Books that saved my life

I had this conversation with someone the other day about which books I haven't read from my list of favourite authors and I ended up saying about one particular book 'I haven't read that one yet, I'm saving it. I fully expect it to save my life one of these days' and that got me thinking about other books that have saved my life. Here's the list I came up with. It turns out that some of my favourite books are my favourite books not only because they're wonderfully written and the book was emotionally-impactful to me but because it helped me through some really difficult times.

I guess it's the same for most people, but high school was a nightmare for me. It was like I was split into two people. The first looked pretty normal from the outside. She had a small group of friends and talked and laughed with people and went to class and did normal things. The second me lived in a deep, dark black hole. It's pretty well documented here that I've suffered with depression for years. In high school and just before it things were at their worst and instead of talking about it, I did my best to hide it from everyone. Sometimes I'd like to shake that second girl and tell her not to be such an ass and talk to someone, ask for help. Instead, that girl turned to books.

In the end, it took two books to save me from my high school experience. The Grapes of Wrath and The Power of One. I sort of became obsessed with both books. I read both books again and again, hoping to relive that emotional connection I felt to the characters and the circumstances. Beautiful books, both of them. The first was picked up on a whim at the school library. The Power of One, I found after watching the film of the same name.


The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - Set against the background of dust bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of the Joad family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel West in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision; an eloquent tribute to the endurance and dignity of the human spirit.

It is sort of a depressing story, The Grapes of Wrath. I can't even remember what it was about it that drew me in so much. But I couldn't stop reading whenever I started it again. I think I was drawn to other people's problems. I liked knowing that a fictional family in the Dust Bowl years ago had it worse than me.

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay - First with your head and then with your heart ... So says Hoppie Groenewald, boxing champion, to a seven-year-old boy who dreams of being the welterweight champion of the world. For the young Peekay, its a piece of advice he will carry with him throughout his life. Born in a South Africa divided by racism and hatred, this one small boy will come to lead all the tribes of Africa.

I remember the first time I read The Power of One, it was the first time I really understood what the word 'apartheid' meant. I'd seen the movie, so I thought I knew what was going to happen. But the book and the movie are so different. And boxing? Who knew I'd love a book so much? The funny thing is, we studied apartheid in middle school on two different occasions. The first, I did a special project on South Africa! And it didn't sink in. In eighth grade, we watched a series of programmes about it. I watched it, but I didn't really take it in then either. Not until I read the book and fell in love with it. It made me feel and gave me hope.

And then when I moved to England 10 years ago I found myself spiralling into another devastating depression. More family problems, the huge culture shock I went through moving to another continent. I wasn't able to work, I rarely went outside. And then a friend of N's loaned me his battered copy of A Suitable Boy and everything changed.


A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth - Vikram Seth's novel is at its core a love story, the tale of Lata - and her mother's attempts to find her a suitable husband, through love or through exacting maternal appraisal. Set in post-Independence India and involving the lives of four large families and those who orbit them, it is also a vast panoramic exploration of a whole continent at a crucial hour as a sixth of the world's population faces its first great General Election and the chance to map its own destiny.

I guess there's a bit of a theme going on. The first book swept me up into the Dust Bowl in America during the Depression, the second South Africa during apartheid, and A Suitable Boy transported me to post-independence India. I wonder if that's important or means something. A Suitable Boy is really long, and it needed to be. I got caught up in all the details. The politics, the family dynamics, the differences in religion and region. And the love story is what made me get out of bed in the morning.


And the book at the beginning? The one I'm pinning my hopes on for saving my life in the future?

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett - Taking a cynical look at the horror genre, this book features Crowley and Aziraphale, two friends who attempt to prevent the prophesised Armageddon. When the Antichrist is born they divert him from his original home at the American Embassy to Tadfield, where he grows into an unkempt individual.

It's Terry Pratchett. And Neil Gaiman. Writing a book. Together. How can it not be brilliant and life-changing? I'd been trying to get hold of this book for ages, and in the end, I bought it and it's been sitting on my shelf for months. I'm waiting for the right time. No pressure or anything.




So now it's your turn. Tell me about the books that saved YOUR life.

REVIEW: Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City, and Scarlett lives there with her four siblings - Spencer, Lola, and Marlene.

When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest called Mrs. Amberson.

Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.

Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deceptions. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.

Can I just start by saying how much I adored Suite Scarlett? And Maureen Johnson? Because I do. To both. Maureen Johnson is absolutely hilarious and if you don't follow her on Twitter, you really must do. And she's created something fabulous with Suite Scarlett. Wonderful characters who get up to some crazy adventures.

How much would I love to live in this wonderful little Art Deco hotel in New York City? With my big wacky family and even crazier guests like Mrs Amberson? And fall in love with cute Texan boys and get involved with theatre shows and Broadway. If I could, I would so live in Maureen Johnson's brain. Just roll with whatever comes my way in there. I think I'd be fantastic. Reading this book, I smiled, laughed, cried, and laughed again.

My favourite part? The relationship between Scarlett and her brother Spencer. I -loved- Spencer. I love the whole Hamlet with unicycles and all of his physical comedy. He's charming and sweet and absolutely hilarious. In fact, the whole Martin family dynamic was absolutely fascinating to read about.

Also, reading the book made me really want to visit New York City again - but only if I can find the Hopewell.

Highly recommended for me and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel, Scarlett Fever!

In My Mailbox, the third

It's going to be a busy weekend for me, so I'm posting my IMM now, as ever hosted by The Story Siren.

I've been quite lucky with books this week.. it's been kind of a slow-down in books acquired via the book-swapping website AND charity shops, but the numbers were certainly made up in other ways...

Via book-swapping website:

Tempted by PC and Kristin Cast (not pictured)
Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Girl With Curious Hair by David Foster Wallace
Divine by Mistake by PC Cast

Someone very nice on ReadItSwapIt offered to send me Girl With Curious Hair for free and turned down my offer of postage reimbursement or sending her one of my books in the future. It was very nice of her. It really made my day.

Via author/publisher/giveaways:

Swapped By A Kiss by Luisa Plaja
Angel by LA Weatherley

I'm super excited about recieving Swapped By A Kiss! I read Luisa's other book, Split By A Kiss last week and ADORED it. An enormous thank you to Luisa Plaja for sending this to me! I heart you! I cannot wait to tell you all about both books.

And Angel has such a pretty cover.

Via charity shops:

The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

I usually pick up more books in charity shops than this, but hey-ho. That's the way it goes.

From my good friend over at asamum reads:


The Onion Girl by Charles de Lint
Extreme Kissing by Luisa Plaja
Infinity by Sherilyn Kenyon
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Maus II by Art Spiegleman
Timbuktu by Paul Auster
Two Lives by Vikram Seth
Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Look at all these books! Isn't she good to me? I am absolutely thrilled by all of these, especially Unwind. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Bought:

Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes

And just the one book bought this week, after reading a review over at Chicklish. And that is it.

Which books came into your house this week?

REVIEW: Fallen by Lauren Kate

What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? 17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross ...only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart. Some angels are destined to fall...

When I first heard about Fallen, I was quite excited. I read the little blurb and saw that the cover is absolutely beautiful and couldn't wait to read it. And then it was published and the reviews started trickling my way. And some were amazing reviews and others thought it dull and slow. So I was a bit wary. I wrote it off thinking that I'd give it a miss entirely. And then I saw it in the library and thought 'here's my chance to make up my own mind' ... and, I think I fall somewhere in the middle of the two camps.

It IS a little slow. There's this huge (but slow) build-up towards the ending. I knew that the book was about fallen angels before I picked up the book, it even says so on the little blurb thing, but the main character doesn't find out until 100 pages from the end. That doesn't normally make for interesting reading, but I have to admit, I was kind of still intrigued. The atmosphere of this old school was interesting, the characters became a little more developed. And while my original thought was that everything needed to happen at a quicker pace, I'm hoping that all this scene-setting and character backgrounds are out of the way that by the time Torment rolls around, it'll be all action and love-triangle goodness.

Having said that, I didn't really like the Luce-Daniel relationship. I'm sure it will change now that Luce (finally) knows (some of) the truth, but I wasn't keen on Daniel giving her the cold-shoulder and all the mixed signals and being mean to her. And I didn't really like that she was still madly, hopelessly in love with him despite it all. Because I'm not a fan of the idea of two people being in love without seeing some evidence of there being something between them other than physical attraction. But I'm willing to put those issues to one side and let Torment decide for me. If there's more to Luce and Daniel besides this shared history that we haven't really been shown yet, if the pace picks up then I'm hooked - Lauren Kate has got me for however long the series is. We'll see.

REVIEW: When I Was Joe by Keren David

When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he’s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image – life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can’t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe’s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent.

Wow. When I picked up When I Was Joe from the library I really wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. The other day, I placed it among the top 10 books I've read so far this year! Keren David did such an excellent job of making Joe into an incredibly likeable character despite all the mistakes he makes. When I Was Joe is a thoroughly engaging read and once I started, I couldn't bear to put it down.

But there are some really painful elements to this story, from knife crime and violence, the depression that surrounds Ty's mother in this difficult transition into the witness protection programme, the self-injury of another character. Really painful and serious topics. But throughout the book, Keren David was able to balance this out with some incredibly funny scenes and dialogue so that the book was able to hit a really great balance between the two. (More than a month later, I'm -still- giggling about a comment made by Joe about a Kanye West song!)

Joe/Ty is an amazing character. He's funny and interesting, but also quite flawed. We see everything from his point of view, and he's got a great voice. You can tell right from the start that he's not telling the whole truth about the events that led him to the witness protection scheme. He's holding his cards pretty tightly to his chest there, but as the story progresses we do end up with a clearer picture. And I find him to be a fascinating character, especially with his interest in languages.

When I Was Joe touches on some pretty important themes including identity and growing up. Ty really ponders this question of image during the course of this book. With a different name and hair and eye colour, is he still the same person? And the choices that Joe makes really end up determining the person that he becomes.

There's something for everyone here, from violence, to a wonderful main character, romance, humour, mystery. When I Was Joe is an exciting debut novel and I cannot wait for the sequel, Almost true, out in September 2010.

REVIEW: Strange Angels and Betrayals by Lili St Crow

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow - Dru Anderson: Night Hunter. Knife Wielder. Heart Breaker. Dru can sense evil, which helps when she and her Dad are tracking down ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional reanimated corpse. It's a dangerous life, but it's the only one she knows. Then Dru's dad turns up dead and she suddenly finds herself in the middle of a deadly game where every move she makes could be her last. Dru is more special than she realizes - and whatever killed her dad could be coming for her next. Can Dru stay alive long enough to fall for one - or both - of the guys hungry for her affections? Find out in the heart-stopping first book in a thrilling series.

I was immensely surprised with how much I enjoyed reading Strange Angels! And now that I've read the book, I can't remember the reservations I had before reading it. It's fantastic with the action and the pace is set at break-neck speed. The characters are interesting and likeable and I love all the information regarding the Real World with the suckers, demons, and wulfen.

First, the action. We're thrown into it right from the beginning, with Dru leaving for school. She has a bad feeling about leaving, but doesn't say anything. Her dad goes off on one of his missions to battle the bad things but comes home a zombie to attack poor Dru. And that's just where it starts. It kicks off from there with wulfen attacks and meetings with suckers, and Dru is a pretty kick-ass character.

Dru is sarcastic and independent. Her dad has trained her to know things most teenage girls don't know about, keeping her gun clean and safe, knowing the exit routes. But she's in uncomfortable territory as her dad did all the fighting before and you can see her vulnerable side. Especially when it comes to the goth half-Asian kid, Graves, that she picks up. Graves is by far my favourite character. I really just want to give him a hug.

It's an interesting storyline anyway. I like this idea of the 'Real World' where suckers and wulfen and ghosts and dream stealers exist. And there's Dru and her dad circling around it and suddenly lands herself deeper than ever and way above her head. When I finished Strange Angels I was really pretty desperate to read the next one...

(SPOILERS)

Betrayals by Lili St. Crow - The second novel in the Strange Angels series picks up with Dru neatly tucked away in a Schola that's more like a prison than a secret training facility. Except for one tiny detail ...she's the only girl in the place and is totally surrounded by tons of cute boys. But a traitor in the Order wants Dru dead and she can't trust anyone except for Graves. Too bad he's being kept busy with a new crew of wulfen teens and doesn't have time for her. As she learns the truth about who she can and can't trust, Dru's only hope may be to save herself - although the one gift that makes her special is draining away, and she doesn't know how to get it back. Will Dru survive long enough to find out who is really after her? Or is she destined for the same fate as her murdered parents? Lili's characters come alive on the page in a way that's visually stunning and she creates the same terrific pace, danger and teen romance as in Strange Angels.

Like I said, I was pretty desperate to read the next book in the series once I finished Strange Angels. And Betrayals is still fast-paced and filled with lots of action, but there's a different layer to this book. Dru is really struggling with the loss of her father, this new information about her mother, her memories of the day her mom died, her new and special role in the whole scheme of things. It's a lot to adjust to. Thankfully, we do learn more about the dhjampir and her mother, but it still doesn't seem enough.

And things are definitely wrong in the Schola Dru and Graves have been taken to. Nobody's educating Dru, they let her sit around and get away with things. The close bond between Graves and Dru is a bit strained as he's finally accepted amongst the wulfen. And Dru still doesn't know who she can trust. She even starts doubting Christophe.

It's an interesting sequel, but I would have liked more answers. And while I'm not keen on where the Graves-Dru-Christophe triangle is headed, it has been hurtling towards the inevitable since the first book. Myself, there's no doubt that I'm on Team Graves.

Bring on the next book, Jealousy, out in July!

Top Ten - Things Making Me Happy

I had so much fun with my last post, about my top ten reads of this year, that I thought I'd make another list! This time, the things making me happy. Off we go.

Again, in no particular order..

1. Jaffa cake muffins. N had a bit of a craving over the last week and a bit for jaffa cake muffins. He, no lie, looked in about 8 shops for these damn muffins without any luck. Then, randomly, in a service station outside of Warwick, on the weekend, he found them AND they were on offer. Had one for breakfast, and it was marvellous.

2. The world cup! I'm not really big into football. I really only watch international games like the World Cup and the Euro ... one. You know the one I mean? But seriously, the World Cup has taken up so much of my time this past week! I watch the games even if I don't know anything about either team. But the goals! and the yellow cards! and the red cards! and the referees! It's been so much fun. What will I do with myself when it's all over? That's right - Wimbledon!

3. No more studying! Did I mention that my exam took place last Monday? I may have mentioned it on twitter, but I don't think I said anything here. I feel really good about it though. The essay and short-answer questions seemed fair and I was pretty well prepared for it all. But! Now I'm finished, and apart from this thing in August (something making me very UNhappy) I don't have any studying to do until September! All this free time :) Don't know what to do with myself (except watch the football!)

4. Author events! I haven't been to many author events, but, wonderfully, there are two in the near future that I plan on attending. The first is being hosted by Tales on Moon Lane and has four very fab authors that I cannot wait to meet! 28th June, details in the link above.

Keris Stainton, author of Della Says OMG! (OMG! I ADORED this book. And have followed Keris's blog for years now)

Luisa Plaja, author of Split By A Kiss, Extreme Kissing and Swapped By A Kiss. (I LOVED Split By A Kiss and have her other books on my pile to read next. She reviews over at Chicklish, one of my favourite YA book blogs)

Simmone Howell, author of Notes From A Teenage Underground and Everything Beautiful. (Just read Notes From A Teenage Underground, and ADORED it, have had Everything Beautiful on my wishlist for months!)

And Sarra Manning, author of Let's Get Lost, Guitar Girl, Pretty Things, Diary of a Crush series, Fashionistas series and Nobody's Girl! (One of my favourite authors ever. I have a post coming up entitled 'On Sarra Manning' where I do a lot of gushing.)

I am SO excited.


And the next makes me almost stop breathing. John Green at a event in Waterstone's Piccadilly on the 14th of August! John Green, author of some of my favourite books: Looking For Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns. Plus the co-author with David Levithan of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

5. asamum reads - I really love the Internet sometimes. Especially when things conspire to bring people together, like me and the lovely lady who blogs over at asamum reads. We met on a book swapping website, but now email each other regularly about all sorts of things. And what's wonderful is that we read and are excited about the same sort of books. So it's become this wonderful book-sharing partnership. Not only is it fantastic to have someone who I can email personally about all the wonderful books I'm reading, but also two people on a hunt for similar books means twice the success. Everyone wins. :)

6. My birthday. I'm not normally excited about my birthday. But this year feels different. It's a little more than a month away... I used to hate my birthday being in the middle of summer. It meant I was never able to bring cupcakes into my school classes for everyone, nobody really remembered it, nobody would be around to celebrate, etc etc. But things have changed. Whilst N might not always remember how old I'll be (N a few days ago: How old will you be on your birthday this year? 26? ... 25? Me: *dies laughing*), he at least always remembers the date. I'm actually going to be excited this year about birthday cake and balloons and the boys singing Happy Birthday to me. I've finally embraced the little girl in me who loves being the centre of attention.

7. Plans for summer - The summer holidays are almost upon us! And come September, my Eldest boy will start primary school and my Youngest will start at nursery two mornings a week! Ahhhh! My babies are growing up so fast, this summer feels like it should be momentous! Something celebrated and made the most out of. So I'm planning the activities. Weekends mean trips to Legoland and Blenheim Palace and Pooh Country, the zoo. But weekdays are for me to organise. Teddy bear picnics, scavenger hunts in the park, play dates with friends. I'm hoping it's a great summer.

8. Ice lollies. Or strawberries and icecream. Need I say more?

9. Littlest. Littlest always makes me happy, but lately seeing the excitement in his face as he's able to starting saying more and more just makes me extra special happy. He's just reached that point where he's ready and absolutely desperate to say more things. It's exciting times. The photo above is the boy doing his version of thumbs-up. Makes me giggle.


10. Books. And what kind of list would this be without books? Here are the two ambitious piles I have on my bedside table that I'm most looking forward to. The first are adult books, which I haven't been reading much of lately (but I've really wanted to!):

Lighthousekeeping by Jeannette Winterson
The Invention of Solitude by Paul Auster
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman
Blindness by Jose Saramago (shame he had to die for me to bump this one up the list :( )
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
Matrimony by Joshua Henkin
Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth

And the second pile is mostly YA with one sneaky adult book:

Swapped By A Kiss by Luisa Plaja
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace
Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes
Extreme Kissing by Luisa Plaja
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw
Wasted by Nicola Morgan
Fire by Kristin Cashore

I'm hoping to have a better balance of books by reading alternately between these two piles. Unless that doesn't work, in which case, I won't! :)

What's been putting a smile on your face lately?

Top Ten - Favourite books of the year so far!

It's nearly the end of June, which means half the year is gone! (How is that possible, etc etc) and I thought it'd be fun to create my list of favourite books that I've read so far this year. I have been incredibly lucky and have picked up so many great books this year, so it was hard narrowing it down to just ten. (My original idea was 6, one for each month that had passed!) But these tough decisions have to be made, and I did narrow it down to 10. It's perfect timing, because I am most of the way through my 100th book of the year. This list is a wonderful way to celebrate! Check out the entire list of books (and which books sadly did not meet the cut!) read so far this year here.

In no particular order..


Nation by Terry Pratchett - I hadn't had much experience with Terry Pratchett before Nation. But then I read Nation and it knocked me on my ass. And I grew very excited to read more of his work. Another couple of books, and I'm sure he'll be included on my very extensive list of favourite authors! Here's my review.

Amazon blurb: When a giant wave destroys his entire Nation - his family and everyone he has ever known - Mau finds himself totally alone. Until he meets Daphne, daughter of a colonial Governor and the sole survivor from a shipwreck. They have no common language, no common culture - but together they discover some remarkable things - like how to milk a pig and why spitting in beer is a good idea - and must try and forge a new kind of Nation. Then other survivors arrive to take refuge on the island, and not all of them are friendly. In "Nation", Pratchett brings us a novel that is both witty and wise, encompassing themes of death and nationhood, while also being extremely funny.

Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card - I know, kind of cheating to include Ender's Game AND Ender's Shadow, but they were both so wonderful and I'm making the rules :) Here is the review for both of these books.

Amazon says: Ender Wiggin is Battle School's latest recruit. His teachers reckon he could become a great leader. And they need one. A vast alien force is headed for Earth, its mission: the annihilation of all human life. Ender could be our only hope. But first he must survive the most brutal military training program in the galaxy...With its explosive storyline, pump-action excitement and hugely engaging central characters, Ender's Game is 2002's absolute must-read for teenaged boys. Forget schools for wizards, this is where the *real* action is.



Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - Oh, Neil Gaiman. How much do I love you? Neverwhere is another amazing book by Neil Gaiman. One that I was so excited to share, that I gave my copy away to the first person who showed any interest in it. I hope he loves it as much as I did. Oops, doesn't look I've gotten around to reviewing this one just yet!

Amazon says: Under the streets of London there's a world most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, and pale girls in black velvet. Richard Mayhew is a young businessman who is about to find out more than he bargained for about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his safe and predictable life and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and yet utterly bizarre. There's a girl named Door, an Angel called Islington, an Earl who holds Court on the carriage of a Tube train, a Beast in a labyrinth, and dangers and delights beyond imagining ... And Richard, who only wants to go home, is to find a strange destiny waiting for him below the streets of his native city.


The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - Thank you very much to asamum reads who sent this book to me as the first stop on a blog tour. Amazing book. I laughed, I cried. I'm thinking of writing poetry on bits of paper and letting it float into the wind. Read my review. This book is also one of the prettiest looking books I've ever seen.

Amazon blurb: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to centre stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, with a nearly magical grin. One boy takes Lennie out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But the two can't collide without Lennie's world exploding...



North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley - I'd heard so much about this book on the blogophere, last year and I was dying to read it. When I finally did, I so was not disappointed. It was even better than I expected. Loved the self-image/identity issues and the map references. Honestly, I haven't reviewed this one yet because I'm still in that 'omg! love, love, love!' phase.

Amazon says: It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak - I -adored- I Am The Messenger. I thought Zusak blew me away with Fighting Ruben Wolfe, but I loved this one even more! It was almost painful how much I felt about all the characters in this book. Love. (no review as yet, but I will get there)

Amazon blurb: After capturing a bank robber, nineteen-year-old cab driver Ed Kennedy begins receiving mysterious messages that direct him to addresses where people need help, and he begins getting over his lifelong feeling of worthlessness.



Paper Towns by John Green - I heart John Green. Big time. And Paper Towns was way more than I expected. Expect to read a long, gushing review sometime in the near future. And I'm going to a John Green event! In August! How! Excited! Am! I!

Amazon says: Who is the real Margo? Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. She has disappeared. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance ...and they are for him. Trailing Margo's disconnected path across the USA, the closer Q gets, the less sure he is of who he is looking for.

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness - If I'm honest, this really is the number one book I've read all year. I can't imagine that I'll read anything better than this during the rest of the year either. Absolutely heart-racing, edge-of-my-seat exciting read. Cannot recommend the series enough. My review.

Amazon blurb: “War,” says the Mayor. “At last.” Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they’re so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge… The electrifying finale to the award-winning Chaos Walking trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

When I Was Joe by Keren David - I was so surprised with this one. I can't wait to review it. Joe is an absolutely wonderful character. He's not perfect, he makes a lot of mistakes. But my heart was with him every step of the way in this book. I LOVED his little quirk with languages, and being inside his head. Cannot wait for the sequel, Almost True, out in September!

Amazon says: When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he’s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image – life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can’t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe’s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent.


Invisible by Paul Auster - Did I ever tell you that Paul Auster is my favourite author? I read this book back in January and I loved it. But I had such a hard time working out my feelings about it that I never got around to reviewing it. It's still great.

Amazon blurb: Sinuously constructed in four interlocking parts, Invisible opens in New York City in the spring of 1967 when twenty-year-old Adam Walker, an aspiring poet and studen at Columbia University meets the enigmatic Frenchman Rudolf Born, and his silent and seductive girlfriend Margot. Before long, Walker finds himself caught in a perverse triangle that leads to a sudden, shocking act of violence that will alter the course of his life. Three different narrators tell the story, as it travels in time from 1967 to 2007 and moves from New York to Paris and to a remote Caribbean island in a story of unbridled sexual hunger and a relentless quest for justice. With uncompromising insight, Auster takes us to the shadowy borderland between truth and memory, authorship and identity to produce a work of unforgettable power that confirms his reputation as one of America's most spectacularly inventive writers.

And there we have it! My top 10 favourite books of the year so far. And I still have the rest of the year to find more favourites.

Which books would make your list of favourites of the year so far? Do any of mine make your list?

In My Mailbox, the second

Second week of IMM, hosted by The Story Siren! And here are the books that came into my house this week.

Via a book-swapping website:

Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle
Glass Houses: Morganville Vampires Book 1 by Rachel Caine
Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
Betrayals by Lili St Crow
Hunted by PC and Kristin Cast
Fat Kid Rules the World
A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
Notes from the Teenage Underground by Simmone Howell

I'm really wedged into this YA-reading phase. I feel like I'm about to burn out on it, but here are the latest books vying for my attention. I've wanted to read something of Lauren Myracle's for awhile, which is why I picked up Kissing Kate. Something interesting about Glass Houses - I think the text on the spine of the book glows in the dark. That was creepy to wake up to in the middle of the night. Mysteries of Pittsburgh is the only adult book there, and Michael Chabon is almost a favourite author. Another House of Night books. The sequel to Strange Angels by Lili St Crow. Fat Kid Rules the World and A Certain Slant of Light were curious picks this week. Haven't really heard of the first, and the second's cover kind of creeps me out. But they both still made their way to me this week. And lastly, Notes From the Teenage Underground! I requested this book because I will be going to an event with Simmone Howell at the end of the month. Will write more about this later. (squeeeee!)

Also, as more books arrived this morning...


A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace
Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
Random Acts of Kindness: 365 Ways to Make the World a Nicer Place by Danny Wallace

I've never read anything by David Foster Wallace, but I've been curious about him for awhile. Also, I'd never really heard of Looking For Alibrandi, but I've been waiting (impatiently) to read Melina Marchetta's other books (specifically Saving Francesca and Jellicoe Road) so I thought while I'm waiting... and I'm sort of, kind of reading another book by Danny Wallace at the moment and Random Acts of Kindness reminds me a bit of Erinn's Project Nice. So there we have it.

Charity shop finds:

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
Little Children by Tom Perrotta
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
The 100 Greatest Women of All Time by Deborah G. Felder

I missed Angela Carter month, but still wanted to join in. This will be my first time reading her. I did pick up Little Children after reading Amanda's review over at The Zen Leaf. Art of Racing in the Rain was everywhere for awhile, thought why not. Magic Under Glass is a bit of a mystery. I don't like fairies, why do I keep picking these books up? I needed another book in the BOGOF offer, which is why I picked up Phantom of the Opera. And 100 Greatest Women was picked up on a total whim.



Won in a giveaway/via publishers:

My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

A big thank you to Stephanie at Bah! to cancer, a really wonderful website, for this one. This has been on my wishlist for such a long time. It's a wonderful thing Stephanie's doing, do go check the website out!


And The Radleys by Matt Haig, sent to me by the lovely people over at Walker books. N reads Matt Haig and likes him, this is his new one about ... vampires. Looks like fun!

And that's it for me this week. I'd like to say next week will be a little quieter in terms of acquiring books, but I'm sure it won't be!

What books came into your house this week?

My top 5 (teen) heartthrobs on TV

I recently saw this great guest post over at Wondrous Reads where Keris Stainton picked her top 5 teens on TV in a guest post to promote her really wonderful book, Della Says OMG. And it looked like such fun, that I thought I would share with you all, my top 5. (Actually 4, but you'll need to help me choose which hunky guy takes 5th place!) What I love so much about making this list is the slight controversy of it. I mentioned this list to a few people, and others kept mentioning the very large age gap. But who cares, right? It's a bit of fun, let's not dwell on numbers.

First up, we have Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life. This was a no-brainer, I couldn't think of anyone besdies Jordan Catalano to make the top of my list. My So-Called Life is STILL my favourite TV programme, I still Want To Be Angela Chase and lust after Jordan Catalano as he leans on lockers. Jordan Catalano you are my Forever Crush. I heart you something terrible.

Next, we have Seth Cohen from The OC. I absolutely ADORE Seth Cohen. He's just so funny I loved all his witty comebacks and his relationship with his parents and Summer and Ryan and oh, funny guys are just extremely hot. Especially funny guys who are cute and can draw. I could listen to Seth Cohen babble anytime.

What do I say about Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights? Just look at him, he's gorgeous, isn't he? His character is kind of into the heavy drinking and all the girls, but there's just something about him. Maybe someone else can explain his appeal to me? I just know that it's there.

And finally, it should be no surprise that Pacey Witter from Dawson's Creek has made my list. I've already blogged about the fact that Joshua Jackson would be on my guilt-free-three list. Of COURSE I had a crush on Pacey. He's funny and sweet and charming and .. let me stop there.

But that's only four boys! And this is a top 5 list! So, help me out. Who else should be on my list? I was thinking maybe Jess for the Gilmore Girls? Nathan Scott from One Tree Hill? I don't know.

Leave your suggestions in the comments! AND TELL ME WHO WOULD BE ON YOUR LIST. Remember, this is TEEN boys. No one over the age of 20, I mean it!

ohmygod, I can't believe that happened.

I interrupt my informal bloggy break, to bring you the latest news on my Mama Drama. It's been a reoccurring theme over the years for me to write a bit about my relationship with my mother and the journey that I've taken to move on from the things that happened in my childhood and to accept who my mother is and how we connect. That's been a tough journey, let me tell you. And all that was put on hold for the last two years because I suddenly fell out of contact with my mom... again. The last time I spoke to her was more than two years ago, just before I gave birth to my Littlest.

And then last night, it finally happened. An aunt sent me my mother's phone number, and I did it right there and then. I picked up the phone and without thinking about it too much or stressing about it, I called her. And I'm still a bit of an emotional wreck all these hours later. Because oh, dear readers, it was such a good phone call, even if I nearly burst into tears the moment she said 'hello.' There were so many things that I always remember about that phone call. And I do mean always. The way she gasped and was left speechless after I said 'Hi, this is Michelle' and she said 'ohmygodit'sbeenageshowareyou?' followed immediately by, 'tell me about my grandsons.' Was there a more perfect thing for her to say to me? I don't think so.

We didn't really bring up the fact that it's been so long more than just that one sentence. And it felt right, not to bring up the past or lay the blame on either of us. It felt like a step in the right direction. It happened, now we can move on, and see if there's anything left of US to save.

And while she (and I) said 'I love you' before we hung up, the conversation wasn't all lovey-dovey or anything, and it makes sense that it wasn't. It's been so long and that's just not us. In fact, it was mostly conversational, we both talked a lot about things that had happened to us that day. And I think that was partly because it was a little awkward and there were a lot of nervous silences, but it was OK. And really what I needed. I know that this is a dangerous place that I've found myself in, this hope that I feel that we could have a relationship after so many years and everything we've gone through. My poor heart could be badly hurt again if she changes her number again without telling me, if years go by without hearing from her, but I think I need this hope right now, I feel like I'm ready to have her in my life. Right now, this hope is lifting me up.

And I'm incredibly happy. And I felt like I had to share this with you. It's a tentative happiness right now, but after all these years? I'll take it.

In My Mailbox the first

Here are the books that I've had into the house this week. Sorry about the poor quality photos! I've seen these IMM posts everywhere and felt like joining in this week, especially as I've had a fair few books recieved this week. IMM is hosted by The Story Siren every week...

First up, my charity shop finds:

Untamed by PC and Kristin Cast
Fire by Kristin Cashore
The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer
The Edge by Alan Gibbons
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart
Nicola and the Viscount by Meg Cabot
Hold On by Alan Gibbons

Wonderfully, a couple of the charity shops that I visit had a Buy One Get One Free offer on their books and without it, I might not have considered picking up some of these books. I'm really looking forward to both Fire and The Boyfriend List.


Books acquired through a book swapping website (thanks to asamum for sending Swapped by a Kiss!)

Split By A Kiss by Luisa Plaja
Chosen by PC and Kristin Cast

Really looking forward to both of these books! Especially Split By A Kiss! I might have to bump it up to next on my TBR list!

Books Bought (because I can't help myself!):

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Good the Bad and the Dumped by Jenny Colgan
WIntercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw
I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Complete impulse buys. Someone stop me, quick.

And finally, books sent to me via the publishers/authors:

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
Like Bees To Honey by Caroline Smailes
Wasted by Nicola Morgan
Sweet Temptation by Lucy Diamond

Just looking at these photos makes me squee a little bit. Endless Summer was sent to me from Jennifer Echols! And she signed it, I'm so excited. I heart her.

Like Bees To Honey was sent via the publishers for taking part in the blog tour, but I think I'll buy my own copy as well. I won Wasted via a Twitter competition, and Sweet Temptation via a giveaway on Caroline's blog! So I've been incredibly lucky!

May in review

May was an interesting reading month for me. Dominated mostly by YA, but there were also a few graphic novels in there and the one lonely adult book. I've really been trying to catch up on some reviews from previous months (I'm caught up for January aside from one book, but still have a staggering 20 books from February, March and April to work on!) so I didn't do as well with reviewing May's books.

But let me just say I am *excited* to tell you about some of them. Especially North of Beautiful, I Am the Messenger, Paper Towns and When I Was Joe all of which I ADORED. Others were surprising. I didn't expect to fall into the House of Night books so easily and neither did I expect to enjoy the Daniel Waters zombie book. All of these books have taken me on a really fun journey this month, from pondering the issues of image, identity, suicide, domestic violence, zombies, vampire-fledglings, the witness protection program, fallen angels, women's sex lives... to a charming little hotel in New York City, that special mixture of amnesia and love, and a kick-ass demon-hunter. And (because I am SO modern) I even finished reading my first book that I read solely on my iPhone. In fact, I've read two now, but I didn't count the second one (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) because it was too short. But still. I'm even reading a third, it's very exciting times...


1. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
2. The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle
3. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
4. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
5. Marked by PC and Kristin Cast
6. Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
7. Paper Towns by John Green
8. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
9. Embroideries by Marjane Sartapi
10. Cut by Patricia McCormick
11. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
12. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
13. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
14. Forget You by Jennifer Echols
15. Betrayed by PC and Kristin Cast
16. Strange Angels by Lili St Crow
17. Fallen by Lauren Kate
18. When I Was Joe by Keren David

Did you have a favourite read in May? What're your plans for June?