had to recharge her batteries by fulfilling her dream to live in New York City. Moral of the story? If you're a giver, find your New York City and go there every now and then when you need a bit of a break.

Overall, Tonight the Streets Are Ours is a strong piece of writing. Originally, I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads or something like that but I'm finding ratings difficult these days. This book has something timely to say, which is the main point of writing (right?), so I would definitely recommend it to YA lovers.

Why Not Me? & Fates and Furies

2015-10-05T14:04:00.000+01:00

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Mindy Kaling's second book of essays following the hilarious Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

ANY GOOD? If you've got a daughter/goddaughter/cousin/sister/BFF who has recently graduated or is going through the 'who am I?' phase you need to get them this book. It's funny (obviously) but packed with sage advice. More than anything, Why Not Me? will make you respect Mindy Kaling even more. The topics discussed in the essays are honest and real. I'm not sure if I'd say they are completely relatable for most people outside of the entertainment industry but still there are many takeaway points. I enjoyed Mindy's comments on diversity in the industry. I liked that on the one hand she acknowledges that she's an inspiration for many ethnic minority women but on the other hand she just wants to be asked the usual fluff questions when being interviewed like other actresses. I think this is a feeling many people from ethnic minority backgrounds have regardless of position. At the end of the day, things always come back to race. I hope she continues writing these essays as her career progresses.

ADD TO BASKET? If you're a fan of Mindy and/or need a bit of a pep talk.

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

(I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Split into two sections - Fates and Furies - this is the story of Lotto and Mathilde and the ups and downs of their marriage.

ANY GOOD? I still don't know how I feel about this book and I finished it last week. I enjoyed some of the story (mainly the beginning of the fates section and the beginning of the furies section). I liked the fairytale like beginning to Lotto's story - this 'chosen one', child genius lording it about in the Florida swaps. I was quite interested in where the story was going but then he met Mathilde and the whole thing became quite dull. Ultimately, I continued reading in the hope of getting to the point of the story but it never really came. This coupled with the overly flowery language was off putting but I persevered. By the time I reached the final quarter, I was skim reading because I just didn't like what was going on with Mathilde. It felt quite incongruous with the rest of the story and bit too over the top for shock value. I suppose you could loosely say the main takeaway is that you can never really know someone - even your spouse - along with the thought that tragedy and comedy are two sides of the same coin. Still, I wasn't taken with this book all too much.

ADD TO BASKET? It has been on lots of 'must-read' lists and nominated for awards and such like so if you're a little bit curious give it a go. At the very least it will spark discussion.

What's Occurring?

2015-09-16T10:00:00.000+01:00

The Pages

Currently reading Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner. So far, so good.
I've just finished Tiny Pretty Things by Sonia Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton. It was a little disappointing. I love ballet books and I was looking forward to a diverse cast (which it was) but the story was a bit too melodramatic for my liking. Things just kept happening to this poor girl but there was no build-up or suspense or tension. Perhaps there were too many points of view (there were three I think) and too little space to truly build the plot. I don't think I'll get the sequel (given the ending, I presume there's a sequel).

The Soundtrack

I feel like I'm at uni again. Foals and The Maccabees both released new albums and they're both brilliant works. I recommend you take a listen right away.
I've been listening to Carrie Underwood a lot too. I love her voice so much - she really tells the story when she sings.
I also like Justin Bieber's latest singles as well - yeah I said it.

The Words

I've started working on my 2012 NaNoWriMo piece again just to kill some time. I might try NaNo again this year but I really just don't think I can keep up with that kind of schedule right now. We shall see...

On Screen

I missed most of the summer blockbusters (again) but I saw Pitch Perfect 2 (funny) and Fantastic 4 (terrible). Still, there's a lot to see this autumn/winter. Next up is The Martian and then Sicario and later in October, Spectre.
Summer TV is what you make it really. I watched a lot of WWE including Total Divas and Tough Enough. Jane the Virgin and The Mindy Project have been running all summer over here. I've also watched/started watching UnREAL, which is brilliant for someone like me who loves gossip blogs and reality shows. I also finished Arrow season 2 (finally). Rookie Blue has become a summer staple for us - this season hasn't been that great but I'm in for the long run I guess.
The new television season is upon us. What will you be watching? Of the new stuff, I'm looking forward to: Quantico, The Catch and Heroes Reborn (I might write a longer piece on Heroes actually). As for oldies but goodies: The Amazing Race, Downton Abbey, Empire and loads more.

Summer Reading Round-up

2015-09-14T10:00:00.000+01:00

Well hello again! How have you been - good summer? What have you been reading? I was lucky enough to read some good books this summer - a couple were even great!

Standouts

China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
The sequel to Crazy Rich Asians was even crazier! Absolutely hilarious. There were some genius lines in there and the new characters were off the wall. I'd definitely recommend both of them if you're looking for a laugh and a replacement for Gossip Girl.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I seemed to have read a few of these 'shoulda/woulda/coulda/what if' books this year but this was definitely one of the best. Taylor Jenkins Reid has a knack for writing really relatable, normal twenty-somethings and as a twenty-something that kind of writing appeals to me.

Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs
Soooo special. These types of YA books only come around once or twice a year. I didn't get to read it when it was published last year but I finally got around to it this summer. It's thought provoking and magical.

Techbitch by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
I loved this! Definitely one for fans of The Devil Wears Prada. It showed the joys and the problems of modern life and work and highlighted that you don't have to ignore or forget the past to move forward.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Yeah I've only just gotten around to this one, don't judge! Khaled Hosseni is a master storyteller. Lots of writers can write but not all of them can tell a story. I look forward to reading his other books.

What were your standout reads this summer?

If I Could Turn Back Time by Beth Harbison

2015-06-24T12:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 3/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Thirty-seven year old Ramie Phillips has led a very successful life. She made her fortune and now she hob nobs with the very rich and occasionally the semi-famous, and she enjoys luxuries she only dreamed of as a middle-class kid growing up in Potomac, Maryland. But despite it all, she can't ignore the fact that she isn't necessarily happy. In fact, lately Ramie has begun to feel more than a little empty. On a boat with friends off the Florida coast, she tries to fight her feelings of discontent with steel will and hard liquor. No one even notices as she gets up and goes to the diving board and dives off... Suddenly Ramie is waking up, straining to understand a voice calling in the distance...It's her mother: "Wake up! You're going to be late for school again. I'm not writing a note this time..." Ramie finds herself back on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, with a second chance to see the people she's lost and change the choices she regrets. How did she get back here? Has she gone off the deep end? Is she really back in time? Above all, she'll have to answer the question that no one else can: What it is that she really wants from the past, and for her future?

As I said earlier in the week, I've recently read two books with similar main characters and little gimmicks to differentiate from the crowd.

The hook for If I Could Turn Back Time was the main character going back in time to her eighteenth birthday. I LOVE 13 Going on 30, 17 Again, Freaky Friday and all those other switcheroo films so as soon as I saw this, I knew I had to read it. Also, the title is my second favourite Cher song (Believe is my favourite. You can't beat a vocoder).

If I Could Turn Back Time was witty and fast paced (but in a good way). It's the type of book that can be devoured in one sitting on the beach or a nice book for the commute. As with Love and Miss Communication, it opened strongly. In fact, it was very funny and I couldn't help but picture (and hear) Elizabeth Banks as Ramie.

Given the premise, this book could've been very predictable (you know - go to prom, get your own back on the mean girls, get the guy etc.) and whilst some of those elements were there, it was handled differently. We all romanticize our teenage years and think we were completely different people back then but one thing Ramie learns is that she's not that different at all and I suppose that's true - you can change little quirks but you really can't change your character.

I loved all of the characters and especially loved Ramie, which is always good where the main character is concerned! Her parents were really well written - especially her dad, those scenes were very heartfelt - and she only had one best friend, hooray! Her relationship with her then boyfriend was very sweet too and it was nice that she got the chance to appreciate it even more.

If I could Turn Back Time really made me think and I'm sure it will do the same to you. Would you go back in time if given the chance? What stage in your life would you revisit? I think I would like to go back to being 18 again just so I could appreciate it more. There were lots of quotes that stood out for me in this book - for example, at one point Ramie thinks about all of the selves we lose as we grow older or the fact that once you lose someone close to you, unexpected phone calls produce panic rather than excitement. My only criticism is that I would've liked the alternative reality part of the book to play out a little longer if only to really hammer home the fact that the grass isn't necesarily greener on the other side.

Overall, I really like this book. It was very funny in places - there was bite to it, which I hadn't expected for some reason - and had some extremely heartfelt moments. I always wanted to read When In Doubt, Add Butter but never managed to get hold of a copy, so I'm glad I can finally say I've read a Beth Harbison book and I'll definitely look into getting some more.

Love and Miss Communication by Elyssa Friedland

2015-06-22T10:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Format: Paperback

Rating: 3/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Evie Rosen has had enough. She's tired of the partners at her law firm e-mailing her at all hours of the night. The thought of another online date makes her break out in a cold sweat. She's over the clever hashtags and the endless selfies. So when her career hits a surprising roadblock and her heart is crushed by Facebook, Evie decides it's time to put down her smartphone for good. (Beats stowing it in her underwear--she's done that too!) And that's when she discovers a fresh start for real conversations, fewer distractions, and living in the moment, even if the moments are heartbreakingly difficult. Babies are born; marriages teeter; friendships are tested. Evie just may find love and a new direction when she least expects it, but she also learns that just because you unplug your phone doesn't mean you can unplug from life.

Last week I read two very similar books featuring single women in their mid-to-late thirties going through the "last call" panic. Both were entertaining with little gimmicks to separate them from the pack.

Love and Miss Communication's USP was the main character giving up the internet after her constant emailing and Facebooking resulted in dire consequences. I'm sure many people will be grabbed by this premise in this day and age considering the amount of time we spend attached to our smartphones and tablets and whatnot.

The opening was really strong. I laughed out loud and chucked through at least the first 30-40 pages. However, once Evie gave up the internet, I feel like it started to lose some of it's spark a teensy bit. Although, this could've been down to the fact that Evie herself went through a period of feeling lost and unsure. It can be hard to bring the tone down to something more serious in a romantic comedy without losing the liveliness. It also became a little bit predictable - which I suppose isn't a bad thing when it comes to a good summer read. I don't know, I suppose the grass is always greener but it always seems like in these types of books, the successful professional woman wants to give it all up to become an artist/designer/children's book illustrator.

Still, the characters were nice. Evie was the dutifully ditzy yet highly capable lead that we've all come to expect from rom-coms. The friends were all variations of her but I think it might've been nice if she only had one or two best friends and they were featured more throughout the story. Edward was refreshingly normal for the love interest (I don't think that's a spoiler - you know what you're getting with a book called Love and Miss Communication) but Jack was a bit of a straw man. There wasn't really anything within his character to show why Evie was so hooked on him. The star of the book is most definitely Evie's grandma Bette. Many of the zingy one liners belong to good old Bette.

The main lesson that can be learnt from this book is you can enjoy everything in moderation but maybe it's good to detox sometimes. Evie learnt a lot about herself during her hiatus from the internet and managed to be more present in her family life. However, she also realised that times have changed and in order to keep up with your friendship circle social media is necessary. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...I like to write these reviews on here (although I haven't been so good at it lately), I go on Facebook to speak to friends and family abroad, and I like to snoop around on Twitter sometimes. However, I don't have Instagram or Snapchat or the other popular apps and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. Perhaps it's an age thing - do you feel you need to be on social media to keep up with friends?

Overall, Love and Miss Communication is a nice read with an interesting hook. If you like a good rom-com be sure to give it a go this summer.

Currently...

2015-06-02T10:00:00.000+01:00

Finally taking the plunge and joining Katy Upperman and others with the biweekly 'Currently' posts.

LOVING

My post holiday glow (which is quickly disappearing thanks to the wind and rain). Anyway, there was a lot to love about where I went. I spent last week and the week before in lovely Florida so I'm still in Disney mode. We usually go to the same place in Orlando and then do some mini trips to Sarasota or Miami. This time we stayed in Orlando the whole time but did some exploring. We fell completely in love with Winter Park! We had dinner at Prato after our boat tour and Bosphorus over Memorial Weekend and went to a great independent bookshop - Writers Block Bookstore. Of course, we did some parks. We had a fun day at Universal Studios and saw the new part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We also enjoyed Star Wars Weekend at Hollywood Studio.

READING

The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. At the point of writing, I've still got a hundred or so pages left but this is definitely one of the best books I've read all year. It might all go pete tong in the end so I'll hold off on recommending it just yet but I'm almost certain I'll be writing a glowing review.

Whilst on holiday, I finished Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, which was rather epic. I also read the oh so cute Sweet Girl by Rachel Hollis, which is the sequel to Party Girl. I really like the tone of those books and I'm desperate to find something similar.

WATCHING

I finally got round to watching Exodus: Gods and Kings on the plane. It was okaaaay. Christian Bale was a really good Moses, which surprised me for some reason but it was a bit too long (and then rushed at the end - he got theTen Commandments pretty quickly!) and some of the changes to the story weren't my cup of tea.

I also watched two book adaptations on the outbound flight - Love Rosie and This Is Where I Leave You - both of which were very good. I loved both books and loved both films, so couldn't ask for more. We also watched Pitch Perfect 2 whilst on holiday. There wasn't as much of a story as the first one but it was much funnier. Also, the other cinema goers were extremely enthusiastic - whooping and singing and laughing loudly - which made all the difference. I wish our cinemas were that lively. After all, it's a collective experience. If you want peace and quiet, you'd watch the film at home, no?

TV wise I didn't watch as much US TV as I wanted to (I planned to take advantage of the Netflix change in location but only got as far as Parenthood season 1, episode 1) because I got hooked on the HGTV channel. I'm currently experiencing withdrawal symptoms and can't help but go around the house thinking 'if we just knocked that wall through there...'

LISTENING TO

Mumford and Sons (especially Broad-Shouldered Beasts), Django Django, Miranda Lambert, and the Flashlight song from Pitch Perfect. Oh and Save Me by Remy Zero. Smallville was the best.

I've also been on a bit of a John Williams trip as well thanks to all the promotion for Jurrasic World and that iconic theme played so hauntingly at the end of the trailer (although the new film is scored by Michael Giacchino - YESSSSS) plus the Harry Potter and Star Wars music being continually piped through the speakers at the parks.

THINKING ABOUT

Well, now that holiday is out the way I don't really have anything to countdown to anymore. I function better if I know things are on the horizon, so I'll have to think about planning some interesting bits and pieces for the summer. On a greater level, I am getting a little bit antsy. I never did the whole gap year/gap yah thing and I wasn't able to do study abroad at university so my feet are itching. Everyone needs a change now and then...

ANTICIPATING

Ok, well I do have two things to look forward to this month. The Space Spectacular concert (featuring the music of John Williams - hurrah!) at the Royal Albert Hall and The Audience (starring Kristin Scott Thomas, who I now have an even softer spot for after learning people mistake her shyness for coldness - lady I know how you feel).

WISHING

I would love to have spent a few more weeks in Florida. I just really needed the sunshine and could do with a little bit more. Even when it gets hot here, it's not HOT. It's sort of a cold sunshine if that makes sense? Let's put it this way - the last time I wore shorts in England was at a music festival in 2013.

MAKING ME HAPPY

Possibilities. Anything could happen (well so Ellie Goulding says anyway).

What's happening in your world right now? Let me know!

Mini Reviews: The Silkworm, Pepper Jones, The A-Z of You and Me

2015-05-11T10:00:00.000+01:00

Time for some reviews, don't you think?

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

WHAT'S THE DEAL? The second book in the Cormoran Strike series. Cormoran is hired by the wife of an author who frequently goes walkabout. However, this time the wife is convinced something is amiss. Cormoran soon finds himself at the same conclusion after discovering the missing author's latest work, which is a big two finger salute to all of his frenemies in the publishing world. Cormoran and Robin team up again to solve the mystery.

ANY GOOD? I've been meaning to read this since it was published. Finally, it came down to a reasonable price on iBooks, so I purchased it and dove right in. I loved it as much as the first one - if not more. J.K Rowling just has a gift for creating eccentric and memorable characters and The Silkworm is full of them. I have to say, I didn't guess the culprit until very close to the reveal. It was very well played. I also love that London is very much a character in the novel too. I could picture the city whilst reading it (probably because I was on the train into the city...). It's not the nicest of cities during wintertime and this was captured perfectly. Why didn't they make these into BBC shows instead of The Casual Vacancy? I think there'd be more of an audience for these. Anyway, I can't wait for the next one.

ADD TO BASKET? If you like a good detective story and enjoyed the first Cormoran Strike novel.

Pepped Up & All Pepped Up (Pepper Jones Series) by Ali Dean

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Both books follow Pepper Jones, a high school cross country star, as she navigates high school politics and her increasingly difficult to ignore feelings for her best friend.

ANY GOOD? Who's that girl? What's her name? Is she cool? Is she lame? Oh you're talkin' 'bout whats-her-name? PEPPER ANN...

No, in all seriousness, I really enjoyed these books. Good 'old-fashioned' contemporary YA. There wasn't too much drama or angst - just great friends, a cute romance, and a cool main character. I liked that Pepper was so invested in her cross-country and there was quite a lot of sports action scenes, which is definitely my cup of tea. I also liked that everything was steeped in friendship and enjoying school. Oh and of course Grandma Bunny!

ADD TO BASKET? If you like books by Miranda Kenneally and Jennifer Echols.

The A-Z of You and Me by James Hannah

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Ivo ruminates on the days of his youth and his one true love.

ANY GOOD? This book was quite beautiful. It wasn't what I expected at all - I thought it was going to be a hipster, 500 Days of Summer kind of thing but it really wasn't. I don't really want to give anything away but I will say it'll get into your heart and you might get a little teary.

ADD TO BASKET? Yes. That's all.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten All Time Favourite Authors

2015-04-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten ALL TIME Favourite Authors (yes - another Kanye of ALL TIME ~~rant~~ list) This is actually hard for me but not in the way it probably is for many of you. I just dip in and out of books that interest me. I have authors that I really like and admire but if I don't fancy the sound of their latest book, I won't read it just because you know? Also, whilst my Goodreads 'read' shelf might suggest I've read a lot by one particular author, it's usually just one series. In order to truly be an all time favourite author, I suppose you'd have to read more than one series. Anyway, I'll give it a go.

MEG CABOT - I read so many of her books between the ages of about 11 and 21 - from Princess Diaries (obviously) to Nicola and the Viscount (I LOVED this one and used to re-read it often) to Queen of Babble. I keep meaning to start the Heather Wells series. Oh and after reading The Princess Diaries, I emailed her from my dad's email (because 11 year olds didn't really have their own accounts back then...) and she REPLIED. So Meg Cabot will always be on my all time favourite authors list.

JONATHAN TROPPER - I just like his style and that the stories are often about a family going through something. My kind of story. Also, the books are often very witty but extremely heartfelt.

SARA ZARR - Sara Zarr's contemporary YA is always so realistic. I like that she tackles the big questions and issues but doesn't preach at the reader. I really admire and respect her.

COURTNEY J. SULLIVAN - Again, her stories are often about multiple families and close friends. So far, she has released three books and I loved all three but I have a special place on my shelf reserved for Commencement.

RAINBOW ROWELL - How many authors can write outstanding adult AND young adult literature? I haven't found a Rainbow Rowell book that I didn't like (although I wasn't as in love with Eleanor & Park as everyone else but never mind).

SARAH PEKKANEN - The women in her book are just so real and relatable. Great stories, great characters.

MELINA MARCHETTA - As with Rainbow Rowell, I haven't met a bad Melina Marchetta book as of yet. Plus she wrote the last two seasons (I think?) of one of my favourite television shows of recent times - Dance Academy. That alone is enough to warrant her inclusion on this list.

JENNY HAN - So, I have now read three different series by Jenny Han and I just absolutely love her wistful, nostalgic way of writing. My favourite character is Lara Jean (so far anyway). Jenny Han is also one of the only authors I follow on Twitter and she just seems like a cool person.

JENNIFER ECHOLS - How many books has this amazing lady written? I feel like I'm always trying to catch up with the new releases. I like that you can go light-hearted with her romantic comedies like The Ex-Games or a bit more serious with something like Going Too Far. However, my favourite will always be The Boys Next Door duo - "calisthenics or what?!"

SARAH DESSEN - The Queen of Contemporary YA. Do you agree? A bit like with Meg Cabot, I've been reading Sarah Dessen books since I was an early teen. My favourite will always be This Lullaby. In fact, I'm going to re-read it on holiday.

What's Occurring?

2015-04-13T10:00:00.000+01:00

The Pages

I've actually posted a few reviews on some of my latest reads - do scroll down and take a look. A particular highlight was Party Girl by Rachel Hollis. Don't judge a book by its cover or title - this book is a little gem!
Currently reading Helen of Troy by Margaret George, which I think is great but I'm sure not everyone's cup of tea. I'm also just about finished with Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay, which is just brilliant. I'm surprised my head is still attached to my body after all the vigorous nodding I've been doing whilst reading her essays. So much to think and talk about - I'll probably write a review/response when I'm done. Oh and I'm reading More Than This by Jay McLean on Kindle Unlimited (see next point) but it's not really my kind of book. The main character suffered a horrific tragedy and all she can think about is playing games with this guy - kind of unbelievable if you ask me but I haven't finished it yet so maybe things get better?
Ok, even though I had a big to-do with Amazon last year after which I swore off Kindle books for a while because I was so angry, I decided to try Kindle Unlimited because Party Girl and the soon-to-be-published sequel are on the list. I'll also re-read Harry Potter from OotP onwards. However, it's too early to say whether or not I'm getting bang for my buck. Or pound.
I missed the Top Ten Tuesday on spring TBR lists, so I need to get that done at some point. Although to be honest, I'm still catching up with some books from last year.

The Soundtrack

[I'll always include a Spotify playlist of everything I'm listening to at the bottom if you care to have a browse]

Still listening to Purity Ring!
I've been listening to Miranda Lambert's Platinum album again and Something in the Water by Carrie Underwood, which would've been perfect at our church last Sunday as it was a baptism service.
I also really like this track from Lion Babe

The Words

I haven't really written anything recently except a couple of blog posts. I like writing reviews but I also want to try and write some more general pieces (as I did last week with the talk on magazines). Keep an eye out and feel free to share your thoughts!

On Screen

I actually went to the cinema the other day (I know, I can't quite believe it either!) and saw The DUFF. It was nothing like the book. In fact, it was kind of a remake of She's All That. However, I happen to like She's All That and Mae Whitman and Robbie Amell were adorable and hilarious so all in all it wasn't so bad.
Orphan Black season 2 is on Netflix (YESSSSS) so I've been catching up with that and Nashville season 2.
Empire and Jane the Virgin are coming to UK TV in a couple of weeks. Hooray.
Black Girls Rock 2015 aired on BET UK - very inspiring as usual. Now if we could only have something similar over here...

So, what have you been up to?

Do you still read magazines?

2015-04-08T10:00:00.000+01:00

I've been wanting to write about this for a while. Do you still read women's magazines? If yes, why? If no, why not?

I've always read women's magazines but my consumption has increased since I signed up for digital subscriptions. However, the titles and editions I read on a regular basis has changed.

As a child, I regularly flicked through my mum's Hello and OK! magazines. I always preferred Hello and got my introduction to gossip that way. I also used to read Mizz and Bliss, which were 'early teen' magazines but really and truly some of the content was a bit dodgy. I moved on to Elle Girl and then Teen Vogue when it started. I absolutely loved Elle Girl and that helped set the tone for the types of magazine I'd seek out later in life. I wanted to write for them so badly and thought it was brilliantly done so I was shocked when it was shut down. I think there's still a void in print magazine for teen girls (along with other forms of media for teens - I talked about television before- but thankfully publishing is still considering young people) but that's a story for another day.

Eventually, I started on the 'grown up' magazines. I didn't like the pure gossip rag mags like Heat and I didn't like the Cosmopolitan type magazines either. So, I naturally gravitated towards the fashion magazines. I became a regular reader of Marie Claire UK, Elle UK, and In Style UK. However, I started to also pick up the US versions and began to notice a difference between the UK and US/Canadian versions. This difference has become more and more pronounced as the years have progressed, so much so I rarely pick up UK editions these days. This difference is diversity.

In the US magazines, at least I can read the beauty pages and find recommendations for my skin tone or products suitable for my hair. This is rare in the UK magazines, which makes little sense to me as we do have a diverse population. Of course, it's a tiny island but there are women from various ethnic backgrounds who wouldn't mind seeing product recommendations for them or articles about people like them. To be fair, it has gotten a little better - there's often a feature with an ethnic model - but we still have a long way to go. Take the covers for instance (see the table below of the magazines I buy on a fairly regular basis). As you can see, with the exception of Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Alba, the UK magazine covers are pretty much devoid of any colour. Heck, Marie Claire UK doesn't even like people with any other colour hair than blonde by the looks of things. So far this year, all of their covers have featured blonde ladies (the pattern has not changed this month either - January Jones takes front and centre). Can you see why I'm reluctant to part with my money?

Another big difference I've found is the type of article found in each edition. I feel like the US versions are more optimistic and often have good careers advice and profiles of women doing interesting things. I also prefer their beauty sections (as noted above). However, the UK editions often pick up on cool trends earlier and are definitely more on point where the fashion is concerned. So, I suppose it depends what you want from your women's magazines. Do you want a more cultivated, fashion forward magazine - heavy on the pictures, light on the content - or do you want women's stories with a good dose of beauty of advice thrown in?

More recently, I've enjoyed beauty and lifestyle websites such as Into the Gloss, which I think is brilliant at showcasing a broad range of interesting women.

Overall, I prefer the US magazines but I'll pick up a UK edition if I like the cover star (for example, I was excited for the Elle UK with Rebel Wilson on the cover). I would say I'd love to know what the editors of the UK magazines think of this but I probably don't want to hear the answer considering the Vogue UK editor said black models don't sell covers - then again she also said there's no racism in the industry...

What do you think? What magazines do you buy - if any - or do you prefer online reading? What are your favourite lifestyle blogs and websites?

Party Girl by Rachel Hollis

2015-04-06T10:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Landon Brinkley’s dreams are all coming true. She’s landed an internship with the fabulous Selah Smith, event planner for the Hollywood elite, taking her from small-town Texas to the bright lights of LA. Landon soon finds herself in a world in which spending a million dollars on an event—even a child’s birthday party—is de rigueur and the whims of celebrity clients are life-and-death matters. At first, the thrill of working on A-list parties and celebrity weddings is enough to get Landon through the seventy-five-hour workweeks and endless abuse at the hands of her mercurial boss. But when the reality of the business reveals itself, she’s forced to make a choice: do whatever it takes to get ahead, or stay true to herself. Drawing on the author’s real-life experiences as an event planner to the stars, Party Girl takes readers on an adventure among Hollywood’s most beautiful—and most outrageous—people, revealing the ugly side of Hollywood’s prettiest parties.

I LOVED this book! I found this whilst trying to find something similar to some of my old favourites such as The Second Assistant and The Devil Wears Prada. The synopsis seemed like it could be a light-hearted, breezy read so I bought it. It was just like the books I used to read except now that I'm in my mid-twenties (ahem or perhaps past it) I could relate to the story much more. Whilst reading this one I was having a bad health week but it cheered me up every time I cracked it open (well as much as you can crack open an e-book) and definitely made the train journey a lot more bearable.

The main thing I loved about Party Girl was the optimism. So much of what I've read recently has been angsty and tortured, so it was just nice to read something laced with happiness. Sure, Landon has her ups and downs as we all do but her outlook on life and her circumstances was refreshing. Landon Brinkley is now one of my favourite characters. The story whizzed along filled with snappy, laugh-out-loud dialogue ("Is Bai Ling even still relevant?") and plenty of millennial (don't like that word but oh well) cultural references.

The romance was unexpected and very cute but not central to the ultimate plot, which was nice. I also really loved the friendship between Landon, Miko, Max and Taylor. It was a great example of how when you move to a new city and start something new you learn to make fast friendships. Just a great example of a group of normal twenty-somethings in a not so normal industry.

Speaking of which, it was nice to have a book focused on event planning, as it seems like that's a buzz career area these days. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has worked at a small (or should I say 'boutique') media/PR/other types of entertainment company. At one turning point, Landon thinks back to her dad saying "Kid, your integrity is the only thing they can't take away from you, and it's worth a helluvalot more than four bucks." In this modern world where it seems like more and more people want to be part of the entertainment industry, it's definitely something to consider. You have to be really strong and know yourself and hold on to your integrity or else you'll fast find yourself in some questionable situations. Just look at some of these pseudo-reality stars. One thing I've always believed is that nothing good ever comes easily - there's no such thing as a quick fix or a shortcut to success. Landon really embodies this viewpoint.

I can't wait to read the sequel, which is due out next month (yay!) If you love Elle Woods, The Devil Wears Prada, or shows like The Hills and The Rachel Zoe Project, or even just a level headed pretty awesome main character, just go ahead and get your copy now.

We All Looked Up, All Lined Up, Hopeless

2015-04-01T10:00:00.000+01:00

No, that's not a line from some angsty pop-rock song - I just thought I'd do a quick round up of some of the books I've read recently that have been so-so.

We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

WHAT'S THE DEAL? It's the end of the world as we know it. Four or five (or too many) teenagers try to figure out how to spend the rest of their lives.

ANY GOOD? I was intrigued by the premise and the cover was interesting, so I was looking forward to reading We All Looked Up. The first chapter was strong. I was drawn into Peter's world quite quickly and I thought it would be a bit like The Beginning of Everything, which I really enjoyed. However, another point of view was introduced and I inwardly groaned. I've grown to dislike YA with alternating points of view because it seems increasingly popular and is hard to do well. So, imagine my dismay when another point of view was added and another (and maybe another - I can't remembers how many altogether). Add to this a host of supporting characters and it just became too much. I understand the author wanted to show different reactions to the event but I didn't feel like they were genuine except for Peter. The story lines became too far fetched and spread to thinly. I really disliked the Andy and Bobo characters and everything that happened as a consequence of them. The ending was very strange but by then I was too exhausted to be terribly bothered. Unfortunately, this book lost me a third of the way through but I kept hoping the spark from the first chapter would return. It didn't.

ADD TO BASKET? I think many people will love this book. Especially people who like their characters to say yo at the end of everything. Yo.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Sky doesn't do relationships but that all changes when she meets the mysterious, broody (aren't they all?) Holder. However, there's more to Holder's broodiness than tattoos and too much Bon Iver. Sky soon finds out more about herself than she bargained for.

ANY GOOD? Continuing with my quest to find New Adult novels that shatter my preconceived notions*, I decided to try a Colleen Hoover novel. Colleen Hoover is heralded all over the internet but I've always been put off by the price of the Kindle books- they're mid-range for Kindle and I usually only that and above for books I desperately want to read. Still, I took the plunge and picked Hopeless, which I soon discovered is YA but never mind. I liked it! I like Colleen Hoover's style of writing and there was more to the story than the romance - although it is definitely a romance novel. It didn't go exactly where I thought it was going and dealt with some very heavy issues in a really well thought out way. I will try another Colleen Hoover book at some point - hooray!

ADD TO BASKET? If you like books by authors such as Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Echols (two of my favourites!)

All Lined Up by Cora McCormack

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Dallas 'Julie Taylor' Cole is the daughter of a college football coach. Dallas hates football players because she was burned by one in high school (no, not literally). However, of course one cannot judge all football players by the same yard stick, and she finds herself enamoured with one whose name I cannot remember but let's call him Tim Riggins.

ANY GOOD? Continuing with my adventures into NA, this was more along the lines of what I expect from NA. I liked it in the beginning, the main character was witty and I even got past her name being Dallas and the fact that she's a dancer (I told you they're all dancers or artists!) However, halfway through, she turned into someone completely different. I didn't get why she was so emotional all the time and I really didn't get why she didn't like her dad. Dallas was too much of a Debbie Downer for me (which was highlighted more because I was reading Party Girl and that main character is like a ball of sunshine). The tone reminded me of Easy by Tammara Webber, which I didn't really like. I prefer my college books to be light hearted, such as Secret Society Girl or the Bowler University series.

ADD TO BASKET? If you like general college romance filled with will they/won't they, go for it.

YA Book Club: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

2015-03-30T07:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Orion

Format: Kindle e-book

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

I rarely read fantasy books. I used to wish I was more well-rounded in what I read but since these days most of my reading is done on the train to and from work I’ve learnt to be kinder to myself. Basically, the commute is horrible so my time reading is an escape. I am a creature of habit and prefer to escape to the wonderful shores of Contemporary-land (be it YA or adult 'popular fiction'). However, I keep up with Tracey’s blog and saw the YA book club choice was Red Queen. Just going by the title I thought it might be something to do with Alice in Wonderland, which isn’t actually a favourite of mine but I was a little bit intrigued, so still took a look at Goodreads. I saw the Fantasy tag, did a mental 'meh', but scorlled down to the reviews nevertheless. I'll always be curious about books with high ratings. Anyway, I saw someone earlier up the list liken Red Queen to Game of Thrones meets X-Men. Well, that did it. I quickly shut down Goodreads so I wouldn't encounter any spoilers and sped on over to Amazon to get myself a copy. I started reading it on the train the next day and was quickly absorbed by the story. This book is SUPERB!

I’m finding it difficult to write coherent reviews at the moment (hence the lack of posting recently). I'm not sure why - just stuck in a rut I guess. Anyway, I’ll just list the reasons why I thought this book was superb:

Excellent world building. You really felt for the Reds and even though people had ‘powers’, it wasn’t too far-fetched.
The pacing was on point and the writing was tight. You could tell Victoria Aveyard had spent a long time plotting and getting everything near enough perfect.
The characters were memorable. Mare was a great heroine – the perfect mix of a conflicted young woman with a heart for social justice. I loved the Cersei like Elara and the princes Maven and Cal and Farley.
All the secrets and deception and drama. I thought I knew what was going on, and ultimately I was right, but how we got there was a ride and a half.
Nobody was wholly 'good' or 'bad', which always makes for a much for exciting story.

Finally, just a word about the inevitable adaptation. I see the film rights have been optioned. I think it will make an ok film. However, it would be an even better TV series. Come on people of Hollywoodland – enough of the YA films. TV is where its at! The problem with these YA adaptations, particularly the fantasy/dystopian flicks, is they try and spread books that are often in the first person, with a lot of introspection and teen angst, over three films and that doesn’t work. It becomes very watered down and flat. However, TV allows for these sorts of issues to be ironed out. It’s not a coincidence that The 100 has been renewed.

Overall, I’m so glad I took a chance on this book and I now cannot wait for the sequel. If you're like me (i.e someone who doesn’t really read outside of contemporary) I think this will appeal to you. Super duper hardcore fantasy readers – I’ll be interested to see what you make of this one.

Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella

2015-03-09T10:00:00.000+00:00

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy, Helen of Sparta was haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These dreams foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the palace in the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter and comfort in the arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her side, she believes she can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new dangers—violence, betrayal, extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s plans and bar her path. Still, she refuses to bend to the will of the gods. A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of one woman determined to decide her own fate.

As I've said a few times on this blog, I enjoy reading these reinterpretations of Greek myths, so when I was browsing Netgalley and saw Helen of Sparta I just had to request it. I'm glad to report I was not disappointed and I really liked Helen of Sparta. I tend to have set reading times - the commute and bedtime - and rarely break habit but I actually sat down and finished this book last Saturday afternoon.

"I will be your father figure ..." I could not stop this song from playing over and over in my head whilst reading this book. Sometimes it was hard to believe or appreciate the Helen and Theseus romance due to the huge age gap. Yes, it was a different time and yes, Theseus didn't look his age but I still found the song creeping into my mind. I appreciate Amalia Carosella's ageing of the younger characters so that it wasn't really creepy but it was still...awkward. At times. However, certainly not awkward enough to stop me reading because as I said before, I raced through this book!

All of the characters were well written and I liked that the gods and godesses turned up now and then - it's always more fun that way. I loved the showcase of interesting women in a time that didn't necessarily appreciate women. We had Aethra who was as good a mother-in-law as you could ever want and also a high priestess who commanded respect. Then there was Helen's mother, Leda, who was still smarting from her encounters with Zeus (quite rightly?!) and unfortunately she took this out on Helen. There has to be a villainess but I liked the fact Amalia Carosella let us know the reasoning behind Leda's spitefulness. We also get to meet Athena briefly, which is always a treat. Finally, there's Helen and I definitely think Amalia Carosella achieved her goal of showing Helen as more than just 'the face that launched a thousand ships'. I sympathised with her greatly.

Helen of Sparta was well written - an easy read (considering the enormity of tackling this myth ) without being too simplistic. I'm no expert in Greek mythology or classical civilisation but it is obvious Amalia Carosella knows her stuff. There were some good action scenes and this book was certainly more than just a romance. However, it took a while to get used to the switching back and forth from first person to third person. Personally, I think it would have been just as effective if it had all been in the third person but the first person wasn't distracting. I read a lot of YA, which is often written in the first person, so it didn't bother me too much.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I really, really hope a sequel is in the works given the ending! If you like Greek mythology, retellings, or May-December romances (!) I would highly recommend Helen of Sparta.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books of ALL TIME...well the past 3 years

2015-03-03T07:00:00.000+00:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten Books I Would Classify as ALL TIME (like Kanye ALL TIME) FAVOURITE BOOKS from the Past 3 Years. I can't really tell you why I love these books other than the fact I believe they all have that extra bit of magic.

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn - I don't really need to add an explanation, do I? You either loved it or hated it.

WINGER by Andrew Smith - Ryan Dean was such a memorable character and the ending really catapulted this one into the favourite books of ALL TIME archive.

TELL THE WOLVES I'M HOME by Carol Rifka Burton - This book was extremely sad but very well written and atmospheric. There didn't even need to be a playlist in the back, you could just feel the soundtrack and the vibe - for want of a better word.

THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS by Sarah Ockler - As I said in my review, I don't know if this book won any awards but it should've done! Such a difficult subject matter dealt with warmth and humour and filled with unforgettable characters.

THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Simsion - The idea behind the book is fairly simple but it just goes to show that the characters really turn a good book into a great book. Don is tied with Ryan Dean on this list for favourite character of ALL TIME (or the past 3 years anyway).

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell - This book came along at just the right time. We all needed Fangirl, didn't we? We all needed Cather and Wren and Levi and Reagan and fan fiction. Oh the days of fan fiction - I was well into the Harry Potter fan fiction way back when although I didn't write any, just beta'd.

YES PLEASE by Amy Poehler & BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey - Of course I had to include Amy & Tina. We all kind of look up to them now, don't we? Jam packed with advice for all of us lost twentysomethings (or thirty and fortysomethings. I'm sure you fiftysomethings have it all figured out now, right? Please tell me you have!)

FLAT-OUT CELESTE by Jessica Park - Again, the characters make this book. Celeste is really unique for a YA/NA character. I'd urge all contemporary fans (and anyone who's wary of contemporary) to give this book a go - even if you haven't read Flat-Out Love.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan - I've said it many times - I love my gossip sites. This book is scandalous and hilarious! I'll have to read it again before I go to Asia next year. No I haven't booked a ticket yet but maybe if I write it out loud, I'll actually do it. Speak (or write) your wishes into existence and all that jazz.

ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes - I had this on my Kindle for ages - maybe even a year - but didn't read it because I didn't have high expectations. I don't know why but I am glad to say I was proved wrong. This book was perfect. Please read it if you haven't. Oh and for those who have read it - what do you think of the casting? Rather promising eh?!

What's Occurring? February Round Up

2015-02-28T11:00:00.000+00:00

I don't usually do a monthly round-up but thought I'd give it a go.

The Pages

I read a couple of good books this month. A quick fire summary:

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang - Very sad but well written although I had to Google the bit about the narrator.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Loved it! I really like Jenny Han's writing style - it reminds me of those 50s diners in shopping malls. You're still in the present day but there's a real nostalgic feel to her work. Lara Jean was a lovely main character - so sweet and young, which makes for a nice change!
All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner - I liked this book. It was very funny in parts but generally quite sad. I did end up speaking like ELOISE a little bit after READING it though. Then I realised I think I speak like her anyway so...never mind!
I Was Here by Gayle Forman - Excellent stuff. I didn't like Just One Day etc. but was a big fan of If I Stay and Where She Went. This latest offering, to me, felt like a return to form. A difficult topic really well done.
Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras - Hmm...not my kind of book really. I liked the setting though. I'll make it to SoCal one of these days!
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - Not my cup of tea unfortunately. There were numerous comparisons to Gone Girl but I didn't take to it at all.
Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake - I need the next instalment NOW! I'm really enjoying this series.

The Soundtrack

[I'll always include a Spotify playlist of everything I'm listening to at the bottom if you care to have a browse]

This month I listened to First Light by Django Djnago about a million times. I'm still annoyed I've never seen them live. Same goes for Alt-J and Everything Everything. Perhaps, if I can get over my new aversion to festivals, I might try and catch one of them in the summer.
After that contestant sang a countrified version of Como La Flor to J-Lo on American Idol, I started listening to Selena again.
I also listened to a lot of Missy Elliott after she saved Katy Perry at the Super Bowl.
Listened to Drake's album - SNOOZEFEST. I'm not the biggest Drake fan but I quite liked some of the tracks on his last album (most notable From Time) but this new one is so droney and boring.
I LOVE Purity Ring! Like Taylor Swift but a bit cooler (and that's nothing against Taylor Swift as I'm a fan but she is known for her squareness, isn't she?) Ok, they're like Taylor Swift meets MS MR.
Finally, I've been listening to Alabama Shakes again. I just want to live somewhere that sounds like them if that makes sense.

The Words

I wrote something! So far I have written 7338 words, which for me, in a non NaNo/Camp NaNo kind of situation, is beyond amazing. Something I haven't done since I was about 18 on my lonesome so...YAAAAY!

On Screen

Indian Summers on Channel 4 is amazing and so beautifully shot. The music is brilliant too. I didn't watch The Casual Vacancy mostly because of the time clash but also because I never read the book.
I still love American Idol. I know people have moved on to The Voice and whatever but I'm AI for life. I really love the judges at the moment too - they seem to truely love music - not just the music industry- and know a lot about it.
The Short Game, We Are King, and The Director - all great documentaries on UK Netflix at the moment. Speaking of Netflix, I've just started House of Cards season 3. The music is everything.
Awards Season is over. It wasn't very fun this year. The films weren't 'must-see' for me - I've just been catching them as the DVDs are released- and the fashion was predictable and boring. Also, what with the whole racism situation and all the drama of the Sony hack meant we were all just a bit tired of Hollywood, right? I didn't even watch the BAFTA's. I turned it on, looked on as the camera scanned the crowd and couldn't see any brown faces, so switched it off. Usually, I wouldn't go as far as turning it off, which is a problem in itself because vote with your feet and all that, but I've just had enough, you know? Same with the Brit Awards (why did it take an American artist to highlight our under appreciated Grime artists at our biggest music awards show? Ridiculous.) We have our own race and class issues over here in the UK and maybe it's an age thing (it was my birthday this month hooray) but it's bugging me more than ever. It's a very quiet kind of racism that to me is just as dangerous as your problems in the USA.

So, what have you been up to?

Favourite New Adult Books

2015-02-27T16:25:00.001+00:00

I felt bad after going on a mini rant last week when talking about New Adult books. I still feel the same way but I'm not anti-New Adult. In fact, some of my favourite books could fit or are in this category, so I thought I'd mention a few that I really enjoyed.

Flat-Out Love/ Flat-Out Matt/ Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Parks

[Review]

I just adored these books. The characters are so special and memorable and their trials are heartbreaking yet relatable.

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager

[Review]

This book pretty much took my breath away and I've re-read it twice. I don't re-read very often anymore, so that act is testament to how taken I was with this book. You just need to read this. I promise you won't regret it.

Breathe Annie Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

[Review]

I'm a big fan of Miranda Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series and I liked this one in particular because half of it took part during the main character's first year at college. Apart from Fangirl (which we'll get to) I can't remember reading anything that deals with the moving in, making new friends, taking all these strange classes aspect of college. I think this is a great bridge book for those just about to finish high school and also a nice nostalgic trip for the rest of us whose college days have already turned golden thanks to Father Time.

Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund

Secret societies, Ivy League, a band of misfit characters? What's not to love! If you like How to Get Away With Murder, definitely give this series a go. The student characters on that really remind me of the group in the Secret Society Girl series.

Charmed Thirds/Fourth Comings/Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty

Anyone who has ever glanced at this blog will know I'm a BIG fan of the Jessica Darling series. Again, I re-read these at least once a year (usually in the summer) and they always, always speak to me. There's something for everyone in these five books but the final three are set from college onwards and deal with all the usual fare associated with a twenty-something graduate but with signature Jessica Darling spin. I've seen people say they don't get these books but I really think it's about timing. Anyone in high school or college, get on them now and I promise you'll relate to them! As for the rest of us...well, it depends whether or not you can get back into the mindset of a teenager but that goes for all YA books. Sometimes, I forget they're written for Young Adults, not ME, and that's wrong.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno

[Review]

I really liked this book. The main character's situation isn't one you come across too much for this age range (I haven't anyway), so I appreciated that. The characters were well written and there was just that extra special something there.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

[Review]

Obviously. As with Breathe Annie Breathe this book is set during the twins' first year at college and all the ups and downs that go with that. Refreshing and hilarious!

Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

[Review]

I read this around the time all those 'The Devils of Wall Street' books and films like Margin Call were out. This is a good inside look into the financial services industry through the eyes of a new graduate. I liked that the main character wanted to be a broker. So many of the twenty-somethings I read about are in the creative industries, which is fine - write what you know and all - but it was just a nice change. There's some good life lessons in there too. Maybe don't give it to someone just before they start their new financial services job though!

What are some of your favourite New Adult type books? How about any with male protagonists?

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

2015-02-25T10:00:00.000+00:00

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Format: Kindle e-book

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

From the author of Forever, Interrupted—hailed by Sarah Jio as "moving, gorgeous, and at times heart-wrenching"—comes a breathtaking new novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both. When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes. Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for? This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after.

I finished this book on 31 January 2015 and I'm still thinking about it today! I didn't go into this one terribly excited because I wasn't that keen on Forever, Interrupted but I loved it! Such great characters and plenty to think about whatever stage in life. I particularly liked that there's no 'goodie' or 'baddie. When asked about her divorce in the Sunday Times Style magazine, Monica Bellucci mused that it takes two to tango, so neither party was to blame. I feel like that applies to Lauren and Ryan's marriage too.

As I said, this book made me think a lot. When Lauren and Ryan decided to spend the year apart, I didn't think it was a good idea. A year is a long time to not have any contact with your spouse. The fact that they also agreed to see other people didn't make sense to me either. My initial thought was if you go down that route, you might as well throw in the towel. How do you come back from that? However, by the end, I wasn't so sure of my initial thoughts. Maybe Lauren and Ryan really did just need time apart but I still kind of sided with the grandma when she said why can't you just go on separate holidays or find hobbies that didn't involve each other?

It got me thinking about co-dependency versus partnership. I remember in her book Mindy Kaling said something along the lines of her parents were partners - not BFF's because they had their own BFF's. I always thought that sounded about right. I should pause for a minute and add that I'm neither married nor in a relationship so all of this is purely hypothetical thinking. However, I can only assume that when you decide this person is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, your relationship transcends BFF status, no? It's different. Lauren and Ryan seemed to do everything together. Surely even the most patient person would crack eventually if they spent nearly all of their time with the same person just going through the motions. Neither of them were making many active decisions but rather just coasting along on compromise highway glancing around for the nearest exit. I don't know, as I said, I have no experience in this area but I know I like my own space from time to time and I'm pretty sure that part of my personality won't change just because someone liked it and put a ring on it. Then again, different strokes for different folks. The one clear message is that time apart - from anything - is a good thing.

After I Do presented some really great examples of women and different views on love and relationships. First of all there was Lauren who liked having a steady boyfriend and settled down early. She's a trier - to a fault - and I sympathised with this aspect of her character. Triers are often perfectionists and all or nothing type folk and those are hard habits/traits to break. She believed in forever and she was willing to sacrifice a lot and block out some negative thinking to make sure forever happened. I admired her for that. Then there was Lauren's sister, Rachel, who was happily single (at least until it was mentioned by a family member). I could relate to Rachel too. Sometimes when you're in the zone, so busy getting on with your life - your work, your hobbies, your Netflix addiction - you don't even have time to think about being single (until a helpful family member brings it up). I admired that she was happy to pursue her dreams and didn't mind whether or not someone special came along at that moment in time. Lauren's mother on the other hand wanted the romance stage and nothing else. Again, it was nice to see an older character with this outlook who wasn't branded a wayward mother. Finally, the grandmother was definitely in the 'til death do us part, come rain or come shine camp. I must be old-fashioned because I agreed with nearly all of her advice.

Overall, I just really liked this book. It was very thought provoking and definitely a good one if you've got a book club. I wanted to talk to people so badly whilst reading it! I'd like to read it again in ten years time to see if my views have changed.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Related Problems I Have

2015-02-17T07:00:00.000+00:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten Book Related Problems I Have. I tried not to rant too much but failed at the end. Sorry!

Goodreads

I love finding new books on Goodreads but the site has changed a lot and I now find it a little more unreliable than before. Books rated 4.2 stars often turn out to be not my cup of tea at all (one of the last books I read falls into this category). To be fair, this tends to be for YA/Contemporary books - especially if it's a romance and/or New Adult. I've said it before, experience dictates books classified as New Adult don't usually resonate with me. Actually, let's make NewAdult a separate point. TBC further down the list. However, getting back to Goodreads, I suppose from now on I will tread carefully when I see a book with a high rating.

Exploring Other Genres

I'm rubbish at reading outside of contemporary fiction. Maybe once a year I'll read a sci-fi/fantasy book. Occasionally, I'll pick up a non-fiction book. I do like memoirs but don't get to those enough either. I always say I'm going to diversify my TBR list - and I do note down interesting looking books outside of contemporary - but when it comes to parting with my cold hard cash, I'll usually stick to the tried and tested.

YA Addiction

I read too much YA. I know you should read what you like but I'm sure I'd benefit from reading more 'adult fiction'. I try to read one YA, one adult/other book each week but more often than not this turns into two YA.

Too Many New Friends

I should take a leaf out of Drake's book and introduce a 'no new friends' rule into my reading habits for the next few months. I don't take enough time to re-read old favourites or books published more than two or three years ago.

Not Enough Debut Love

Having said that, I seem to miss debut novel releases and catch up on them a year later. I noticed this when looking through my 2014 read list in preparation for YA Superlatives. If I didn't have this blog then fine, I could read whatever. However, even though I don't have masses of followers and such like, I feel obligated to champion a few debut authors because getting published for the first time should be celebrated!

E-Book Blackouts

Summer Roberts had rage blackouts. I have E-book shopping blackouts. On Sunday nights, I seem to leave it to the last minute to update my Spotify playlists for the train and sort out my reading for the week. As a result, I hit Amazon, iBooks, and Nook and panic buy. Then I start reading one of my new purchases and think 'what the hell?!' This is why you should only buy books from your thoroughly researched TBR lists.

Review Laziness

More often than not I'll highlight passages and make short notes whilst reading so that I can refer to them when I write the review. Except I usually don't end up writing the review. For example, I really want to discuss After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I Was Here by Gayle Forman but I just can't muster up the energy to write a proper review/discussion. When I get home, after spending all day looking at a screen, the last thing I want to do is type something else. It's terrible but on the plus side, you know that if I do post a review I probably really liked the book (or had some time off).

Bookseller Pressure

When I go into a bookshop - especially if it's a smaller one - I usually feel obligated to buy something because bookshop employees are usually really, really lovely. I should know - I was one! A lot of the time they won't have the books on my TBR list, so I browse the shelves and end up with a handful of books that end up on my bottom shelf or in the basket by my bed for YEARS. I cleared out a lot of them the other day for donation. Terrible waste.

Diversity

This is one of the worst things about my reading habits. I don't support diverse books enough when I really, really should if I want my future children to see themselves reflected in the books they're reading.

New Adult

I love books featuring 20-somethings growing up and making their way in the world. After all, I'm in the same boat. I love books set in the college environment. I wanted to go to an American university soooo badly, so I'm all for those novels. However, I haven't really found many NA books that I've enjoyed.

I think it just has something to do with the label. It seems as though these books are often set in college or just after college and feature a hapless gal who is usually some kind of musical prodigy/dancer/artist/all round clever clogs with side-swept bangs and green eyes and lots of off the shoulder tops. She then meets a 'bad boy' either in the sense that he has tattoos and growls everything he says or he's the star of a sports team and a player in both senses of the word. They dance around each other for half the book before they finally get together and the rest of the book is just them hooking up - or even getting engaged! Yes, I've read ones where this happens, it's crazy (to me anyway). Occasionally they have to help out a sick parent or a child or something equally 'noble' but that's usually a very small part of the plot.

I don't like to rant but that's how I feel. Now, if you can point me to a book classed as New Adult that does not follow that formula, send the recommendations my way and I'll happily give it a go.

Mini Reviews: Gods, Trains, Diplomats and Boarders

2015-02-11T11:00:00.000+00:00

Antigoddess & Mortal Gods (Goddess War Series) by Kendare Blake
GOODREADS

I absolutely loved both of these books. They're definitely must reads for anyone who has even a passing interest in Greek mythology. I don't know how true to the canon the stories are - maybe a Classics scholar would wrinkle their nose at times - but I will happily sit through Troy every time it's on the telly, so I'm not exactly fussed about accuracy. All the usual suspects turn up at various points but in modern day form, which is a fun twist. They're all likeable and unlikeable, which keeps you reading. Except for Hermes - he's always likeable. The action scenes are fast and furious and the descriptions of their various ailments are well thought out. I can't wait for the next one! I wonder if the series is a trilogy or longer?

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

GOODREADS

I'm in the minority I think because I didn't really like this book but felt compelled to finish it after paying £6 for the Kindle version. As a rule, I don't usually spend more than £4-5 on a Kindle book unless it happens to be by one of my go to authors. Anyway, I got duped by the Gone Girl comparisons. I know, I know, I shouldn't pay attention to the marketing quotes but I'll admit, I was fooled. There just wan't enough intrigue for me. The story didn't hook me. When reading, I don't care if the characters are horrid but the actual story needs to be interesting. There weren't any surprises or twists and turns. I'm not a connoisseur of the thriller genre so I don't know if this style of writing is the norm but I think first person should be used for one character only. The three women all sounded the same to me. Overall, I was disappointed.

All Fall Down (Embassy Row Series) by Ally Carter

GOODREADS

The other day, TV critic AA Gill described the Scandinavian drama style as following a pattern of generally starting normally and ending with confusion, which builds and builds and isn't always resolved. This way, compared to the usual mystery/drama trope of a big event happening and working backwards, makes for more effective storytelling. I felt like this reading Ally Carter's latest. It starts off fairly innocuously - girl is visiting her grandfather in Europe after a few years apart - and ends...well, I won't spoilt the ending but I can say there are many questions posed and not many answers given. All Fall Down is definitely the most mature Ally Carter book I've read (I'm a big fan of Gallagher Girls and Heist Society) and it is more serious in tone. However, I love that her stories centre around such winning girls and romance doesn't usually play a huge part - although, of course, there's always a little bit. I also think the setting is really interesting. I always remember my mum pointing out diplomat cars at the airport and explaining what they do - I remember thinking that sounded like quite an interesting job. I'm definitely looking forward to the next instalment of Embassy Row.

The Ex-Games by Jennifer Echols

GOODREADS

I was trying to review this for the YA Buccaneers Reading Mutiny Challenge but fell ill and never got around to putting pen to paper (and then typing it up - I always have to handwrite my reviews, do you?) This was a fun read - especially as we got some snow around the same time. It was what I've come to expect from Jennifer Echols' romantic comedies. I think I've liked - if not loved- everything I've read by Jennifer Echols'. She's definitely one of my said go-to authors. I liked that the group of friends were so close and there wasn't much drama between them. I think it's important to show fun and healthy friendships because lots of people have a good circle of friends in high school, particularly if you're in a smaller town. I also liked the banter between Hayden and her brother - they reminded me of the McGillicuddys in Endless Summer. Finally, I really enjoyed the sport aspect - I do like my sports YA and need to find some more!

Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

2015-02-09T11:00:00.000+00:00

Publisher: Penguin

Format: Kindle e-book

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal. . . . A murder… . . . a tragic accident… . . . or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. But who did what? Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads: Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?). Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

All I can say is I'm glad I don't have to navigate playground politics right now. Goodness me, this book was a riot! I absolutely loved it. Anyone who has read this blog before will know I like reading a gossip blog or two. This book appealed to that part of my nature - it was scandalous yet campy in tone.

Side note - I had no idea Liane Moriarty is the sister of Jaclyn Moriarty - one of my favourite YA writers EVER! When you know, you can pick out a shared sense of humour (well I think so anyway) but still, it was interesting to find out!

Anyway, I loved all of the characters in this book. Even the 'baddies' although, to be honest, they're all 'baddies' to a certain extent. This book is firmly set in the grey area - namely, how far will you go in the name of your child's wellbeing and reputation? How much of it is about the actual situation and how much of it is about you getting 'one up' on the other parents? How much of it is about your past school situation versus your child's? They say once a man, twice a child, generally referring to your senior days, however after reading this (and witnessing similar situations in real life) I'd be more inclined to say this childlike state might occur again sooner rather than later.

You can instantly recognise all of the characters. We all know a Madeline and a Renata and a Harper (oh how we all know a Harper). I hate to say it but I think I might be a Renata...however, I don't have kids yet so we'll see when the time comes! Hopefully I'm not a Harper. Oh Lord, please don't let me be a Harper.

However, the best thing about this book is the humour. It really is very funny at times. There are some great one-liners - usually from Madeleine - and coupled with the tight and well planned lot that zigs when you want to zag, it's a zinger of a read. I'm not surprised it has been picked up by Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman for a television adaptation. I think it will do what The Slap wanted to do (well, I didn't like the book or the show so maybe I'm biased. Perhaps it was a hit but I don't think so...). I hope they keep it set in Australia though - a lot of the humour was cultural, I think.

Definitely give this a go. You won't be disappointed!