BOOKS: FEBRUARY BOOK HAUL

Sooo as you can see, I went a little bit crazy over the past couple of weeks. Amazon had a three for £10 offer on, the latest read in the book club at work was chosen and handed out and with it coming up to Valentines day, my boyfriend bought me a couple of new books too. So, I ended up with quite a few books. Reading is a great passion of mine, and though I did fall off the bandwagon towards the end of last year, I’m getting right back on it. I’m taking part in the Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge this year, in which I’m aiming to read 25 books and I’m really excited to get through the amazing books I’m hoping to read. So, sit back, relax and grab a cuppa ’cause this could be a long one…

First up, is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying. Yes, this is a book all about tidying up. Bare with me. I first heard about this book about a year ago on YouTube and thought that the main concepts were pretty smart, and then kind of forgot about it. Fast forward to early 2016 and I was hearing about it more and more, then saw it was a #1 Bestseller on Amazon. Not wanting to miss out on any book hype, I bought it. Marie Kondo is an expert declutterer and a professional cleaner and has a pretty long list of clients, but they never need to hire here again, as her approach is “once cleaned, never messy again”. That sounds good to me! I’m looking forward to seeing whether this is as life changing and compelling as everybody has said.

We Were Liars is next, and I can honestly say I have no idea what this book is about. I’ve heard a few people mention it, and one person said “It’s best if you buy this book knowing nothing about it, and just enjoy it, so I just bought it. There isn’t even a blurb on the back. All I do know, is that apparently the ending is a big deal, and with it having won awards, I’ve got high hopes. One of the books George bought me is How To Be Single, which has recently been adapted for film staring Dakota Johnson and Rebel Wilson. It looks quite funny and I do enjoy a simple, chick lit read and so this sounds perfect.

I do love a psychological thriller, and so when How I Lost You popped up in the three for £10 section on Amazon, I added it to my basket straight away. Emma, who was Susan Webster before the tragedy happened, was told that she murdered her twelve week old son, but she has no memory of this. After spending time in a psychiatric ward, she has now been released on parole with a new identity, but soon receives an envelope addressed to her former self with a picture of a toddler named Dylan inside. Her police, loved ones and doctors told her she had killed him, and you would believe them, right? But how can she truly believe he is dead after this? Dun dun dunnnn…

As a sucker for love and “finding yourself” stories, Just One Day sounds perfect. A ‘good girl’ American called Allyson meets a laid back actor called Willem, and there’s an undeniable spark. After spending a whirlwindday together, Allyson finds that Willem has left. Over the next year she embarks on a journey to come to terms with her life and break free of her confines. The Letter tells the story of two women who were born decades apart, but whose paths are destined to cross. I don’t really know much more about it than that, but with almost 4000 reviews and an average of 4.5 stars on Amazon, I’m fairly certain that I’m going to love it.

Fangirl is a book I had heard a lot about. It seemed to pop up in everywhere, but I never felt inclined to purchase it. Until… I found myself watching video after video on books, and Fangirl appeared in about three or four consecutively – I had to get it. It’s a book about twins who did everything together, until they went to university. Cath, the shy sister, writes fan fiction, while her sister Wren wants to go to parties and meet boys. They couldn’t be more different. This sounds like a coming of age story, and with being at university myself I think it could be quite interesting! From the blurb, it doesn’t sound too enthralling but by gaging people’s reviews, it’s a must read. Brooklyn has recently been adapted for film, but after coming across the book online I decided to give it a go, as the film looked . right up my street. Brooklyn begins in Ireland in the early 1950s, where opportunities are scarce. It is soon arranged for Eilis, the protagonist to move to New York, and she knows she must go. Arriving at a boarding house in Brooklyn, she is soon reminded of just how much she has sacrified. As she begins to let herself go and take steps towards friendship, or maybe a bit more, she receives some news which she must return to Ireland to confront, which brings her to face a great dilemma.

Another highly reviewed book, Summer at the Lake. Set at Lake Como in Italy, the story focuses on three different people’s lives, intertwining the past with the future. Another chick lit story, I know, I can’t help it! As much as I love thrillers and non fiction “self help” (for want of a better phrase) books, I do enjoy taking a step back and sinking into a simple love story, and Summer at the Lake sounds like just that.

If you’ve lasted this long , firstly well done and secondly thank you! Last up is Wool, the latest book to become mine. Wool is this month’s choice for book club at work. I’m really glad to have joined the book club last year, as this will be the third book of a completely different genre that we have read so far which means I’ve read things I wouldn’t normally pick up myself – thank you! Dubbed as “the next Hunger Games”, Wool is set in a ruined and hostile landscape, where only few survive in an underground silo. To live, you must follow the rules, but if not you face the punishment: you are allowed outside. I’m a couple of chapters in to Wool at the moment, and so far it sounds like the perfect dystopian novel. If this really is as good as The Hunger Games, then I can’t wait to finish it!

So there you have it, all the books I bought/received in the first two weeks of the monthly. There will most likely be a part two to this if I carry on the way I’m going… What books do you recommend I pick up next!?