Book Review - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girls is a thriller novel based around Nick Dunne, a former New-York based writer, and his perfect wife Amy. Portraying the happy blissful marriage to the rest of the world, it comes as a shock to everyone when Amy goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary. With suspicions rising, it's not long before Nick's unusual behaviour places him as prime suspect in her disappearance. With increasing pressure from the police and the media documenting every step of the case, it seems Nick and Amy's relationship isn't as it seems, and they may not be who they say they are.

Gone Girl was first brought to my attention when I was sat in the hairdressers one Saturday morning. My hairdresser was talking to another client about how good the film was and I was eavesdropping whilst my colour set. It sound interesting, like something I'd enjoy, so I added the book to my Summer reading list. I'm so glad I did!

This book had me from the offset, within the first few pages I was hooked! It's full of twists and turns, you're never quite sure what's coming next. I honestly couldn't put it down.

This book is so well written that you find yourself questioning everything you read. Every little detail becomes significant and you start analysing things as you go. With every turn of the page you'll have a new set of unanswered questions, you just have to keep reading to find out what next, and your opinion on where Amy is and whether Nick is involved will change constantly. It's a gripping read.

I didn't expect the book to progress the way it did. As a thriller book I thought it would be investigating where Amy was and who would want to take her, but it's so much more than that. This book explores the deepest parts of their relationship, Amy's history, the influence of her parents, Nick's guilts and desires. It's much more than just a 'who done it?' book.

I think the only kind of disappointment is the end. Whilst it's still a really good ending, I'd have liked things to work out a little better for Nick, but I can totally understand and appreciate why the author has done what she's done.

I made my Mum read this book while we were away too. I don't think she was keen at first, she complained it was slow to get into, but it wasn't look before she was asking questions wanting to know more and more. I just kept telling her to keep reading and just smiled when I saw her face at the end. I think she enjoyed it nearly as much as me.

Since returning home, I've watched the Gone Girl film. I must admit, I was a little bit let down. There is a lot of twists, turns and detail missing out of the film that you don't get to enjoy. It's a good watch, but the detail in the book makes it so much better. I definitely recommend you try and read the book first!

Gone Girl was my first Gillian Flynn read, I haven't been able to speak to anyone else who's read her other books, but I'll definitely give them a go in the future.

Rating: 9/10

Sarah x

Book Review - The Girls Wearing Black Series by Spencer Baum

I got the first book in this series when it was on offer on Amazon. It was free (on one of their daily deals), and although I'd never heard of it, I figured it had Vampires in and I tend to enjoy vampire stuff so thought I'd give it a go. I finally got round to reading it whilst I was away, and I am so glad that Amazon gave away this book. I doubt I'd have read it otherwise. The first book had me hooked, and I rushed to buy the other 3 in the series as soon as I'd finished the first one.

This series isn't the typical vampire romance stories you see a lot of at the moment. There's no mortal falling in love with a vampire, and a story dedicated to how they're going to live their lives together and enjoy their forbidden love. This is different.

In this series, the Immortals (aka vampires) are in charge. While the Politicians and the rich may think they have power, the ultimate control lies with the Immortals. Becoming an Immortal in this world isn't easy. To be turned you have to bond with a vampire. Unless you're a girl in the senior class at Thorndike Academy.

Senior girls at Thorndike get the chance of a lifetime. They get the opportunity to be turned by Sergio, a vampire who doesn't bond. Giving them more power, control and respect than they could ever dream of. All you have to do is turn up to Homecoming in a black dress, and you enter the contest. But entering the contest comes at a price. You enter a contract with the Immortals. A contract that states if you win you become an Immortal, but if you come last you become the new Immortal's first meal.

This series follows one year of the coronation contest where preparations had been made for years to ensure that one girl won and became immortal. That was until the surprise entry of Nicky Bloom. Supported by her friends, Nicky launches a campaign to win the contest to achieve the ultimate prize and she soon catches the attention of the Immortals. But as the contest progresses, it's clear that Nicky and Kim both underestimated each other.

All of the characters are portrayed well. They each have their own unique personalities, their own backgrounds, and develop in their own ways. At some point in the series, you will route for each and every one of them. Even the Immortals.

My favourite is Jill. One of the key characters from the offset, she's a teenager doing her best to support Nikki and achieve the ultimate aim. By the end of the series, she's grown into someone wiser than her aged. Forced to face the truth about her Father's past activities, and the truth about her Mother's need to work, Jill learns to fight for herself, her own course, and becomes a key player in the coronation contest.

I loved the way this series is written. Each book is focused around one key event in the coronation contest, but Spencer Baum manages to bring in all the stories, past and present, of the key characters in with ease. They flow well, and keep you intrigued as to what is coming next.

A brilliant read, and something different to the more popular vampire series. I look forward to reading more of Spencer Baum's work in the future

Rating: 9/10

Sarah x

Book Review - My Side of Life

My Side of Life

by Shane Filan

Having been a massive Westlife fan since I was little, when Shane Filan announced his first solo UK tour I had to get tickets. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. When he announced his book I had to read it. It was a Christmas present from my Mum, and I've finally finished it. So here's my book review.

I was only 7 or 8 when Westlife started to get noticed, at that point I was never particularly interested in how they got to be famous, and I've never really thought about it since. This book gave a great insight into how the band got to where they are and the difficulties they faced. I never knew about the original band members who were kicked, and how close Shane was to being kicked out. I was really interesting to read and finally understand the history behind a band who'd played a big part in my life.

Compared to other autobiographies I've read, I didn't think this was written as well, but he's a singer not a writer so I'm not going to dwell on that too much. He's given everyone access into his life and thoughts, and I respect him for that. After what he's been through, it was a very brave thing to release.

The book opened my eyes to not only how life was in Westlife, the struggles they faced at different points in their careers, and their relationships with each other, but how the business world was working just before and during the financial crash.

I've studied the economic crisis of 2008/2009 as part of my degree, and I've understood how it happened, the effect etc. But it wasn't until I read this I realised how bad it got for some people. To work hard to get the life you want for your family, and see it all pulled away from you must have been heartbreaking for Shane.

I felt very sorry for the whole family towards the end of the book. They hadn't been stupid and wasted their money away on flash holidays, drugs etc. They'd tried to be sensible and invest but everything came down around them. They lost the castle they'd built in seconds. No one should have to go through that.

At the end of the book Shane talks about his solo career, and how loosing everything actually was good in some ways. It was great to see that despite everything, he's seeing the positives and using his own experiences to build a new career.

A brilliant read if you're a Westlife/Shane fan, but I think it would be interesting to hear from the other boys and compare stories to see what everyone thought of their time together.

Sarah x

Book Review - On the Fence

On the Fence

By Kasie West

I went to bed last night to read just the first chapter of this book, two and a half hours later I finally went to sleep, I couldn’t put it down. It’s such a good book that has you on an emotional rollercoaster. You laugh, you cry, you fall in love. A great read.

Charlie’s Mum died when she was little and having been raised by her brothers and father she has had very little girlie influence on her life. A self-confessed tomboy, Charlie has no trouble talking to boys or tackling them to the ground, but when it comes to finding one to date, she doesn’t think anyone is interested in her.

Forced to get a new job to pay her father back she’s thrown into the world of fashion and makeup, but is brought out of her shell and makes a new group of friends who show her a different side to being a girl. And it isn’t long before she’s getting male attention she isn’t used to.

According to Braden boys like to feel useful once in a while, and Charlie takes this into account when speaking to her new date. It starts off harmless with Evan teaching Charlie about baseball (nothing that she didn’t already know) and ends up with her hiding her true self to impress him.  And this doesn’t go down well with Braden at all.

With both Braden and Charlie dealing with family issues, their midnight talks provide a great opportunity for them to listen and talk without having to keep up appearances for Charlie’s older brothers. A great way to show how their relationship changes.

I loved Charlie for the fact I found her very relatable. I was tomboy for most of the time I was at school, and have always found it easier to be friends with guys than girls. I can totally relate to her struggles as she tries to learn what makeup to use and how to dress fashionably, as well as the need to feel like she must hide parts of herself to impress guys.

Thankfully she realises, as we all do at some point in life, that it’s better to be yourself and you can have more than one side to you.

This is a great light contemporary read that keeps you wanting more on every page turn.

Sarah x

Book Review: The McLaughlins Book 1, 2 and 3.

Good Girl Gone Plaid (Book 1), Kilty Pleasure (Book 2) & Loch and Key (Book 3)

of The McLaughlins

by Shelli Stevens

 

I'll be honest and say, if it wasn't for the fact that Amazon are giving the Kindle version of Good Girl Gone Plaid away for free, I wouldn't have read these books. After finishing my last book, I was looking for something light to read but something that would keep my attention, and this series did just that.

The McLaughlin series is a collection of 4 books based around the 4 siblings in the McLaughlin family; Aleck, Colin, Ian and Kenzie. The stories are all based around the love life of the characters and the troubles they face. So far only 3 books have been released, with the final book in series due out in 3 days time.

Romance books aren't really my thing. I've read a few Nicholas Sparks books, and enjoyed them, but I normally prefer books that take me to completely different worlds. I liked these books for there ease to read and how different the stories were, despite being set on such a small island. There are a lot of sex scenes in these books, which can be quite detailed but no where near the extent Fifty Shades went too. My only real complaint is that they weren't slightly longer (I read each one in a couple of hours).

So, if you're looking for something easy and fun to read, give these a go. They're enjoyable romantic books to distract you from normal world for a while. I'm sure the fourth will be just as good as the others when it comes out too.

Sarah x

Book Review: Theif's Magic - Book 1 of Millennium's Rule

Thief's Magic: Book 1 of Millennium's Rule

by Trudi Canavan

In a world where an industrial revolution is powered by magic, Tyen, a student of archaeology, unearths a sentient book called Vella. Once a young sorcerer-bookbinder, Vella was transformed into a useful tool by one of the greatest sorcerers of history. Since then she has been collecting information, including a vital clue to the disaster Tyen's world faces.

Elsewhere, in a land ruled by the priests, Rielle the dyer's daughter has been taught that to use magic is to steal from the Angels. Yet she knows she has a talent for it, and that there is a corrupter in the city willing to teach her how to use it - should she dare to risk the Angels' wrath.

But not everything is as Tyen and Rielle have been raised to believe. Not the nature of magic, nor the laws of their lands.

Not even the people they trust.

I am a massive fan of Trudi Canavan's work, and couldn't wait to get stuck into her new series. The book is set in a whole new fantasy world with magic and magic users throughout. However, when I realised this book was split into parts, I wasn't sure I was going to like it as much as some of the other's Trudi Canavan has written. I'd loved the intro to Tyen and his story, and was disappointed to be moving on to someone else. But it only took a few pages for me to fall in love Rielle and her story. I even felt disappointed to be leaving her and returning to Tyen when the point arose, but once more I was hooked and that cycle of emotions kept repeating all the way to the end.

The stories of Tyen and Rielle are completely different from each other, but I love how their cultures and stories contrast. Neither faces the same decisions nor problems. Tyen is an academic in a land where magic is freely available and used by those who know how. Trying to prove he can become something more than just a machine operator, he discovers a magical book in a tomb and makes the decision to keep it to himself with the aim of proving it's worth to the academy and educating it in the process. When his plan backfires he is forced to run, his chances of ever graduating or working at the university gone.

Whereas Rielle is in a land where only the Priests who are chosen by the Angels can use magic. Anyone else caught is branded a Tainted and outcast from the city. Knowing she has the ability to sense magic and could, if she chose to, learn to use magic Rielle has kept her power secret from everyone. We experience her first love and the torment she puts herself through as she is torn between love and family. But it is not long until the young girl is tricked into a situation she can't get out of without using magic and displeasing the Angels. Faced with an even more difficult decision as to who to keep happy, Rielle takes an option but it soon turns out for the worst.

As both set off on their adventures, it is possible to imagine a way in which the two characters could meet but I suspect there is a lot more twists and turns to come before we ever get to that point, if we ever do. If you prefer reading books that only follow one story throughout, then maybe this isn't for you, but if you're open to different stories with a subtle link throughout, I'm sure you'll love this.

I personally cannot wait for the next book to see how the two stories pan out. This is an excellent beginning to what I'm sure is going to be another excellent trilogy by a wonderful author.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Sarah x

Book Review - The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Warning: Make sure you have tissues when you read this. There's only ever one book in my life that has made me cry (On the Edge, by Richard Hammond if you're wondering), this doubled my list to two.

I don't know why I even chose to read this, it's not a book I'd normally opt for. I much prefer fantasy books with magic and worlds far away from ours, but this one caught my attention and I'm glad it did. 

The story is focused on Hazel, a teenage girl diagnosed with a terminal illness hoping experimental drugs will lengthen the time she has left. Terrified of the thought of being a Grenade to her family and her friends, she is such an inspiration remaining strong throughout everything and putting the feelings and future of others before her own. She shows that to fight through difficult times, you need a positive attitude.

After meeting Gus at a support group she didn't want to go to, her life takes a surprising turn and she falls in love the way you fall asleep; slowly then all at once. At first I wasn't sure I liked Gus but I, like Hazel, very quickly fell in love. 

This book is so well written you can't help but connect with the characters and want them to enjoy their lives the way they should be able to. Although I kind of predicted the storyline in some aspects, the story still put me through an emotional roller coaster. Raising questions about the impact I'm making on this world, who will remember me once I've gone and how I'll be remembered. It definitely makes you think twice about everything. 

Cancer is something we can't get away from, and you're very lucky if you don't know someone who hasn't been affected by the illness. What the book addresses though is how people react to those unfortunate to be suffering from the disease, and what it is actually like for the families who are left behind. That's something you probably can't understand unless you've been in that position yourself, but this book gives a really good insight.

This book is a great summer read, I'd recommended to anyone who likes a story you can connect with. And if you don't like reading, then the film is out on the 19th June so you can still experience the story.

Book Review 1 - The Night Circus

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus is a 2011 book written by Erin Morgenstern, and tells the story of two young magicians forced into a competition by their mentors to settle a long outstanding disagreement. The playing board for the challenge is the Le Cirque des Rêves and it's black-and white striped canvas tents, filled with unique and amazing experiences. But as the two magicians fall in love, there are tragic consequences and an ending neither mentor would have wished for.

I'd heard a lot of good reviews about this book before I bought it, and I was told in good faith by my best friend that I would fall in love with it. When I first started reading, I didn't believe him. The book was very slow to start and I couldn't quite figure out how everything fit together. There's a lot of jumping around to different times and different people's view points which took some getting used to, but when the challenge finally got going, it didn't disappoint.

I loved the feeling of being transported to this completely different world of the circus, where every time you visited something different happened. The idea that a place so magical could exist in such a normal world was incredible and had me hooked. The description of some of the tents really made it feel like you were experiencing the circus first hand.

The range of different personalities and relationships between the characters in the books, made the experience ever so more realistic. You felt very involved in everything that was going on, felt the pain, the love and the laughter when each of the characters did. There's a wide range of people to connect to, and a group called the Rêveurs which every lover of this book would class themselves as part of.

In my opinion, the book ended with the best ending it could. I don't want to spoil it, but if the ending had been different I'm not sure I'd be as in love with the book as I am.

After a quick google, I've read that the rights to the film have been bought and the script being written. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the magic will be kept throughout the film, as it's a great book that I don't want to get ruined.

If you like magic, and fantasy this book shouldn't disappoint. It does completely transport you somewhere else, just give it time to get to the good bit.

Rating: 9/10. Slow to start but had me falling in love with it towards the end.