The art of book buying

I look at my overflowing book shelves and wonder...do I have too many books, or not enough?

I'd give a different answer everyday of the week but at the end of it all, the one question I have is: can one ever have too many books? 

I must have 1000 books, give or take. A collection I have taken care to build up for as many years as I can remember. Have I read then all? Definitely not. But I have read a good percentage of them and it doesn't bother me that I have a surplus. So, when I already have my own library of books within my room, why do I buy more? 

It's an addiction! I can't go into my local town without making a stop at Waterstones. I can't make an Amazon order without putting a couple of books into it. My day is incomplete without a book in hand and I always have one tucked away in my bag; just in case.

I don't see an unread book as a waste of money but rather an investment. A book is more than just the paper it is written on, it offers the possibility of a new world, new characters, a new journey. It is not so much a product but rather a lifestyle choice. I read books because I enjoy the way they make me think, I like to explore the worlds they create and befriend those who live in them. An unread book can't be compared to that leather jacket you bought and never wore. A book doesn't go out of fashion or have an expiry date.

Those unread books that sit on my bookshelf will still be there for me in the years to come and one day, they will be read. And if they aren't, what does it matter, because an unread book still has a place on my bookshelf. It reminds me that I have more worlds to explore and I find that thought comforting.

So yes, when I next walk past a Waterstones I probably will buy another book, and you know what, that copy of Ulysses by James Joyce that sits on my book shelf will probably never be read, but I am glad it is there.

Book buying is an art and I am well versed in it.

Eilidh

Do No Harm: Henry Marsh

When I was younger I harboured a dream of becoming a doctor, as most youngsters often do at some point in the years when anything seems possible. The world of medicine intrigued me; from the science to the social roles that a doctor takes on. But then along came A-levels and with that the realisation that science just wasn't my thing. My dreams of becoming a doctor were dashed when I found myself doing English lit, History, Classics and Maths A-level. My dreams of becoming a doctor were pushed to the back of my mind, fed only by my obsession with medical dramas such as Greys Anatomy and House. 

I have just finished a three year under graduate degree in Classical Studies which I absolutely loved but I have to admit that a part of me still wishes that I had been a whizz as science and that medicine had been in my grasp. But alas, it wasn't to be.

I spotted this book during a routine browse in Waterstones, it is written by neurosurgeon, Henry Marsh. It is an account of some of him most memorable surgeries, both good and bad. Each chapter is devoted to a different brain condition, from trauma to tumour. The tales are told in a very simple and easy to understand manner and is a perfect glimpse into a world that is so alien to most of us. 

I liked how each chapter was devoted to a different tale as it allowed me to dip in and out of it, as such I have been reading it on and off for the last couple of months. I liked how matter of fact Marsh was in dealing with each account and I thought he had a good balance between personal and medical.  

What Marsh was able to do was make brain surgery accessible to the masses, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it! 

Eilidh

Girl, Interrupted: Susanna Kaysen

A memoir penned by Susanna Kaysen documenting the year and a half she spent on a psychiatric ward. Overdosing on painkillers and having her stomach pumped, along with promiscuity, detachment and a number of other symptoms led to Susanna voluntarily signing herself onto a ward. This tale tells of her experience inside a ward where she meets a number of young women who are struggling with their mental health. 

I decided to read this after watching the film adaptation starring Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie. I absolutely loved the film and particularly enjoyed the way in which the actresses portrayed the characters. I was therefore keen to go back to the beginning and read the book the film was adapted from. 

Something that I enjoyed that wasn't really covered in the film was the meaning behind the title. I always thought that the title was quite powerful. I appreciated the impact it has and the many different conclusions that can be made from it, but it is even more so now that I know the reasons behind why she chose it. Of course, you will have to read the book to find this out, but it was an aspect of the book that really caught my attention. 

The book is not told in a straightforward timeline. The chapters instead focus on events that often overlap. For example, there was one character who was said to have died in an early chapter but then reappeared in a later chapter. To start with this confused me but I soon learnt to not deal with the book in such a linear fashion and allow for the time scale to jump around. In fact, whilst this annoyed me to start with, I soon appreciated it as a reflection of the authors mental status at the time in which the book is set. It is probably the most striking insight into how she felt and is as important as the written words.

Sometimes in the film I felt that they beautified Susanna mental illness. In fact the character portrayed by Winona Ryder seemed to be remarkably sane, particularly in comparison to the other characters. The book gave a better insight into the darker elements of her illness, particularly the detachment. Now, having read the book, I can see that on occasion, the film characters were somewhat lacking. I did however enjoy both the book and the film very much and wouldn't hesitate to recommend both. 

Of course, the book is about mental health so I recommend it with the warning that if you have worries about your own mental health that may be triggered, then maybe think twice before reading it. 

Let me know in the comments what you thought to it or if there are any similar books you can recommend to me!

Eilidh 

Where Have I Been?

Despite finishing my three year university degree in June and graduating in July, I have somehow managed to spend all of my free time NOT writing my blog. I have been painfully neglectful and I am about to throw some half arse excuses at you; brace yourselves.

1. In late June and early July I spent ten days in Greece: Rhodes and Athens. Enjoying the wonders of a country in meltdown. I felt somewhat guilty benefiting from their crisis in that public transport was free in Athens. The food was brilliant, as was the weather (although, thank god for air con!), and I finally got to see the brilliant and inspiring Parthenon.

2. I graduated! Yep that's right, after three brilliant years, I finally graduated from university with a 2:1 in Classical Studies, WOOOHOO! Whilst the day itself can not be blamed for my absence, I have found myself in a post university slump. Aimless and lacking in motivation, it's fair to say that adjusting to life outside of education has been an odd experience.

3. I then found myself in Scotland. As a family we travelled up to Inverness, onwards to Thurso and then down the west coast to Scourie. We were in the middle of nowhere but it was absolutely beautiful! Time was spent taking lots of walks and drooling over the beautiful Highland Pottery in Lochinver. 

4. If one heat fuelled holiday wasn't enough; I left the UK once again, this time for Spain. It was a bit of a shock to the system! As a lover of all things cold I found the hot weather a bit too much! The hotel pool and endless supply of iced drinks kept me sane! Tans were got and books were read (keep your eyes peeled for a couple of reviews).

5. Back in June I spent a weekend in Oxford to see a friend who goes to University there. It is a beautiful city and one that I wouldn't hesitate to reccomend. Highlights included seeing the set to the Hospital Wing from Harry Potter and eating at one of the colleges formal dinners. 

6. In June I also spent a couple of days up in Doncaster, visiting a friend. Whilst up there I was able to visit York where we had breakfast at Betty's tea shop. We also went to Chatsworth House which was used in the Keira Knightly Pride and Prejudice.     

7. After suffering a lot a aimlessness induced anxiety, I managed to get myself a job as a teaching assistant in a school. I am very excited to start in September and I can't wait to have a purpose and good routine!

8. Seven months on and after one failed attempt, I finally managed to pass my driving test! It was a day I thought I would never see, but I can now legally drive a car alone! This took up a surprisingly large amount of time, I always seemed to be in a car, practicing roundabouts or perfecting my reverse around a corner.

9. This past week I have been in Wales, enjoying a brisk wind and chilly dips in the sea. I feel windswept and wind burnt, the way all good holidays should leave you! 

So, all in all I have had a very busy three months! I will do my best to get back into a good routine, but it's a promise that history tells I'm not all that great at keeping. I have read a decent number of books this summer so hopefully there will be a book review coming your way soon! 

Eilidh 

The Dandelion Years: Erica James

The first Erica James book I read was "Tell it to the Skies" about six years ago when I received it as a christmas present. I gobbled it up in one sitting before delving into any of her other books I could get my twitching hands on. Since working my way through her earlier books I have had to join every other reader and wait (not so) patiently for new releases. Of course I had Erica's latest offering on pre-order but due to an endless exam period and numerous essays that demanded my attention I was unable to read it until recently. It was worth the wait, as per usual I wasn't disappointed. Yet another brilliant book from Erica James!

"The Dandelion Years" focuses on two different time periods. Saskia is in her thirties but still lives at home with her father and two grandfathers since the death of her mother and grandmothers when she was younger. They have created a safe contained world for themselves and none of them want to nor feel they need to make a change. Saskia and her father, Ralph, work with books, selling and repairing them. Then enters Matthew who is in the process of sorting out his somewhat surrogate father Jacob Belinsky's house following his death. He enlists the help of Saskia and Ralph in dealing with the endless book collection he left behind. In the process they unearth a secret journal, penned "The Dandelion Years" which brings to life the tale of a man who worked for Bletchley Park during the second world war. Saskia delves into this tale of wartime love whilst dealing with changes that are occurring within her own life.

I am a sucker for historical fiction and this book offered a glimpse into Bletchley Park during the second world war. I loved that Erica gave so much time to Jacob and Kitty's story, I have experienced in the past dual narratives and often one is always compromised. In " The Dandelion Years" however there was a brilliant balance between the present day tale and its historical counterpart. Usually when a book is split between two narratives I often prefer one. On this occasion I would struggle to pick one over the other, they both offered something valuable to the overall story. I wouldn't have done without either. I liked the juxtaposition of the passionate consuming relationship between Jacob and Kitty and the incredibly "normal" relationship between Saskia and Matthew.

I warmed to Saskia very quickly, almost instantly in fact. I was able to relate to her extremely easily and I liked her quiet yet intense nature. Early on the reader learns of her family circumstance and her personality really reflected her childhood experiences. Saskia was both relatable and realistic, I couldn't have asked for much more! Equally I really liked Matthew as a character, he was far from perfect but I suppose that was why I liked him. Ralph and the two grandfathers offered a good contrast to Saskia and equally the character of Libby despite only playing a small role was a welcome addition to the book.

I really enjoyed aunt Jo and uncle Bob as characters and I wish that their presence had been stronger in the book. This is an absolutely minute criticism and of course there were so many other brilliant characters so it wasn't so much that I felt there was something missing but rather I was given a glimpse of their personalities and I just wanted more! I felt that Jo in particular was a brilliant contrast to Saskia and Ralph.

The story was heartbreaking and uplifting in equal parts. A book that makes me cry is a good book indeed and this had me in tears on a number of occasions.

So, would I recommend it? Yes of course I would, Erica James has yet to let me down and this was another brilliant book!

Eilidh

A Change of Heart: Poetry Haul

       

I always hated poetry. Not even mildly but with a proper heartfelt passion. I somewhat prematurely wrote it off as pretentious and since the dreaded days of GCSE and A-Level English I have refused to revisit the poetry we were forced to study. But then out of nowhere I found myself searching out poems to read, I have even become partial to writing the odd (extremely amateur) poem. I think what I enjoy about a poem is the brevity at which a story can be told. As little as half a dozen words can demand attention, evoke emotion and create a whole new world. They are a reminder that a handful of words can speak louder than 300 long pages full to the brim. I like how a poem can be an unintelligible jumble of words yet make so much sense. You can see in a poem what you want, it is open to interpretation and I suppose that is why I have learnt to love them. 

So, I popped into my local Waterstones with the view of kickstarting a poetry collection. I went for names that I recognised and I am going in completely blind so I am not really sure what to expect. I think what I really need is some kind of poetry anthology and I will be on the hunt for one. But in the mean time, these will have to do.

Tales from Ovid: Ted Hughes

        

Collected Poems: Sylvia Plath

        

Selected Poems: Dylan Thomas

        

            New Selected Poems: Carol Ann Duffy

Any recommendations for where to go next on my journey through the world of poetry are very much welcome!

Eilidh 

Book Haul

Ahh the shame of another book haul, another display of books that I really shouldn't have bought as my TBR pile is already endless. BUT, as of a week and a half ago I have been free from exams and as such I couldn't help but have a little celebration in my local Waterstones. It's safe to say that my bank card took a bit of a battering. In one last hurrah to student finance I treated myself to some books that I have been eyeing up for a while. 

The Girls from Corona del Mar: Rufi Thorpe

The Guest Cat: Takashi Hiraide

The Salmon Who Dared to Leap Higher: Ahn Do-hyun

The Establishment: Owen Jones

The Opposite of Loneliness: Marina Keegan

These may be popping up in book reviews soon so keep an eye out for them!

Eilidh 

One Small Act Of Kindness: Lucy Dillon

Libby and her husband, Jason, have moved back to where he grew up. Their intention is to support his mother in the running of her hotel following the passing of his father. They are leaving behind a past full of problems and Libby is eager to take on the project of running a hotel. She dreams of minimalist design and fancy bath tubs, of course, it doesn't all go smoothly. One day Libby finds that an accident has taken place outside of her hotel. The victim, a girl, who in being hit has lost her memory. With no ID and no knowledge of who she is or where she is from. Libby takes her under her wing as they wait for her memories to return or someone to claim her. But the problems keep coming, nobody said running a hotel was easy and Libby faces her fair share of problems. Meanwhile her newly found friend is left to face the struggles of relearning who you are and who is important to you. 

I thought the concept of this book was simple but brilliant. It was really intresting to watch the girl in the accident relearn who she was and what was important to her. It left the book with a sense of wonder as every now and then something new would be revealed but there was always something held back. I liked how I could anticipate what would happen next but I never quite new. I won't say too much about how the story progressed because the fun of the book was the opportunity it gives the reader to wonder what will be revealed next.

I found Margaret, Jason's mother, infuriating. As I am sure was the intention. Her unquestionable love for her son Jason and her inability to see his faults left me seething. The anger I felt towards her was almost cathartic in parts so it wasn't all bad. There was a nice range of characters, from the incompetent to the competent. Each of them had something to add to the story whether it was good or bad. 

I love love love Lucy's addition of dogs to her stories. Who doesn't love a dog?! Lord Bob was perfect and entertaining and the book wouldn't have been the same without him. I was nice to have a dog who felt like a character in his own right, Lord Bob had a humongous personality and it shone from the pages. 

I liked the ending I just felt as though it could have been elaborated upon. The journey the book took was good and well developed and I felt that the ending was dealt with very quickly. This is a tiny little fault though and is most likely just personal preference!

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book, I loved Lucy's previous book (A Hundred Pieces Of Me) and this was just as good.

Eilidh 

Fangirl: Rainbow Rowell

I was almost certain that I was going to love this book even before turning the first page. Having already read Eleanor & Park and Attachments by Rowell, and having thoroughly enjoyed them both, I had extremely high hopes. I wasn't let down. 

Cath is off to university, reluctantly. Her and her twin sister, Wren, have always down everything together and whilst they are both heading for the same university, Wren is adamant that they will live separate lives.  Wren wants her independence, she wants to have her own friends, live her own life. But Cath isn't sure how to function without her twin sister by her side. Cath struggles with social anxiety and dislikes change and without her twin by her side, everything is made all the harder. She immerses herself in her love for writing fanfiction and takes to not leaving the room she silently shares with roommate Reagan. Slowly she builds up friendships. Reagen, Levi, Nick. Whilst she throws her fanfiction characters into exciting situations where they experience danger and love among other things, she struggles to so the same for herself. Preferring to remain within the four walls of her room, pouring her thoughts into her laptop. The problems arise when change is offered and Cath has to decide whether she is ready to live her own life, meet new people, have new experiences or if she wants to remain safely within her own head, accompanied by her thoughts. 

The brilliance of this book lies in its characters. Cath presents the nervous teen heading off to university, leaving behind a dad she doesn't necessarily want to say goodbye to. The alternative side is shown through the character of Wren who couldn't be more enthusiastic about the freedom university will bring her. I could relate to Cath on many levels. Having started university three years ago and now coming up to the end of my degree, I can remember the fear of starting afresh as though it were yesterday. I could sympathise with Cath when she chose to avoid going out in favour of delving into a fictional world that gave her comfort. Cath is an entirely relatable character, I felt as though I knew her because it was almost as though I was her. 

Of course, there is no use in having just one solid character and thankfully Fangirl was full of them. I loved the contrast between Cath and Wren. How their similarities and differences were equally striking. Reagan too offered a good contrast to Cath and I really enjoyed watching their friendship grow, it was an unlikely friendship but that was what made it so interesting. Nick was another interesting character and although ultimately he was a minor character, I felt as though Rowell devoted enough time to developing his personality such that he wasn't merely an afterthought. Often I find that authors neglect their minor characters, Rowell was not guilty of this! Finally, I cannot discuss characters without mentioning Levi. Charming and happy go lucky, he was very easy to like. Again, it was very interesting to see his friendship with Cath grow and the interactions between the two of them were touching and entertaining in equal measure. What I liked most about Levi was how normal he seemed to be. Rowell seems to have a knack for writing down to earth, relatable characters and her books are all the better for it. 

The story line moved at a suitable pace; not too fast, not too slow. It represented a realistic university experience. On one hand the girl who falls too easily into a pattern of never leaving her room and the other a girl who immerses herself into the party lifestyle. It was in all a bit predictable but it never set itself up to be anything else so I can hardly fault it for that. 

I really enjoyed this book, once I picked it up, I didn't put it down. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. 

Let me know in the comments your view on Fangirl and I would love any recommendations of similar books!

Eilidh 

Silver Bay: JoJo Moyes

This book sees the clash of two worlds, the corporate business world which cares only for money vs the small community who will do anything to protect their pocket of untouched beauty. Only, it isn't quite as simple as that. Mike Dormer heads on over to Silver Bay with the view of procuring the land for a business plan. He isn't quite prepared for the pocket of the world he lands in nor the people he meets: Kathleen, Liza and Hannah. The tight-knit community, untouched beauty, and a group of people who will do anything to protect the whales that call their shores home. With his plans hidden, he immerses himself into the community, earning their favour and finding the sort of friendship and love he had never known. But the community holds secrets that nobody could have imagined and how will they react when they learn of the intentions behind his stay.

Overall I really enjoyed the story progression, the story line made sense but also had a suitable number of twists and turns. I understood the purpose of the first half, setting the scene and all that, but it was just too slow and almost left me abandoning the book. Having enjoyed many a JoJo Moyes book before, I was reluctant to leave this unfinished so persevered. I'm glad I did as I found the second half to be significantly better. Whilst in hindsight it is tempting to say the story line was predictable, I would be lying if I said some of the twists and turns didn't catch me by surprise.

There was an abundance of likable and equally unlikable characters. A good book needs both and this certainly did. Mike seemed like a nice guy stuck between doing what was right and what was expected of him. I enjoyed watching as he grew as a character and the delights of Silver Bay began to effect him. Kathleen, Liza and Hannah, three generations of one family were pleasingly different. It was refreshing to have three strong female characters with varying personalities. Liza was at times irritating but surely any good character should be. I have grown tired of books that show their characters to be perfect and I found the characters in this book to be suitably normal. 

I liked the multiple narratives. With the nature of the story and the secrets being hidden, it was nice to catch a glimpse into everyone's head. If it had had only one narrative voice then the story would have been as risk from being very one dimensional. Usually I find multiple narratives to be either unnecessary or confusing, this was neither and a good example of how it should be done. 

Not the best, but by no means bad! I have always enjoyed reading JoJo Moyes' books and when I say that this was not my favourite, that is in no way a criticism, it just falls a tad short of my incredibly high expectations. Despite some reservations, I would recommend this book and I would most certainly recommend you check out some of JoJo Moyes' other books, I'm sure they won't disappoint.

Eilidh 

Book Haul

Despite better intentions, this month witnessed a bit too much book buying. After last months excessive splurge I really couldn't justify adding any more books to my ever growing collection but somehow, I did. 

I decided to go down a different route, to me these books can be dipped in and out of. There isn't so much a need to sit down and read them all at once. I suppose they are what you would call coffee table books. This is all a round about way to convincing myself that my bank balance could handle another book binge. It couldn't. Next month I'll have to go cold turkey. Wish me luck! 

642 Things To Write About: The San Francisco Writers' Grotto

This is a notebook of sorts, each page containing a number of prompts to get the creating juices flowing. It's a brilliant idea, forcing you to break your usual writing mould. I can't wait to get stuck into this!

It's Kind of a Funny Story: Ned Vizzini

Ok so this doesn't necessarily fit with my 'coffee table' theme but it was bought in the same order so I'm going to include it anyway. I saw a review of this floating around and that is pretty much the only reason I bought it. I am otherwise going in blind but from the sound of it, I'm expecting great things. The blurb alludes to a tale of depression and mental illness but told in a witty and sensitive manner. 

It: Alexa Chung 

I can't really remember why I started liking Alexa Chung, but there is something about her that I have always liked. She pulls off a fringe in a way that I will always envy and her sense of style is something I will always admire. Again, this a good book to dip in and out of and it has a beautiful dusky pink cloth cover that just made me swoon when it arrived. 

Fashion That Changed the World: Jennifer Croll

I love fashion, I took textiles GCSE and loved every moment of it, my project was inspired by 1960s fashion. With Audrey Hepburn on the front, I could hardly pass up the opportunity to add this to my collection. 

How to be Parisian: Sophie Mas, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest

After finally making my way over to Paris in the summer, I developed a rather unhealthy obsession with the city. As a classicist at heart I was unwilling to admit that a city other than Rome or Athens had been beaten to top spot. But it happened. I loved Paris more than I ever thought I would, for the first time ever I didn't want to return to England. 

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments!

Eilidh 

Chinese Cinderella: Adeline Yen Mah

Chinese Cinderella is an autobiographical telling of Adeline's childhood. As the fifth child of seven but the last of her mothers children she was born to a family who don't want her. She was never able to know her mother due to her untimely death following Adeline's birth. She was hated by her brothers and sisters who look upon her as the reason their mother died. Her father remarried and had two further children who became prized members of the family, pushing Adeline further down the ladder. All Adeline had was her Aunt Baba, her grandparents and her mind. A bright and thoughtful child, she found solace at school and in her home work. This was a tale of an unwanted child and her strength to overcome the obstacles put before her by a family who resented her. 

This is a beautifully written story aimed at children but read by adults alike. Heartbreaking and full of pain and anguish it tugs on the heart strings throughout. I read this for the first time as a child, I took it as a story, almost as the title suggests- a fairy tale. As an adult I found the read much more difficult, the book is autobiographical and the events were at points distressing to read. I have read in some reviews that readers found it to be whiny and self indulgent but I disagree. The allegations of child abuse, both emotional and physical, may have been the focus of the book but I wouldn't say the author was whining about them. I found the book to be an outlet for her to release the torment of her childhood. 

Some readers may struggle to sympathise with Adeline as at parts it is hard to look past the privilidged life she lived, a nice house, a good school, food on the table. But without a doubt she was abused, hated by her stepmother and the rest of her family for a variety of reasons. Look past her good education and see a little girl who wanted nothing more than to be loved but was denied it. 

There was something very precious and vulnerable about Adeline's relationship with her Aunt Baba. For me the best part of the book was Adeline's loyalty to her aunt and her aunts undeniable pride and love for her niece. 

I implore you to read it, it is without question one of my all time favourite reads and I almost want to pick it up and start all over again. 

Eilidh 

Attachments: Rainbow Rowell

I found myself picking this up after reading Eleanor & Park. It was my second journey into the Rainbow Rowell world and I had high expectations. 

The book follows 20 something Lincoln who is perpetually incapable of growing up. He has never quite got out of education and nor has he got over childhood sweetheart. Back home, living with his mother, he has taken up a job as part of a security team, working nights for a newspaper. In a pre 2000 world where the internet is still a novelty, he is set to guard the ever abused, e-mail system. It is through this that he learns of Beth and Jennifer, two women whose e-mails are constantly flagged thanks to their weakness for procrastination and off topic conversation. Lincoln finds himself scanning their e-mails more often than he should and he all too quickly becomes a secret third party to their conversations.  But it is more than that, feelings develop and he soon begins to wonder if a relationship could ever be possible. 

To start with I found this to be a very give or take book. I dipped in and out of it whenever the fancy took me but I didn't feel an overwhelming need to read it as quickly as possible. About one third of the way through however, that all changed, and I pretty much inhaled the rest of it. Overall it was easy to follow and a joy to read, it was littered with good wit and snippets of romance. The role of friendship and love was dealt with in an original and unique way and it was a refreshing take on a topic that one may consider to be overdone in the literary world.

The book alternated between e-mail exchanges between Beth and Jennifer and Lincoln's own storyline. I liked the different approaches to telling a story, the half formed images that an e-mail gives, leaving a lot unsaid and open to interpretation. I liked how the reader saw Beth and Jennifer just as Lincoln did and such I was able to form my own opinions of them, untainted by his own. The characters had a god sense of humour and were likeable but also incredibly normal. 

I liked that despite this being a chick lit of sorts, the main character was in fact a man. The genre is one typically dominated by women fawning over men, it was nice to see the tables turned and it worked incredibly well. The loneliness and lack of direction that Lincoln feels is something that most people can relate to in some form. The characters of Beth and Jennifer were equally relatable and each of the three characters represented different aspects of the perils of adult life and responsibility. 

This book is cute and witty, there is a good splash of friendship and romance without it being gushy or overly sweet. It is an easy read and one that I really enjoyed. Would I recommend it? Of course I would! 

Let me know if you have read it or any other Rainbow Rowell books!

Eilidh

Eleanor & Park: Rainbow Rowell

Oh wow, just wow. I had seen this book floating, or maybe whizzing, around the blogosphere for what seems like forever. But I had put off reading it because there always seemed to be another book that just about managed to slide before it on my TBR list. Oh how wrong I was to let it wait. This book was a dream to read, it flowed beautifully and I gobbled up every word. WHY did it have to end?!

This book is told through both Eleanor and Park as they face the perils of teen life (oh yes how I remember those days). Park goes to a school where one of his most identifiable features is the fact that he is the 'Asian kid'. He has spent years perfecting the art of being invisible and he enjoys the perks that ensue, no eye contact equals no conversation and he has the luxury of a double seat on the bus all to himself. Or at least, that is, until Eleanor gets onto the bus one day. Unlike Park, Eleanor is hard to miss, ragged clothes in bright colours, a jumble of odd accessorises and a mass of red curls. With her comes the chaos of the bus dynamic, where does the new girl sit? Park gives up the seat beside him and in doing so sparks the catalyst of their friendship. A friendship full of comic books and mix tapes. But Eleanor has secrets she doesn't want to share, a home life that she hates, kids at school who aren't so accepting of difference. This is a story of first love, the rough side of being a teen, growing up in the sort of poverty that is rarely talked about.

The characters of Eleanor and Park were beautifully created, Rowell left vibrant images imprinted on my brain and as a reader I love nothing more than a quality character description and these were superb. Whilst Eleanor and Park were the central characters, there were also a variety of equally intriguing minor characters: Mindy and Eleanor's younger siblings to name a few. Eleanor was strong and funny but not cutesy or sickly sweet which is a trait that teen love sick girls tend to fall into. The key to Eleanor was that she was relatable but also different enough to be intriguing, it was because of this that it was so easy to root for her, I wanted her to be happy, to be in love, to have everything she wanted.

I cannot thank Rowell enough for giving both Eleanor and Parks point of views in the narrative. I loved that despite it not being a first person narrative, as the reader I really felt although I was getting the sneak peak into their lives, their thoughts and emotions. I also enjoyed what I see to be the quietness of the book, it was a very simple concept, the idea that two people slowly go from not speaking at all to forming a friendship and then to falling in love simply from spending the bus journey together. It wasn't action packed or full of melodramatic teens lamenting their love for each other. It was simple and had an every day feel about it, almost as though I could have been a passenger on the bus witnessing it with my own eyes.

This book is a brilliant reminder of why YA fiction is so amazing. I don't care how old you are, this book will always be relevant. It'll have you crying and laughing, just as any good book should.

Eilidh

Three Amazing Things About You*: Jill Mansel

Title: Three Amazing Things About You
Author: Jill Mansell
Publisher: Headline
Release date: January 15th 2015
Pre-order here: Waterstones Amazon








About two or three years ago I stumbled across the shelf in my local Waterstones that played home to Jill Mansells books. It's safe to say I fell in love and I haven't looked back since. Jill has provided me with many a favourite character so you can only imagine my excitement when I found out that another book was on the horizon!

The book follows the lives of three women, Hallie, Tasha and Flo. Hallie suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, she is the brains behind an advice blog, has a slightly inappropriate crush on her doctor and dreams of the day her transplant coordinate will give her a call and hand her the new life she dreams of. Then we have Tasha who one christmas eve finds herself rooting through a public bin in desperate search for the credit card she had lost. But this public mortification turns out to be the door opening to the next chapter of her life. Finally we have Flo who works in a care home, having just inherited the position of care owner to a cat, she is the centre of a family dispute and about to fall in love with a man she would never even have considered.

To start with the stories felt very separate and I found it hard to understand why they all needed to be told. But as the book progressed, Jill kept on dropping hints, slowly weaving the story together until BAM, there it was, out of nowhere it suddenly made sense and as the book progressed I began to see the necessity for all three of the stories. The book kept me guessing and while I am usually very good at guessing endings, this offering evaded me right until the end. I can't imagine the amount of time that must have gone into making it work so seamlessly, how Jill managed to organise so many characters all on their own seperate story line is beyond me (tell us our secrets Jill!). As in the ancient Greek world where the rhapsode would weave their story, I can imagine Jill picking up her Hallie, Flo and Tasha strands and carefully working them through a loom- they don't seem like much as a bundle of yarns, but as a piece of cloth, they are magnificent.

Because of the nature of the book I felt as though some of the characters lacked the development they deserved, in particular the characters of Tasha and Rory. Their relationship, whilst idealistic, was too unbelievable, I love a good romance as much as the next person but this one didn't quite hit it off with me. Of course this is only a tiny detail and the other brilliant characters sure made up for it. My favourite character was actually one of the minor ones, Joe (Rorys friend), he had the sense of humour that I felt some of the others lacked and although he was only a minor character I definitely valued his role in the story. Hallie comes in at a very close second for favourite, I thought that Jill dealt with Cystic Fibrosis in a very sensitive manner and I really appreciated the amount of time and research that she evidently put into it.

I have read all of Jill's books which I can tell you is no mean feat with 26 books to her name, but having finished Three Amazing Things About You I would go as far as to say it is my favourite. Excuse me whilst I go and (not so) patiently wait for her next offering.

So the question you are all asking, would I recommend it? Of course I would, Three Amazing Things About You is another brilliant offering from Jill Mansell and picking this up will be time well spent!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this book or any of Jill Mansells other books!

Eilidh


*I was given the opportunity to read and honestly review this by Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Ignoring Gravity*: Sandra Danby

Title: Ignoring Gravity
Author: Sandra Danby
Publisher: Beulah Press
Release date: 21st November 2014
Order here: Amazon














Rose never quite got on with her family, she always felt a bit of an outsider but it still came as a surprise when she found out, in her early 30s, that she was in fact adopted. Rose then embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Who were her birth parents? Why did they give her up? But some of the discoveries come as more of shock then anyone could have imagined. Lily, Rose's sister is having problems of her own, a struggle to conceive, problems with her marriage. Her father too has problems to deal with, coming to terms with the death of his wife and the loss of his job. The family is a hive of secrets which are threatening to bubble to the surface and it is only a matter of time before they will have to deal with this generation of hidden secrets.

I didn't warm to Rose, I found her to be a bit whiny, childish, prone to making assumptions and frankly, a bit annoying. Thus I found it hard to invest in her story and sympathise. I found it hard to understand Rose's reaction to being adopted and I feel that maybe it is one of those things in life where you really have to have experienced it to truly understand. What I did instead was try and relate her situation to something similar in my life. What I took from her reaction was the bereavement she felt for her lost family, the family she was denied and her attempt to deal with her anger and betrayal. In doing that I found her emotion much easier to understand. I liked how instead of falling apart in the conventional sense, she kept her anger very much inside which the reader was given an insight into through the almost internal monologue included in the story. Her way of deal with emotion was something I could relate to and it was a refreshing twist as fiction does tend to fall into the cliche of sobbing and falling into a pit of despair.

I did however find her attitude to her new founded adoptive family to be unnecessary. I understood that she would have felt betrayed and angry but she was quick to brush them off, forgetting that they had raised and loved her as their own. I also found that Roses bad relationship with her mother came out of nowhere, I felt as though as a reader we were given very little back story to it and it was almost assumed that as an adopted child she couldn't possibly have had a good relationship with her adoptive mother. At parts it felt as though it was concocted to suit her story line but for me it was lacking and uninspiring.

I found Nick to be an odd character, never really at the forefront despite Roses supposed crush on him. I found her love for him was unfounded and he came across as a bit pretentious and a perfect on paper kind of man. Some of what he said would sound incredibly odd coming out of the mouth of a real life man. Danby needs to work on her dialogue as it can really make or break a novel. Rose's obsession and love for Nick seemed to come out of nowhere and I felt as a reader we really missed out on a back story that potentially could have added a lot more depth to their relationship. It felt forced and fake and there was no real meat to it. A character simply stating her affection does not constitute a strong feeling of love or lust and as a reader I found it hard to believe in it.

Lily was selfish and self absorbed and another character I found hard to get on with. But, having finished the book I can now sit back and look at these characters as realistic and flawed. In fact, my criticism in itself it a bit petty and hypocritical. I think as a reader I have become used to perfect characters who fit certain ideals with appealing personalities and likeable traits. Lily and Rose both have very apparent faults, they are annoying in parts, but at the end of the day, aren't they just normal? Flawed, imperfect, exactly what I am. It took me a while to accept that character flaws are part of character development but I can see now that it is a necessary part of creating realistic characters.

I felt that in parts the author didn't quite have the story line properly structured and it too often fell into a 'this happened and then this happened' plot. But despite this I did find that the book improved significantly as the story progressed and I really enjoyed the second half.

I think that I have been overly critical here, there were many faults with the story telling and the character development but all in all it was a very promising story and I look forward to the next instalment in the series. What Danby was able to do was portray flawed characters and raw emotion in a way that as a reader I have become unused to.

Let me know if you have read it or if you are planning on reading it!

Eilidh

*I was given the opportunity to read and honestly review this by Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

It's Not Me, It's You*: Mhairi McFarlane

Title: It's Not Me, It's You
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Publisher: HarperCollins UK
Release date: November 6th 2014
Order here: Waterstones Amazon














Having never read any of Mhairi's books, I was drawn to request it on Netgalley simply because of the name and cover art. I thought the cover was a step above your average rom com cover, I liked the pop of colour and the simplicity of it. So, the name...maybe not the most inventive name, but coincidentally the same title of the book written by Jon Richardson, my all time favourite comedian, so it's fair to say that it called out to me, I couldn't resist. Also, Mhairi and I seem to have one thing in common and that is an impossibly spelt Scottish name. I was blessed with the name Eilidh (Ay-lee) and have since spent my life correcting peoples pronunciation, and if thats not reason enough to read a book, then what is? Regardless of the reasons I decided to read it, I can tell you now, that I am glad I did because I loved it!

Delia is 30 something, living a comfortable life with boyfriend Paul and dog Parsnip, whilst spending her days working for the council. It's not exactly full of passion or adventure, but it's comfortable, and Delia is ready to settle down. But as she takes it upon herself to propose to boyfriend, Paul, a secret comes to the surface. It seems that Paul hasn't remained entirely faithful to her and Delia has to decide whether to forgive him or leave. Delia runs off to London, moving in with best friend Emma, taking up a job with the sleazy Kurt Spicer and she begins to create a new but somewhat temporary life for herself. The book follows Delia as she finds her feet in London. We see her friendship with internet troll and computer whizz 'Peshawari Naan' grow and witness her come to blows with enigmatic journalist Adam West. But, will she come to forgive Paul or will she find something in London that is worth letting go of such a large chunk of her past.

It's Not Me, It's You has a plot reminiscent of many chick lit or rom com's; girl is content with life, boy cheats on girl, girl runs off to london, boy tries to win girl back, girl falls in love. In the basic plot there is nothing that seems to stand out. Yet as I finished the last page, I found that the story had stuck with me in a way that many chick lits fail to. Where Mhairi's strengths lie are in her creation of characters, Delia is funny, strong, creative and exactly the type of girl you can imagine having a good chat with. Her characters were so normal and relatable as well as being quirky and witty and because of that brilliant combination, they were perfect. Delia was most definitely my kind of character, she had a dress sense I could relate to, none of this thigh skimming silk dress nonsense, she is a female character written for women. In fact, I can imagine her now, dressed in a colourful, patterned tea dress, with a beautiful pair of heels, razor sharp winged eyeliner and a mass of fire red hair. The description was vivid and tasteful, making Delia the sort of girl you come easily bump into in the street, the sort of girl you want to be friends with.

I felt that there were some brilliant relationships in the story. I really enjoyed the relationship between Delia and her brother Ralph, who spent his days working in the local chip shop or gaming. There was a lovely understanding between the two of them, Delia was sensitive to his needs and equally Ralph was incredibly supportive of her creative ventures. Another relationship I particularly enjoyed was that of Delia and 'Peshwari Naan', it was somewhat refreshing to have a platonic relationship between a boy and girl which is sadly so rare in this genre of writing. And, of course, I can't not mention Adam West, I really enjoyed his development as a character and his relationship with Delia. Adam West, the handsome journalist who is snooping around for the dirt on Kirk Spicer, he has all the girls swooning, but not Delia, she is sure not going to fall her him. But as she starts to become aware of Spicer's dirty ways, she can't help but find herself siding with sworn enemy, Adam.

The book was littered with humour and it had me biting my cheeks so that I didn't burst into bouts of giggles on the bus as I read it. But, it wasn't forced humour, it was natural and authentic and I enjoyed it all the more for it. Occasionally I would come across a sentence that would catch of off guard, Mhairi evidently has a very strong and distinctive sense of humour that she has managed to channel through Delia so well. There was a reference to Tenacious D, which I found myself having to reread, having had my eyes opened to the world of Jack Black and his...interesting music by my brother, I was somewhat surprised to find it being mentioned in what I had assumed to be no more than a cushy rom com.

Now that I have come to the end of my first foray into the world of Mhairi McFarlane, I have only been left wanting more and I will most definitely be exploring her other offerings. So, if you have not already picked this book up, then I urge you to. It reads easily and you will devour it in no time at all!

*I was given the opportunity to read and honestly review this by Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Eilidh

Richard vs Nick: Character Combat

VS

I really enjoy writing book reviews and other such bookish posts but I thought that I would give something a bit different a go. The premise is really to just put up two of my favourite or not so favourite characters to fight it out for the top spot. This week I am looking at narrators...

Two of my all time favourite books are The Secret History and The Great Gatsby, narrated by Richard and Nick respectively. Recently I was giving it a think about why those two books struck a chord with me and although the story's are seemingly very different the narrators of the stories are alarmingly similar and there are also many themes that the books share. There are themes of obsession, belonging and excess among other things. One story is told with the help of 1920s New York, jazz music, flapper girls and lots and lots of *illegal* alcohol. The other is set in Vermont but looks back to Ancient Greece and its mythology for inspiration. They couldn't be any more different in their premise, but they are surprisingly similar.

First of all we have Richard, a newbie to a college, desperate to fit in with an 'elite' group who hold a mystery, he is infatuated by them and desperate to be allowed into their aloof, faraway world. On the other hand we have Nick who arrives in West Egg to be faced with the mysterious "Gatsby", he becomes obsessed, desperate to be accepted into this new and exciting world. What both stories hold is a secret, or in some cases, a not so secret secret. 

First person narrative! Oh how I love a bit of first person narrative. In these two books it creates a sense of belonging, as though you too are a part of the story. The narrators allow you to see the story in a very personal manner, through their own eyes. Although first person narratives can be amazing, it gives a very personal insight on events, it is also extremely limiting. As the reader we can only ever know as much as our narrator does and our views are hugely altered by the views of the narrator. Nick and Richard are both guilty of this, narrative gaps are common in both The Great Gatsby and The Secret History. The most interesting part is that as a reader I found myself justifying the somewhat lack of facts and I somehow found myself agreeing with their choices regardless of how suspect they were.

When I finished The Secret History I found myself unaffected by the events that had taken place. Events that in reality I should have found horrific, but because I had seen them through Richards eyes, I was somewhat oblivious to the reality of the situation. It was actually the first book that really made me sit back and think how much of an effect the narrator had on my reading and understanding of the book. Nick on the other hand is a much more annoying narrator, whilst I somehow justified Richards narrative gaps, I found Nicks to be irritating. Whilst I found myself becoming engrossed in Richards world, I found myself yearning to see more of Gatsby's when Nick was the narrator.

So, who is my favourite? This is a bit of a Sophie's choice scenario, these two books are in a constant fight for the top spot on my list of all time favourite books and I struggle to choose between them. But if I was really pushed to make a decision, I would have to go with Richard. It was his ability to immerse me in a story to the extent that I stopped questioning what he said. Any moral views I had went right out of the window and I found myself nodding along as he revealed the story. Donna Tartt has a way with words that I think is hard to match and she certainly weaved her magic in The Secret History.  

'I was within and without. Simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life'
-F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

'I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is the only story I will ever be able to tell'
-Donna Tartt, The Secret History

Let me know in the comments who is your all time favourite character!

Eilidh 

A Hundred Pieces of Me- Lucy Dillon

Gina is just out of a long term relationship, she is leaving behind a time in her life she would rather not dwell on- heartbreak, illness and an uninspiring marriage. It is her opportunity to start her life anew and she takes it with both hands and never looks back. The book focuses on her ridding her life of all the items she had hoarded over the years, which is no mean feat for chronic collector Gina. Along the way she befriends an abandoned dog, Buzz and client, Nick. As she clears her present of her past she unearths some of the things that had been holding her back from really enjoying her life and slowly she learns to embrace her future.

The story line flies between past and present events, spanning about twenty or so years. To start with I found it hard to keep up with the switching dates but they also allowed me to get to know Gina and how her character had progressed. 

The premise of the book is that Gina is going to keep one hundred items that mean something to her, in the process getting rid of everything that is cluttering up her life. Each chapter starts with an item that she will keep and it is accompanied by the story of how the item came to being. I thought this was a lovely touch and gave me a real insight into the inner workings of Gina's mind. It also made me want to throw out all of my stuff and start all over again. I feel like it would clear my mind and it also puts into perspective what is really important- do I really ANOTHER pair of shoes? 

There was something about the book that I found so familiar and there were points where I forgot that I was merely the reader. It was almost as though Lucy Dillon was peering into my mind and writing accordingly- it was a weird experience but obviously one that not every reader would have! 

I thought there were a good selection of characters and I felt they were all developed sufficiently. As much as the book revolves around a number of Gina's relationships with men, I liked that in the end the focus was on her new found friendship with a dog. As the owner of an adorable Labradoodle, I could entirely relate to the feeling of responsibility and unconditional love you can feel for such loyal creatures. 

The only complaint I have is that I felt the story lines were all developed so well but were rushed a bit in the end. To me the story line lacked a good balance and I finished it feeling as though I had been robbed the ending I felt it deserved.

Despite the ending, I absolutely loved the book and would definitively recommend it! Please let me know what you thought of it or if you think you will go on to read it! 

Eilidh