Books I read 2014

• Endless by Amanda Gray 3*
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 4*
• The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry 4*
• Mad Love by Colet Abedi 2*
• Reality Parenting by Treion Muller 3*
• Once Upon a Billionaire by Jessica Clare 4*
• Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult 5*
• The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier 3*
• The Other Half by Sarah Rayner 4*
• Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult 5*
• The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin 2*
• Carry You by Beth Thomas 5*

Book: Carry You

Carry You by Beth Thomas

Book description: Daisy has lost her mum to breast cancer. She’s at rock bottom and doesn’t think she’ll ever get back up again. Her best friend Abi has other ideas – she tells it like it is and she’s determined to make Daisy remember the person she used to be.
What Daisy doesn’t know is that, thanks to Abi, her life is about to take an unexpected turn, when she signs them up to do a charity walk. Added to which, someone is about to burst into Daisy’s world in a riot of colour reminding her that life can be full of surprises.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com

What I thought:

*****

A really wonderful book. Following the grieving of a woman after losing her mother doesn't seem like it would be a very uplifting thing but the help of friends standing by is an amazing thing shown. I was so glad to read the ending, giving the idea that people get what they deserve eventually, which is a great message.
This book made me laugh, sympathize and brought me close to tears and I look forward to seeing what else this author comes up with in her future books.

Book read December 11th 2014.

Book: The Awakening of Miss Prim

The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin

Book description: Prudencia Prim is a young woman of high ideals, intelligence and achievement, with an extensive knowledge of literature and several letters after her name. But when she accepts the post of private librarian to a wealthy bibliophile in the secluded village of San Ireneo de Arnois, she is unprepared for what she will encounter there. Her employer, a philosopher and intellectual, is dashing yet contrarian, always ready with a stinging critique of her beloved Austen and Alcott. And the neighbours are also capable of charm and eccentricity in equal measure, determined as they are to preserve their singular little community from the outside world.
Thoughtful, gentle Prudencia might have hoped for friendship in San Ireneo but she didn't expect to find romance - nor did she expect the course of her new life to run quite so rocky, to offer challenge and heartache as well as discovery, joy and delicious regional pastries. The Awakening of Miss Prim is a delightfully unusual and entertaining tale of literature, love and the search for happiness.


What I thought:

**

It took me a while to get through this book because I found it pretty boring. The concept of this little town that's still set in its old fashioned ways is kind of cool but the way they all talked about books all the time made parts of the story line bland, especially since those books are ones I haven't read so I knew nothing about them.

Book read September 29th 2014.

Book: Larger Than Life

Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult

Book description: A researcher studying memory in elephants, Alice is fascinated by the bonds between mother and calf—the mother’s powerful protective instincts and her newborn’s unwavering loyalty. Living on a game reserve in Botswana, Alice is able to view the animals in their natural habitat—while following an important rule: She must only observe and never interfere. Then she finds an orphaned young elephant in the bush and cannot bear to leave the helpless baby behind. Thinking back on her own childhood, and on her shifting relationship with her mother, Alice risks her career to care for the calf. Yet what she comes to understand is the depth of a parent’s love.


What I thought:

*****

A very moving story that shows just how similar animals and people can be and how great the attachment between them can be. I'm glad this story will be continued in some way in a few months when Jodi's new book will be released, I look forward to see what else happens with Alice.

Book read September 9th 2014.

Book: The Other Half

The Other Half by Sarah Rayner

Book description: In the internationally bestselling author Sarah Rayner's The Other Half, Chloe, bright, hip and single, is a feature writer with ambitions to launch a magazine of her own. When she meets James, her potential new boss, she knows she shouldn't mix business with pleasure, but finds it impossible to resist...
Maggie appears to have it all. She's beautiful, a talented writer, and has a gorgeous husband. But something's not quite right: his job as a magazine publisher is keeping him in the city until late most evenings, and some nights he doesn't come home at all...
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair is a sharp, seductive take on modern love.
Who, if anyone, comes out unscathed?
In writing that is lively, sexy and sharp, the international bestselling author Sarah Rayner explores modern-day relationships and age-old moral dilemmas.

Picture and description taken from Goodreads.com


What I thought:

****

I liked this story. It's quite a difficult thing to get attached to a character then read along as they go on an emotional roller coaster. It was interesting to read about an affair from the prospective of the 'other woman' and it really makes you think about what you would do in the same situation from either side. I hated how indecisive James was and much as I liked Chloe I couldn't empathise with what she was doing. The end did have everyone put in their own places but it was still left a bit open.

Book read 17th July 2014.

Book: The Lost Sisterhood

The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier

Book description: Oxford lecturer Diana Morgan is an expert on Greek mythology. Her obsession with the Amazons started in childhood when her eccentric grandmother claimed to be one herself—before vanishing without a trace. Diana’s colleagues shake their heads at her Amazon fixation. But then a mysterious, well-financed foundation makes Diana an offer she cannot refuse.
Traveling to North Africa, Diana teams up with Nick Barran, an enigmatic Middle Eastern guide, and begins deciphering an unusual inscription on the wall of a recently unearthed temple. There she discovers the name of the first Amazon queen, Myrina, who crossed the Mediterranean in a heroic attempt to liberate her kidnapped sisters from Greek pirates, only to become embroiled in the most famous conflict of the ancient world—the Trojan War. Taking their cue from the inscription, Diana and Nick set out to find the fabled treasure that Myrina and her Amazon sisters salvaged from the embattled city of Troy so long ago. Diana doesn’t know the nature of the treasure, but she does know that someone is shadowing her, and that Nick has a sinister agenda of his own. With danger lurking at every turn, and unsure of whom to trust, Diana finds herself on a daring and dangerous quest for truth that will forever change her world.
Sweeping from England to North Africa to Greece and the ruins of ancient Troy, and navigating between present and past, The Lost Sisterhood is a breathtaking, passionate adventure of two women on parallel journeys, separated by time, who must fight to keep the lives and legacy of the Amazons from being lost forever.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

***
Wow this book was long.. Or maybe it was just lots of information and hard to get my head around. The chapters with Myrina were more interesting to me but the modern day chapters with Diana where a bit hectic for my liking. If you like a book about a good treasure hunt this is for you but for me it was just too busy to keep up with. Plus I really didn't know anything about Amazon myths before, so although it was interesting to find out about it was hard to keep track of all the myths mentioned in the book.

Read June 1st 2014.

Book: Where There's Smoke

Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult

Book description: Even as a child, Serenity Jones knew she possessed unusual psychic gifts. Now, decades later, she’s an acclaimed medium and host of her own widely viewed TV show, where she delivers messages to the living from loved ones who have passed. Lately, though, her efforts to boost ratings and garner fame have compromised her clairvoyant instincts. When Serenity books a young war widow to appear as a guest, the episode quickly unravels, stirring up a troubling controversy. And as she tries to undo the damage—to both her reputation and her show—Serenity finds that pride comes at a high price.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com

What I thought:

*****

As always a great story by Jodi Picoult. I wish it was longer! I really want to know what happens next with Serenity. This could easily be a full book and not just a short story.

Book read May 21st 2014.

Book: Once upon a Billionaire

Once upon a Billionaire by Jessica Clare

Book description: The Billionaire Boys Club is a secret society of six men who have vowed success—at any cost. Not all of them are old money, but all of them are incredibly wealthy. They’re just not always as successful when it comes to love…
As a member of the royal family in a small European country, Griffin Verdi’s presence is requested at the wedding of the century. The scholarly billionaire feels out of his depth in social situations, so a good assistant is required—especially when dealing with royal etiquette.
Unfortunately for Griffin, he’s stuck with Maylee Meriweather, a pretty, charming, and thoroughly unsuitable woman who doesn’t know a thing about high society—but she sure can kiss. Her lack of polish may sink Griffin, because after all, even his money can’t buy class. But through Maylee’s eyes, he’s starting to appreciate the simple things in life—if simple means the most complicated woman he’s ever met.
Maylee is everything Griffin isn’t—and everything he wants—if he can let down his guard and step outside his sheltered world…

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

****

I liked this story more than I thought I would. The fact that the love between royalty and a 'commoner' is so unexpected was a great and refreshing twist.
There's so many books around right now with young and vulnerable women who get controlled by dominant rich men so I loved that Maylee was such an independent women who is hard headed and holds her own despite being hurt by certain things.
I haven't read any other books by this author but I'll definitely be looking in to what else she has written.

Book read April 24th 2014.

Book: Reality Parenting

Reality Parenting by Train Muller

Book description: Unlike TV sitcoms, real-life parenting leaves no room for commercial breaks. This book strips away common misconceptions about parenthood and focuses instead on its sometimes scary, sometimes stranger-than-fiction realities. Treion Muller, author of Mom.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

***

I don't know why but I got the impression that this book would be more fun anecdotes of parenting experiences with some helpful advise thrown in every so often. There was a lot of useful tips but the way it was written made it seem like every parent reading would be older and out of touch with modern things. Obviously the teen sections of the book didn't apply to me since I only have young children but I can compare to things with my teenage siblings and even with myself since I wasn't a teen that long ago. There's some 'txttlk' things that I've never even heard of and some that are just translated wrong too - I just think they shouldn't have been put into the book if they're not going to be correct.
My favourite part of the book was the anecdotes which I wish there had been more of - seeing other parents real life experiences that are either fun or embarrassing would be amusing, relatable but also be a good lesson on how to or how not to do things. All of the lists in the book do give you good guide lines on what can work but writing about real life experiences relates more to a wider range of people.

Read April 12th 2014.

Book: Mad Love

Mad Love by Colet Abedi
Book description: 23-year-old aspiring artist Sophie Walker can think of no better place than the exotic paradise of the Maldives to escape the wrath of her controlling parents, the monotony of her boring legal work and her passionless boyfriend. With her two best friends along for the ride and to help her find herself again, Sophie is not prepared for the enigmatic Clayton Sinclair. Clayton comes from another world of privilege that seems like a fantasy to Sophie. Can this man introduce her to the passion & seduction she never realized she was desperately searching for? Sophie quickly becomes ensnared in Clayton's seductive web until a shocking treachery makes her question her judgment and actions...

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

**
I was really interested to read this book from the description but I was sadly very let down. Although I do like the style of the writer the story is just terrible. For a start it seems very similar to '50 shades of grey' with the whole "young, innocent woman/older, obscenely rich, completely overbearing man". I find it very hard to believe anyone would let someone treat them like that and I felt mad just reading about the things Clayton said and did and then the fact Sophie just played along and did everything he said because she was just oh so desperate for him... I just hated it. The only reason I gave this book more than one star was because I still wanted to read to the end and see what happened and I did like the writer. Maybe if there's a different type of storyline by this written I would be interested to read but the fact that this book has a second in the series? There's no way I'm going to read that.

Read April 3rd 2014.

Book: The Summer I Found You

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

Book description: Jolene Perry's THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU, about a teenage girl trying to cope with her new diagnosis of type one diabetes and a teenage male veteran who is learning how to embrace his new life after losing an arm, who come together by using each other as an escape, only to discover through love and struggle that your life is what you make of it.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

****

I enjoy reading books where I learn about things other people have to deal which I would otherwise be ignorant to. Reading about Kate's diabetes and about Aiden's difficulties it opened my eyes to what some other people have to go through. One thing I disliked about the book was how it kept referring to Kate being so young and not old enough to date Aiden, they're only a few years apart and it made her seem like a young teenager not someone who's practically an adult.

Read March 23rd 2014.

Book: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Book description: 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.
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars brilliantly explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Picture and description from goodreads.com


What I thought:

****

I read this book because I saw a LOT of people saying how much they loved it. For the first half of the book I was really wondering why everyone loved it so much but as I read closer to the end I really got a soft spot for the main characters, not for their illnesses but for the clear love they had between them and all that they said and did to show it. When reading about people with cancer it's kind of a given that there's going to be some sadness and heartache in the book but that doesn't make the blow and more subtle when it comes, especially when it's not who you expected.

I do have to add that I really expected for the book to end like Hazel's favourite book, I'm not sure I like the ending the book had although I'm sure most love it that way.

Read March 11th 2014.

Book: Endless

Endless by Amanda Gray

Book description: Jenny Kramer knows she isn't normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them.
When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumble on an old music box with instructions for “mesmerization” and discover they may have more in common than they thought. Like a past life.
Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But they weren't alone. Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her own dreams was there, too. When Nikolai appears next door, Jenny is forced to acknowledge that he has travelled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back.
While Ben, Jenny and Nikolai race against the clock - and the Order - Jenny and Nikolai discover a link that joins them in life - and beyond death.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

***

I'm not sure what I really expected when I first started reading this story. It definitely jumped in at the deep end and maybe had a bit too much going on straight away. It was a very interested perseption though that you wouldn't really think of as a possibility and as I read further on in the book the story gripped me a lot more and had me reading on to find out what happened. The end is a bit incomplete feeling, but I suppose it is left open enough for if this book were to be made in to a sequel.

Read March 4th 2014.

Books I read 2013

• Middlemarch by George Eliot 2*
• Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult 4*
• Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult 3*
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 5*
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins 4*
• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 3*
• Lone wolf by Jodi Picoult 3*
• Whatever you say I am by Anthony Bozza 2*
• Divergent by Veronica Roth 5*
• Insurgent by Veronica Roth 4*
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon 4*
• The Transfer by Veronica Roth 5*
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 2*
• Allegiant by Veronica Roth 3*

Book: Allegiant

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Book description: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.
But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningliess. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend to complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought of the book:

***

After the first two books in this series being so fantastic and having to wait for the release to read this book it was definitely a big let down. With the first two books I read them so quickly, couldn't put them down and I just wanted to know more but I just couldn't seem to get into this one.
Some parts of the story are clever and they do wrap up some loose ends left behind previously but the ending to the series was a huge disappointment and not what you'd expect.
I did enjoy the series as a whole and if you've read the first two books I'd still recommend reading this last one because other wise you'd be left in a cliff hanger with a lot of unanswered questions.

Book read December 21st 2013.

Book: Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Book description: The compelling story of two outsiders striving to find their place in an unforgiving world. Drifters in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other and a dream--a dream that one day they will have some land of their own. Eventually they find work on a ranch in California’s Salinas Valley, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie, struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy, becomes a victim of his own strength. Tackling universal themes such as the friendship of a shared vision, and giving voice to America’s lonely and dispossessed, Of Mice and Menhas proved one of Steinbeck’s most popular works, achieving success as a novel, a Broadway play and three acclaimed films.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought of the book:

**

I read this book because it's classed as one of the classics but I found it really hard to get into. A good show of friendship though.

Book read October 12th 2013.

Book: The Transfer

The Transfer by Veronica Roth

Book description: Fans of the Divergent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be captivated by “Four: The Transfer,” the first of four stories, each between fifty and seventy-five pages long, set in the world of Divergent and told from Tobias’s perspective. In “The Transfer,” readers witness Tobias’s aptitude test, Choosing Day, and the moment he is given the infamous nickname “Four.” 

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com

What I thought of the book:

*****

I loved reading more about Four. Sometimes in the main books his opinions and choices are a little confusing so to be able to look at things from his perspective is cool. I can’t wait for the other short stories to come out too.

Book read September 21st 2013.

Book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident if the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Book description: Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.
Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor’s dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.

 
Picture and description taken from goodreads.com

What I thought of the book:

****

A really interesting and different type of book to read. It’s from a completely different perspective than normal so it’s great to see things through another person’s eyes that you wouldn’t normally.
I knew a little about people with aspergers but not very much so the more in depth look into their mind was a new experience for me as I’m sure it would be for most people.

Book read September 20th 2013.

Book: Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Book description: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com

What I thought of the book:

****

As is usually the case – the second book wasn’t as good as the first but it was still a really interesting read with lots of excitement. There is a lot of double crossing so it makes you doubt the connections you’ve felt with some of the characters in the book previously. There’s a huge surprise right at the end of the book so I can’t wait for the third one to come and wrap that up; it’s definitely going to be interesting to find out what comes out at the end of the story.

Book read 12th September 2013.

Book: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Book description: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought of the book:

*****

I definitely see why people have compared this book to The Hunger Games - with a strong, young female main character who does things her own way and the division between different districts of the city...
The story line really sucked me in and made me continue reading on. There's lots of unexpected twists but also some things that you can see coming from early on in the book. I can't wait for this book to be released as a film and I'll be reading the second book straight away.

Book read August 28th 2013.