If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you will probably be aware of the fact that I am a bit of a bookworm. I absolutely adore reading and have done since I was a child. One of my favourite Sunday’s as an eight year old was when I spent the whole day reading Roald Dahl books. I was so pleased that I managed to read so much in one day (complete nerd!). In adulthood I’m much the same and love a lazy weekend with a good book, so I thought that I would compose a short list of my most favourite books I’ve read in the past couple of years. I wanted to keep it as a neat list of five, but I  needed to squeeze an extra one (technically two) in!

The Fault in our Stars by John Green      

I absolutely adore this story. It is so beautifully written that I could read it every day for the rest of my life and still be satisfied. The story itself is terribly tragic and desperately sad, but it is written in such a wonderful way that you don’t come away feeling depressed or pitiful.                       

Good points: The writing style and the characters.                                          

Bad points: It is a really sad topic that will probably make you cry buckets.                                              

Read it if: You like a story that will take you on a journey. Even if you might cry.

 

Me before you by Jojo Moyes                      
Me Before You fell into my life at a point when I hadn’t read anything exciting for a while. When I was putting reading on the back burner and life had got in the way. This book had me gripped from the start and life was put on the back burner whilst I discovered what was going to happen to Will Traynor and Louisa Clark. This is such a lovely story (with some elements of sadness – sob!). It isn’t afraid to take a different path and break stereotypes. I really really love it, can’t wait for the movie!               

Good points: The characters are great. Will’s sarcasm and Lou’s bubbly personality are key to the telling of the story.                               

Bad points: You might cry (again!).    

Read it if: You like a good, substantial story that is unpredictable.

  
The Girl on the Train by  Paula Hawkins.                                                             

There is such a love buzz around this book and when the hubby bought it for me for my birthday I was really excited to read it and see if it lived up to the hype. It really did. I do enjoy a thriller now and again and I enjoyed learning about the characters (hating Rachel, hating Tom, liking Rachel, liking Tom, hating Anna, hating Tom). It’s a good read and I was so desperate to find out what happened to Megan that I couldn’t put it down.                  Good points: It’s easy to read and keep track of all of the key elements. It’s also constantly evolving. It probably won’t make you cry.             

Bad points: I found Rachel really annoying at times, I wanted to shout at her ‘just go home!’.                            

Read it if: You like a good thriller. 

 
Still Alice by Lisa Genova.                           

I was really sceptical of reading this book as I had seen the movie and wasn’t blown away. My Grandad had Alzheimer’s and I think that the movie glamorised the illness a bit and didn’t portray the devastation it creates. I’m so glad that I made the effort with the book because it is far more accurate and a brilliant read.     Good points: It gives a great insight into early onset Alzheimer’s disease and Alice is such a relatable, lovely character.                                                  Bad points: I found it really sad, but that’s mostly because of seeing the illness first hand.                                    

Read it if: You have ever wondered about Alzheimer’s and you like a story that isn’t all rose gardens and afternoon tea.

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

This book is AMAZING. It is written perfectly and the character of Chrisopher Boone has been created with upmost accuracy to someone who is autistic. It isn’t just about autism though, there is so much more going on, all being told by the voice of Christopher. It’s such a great book to read and the stage production is pretty rad too!                 

Good points: The writing. It’s brilliant. The storyline is great too, unpredictable.                                          

Bad points: Honestly I can’t think of any!                                                                 

Read it if: You like something different. I haven’t read anything like it!

 
Paper Aeroplanes/Goose by Dawn O’Porter.                                                               

These two books go hand in hand. The first (Paper Aeroplanes) tells the story of Flo and Renee as they grow up in the nineties. It’s a fun read that took me back to my teen years! The second (Goose) follows the girls to college and a new chapter in their lives.                                                             Good points: 90’s nostalgia!                   Bad points: Can be a bit crude.               Read it if: You like being taken back to when you were younger.

What are your favourite books? Have you read any of these?
L x