This Year It Will Be Different- Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy has a very particular style of writing, and although it is hugely praised- I however don't applaud her so greatly. This was a novel including many short, short stories. They were all Christmas based tales and although they emphasised all the variations of celebrating it, it just didn't enthuse me. It would have been a wiser idea to read this nearer that particular type of year. There was one story however, that I shall not forget in a hurry. It was based on these two sisters running and OAP home, and changing the attitudes of the elderly about christmas during the seasonal time. I did get bored of reading this book, and that is because I would recommend a 12-15 year old to read it.
*- 1 Star Rating

This Book Will Save Your Life- A.M. Homes

Written in a truelly brilliant form of writing, simply captures the essence of the American dream, and LA lifestyle of many, many people. This book entertains, dotes on humour, if the title entails it is going to be deep and meaningful in any way- think again. The story is based around a man who has everything, but is trying to rekindle his relationship with his son and trying to build a social life again- which he manages with great success throughout. Throughout there are significant metaphors which can refer to many things in life, however this book is not cynical in any form, it just captures the pure essence of a lonely man's lifestyle and the changes that take place due to a hospital scare; it all begins when he enters the donut store and meets Anhil. I found this book fabulous in many ways, and I am very keen on reading further books by Homes. My mum didn't enjoy this book, as she said 'it wasn't my usual read'. I however, loved the american feel, and although it can seem ridiculous all these things popping up out of the blue- I loved the ending and I loved the general feel of the book.
****-4 Star Rating

Chez Moi- Agnes Desarthe

French author Agnes Desarthe, put together a beautiful and tasty ( in many ways ) a book all about the rediscovery of this woman's life- due to the opening of her very interestingly quirky restaurant. It has been translated into English, as she became hugely popular in the USA. I found the book wonderful, as I am very intrigued by the French culture, and throughout I pick up the French humour and culture. Although, it was not the kind of book I usually read, and was a bit worrying that she fell out with her son for so many years, due to her bizarre fascination with her son's friend ( her son was like 8 at the time, so was his friend ). However, it was an enjoyable read, and had a few inspiring lines throughout. 

**-2 Star Rating

On Chesil Beach- Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan is one of my most inspiring novelists. Not only does he capture the natural elements of relationships today, but in On Chesil Beach he manages to depict the pure essence of life, and regrets. This book I did find initially really weird, however once the book comes to it's ending chapter, everything seems to fit together like a puzzle. The story is not complicated, it just goes on and on about one particular evening the night of a marital commitment. It is a particularly sad novel, but yet it intrigued me, how you can love someone but yet due to stubbornness or protection of one self you let it pass you by- literally. Inspiring ending to a novel- made me think really, really deeply afterwards.
***- 3 Star Rating

Up All Night- Carmen Reid

Carmen Reid's target audience is usually the young female's, however this book definitively aims to interact with those in the familiar field as she; journalism. Now as a student studying journalism, I found the book insightful and easy to understand and read. I read this book whilst away on holiday with my family, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have read some of Reid's other known books, and enjoyed each of them the same as I did this one. It is based on a character who has recently divorced, and is juggling her children and career. Yet the new experiences of sleeping with someone new- once again. 

***-3 Star Rating !

Sister- Rosamund Lupton

This novel is written in the form of a letter, and is Lupton's debut novel as she usually writes screenplays ( scripts). The format is written in prose of a sister writing to her sister ( I won't reveal why, or give out any spoilers- so do not fear ). The story is a gripping tale of how a bond between two sisters tries to uncover the disappearance of another. The story is charming and compelling, and not only is it a great thriller but an enjoyable easy read. Throughout the book I was trying to guess the ending, however when the end arrived I was gob smacked, and pleasantly surprised with how the book rounded things up. Not a happy read I will just say that- yet a cleverly written debut book. I would recommend to those who want a light thriller read. However, I have read a few reviews criticizing Luption's writing for being too cliche and faulting her narrative structure ( as she tells the story to the police man throughout the book ), but I feel this is extremely harsh and her writing is easily read, and easily understood.
****- 4 Star Rating

California Dreams- Belinda Jones

A beautiful summer read- best for those days you lounge aimlessly on the beach dreaming of a better life. Very easy, and quick to read only took me 2 days to indulge and get through. It involves plenty of humour, and awkward moments where you are literally cringing for the main characters. We all dream of mixing with the rich and famous, and Jones captures all the delights of doing so in this book. The male's in the book make the book a little less believable, however Marina's husband who is involved in the navy is a particularly warming character. The ending is less believable as Stella ( the main character ) ends up with her ex ( the man in the uniform who we finally meet at the end of the book ) and realises that she has had her fun with the rich and famous man of her dreams, and has and always will be in love with her ex. Pretty unoriginal, but that's a typical summer read for you. Enjoyable non the less.
****-4 Star Rating.

Then We Came To The End- Joshua Ferris

This novel involves a character who writes a similarly described book to this very one. It isn't a small, angry book based around the 9-5 hour shifts that people are put through 5 days a week, it does however, express the curiosities of colleges, the tension and the competitive streak of course. Clients keep getting dispatched and this expresses the climate we face today in modern society of recession, however with every dispatch comes great humour. This book is not a book I would recommend as it didn't keep me entertained, and I could have easily put it down and forgotten about it. However Joshua Ferris as an author is fabulous, and I would love to read a different type of fictional prose book of his. 

**-2 Star Rating

Sex and The City- Candace Bushnell

As I am a raging fanatic of the 'Sex and The City' series, and the follow up movies- I decided to indulge myself from the very beginning- Bushnell the inspiration. Bushnell wrote about her lifestyle within the city and her friends from the most bizarre year ' the nineties'. It is in the style of short stories as within each chapter lies a new tale unfolding from deep within the city. New York is my favourite place in the whole wide world, and for this very reason I absolutely loved reading about females lifestyles from the city. The book captures the newspaper columns originality, with a catchy headline for each new beginning or development of a story. However, if you expect the book to be anything like the series, then you will be fairly disappointed- as for me nobody plays Carrie Bradshaw as well as Sarah Jessica Parker. Visualising anyone but her- deems pretty impossible. The stories are quite hard to follow at some points of the book as they involve a variety of different characters that pop in and out, throughout the book. However, overall reading about the New York cocktail inspired lifestyle, following the views of feminists and various other forms of femininity was captured wonderfully. 

***-3 Star Rating 

The Photograph- Penelope Lively

An overall well written, easy to read, easy to understand and pleasant novel. However, for a young girl of 19 years old, it is not really suitable for my age group, this is due to the fact that it revolves around 60+ characters who have gone through events I can only imagine. The husband of the woman who is dead, finds a picture in which gives evidence of his wives infidelity with her sisters' husband then comes to surface. The whole novel focuses on a catalyst of emotions expressed from all the characters involved. Each of the chapters revolve around one character or the relationship between two characters in the book. Mary who we meet at the end of the book, brings all answers to the surface, and instead of a cliche happy ending. The book ends on a realisation of  how to deal with these particular situations- some forgive and forget, some don't care anymore and some forever hold onto it's pain and suffering.

Overall Rating- ** two star rating

The Slap – Christos Tsiolkas

This particular novel explores the modernization of every day Australian life. It takes deep plunges into the Australians culture, and the changing times of multiculturalism in the 21^st century. The novel is based on a small incident that takes place at a friendly barbeque, which leads to the exploration of eight of the characters who witnessed this- 4 women, 4 men.

These characters all interact with one another throughout the developing character based chapters, however each of the characters are of different ages and backgrounds. For example, it begins on Hector’s chapter who is having an affair with 15 year-old Connie, and whose wife is Aisha. Each of these characters have there own chapter, so the book does allow you to explore things from all kind of different perceptions.

I did enjoy this book overall, as I like the idea of reading about a new character per chapter, however, I did not feel that the book came to an overall conclusion. It left the ending on a particularly strange way of celebration, but I would recommend this book to people who enjoy quite contrasting subjects. 

The House at Riverton-Kate Morton

One of the best modern day takes of the late 18th early 19th century stories. The book is a long tale which involves discovering the secrets of a young poet's suicide in which revolves around a romance storyline. The book has many tales along the way and is a generally feel good book to read, to be honest this makes my top 5 reads of all time. The tale itself expresses pure beauty about a lifetime from the old to modern world and the secrets held all the way up until Grace's death. Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful. Recommend this to anyone.
*****- 5 Star Rating

The particular sadness of lemon cake-Aimee Bender

I really enjoyed Bender's style of writing throughout, however the concept of the story starts of great and develops into a kind of mess. You quickly get sucked into young Rose's life and her story and senses which do intrigue. However, I feel the book was ruined by letting the story unfold into a magical realism, I just couldn't grasp the magical concept. The senses part was fine and the fine description of food and in which all of it's ingrediants carry different senses for young Rose, but it lost me the moment it went on about her brother Joseph being a chair. The grandad being able to smell emotions and smell his own death was an acceptable realism for me, but the concept of the brother turning into furniture baffled me and my mother who also read it. I had to reread the particular chapter in which she sees his legs as chair legs, I couldn't get my head round that. The story is as if Bender changed her mind halfway through on the concept, and then decided to focus on something else. Also, didn't like the ending as nothing become of her mother's affair, felt it was left in an awkward position. I loved Bender's style of writing however the concept baffled me and I did not feel there was much point to the story.
****- 4 Star Rating

Forgetting's No Excuse the autobiography of- Mary Stott

Journalist, Campaigner and feminist, in other words an inspiration to all women. Especiallay to me. I want to achieve a journalist status ( a successful one at that ) and I strongly believe in women power and the feminist arguement in life. What Stott did is change the print industry from something extremely prejudice towards women and the women's pages in the guardian and changed the routine so that women had much more say. Her campaigning which is also explained throughout shows how much of a powerful role she played in her era. Not only is this autobiography a good read for journalists or students studying to be journalists, but her last chapter of the book describes her pain and journey through becoming a widow. She had to adapt to this and many women have said who are also widows that this particular book has helped them, all thanks to Stott. It is a hard book to read and I believe Stott struggled writing an autobiography as her natural writing format is particularly journalistic and that is evident throughout.
1 Star Rating- *

If you could see me now - Cecelia Ahern

This is the book I have most recently read of Ahern's as my sister is a strong dedicated fan of Ahern's collaboration. As you all know "The Gift" brung me to tears and this book also made my eyes fill up. I'm either very hormonal lately or Ahern just writes the most touching stories. The book is about a women who looks after her nephew and he says he has an imaginary friend, she then meets someone and falls in love with them, little did she know, he is the imaginary friend. He came along and changed her life and helped her which was his role but at the same time fell in love, but no matter what he had to leave. This is where I cried, he had to say goodbye. The book almost has a movie style film to it, you can tell her books and style are easily adapted into movies etc.

5 Star Rating- ***** ( easily)

Where Rainbows End- Cecelia Ahern

Where Rainbows end was one of my favourite reads whilst I was on holiday. It's a nice summer, holiday stereotypical read. Not all relationships happen when they should, sometimes it takes years before you realise your perfect partner is someone you have called a friend for many years. It also teaches the importance of here and now, something can happen at any minute and change aspects of all your life, if the main characters would have went to the end of school ball together they would more than likely have got together then and there but it took them to the age of 40 plus before realising they were perfect for one another. It's a light hearted read and makes you desire the type of love they experience throughout. The whole book is written as if it is through notes, emails, telephone calls up until the last page of the book, when it is the here and now and both characters know it's each other they have been waiting for.

5 Star Rating- *****

P.S I love you- Cecelia Ahern

Considering I saw the film adaptation of this novel before reading the original inspiration it was very easy to pick up where the aspects had come from, however, it was very different to the movie. I actually preferred the movie to the book because a lot of what happens in the movie doesn't even exist in the book. I preferred the ending of the film compared to the ending of the novel which was a good ending but the film was a lot nicer ( if i remember correctly ). I don't understand why the book would have people crying from page to page as I thought it was quite warming compared to what I expected it to be like. It isn't a depressing book as many people assume, it actually warms your heart a little.

4 Star Rating- ****

The book of tomorrow- Cecelia Ahern

This is not one my favourite's out of the collection of her books I have been reading as of recent. This is the book I read after reading The Gift, although it never succeeded my expectations as The Gift is one of my fav books of all time now. Still remains the only book that has ever made me cry too. However, the story about a girl who has to move away when her father dies and finds a book that reveals what is going to happen the next day. In the end she discovers stuff about her family she never knew, it is an intriguing book and has that magical atmosphere that all Ahern's books seem to consist of.

4 Star Rating - ****