2018 Reads #05
The last few months I haven't been able to lift my nose out of a book for too long and I'm really enjoying reading again at the moment. It must be something about my commute to and from work or the shorter days that makes me grab a book other than sit and write a blog post or watch something on TV. You'll know that my reading catch ups happen on a 4 bookly basis and having this new method for 2018 has been a hell of a lot better. I don't feel the monthly pressure of reading 3 or so books when I've got other things to think about.
This month I managed to read something that's been on my bookshelf for MONTHS, a purchase from Amazon and two library books. I was pretty happy with all of the books I have read recently and I'm already deep into my next read too! This time of the year I'm also looking for recommendations to ask for Christmas so leave me some comments below with your favourite reads of the year I should probably get my hands on.
Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls | ☆☆☆☆☆
I definitely chose this book by the cover, I'm always intrigued by the Women's Suffrage movement so wanted to see what a YA book could offer on the subject. Things A Bright Girl Can Do shows the era through the eyes of three women from very different backgrounds and how they are intertwined in this movement. Evelyn comes from a relatively wealthy family, lives in a good part of London and is well educated - though not to the Oxford university levels she aspires for. Then we have May who is a Quaker, living in a less wealthy but still middle-class life with her Suffragist mother. Nell is working class, she shares two rooms with her family, works for half of what her brothers earn in a jam factory just to keep the roof over their heads. She's also more masculine than the era she lives within would happily permit. What the women do have in common is their aspirations to be more than they are allowed to be and they will fight for the right to do so.
I loved every chapter in this book and its alignment with the suffrage movement. Parts of the book really broke my heart and I was so inspired by the women who did everything in their power to make a difference. It's definitely a book I'd recommend for all young women to get their hands on, it was a fantastic read I loved diving into every hour that I could.
To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han | ☆☆☆☆
I picked up this book and read it mainly because I watched the Netflix film and quite enjoyed it. I enjoy YA fiction but this isn't a book I wouldn't usually read, I don't enjoy YA romance type stuff - because it's usually too much for me. I definitely thought this book was easy to read and had a lovely story behind it. Some of the book was very relatable, the teenage years were a struggle for everyone in some way or another. I could relate to Lara's character quite a lot in the story. It's a joyful and quick little read if you want something easy to dig into.
Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris | ☆☆☆☆☆
I read one of B.A. Paris' other novels The Break Down back in March 2017 (read my March Reads for that review) and I couldn't wait to see what Bring Me Back had to offer. Bring Me Back is centred around Finn and Layla who are in a fairly new relationship. On holiday, they stop at a service station, at which point Finn stops to use the restroom. On his return, girlfriend Layla is gone. 12 years later we are back in the present, Finn is in a romantic relationship with Layla's sister Ellen, and Layla is still missing. However, something happens which leads Finn to believe that Layla is in fact still alive.
If you're an avid reader of psychological thrillers like me, you'll no doubt have predicted the plot twist from reading the book synopsis alone. Even so, Paris is a fantastic writer and brings you with just enough suspense and detail to keep you hooked. I loved every bit of this book and the various twists added in for good measure! If you're looking for a psychological thriller then get your hands on this one!
“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime."
I have had this book on my bookshelf for the LONGEST time so I made it my mission to read it and I'm so glad I did because what a book!? A story centred around family, friendship, betrayal and loyalty. A book I just couldn't put down, probably one of my favourites read this year. Amir and Hassan are childhood friends who grow up together in Afghanistan. Until something happens that changes their friendship forever and Amir betrays his best friend. This one event sends the both of them down two different roads in life and it's something that Amir dwells on for the rest of his life. It really is quite the journey you go on in the book and incredibly written by Hosseini, I was gripped throughout.The very best part of the novel, as much as it is the story but the warm depiction it gives you on the mixed culture of Afghanistan and how it coveys what it was like before the coup, the Soviet invasion and more importantly the Taliban and the aftermath of September 11th. It's a real snapshot of a country that we only know from the media reports. I really enjoyed this book, what a read!
What are you reading right now?
If you enjoyed this post and want more book recommendations, you can read my 2018 Reads #04.