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

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

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 

Paper Aeroplanes: Dawn O'Porter

Set in 1994 on the island of Guernsey, the story follows two fifteen year olds. Renee and Flo represent two very different types of teenager: outgoing and extroverted and self-conscious and awkward. They make an unlikely pair but through a series of events, they find themselves falling into a friendship. Together they battle through their final year of GCSEs, facing many an obstacle. They face highs and lows and everything in between, begging the question, can their friendship last this turbulent year of their life.

I can not even begin to explain how amazing this book was. I am 21 so the part of teen life covered in this book is safely stored away in my past. But I found myself reliving and accessing memories that i had buried away. Because my years of teenage angst are becoming no more than a memory, the reading of the book was almost cathartic, it allowed me to reminisce and look back fondly (or not so fondly) on a very difficult but also exciting part of my life.

This book was reminiscent of Jacqueline Wilson but for a slightly older reader; a bit more sex and scandal. It covered the turmoil of a broken family, of heartbreak and loss as well as the value of true friendship. Unlike most teen fiction, this wasn't simply a book about lust and romance. This was a book about friendship. Yes it may have included sex, love and death but only in its relation to the said friendship. It was nice to read a book that didn't revolve around a girl lusting after a boy or vice versa. At its core, this book was simply about friendship at an age when having someone who truly understands you is the most important thing in the world.

I was already a big fan of Dawn, having seen her on many a television program including her most recent on vintage fashion. I could feel her personality in the words on the page, I enjoyed getting a sense of the author in this story and it was easy to see that Dawn had poured her heart into this book and it was all the better for it.

I found myself laughing and crying in equal measure and sometimes at the same time. I physically went through the emotions of her characters. Maybe it was because I could relate to them on such a personal level. The book made me stop and think, and most of all, it made me feel. A brilliant book doesn't have to contain boundless fancy language or a complex story line, it has to evoke an emotion, and this certainly did. There were snippets of it where it was almost as though the book understood me better than I understood myself. It brought out some well hidden emotions and memories and I'm all the better for it. This book will stay with me for a long time.

One of the themes that Dawn deals with is bereavement. Dawn deals with it in such a sensitive and realistic manner, putting into words something that is unspeakable; the death of a parent. It was so refreshing to see such a brutally honest tale of life after the death of a parent. She doesn't dress it up or romanticise it. I could relate to it on a personal level as I went through a bereavement myself at the age of sixteen. It is important for words like this to be read. Regardless of your own teen years, this book will offer something you can relate to. In a lot of YA fiction, everything is romanticised or dramatised. The two girls in this book both face horrible things but it is gritty and normal and everything that a teen fiction should be.

I liked that although these two girl were losing their innocence there was such an innocent feel to their friendship and actions. Their friendship was so raw and pure and their actions were the actions of any fifteen year old. Dawn has done a brilliant job of creating realistic teenage characters. At the start of the book, she notes that she read her own teenage diaries for inspiration and that definitely shows in the book.

The characters were all brilliant, they were all suitably different too. Of them all, I found it easiest to relate to Flo, her awkwardness and introverted nature was something that I could see in myself. It was also nice to have Renee as a contrast to her. There were an array of other minor characters and of course I can't not mention Sally, I think we have all knew a Sally in our time at school!

Dawn took a risk setting the story in 1994. I understand that for Dawn it makes sense, the cultural references were spot on and as were the fifteen year olds reactions to said references. But the modern day reader, just a teen themselves, may find it hard to understand the references. Although being only 21, I found them to be just about accessible. Having been born in 1994, I feel like I grew up amongst the dregs of the culture Dawn talks of. I know just enough about it to appreciate it.

Also, just a note on the structure of the book. The story alternated between Renee and Flo's narrative, giving each of them a chance to express themselves. Allowing the reader to see inside their heads as well as see how they view each other. It was a nice way to tell the story and although it was simple, it was very effective.

I couldn't fault the book. I loved every single word. It was beautiful.

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 

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

Judge a book by its cover

"Don't judge a book by its cover"

I couldn't even begin to tell you how many times I have been told that, but I actually think that in relation to physical books, it is an outdated concept. Of course, a book doesnt have to be beautifully designed with a catchy title for it to be good, and equally an amazing title and beautiful artwork doesn't ensure greatness. But I can't deny that the appearance of a book is playing more of a role than I care to admit.

Books are everywhere, book shops, charity shops, online. There are thousands upon thousands at our disposal and my own collection is a minuscule dent into what is a seemingly never-ending supply. Sometimes I walk into a book shop and I am so overwhelmed with what I see that I really don't know where to start. So, ashamedly, I start with the front cover. Yes, I judge a book by its cover. But unless a book has been recommended to me or has been surrounded by hype, it is hard to decide which book out of the mass of unknown, is worth my money.

A catchy title is important, it should be relatively short and snappy, so that it rolls off the tongue and is memorable. The cover doesn't necessarily have to be bright or colourful but it needs to stand out. Then I always look to the blurb, a short passage which doesn't give too much away but gives a tiny insight into what the book offers, I dislike it when the back cover is just quotes from reviews, I like to know a little bit about what I'm letting myself in for. Equally I do like to see some quotations from good reviews, I know that they will be completely biased but I tend to look at the credibility of the publication they have been taken from.

Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events

What is so brilliant about the design of A Series of Unfortunate Events is that by giving the series itself an all encompassing name, Snicket was able to give each individual book a quirky and brilliant title whilst still keeping them under one umbrella name. Back when I was buying the books they were hard backs with a bound spine and lovely thick paper that was slightly jagged at the edges, it added character to the book and I also liked the uniformity of the series. Each cover has a beautifully drawn image that sums up the story line of the book and it is almost framed in the centre as a glimpse into the world you are about to enter. I really appreciated the time and thought that went into the creation of the physical book and there was something about it that meant I couldn't just stop at one, not only did I want to finish the story but I also wanted to complete my collection.

Susan Cain: Quiet

I don't really know how well known this book is, I don't see it get spoken about a lot and I suppose that is because if has quite a niche market. It discusses the value of introverts and the success they can achieve despite this preconceived view that they are akward and shy. The books brilliance comes from its simplicity. The title is sharp and short and brilliantly sums up the book in a matter of fact way. You almost can't help but whisper it. The cover is all white and has a shine to it, with the title raised slightly from the page. From a distance it seems to be nothing more than a blank page which is actually quite successful in drawing you in. It is a front cover that matches the words within and it is very effective

            

F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby

As far as I am concerned, The Great Gatsby has always had very successful covers, ranging from the simplicity of the Penguin covers to the iconic blue cover that I have always associated with the book. The title is brilliant and draws you in and because it is so well known the designers have pretty much had creative freedom in regard to the cover as the title speaks volumes. Yes I fell prey to the beauty that is what you see above. I am not ashamed.

 

Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Secret Garden

This cover really stood out to me, the drawings are lovely and the hard back is a cloth cover which makes it feel a bit more special. The pictures within are also beautiful and it all helps add to the magic of The Secret Garden

Judy Chicurel: If I Knew You Were Going To Be This Beautiful, I Never Would Have Let You Go

Right, so my problem here is the length of the title, I don't think that it is necessary and I can't imagine why there was the need for it to be so long. Maybe if the book had been amazing I could have forgiven it, but it wasn't and to this day it still bugs me that the title was allowed through the editing process. For me a shorter title is often more effective as it is easy to remember and simply rolls off the tongue so much better.

Here are another two books which I think have beautiful covers and I would be lying if I said that their covers didn't play a role in my decision to buy them.

Let me know in the comments how much the cover of a book effects your decision to buy it!

Eilidh 

Film Reviews: Olly Alexander

I can't deny it, this is pretty much an ode to Olly Alexander dressed up as a series of film reviews. But what can I say, I'm slightly obsessed.

God Save the Girl:

This film was found after too many hours spent sifting through Netflix. I knew nothing about it and yes I was a bit surprised when Eve, played by the beautiful Emily Browning, started singing. I now know that the film was based on the Belle and Sebastian songs from the God Save The Girl project. The songs were written with the intention of being used in a film and as such they very effectively tell a story.

I suppose I would describe the film as a coming of age musical set in Glasgow, focused on the character of Eve who is battling an eating disorder whilst trying to make music alongside her new found friends, James and Cassie. There is an earthiness to the film that keeps it very down to earth despite the impromptu singing and occasional dance routine. At times it was a bit sickly sweet, but you know what, in my eyes, that only added to the charm of it.

The acting was natural and didn't feel too scripted or forced. The three main characters; Eve, James and Cassie, each added something different to the story and complemented each other beautifully. There seemed to be genuine chemistry between them and I believed their friendship as well as the sparks of romance that appeared every now and then.

The soundtrack is flawless and in danger of being overplayed, a mistake I am going to carry on making until I am sick of it. Emily Browning, Olly Alexander and Hannah Murray all have very different voices but I liked the variety they offered.

I feel as though this is the sort of film that you will either love or hate, but if you love it, you really will LOVE it. 

The Dish and the Spoon:

I'm not going to lie, Olly Alexander may have been the only reason I decided to watch this film but he was one of a number of reasons I enjoyed it. It's a boy meets girl sort of story but with a twist, it is quirky and dirty and there are snippets of friendship and bittersweet love muddled in with misery and anger. It follows Rose who is caught up in rage following the infidelity of her husband, she is out on a mission to find the mistress and in the process stumbles across a teen boy from the UK. This boy who isn't given a name is caught up in Rose's mission and together they embark on an adventure fuelled by revenge.

It took me half an hour to realise that the boy hadn't been given a name. He was elusive, mysterious, and a man of few words. He gave a number of stories from his childhood, were any of them true? We will never know. I liked how as a character he remained an unknown, but despite this he really added to the film, his quiet and quirky personality contrasting with the blind rage of Rose. 

Pain, rejection, anger, mood swings, emotions all dealt with brilliantly by Rose, the emotion was raw and real and the film benefited greatly from the acting of both Greta Gerwig and Olly Alexander. For the majority of the film it was carried alone by these two characters and I never felt as though more were required. I enjoyed the simplicity of it, the plot lacked complexity but rather focused on portraying emotion.

I went into this film blind, I had no expectations or preconceived thoughts. I have since found out that there are very mixed reviews on it, some raving, others, not so much. But you know what, I loved it. Some argue that it has a somewhat lacking storyline but as far as I am concerned it is carried by two amazing characters played by two amazing people so I can forgive any of its minor faults.

The Riot Club:

I have already written a review of The Riot Club which can be found here.

I have a love hate relationship with this film, I hate the premise of it, an elite dining club reminiscent of the Bullingdon club. But the acting is brilliant and each and everyone of the actors and actresses do a brilliant job of portraying the lurid and distasteful side of wealth and status.

Years & Years:

So, there you have my three favourite films featuring Olly Alexander. But his talents don't end there, he is also the lead singer for the band Years & Years which I am all too quickly becoming obsessed with. As I write this, Take Shelter if my favourite of their songs but they also did a brilliant cover of Haim's Don't Save Me which you should all go an listen to! Now!


Please let me know if you have seen any of these films!

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.

If I Knew You Were Going To Be This Beautiful I Never Would Have Let You Go*: Judy Chicurel

Title: If I Knew You Were Going To Be This Beautiful I Never Would Have Let You Go
Author: Judy Chicurel
Publisher: Headline/Tinder Press
Release date: October 30th 2014
Order here: Waterstones Amazon













This book follows the ins and outs of 1970s Long Island as told through the eyes of Katie, an 18 year old girl who is witnessing teen pregnancy, drug abuse, racism amongst other things. She tells of an everyday life in a working class seaside town.

Right, so lets start with the glaringly obvious issue first, the title. I am all for a long title, don't get me wrong, I don't want anything to do with this one word business, but there is long, and then there is this. A title has to roll off the tongue, it has to be memorable, you have to be able to pass it along in recommendation. This does not tick off any of that criteria and whats more, I am reluctant to type it again in this post because it breaks up a sentence so clumsily. Many a time I stumbled over my words as I tried to tell friends what I was currently reading: 'wait was it "if I had known"...no "if I knew you were going to be..." gahhhh' (you catch my drift). But, regardless, I do actually like the meaning behind the title, I think it would have been brilliant as a little sub title, a follow up to a catchier, shorter title, or even as a part of the blurb. But, alas, it wasn't to be. How it got through the publishers, I do not know.

But anyway, I went in with an open mind, 'don't judge a book by its cover' and all that. I had high hopes, the blurb created a brilliant picture of 1970s America, war veterans, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy amongst other things. It painted an exciting, dirty image of Long Island which would be told through the eyes of teenager Katie, as the world around her changes, as she falls in love, as she dreams of a life unlike the one all of her friends are falling into. It was all very promising. But, sadly, I found it to be somewhat lacking. There was a lot of description and not a lot of action. A lot of time was spent describing people and places, which is fine, in fact I often find that many books are lacking in quality description. But, in this book, the description was so excessive that I would forget where the story was heading. When the plot did move it was so slow and without purpose that I couldn't quite figure out where it was heading or if in fact it was heading anywhere. It was beautifully written but for the life of me I couldn't stay interested. A tragic case of style over content. You can be a good writer but not a good storyteller.

It deals with homophobia, sexism, racism, drugs, teen pregnancy, being a war veteran. All very important issues and I do feel that they were dealt with beautifully in a raw and realistic fashion. But they were almost told in mini stories, in little tangents from the main story line. This only added to my confusion as to where the story was heading. Too many issues were dealt with and really the author should have focused on one or two aspects and told them in a beautiful cohesive story. What the author was able to do was create an amazing image of 1970s America, but a story isn't simply about painting a beautiful picture, it has to give more than that. The blurb I read before picking it up suggested that there was going to be some sort of focus on this elusive boy that Katie was in love with, sadly this wasn't the case and he only appeared sporadically, with most of his story being told in the last couple of chapters.

I felt very distant from the characters and I felt as though they were merely a medium to deal with other issues. I didn't feel as though they were really present in the story which is sad because the glimpses I did get of some really quality character development was brilliant and I just wish that the author had paid more attention to making a few characters a bit more three dimensional, rather than bombarding the reader with an endless supply of minor characters.

It reminded me of one of my GCSE english language exams where we were told to describe a view from a window, the descriptions were over drawn, excessive and a teeny bit pretentious. It may win all the awards for fancy writing and good use of vocabulary, but as far as I was concerned, it wasn't a story my brain was willing to stay connected with.

There was a brief mention of Katie 'reading a book about growing up in the 1950s when life was simpler with happier endings' I liked this touch, the author putting the main protagonist in our position, reading a book about a not so distant past, but it being distant enough to be rose tinted. For me it was almost inceptionesque, and although simple, it made a powerful point about how the bad gets forgotten and people look to the past with a fondness. There were a couple of other lines in the book that really stood out to me: 'I was tired to renting other peoples dreams' and 'I never liked the look of a retreating back'. In reality they are portraying very simple actions or feelings but the author has said them in a more interesting and obscure manner.

The problem with reviewing this book lies in the fact that I thought the writing of it was absolutely beautiful, in fact I wish I could write like that. The issue however still lies, that the story to me was just not strong enough, you cannot imagine the times I had to reread pages just to make sure I understood it. Sadly I won't be passing it on, nor will I be rereading. But I can see huge amounts of potential, and I will be definitely looking out for any future novels in the hope I can be proved wrong!
Please let me know what you thought of this book in the comments!

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

Eilidh 

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 

Paper Swans- Jessica Thompson

Mental health has always been a bit of a taboo subject, but in today's society 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem- so why don't we write about it more? I rarely come across a book that so blatently deals with mental health in such a frank manner- and not just that but too often mental health is glamorised or it ends tragically. This book dealt with mental health in an entirely different and refreshing way. 

Ben is a high flying business man who is reeling in the big bucks. He has an amazing flat in an exclusive part of London and his clothes are disgustingly over priced. He has it all, or so it seems. Mental health doesn't discriminate, and Ben is suffering from anxiety induced by an event in his teen years. Ben doesn't believe he deserves love, he has an irrational fear that he will hurt anyone he loves so to him the obvious option is to just avoid it. But then Effy enters his life, a hardworking charity worker and suddenly he questions his decision to bypass a serious relationship. But can Ben comit to a relationship that he fears he will ruin? 

What Jessica does brilliantly is show the irrational side of mental health. To someone who has never experienced the crippling anxiety it would seem ridiculous how Ben overthinks everything and how he won't allow himself happiness. It doesn't glamorourise the illness and it also shows the mental health can effect anyone- rich or poor, young or old. I also liked how it wasn't so much about Effy fixing Ben but rather Effy giving Ben the strength and ability to fix himself. Jessica didn't simplify mental health and I'm glad she didn't fall into the trap of the cure being simple. 

I thought there were a good selection of characters. Ben had a good balance of arrogance and vulnerability and I liked how the cause of his anxiety was revealed bit by bit as the story progressed rather than in one go. 

Effy did us girls proud- a career women who put her morals and ambitions above all else. It was nice to see a successful female character who valued her own ambitions.

All in all it was a brilliant book that could easily have been a typical love story. But what Jessica did was show that not all love is simple and that anyone can suffer with mental illness and it isn't always easy to recover.

Eilidh