Book 15 of 20: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Image from Wikipedia


I'm writing this whilst it's fresh in my head, so bear with me.

This afternoon (Thursday 8th May 2014) I sat down and read this book cover to cover. It's just one of those books that, I certainly believe, deserves it praise. It's been on most must read lists for years and I just never sought it out. Until I was charged with the task of reading it by my friend/cousin/hairdresser [in that order], she told me she was setting me homework to read it, because I hadn't yet. So I read this on her recommendation.

It's going to be a movie soon and I don't know if I'll see in the cinema, I might wait until the dvd is out. I don't know how well it would translate as it's such an inner narrative story. Hell, it would translate really well to theatre. I just feel that the book is such an intimate thing, that I don't want to share it with strangers in a screening, to see it acted out would no doubt make me cry, and I do not like people seeing me cry.

Before I read it, I was scared it'd just be a cancer book with a love story tacked on, I'm not spoiling anything by saying that, it's on the blurb, but this is so much more than that. This is what life is about, being angry, idolising people and having them not meet expectation, disappointment and moving past it. Finding some way to joke about the bleakest of things, not allowing yourself to be defeated.

It wasn't until I'd finished, that I came across John Green's photo in the 'about the author' section that I realised how familiar he looked, and then it said he was part of the Vlog Brothers that it connected in my head. Accio Deathly Hallows, I played that so much when I waiting for Deathly Hallows to be released that I still sing it now.

This isn't a cancer book, this isn't a dying book. It's a living book.

Book 14 of 20: Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris

Image from amazon

The third in the series and the last one I own for the moment, so we'll have to revisit Aurora again at a later date.

If I lived in the town she does, then I'd pack up and move given the amount of murders that seem to happen in the short space of time.
The three books seem to span about two years, so Aurora herself has been in the cross hairs twice and the number of her acquaintances  seems to be dwindling rather rapidly. Although she does keep up a love life despite it all.

Personally, I'm not entirely sure she's sane, because how the hell do you keep your sanity after that? She also makes some questionable choices that I can't say I agree with.

Despite it all, I do actually enjoy reading these books!

Book 13 of 20: The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

Image from amazon

Whilst killing time in town, as I was too early for my bus, I wondered into Waterstones and browsed their selection of recommendations, which is where I came across this book, I started to read the front page and was gripped so I had to buy it and then I carried on reading it whilst I was on the bus.

So, what attracted me to it? The recommendation said something about it being "The Walking Dead meets [an author sorry I forgot]" and the cover was bright yellow, so that helps.

Now, I love zombies and I'm attracted to pretty much anything zombie, but I'm sure you'll agree that the genre is getting a little over-saturated and stale. They're the 'in' monster, like how vampires were a few years ago, so I was a little hesitant until I started reading. I was hooked.

It's such a fresh and interesting take on the genre, it really is. The narrative is from different character's points of view and you honestly get involved with their thoughts. The science of the zombies is rooted in actual documented science that I'd seen on a BBC documentary.

Get this book, read it and love it! It's great!

Book 12 of 20: A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris

A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris

Image from amazon

The second book in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series.

Another short read, it took me a day, whilst my laptop had died and to give me something to do when I couldn't surf the wonderful world wide web, and I enjoyed it terribly.

I found it a little less exciting as the first book but I was still gripped.

I'm starting to think it must be exhausting, socially, to live in a small American town, as everyone seems to know each other and each other's business, it's as bad as if they were on social media, but remember, these books are set in the early nineties.

The whole mystery of this book is finding out whose skull Aurora finds in her newly inherited house.

Book 11 of 20: Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Image from amazon

I like her True Blood books, and her Harper C. books, so when I saw the first 3 books of this series in the Works I had to pick them up. Bonus: They were 3 for £5.

It's a fun little murder mystery story, little being the word, I don't think it has more than 200 pages, and I read it in under a day when my poor laptop decided to die, hence there being a delay in posting the books I've read, and why Book's 10, 11 and 12 will be posted very closely together.

I was entertained pretty well despite the foul mood I was in.

Though I hadn't realised when reading, that despite the pretty new covers, these must be a reprint, as I wondered why a character who was working in a library was recording books by hand and made no mention of using a computer. It wasn't until I checked that the copyright was 1992 and I realised that this story is almost as old as I am.

As ever, Harris's female lead is pretty similar to Harper and Sookie, by being pretty but with a flaw, surprised that they attract many male suitors at one time, seems to be a trouble magnet and is fuelled by coffee.