Books | Warning: do not read this book.

Okay so I'm late to the party on this one: The Fault in our Stars by John Green isn't a new release and I'm sure you know someone that has read it if you haven't yourself. I actively avoided this book after seeing reviews including  words like 'tragedy'. I'm not a masochist, I'm actually a master of self-preservation and anything remotely tear jerking is not for me. I like books that remove me from reality rather than bringing reality into sharp resolution, but when my friend (who has excellent taste in books) passed this one on to me, I gave it a shot. Mainly because I had nothing else to occupy myself with on a break on a night shift, but I started it nonetheless. And, not counting the short break I took to you know, deliver a baby, I read it start to finish without stopping.

I'm not going into the plot line, that's insulting; you can read the blurb as wells as the next person. In short; This book broke my heart. I sobbed like I haven't done over a book since Angela's Ashes, and being as I was approximately 11 and the book was about the foot and mouth disease epidemic (if I rememeber rightly) I'm not sure the emotional pull felt is really comparable.

This book made me feel. Excruciatingly tore me from my pleasant little world and thrust me into Hazel's without an apology. It's so much more than the story of a kid with cancer, it's a story of love and death and the unfairness of it all, but how despite that unfairness the world still goes on. Hazel's voice continues in my head even now and that's how you know a book is good, when you continue to try and live in that world even after it's over. 

I loved it but it's given me an emotion head ache. The worst sort. 

I don't suggest you read this book if you're after a heart warming, feel good happy ending, Hazel is a hypocrite in that her story doesn't finish, much to my annoyance. I want to email John Green and demand to know what happened to her, it's frustrating. I do however suggest you read this book if you want an insight to coping, to living and loving, to losing and to how, actually, the universe doesn't give a either way. Fantastic, inspriring and a whole lot of tragic. 

EDIT: despite the title of this post, I'm not trying to put you off the book! It's wonderfully written, charming and laugh out loud funny (cliche) in more than a few places. I feel better for reading it, I'm so glad I did. I realise my review doesn't actually state this outright but I thoroughly enjoyed it. So, do not read this book...except do, because it's great. I promise you won't cry the entire way through. 

Ps, I apologise for the photos and their irritating placement. This entire post was formulated and posted from my iPad. This isn't a permenant arrangement but I couldn't not write about the book, and  also couldn't drag my sorry self to get my laptop. Normal service will resume soon, promise. 

 

Books | As long as I have books, I can cope with anything

Getting paid for the first time in 3 years does crazy things to your head so last month I splashed out and bought myself three  actual books, whereas normally I’d leave it until they came into a sale on the kindle! I adore my kindle, it cant be beaten for convenience and portability, and having all my books in my bag without breaking my back is not to be sniffed at, but I will always love browsing Waterstones for hours flicking through the pages and getting drawn in by beautiful artwork on the covers. These are the books that caught my eye! 

My latest venture was only a short one whilst my boyfriend was holed up in the pub watching the football. Waterstones often have great deals and they were offering buy one get one half price, which I obviously couldn’t resist. I picked up The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom and Grimm Tales by Philip Pullman. Both these authors are ones I already love; you’ll of course have heard of the Northern Lights trilogy which caused such a stir and still remain one of my favourite series to date. Philip Pullman is king of the modern fantasy world and this book is a composition of fairy tales, popular and not so, in his own words. The prologue reads like an excellent English literature essay and being the bookworm at heart that I am, I absolutely ate up his words of wisdom. I love books into which you can dip in and out, and fairy stories are at the heart of my childhood so this book was a winner from the off. I’m discovering old favourites and finding new ones and it’s a great book to pick up for some bedtime reading!

Mitch Albom wrote my all time favourite book The Five People You Meet In Heaven so when I saw this offering I couldn’t walk out without it. I finished it in about 3 days, due to that pesky thing called work, but definitely could’ve finished it in a day! An easy read, but a gripping one, with concepts that will definitely get you thinking which is a speciality of Albom! I don’t want to say too much and ruin it incase you want to go and get it (please do!!) but it’s about Father Time and the consequences of watching the clock. An excellent read, I'm passing this on to my Mum because I know she will love it as much as me! 

My hatred of internet shopping has well and truly been smashed to smithereens with my recent orders from Cult Beauty and now Amazon. I added The Clear Skin cookbook to my basket after seeing this post from Sophie and having given it a read through definitely am up for the concept of clean eating! My nighttime skincare routine is pretty comprehensive (have you read the post?!) but I still don’t have the flawless glowing skin I dream of, and I think my diet may be the final piece of the jigsaw. I’ll give anything a go once so I’ll do some shopping and get back to you on the effectiveness of this lifestyle choice! 

Have you read anything excellent recently? I'm always on the look out for something that grips me completely, I've always got time to lose myself in someone else's world for a while so please leave your suggestions below or bombard me on twitter!