My Recommended Reads!

I’ve got an hour until my lecture and some time to kill (technically I should be doing uni work and tidying but… nah!) so I’ve decided to go through some of the books on my bookshelf (both real and virtual) and give you my list of recommended reads.

 

 

“If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

I’ve finally learned what the genre is called and technically it’s “sick-lit”, there’s been a bit of controversy over books in this genre being marketed to vulnerable 13-year-olds, but honestly I think it’s all down to the maturity of the reader. This book isn’t an easy read – it’s not very long, I finished it in a couple of hours (although I am a fast reader), but some of the content is quite graphic (I’ll post a warning now – brain chunks are mentioned) and I do think that this should be aimed at more 16+ than 13+ purely because it is a bit… gross at times. Still, it’s a great book.

 

“To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

Honestly, this is one of my favourite books. I love the story, I love the language used in it, I love the characters and I love the imagery it evokes; Lee is an incredible writer. I studied it for GCSE and it didn’t ruin it at all for me, unlike many stories where studying it has put me off ever wanting to read it for pleasure (step forwards, Wuthering Heights!), this one I could easily read again and again, because of the nostalgia it evokes – my childhood was so different to Scout and Jem’s, and yet reading this evokes memories of hot childhood summers.

 

“The Hunger Games” Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Obviously these books are fairly well known because of the films (which are quite possibly my favourite film-adaptation-of-a-book because there wasn’t that much they left out and the actors were all great and it was everything I hoped it’d be), but the books in themselves are great. I know there’s been a lot of comparisons with Battle Royale; personally I can’t comment because I haven’t read it, but I think these books are fantastic and I’d highly recommend them.

 

“Tales From The Terra Firma Fleet” series by Christopher Maine

I know, I go on about this guy a lot, but I really enjoy his writing! He’s an indy writer and I think he deserves to do well because he’s got a great series going on. Check it out on http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Flight-Renegade-Tales-ebook/dp/B007B3CZF2 . Great characters, great plots, some fantastic relationships building up… it’s like sci-fi-action-romance-drama all in one.

 

“Harry Potter” series by JK Rowling

Do I really need to explain this one? If you haven’t read the books, just read them! Do it! Now!

 

“Marley and Me” by John Grogan

I watched the film and it made me cry. I read the book and it made me cry even more. This book is hilarious, heartbreaking and so touching all in one, and it really is wonderful. I read it all in one sitting and I wouldn’t recommend it because the emotions are overwhelming; read it bit by bit but just make sure that you do read it!

 

Some progress on the literary front!

Funnily enough, the time when I start getting busy – that is, Freshers’ week and being at uni in general – is the time when I start writing and reading again (as you may have guessed from my reviews). The writing is taking a while to start up again because I keep getting an idea, starting it and scrapping it, but I think I need to re-visit and continue older stories before I try and write new ones – I have so many that are un-finished and it’s really bugging me!

I’m also enjoying reading a lot more. I think that after the rowdiness of freshers week, reading is something quiet and pretty much free once you’ve bought the books. Currently lined up for me to finish/read are “Where She Went” (the sequel to “If I Stay”, which is proving a little harder to get into because it isn’t really as good as the first so far), “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver, which I think is in the same genre as “If I Stay”, and “Marley and Me” by John Grogan. I’ve wanted the book for ages because I loved the film so much, but couldn’t quite bring myself to buy it before now because I know it’ll require an evening where I’m left on my own, because I’ll end up crying at the end.

So that’s a little update on the literary front from me, I’m going to really try and get back into the hang of writing because I enjoy it and miss it, but it’s all dependent on how busy I get with uni.