Top Ten Tuesday: Books I want to read in 2015

Looking back, 2014 was a fantastic year of my life in reading.

It was a year where I really pushed my boundaries, by delving into literature outside of my comfort zone. I always aim to read widely, and last year saw me, an almost exclusive reader of contemporary fiction, read (and enjoy!) Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I also read a non-fiction book simply because it interested me, dipped into feminist literature, and explored the graphic novel, discovering for myself what the genre could possibly have to offer the world of storytelling (a lot, it turns out). Oh yeah, and I finally read George Orwell's 1984! At the same time, I also continued to read within areas that I already love, leading me to discover a range of  really great books.

This year, I have similar aims. I want to continue to push myself by reading books that I wouldn't normally pick up. Try a few more classics, and get through those books that I've always been meaning to read, but never quite got around to trying.

Here are the top ten books that I want to read in 2015, which I'll hopefully be able to tick off once this year closes.

1) Animal Farm by George Orwell

2) The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald 

3) The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness

4) The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

5) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

6) Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to lead by Sheryl Sandberg

7 ) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

8) Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

9) Blankets by Craig Thompson

10) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 

Book Review: How to Build a Girl

Title: How to Build a Girl

Author: Caitlin Moran

Publisher: Ebury Press

Star rating: * * * *

If there's one thing you need to know about Caitlin Moran, it's that her writing is absolutely outrageous.

Strident feminist and long running columnist for The Times, How To Build a Girl is Moran's first fictional venture, published in September of 2014.

And yes, it might just sound like another generic, probably-going-to-be-alright title dealing with the perilous journey of 'growing up' and 'finding yourself'. But this book... well. It's unique to anything I've ever read before- in the best possible way.

But firstly, I'd like to introduce our protagonist.

Dolly Wilde is young and outrageous. 'The livewire'. Obsessed with music, sex and booze, she's dripping with eyeliner and paid by the word. Dolly's the girl that Johanna Morrigan became when she'd had enough of being herself, and decided to build her own girl. Top hat and all.

She's a quirky character, and it's not hard to see where Moran plucked her inspiration from, with heaps of similarities stemming from her own working-class, council house dwelling adolescence. In fact, parts of this novel really are so similar to anecdotes from Moran's memoir How to be a Woman, despite the fact that this novel is entirely fictional.

There seems to be a lot of Caitlin in Johanna Morrigan, and that only makes her character all the more honest.

One of the stand out characteristics of Moran's writing is that she doesn't feel the need to mince her words, which is a nice way of saying that she talks about sex a lot, and isn't afraid to cut out the naughty bits. Moran's frank in a way that a lot of writers are afraid to be, and it actually makes me feel like I can see right into Johanna's head, cogs-a-whirring.

We often hear about Johanna's family (which is vast), her friendships (or lack of) and her love life (which to start, is often with herself). Growing up is tough, and Johanna is trying to decide what sort of woman she wants to be, and where she wants her life to go.

As with much of Moran's writing, this book has a large helping of feminism to deliver as well, in that a woman should never feel that a man's needs are above her own. In this world, equality is key-even in the bedroom. Oh Johanna.

But most importantly to me, this book reinforces the concept that we should always be to true to ourselves. It takes her a while, but that's something that Johanna eventually discovers, as we all do.

Still, I wish I was cool enough to wear a top hat like Dolly Wilde.

Book Review: The Ask and the Answer

Name: The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books

Star Rating: * * * *


Well, Chaos Walking, we meet again.

It's been an entire year since I read (and loved) the first book in the series, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and now I've returned for round two with the second book, The Ask and the Answer.

 Following on from a cliff hanger, this title really did have some questions to answer (no pun intended!) and it turns out to be a decent continuation in the series.

Okay, so what's going down plot-wise?

In one major development, 'Mayor Prentiss' of Prentiss Town and his army have succeeded in taking absolute power over New World. Renamed as 'President Prentiss', the society is preparing for the arrival of thousands of settlers, whose landing could potentially change the course of life on their planet forever. President Prentiss' leadership results in  repression over his population and the segregation of men and women, so it isn't long until he begins to find himself with a little challenging opposition...

And then there's Todd and Viola, who are still alive after a perilous situation in the previous book, but separated by the President, and desperately trying to find each other again. 

I've actually found myself caring more about the planet itself and the people on it collectively, instead of Todd and Viola themselves. I like them as characters, and I like them separately, but honestly it gets pretty annoying when Viola is the only thing that Todd can think about. All. Of. The. Time. Seriously.

For those of you who aren't aware, a characteristic part of this world is a concept called the 'noise'. Which basically means that the thoughts of every animal and male human being on the planet are audible- nothing is private and only the women are exempt. It's a bit of a twist, and creates a lot of conflict.

One thing that really shocked me in this book was the town's treatment of the spackle, an animal like creature that's similar to a human being. The way that they were treated is absolutely appalling, and made me cringe on so many occasions. As beings that share a bloody history with the humans, I understand that they can be dangerous, but I longed to see them treated with compassion and respect. This is probably what Ness intended readers to feel, but still, it riled me up.

The spackle are intelligent creatures. Where exactly is the line between 'animal' and 'human', and does it even matter?

The element of war is prominent once again in this second book, and it's something I that enjoyed. Todd and Viola are a part of something much bigger then themselves and the future of their world is in a state of imminent change. Expect explosions, death and sacrifice, as well as a ton of danger and oodles of bravery. A combination which, of course, makes for an exciting read.

I've been pretty harsh about Todd and Viola, they mean everything to each other, and it's not as if they have anyone else in the whole universe. No parents, and no family. I do want them to end up 'happily ever after', but I guess that I'm just going to have to read book three and find out what happens!

I'll earmark it in for next summer.

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth

Title: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth

Author: Isabel Greenberg

Publisher: Jonathan Cape

Star Rating: * * * * *

Fear not, dear reader, for this is no factual encyclopedia!

A graphic novel written and illustrated by the hugely talented Isabel Greenberg, this is a book with many stories to tell, each providing glimpses into the fictional 'Early Earth'. A younger and much smaller planet than our own, Early Earth was home to a civilisation of human beings, much like us, who lived long, long ago.

Published in late 2013, 'the encyclopedia' is Greenberg's debut graphic novel. Achieving a place on the NYT Graphic books bestseller list, as well as two Eisner award nominations, it is easy to see why this book has been successful. 

The main plot follows the epic journey of one young storyteller, eager to discover the missing part of his soul, lost, between three women and one silly medicine man, when he was only a baby. In a journey that spans halfway across the globe, from pole to pole, stories are swapped and shared, in a novel that celebrates the art of storytelling itself.

From vicious warring clans to a power crazed king, a pair of star-crossed lovers and an all powerful god named 'Bird Man', this book really has got it all, and everything has its own story. Man, there's even a cyclops!  

Filled with the author's gorgeous illustrations, this book is engaging in a way that only a graphic novel can offer, and we're able to explore the world that Greenberg has created very visually. It doesn't just tell a story, but is a work of art in itself, which I have found incredibly refreshing. 

So what else did I enjoy?

Well, the element of mythology was really great. A theme that runs throughout, readers are introduced to the religious variations on Early Earth through the sharing of stories during the storyteller's travels. They make for a bunch for quirky tales, and all, of course, revolve around the almighty god Bird Man. His kindhearted daughter, Kiddo, is among my favourite characters, but I shan't go into too many details (no spoilers!).

The storyteller, our protagonist, is easily likable, and I was eager for him to reach his happy ending by discovering that elusive part of his soul. It's a cute plotline, but also got me thinking outside of the book. Did the Medicine Man truly lose that part of the young man's soul, or was the journey simply a metaphor for our lives on modern day Earth? After all, the quest to find ourselves and our place in the world is very relevant to many of us today.

And for those students out there, maybe even more so!

Yes, this is a graphic novel, but don't let the format put you off. Full of complex and interweaving storylines, this book is sweet, slightly savage, and highly readable. It's perfect for those who (like me) are newcomers to the genre, but engaging enough that I'd recommend it widely.

This really is a stunning piece of literature. Isabel, I'm waiting on a sequel!

'Follow your gut, Storyteller, it will lead to your happy ending.'

Book Haul: July 2014

The summer continues, and so does my chance to binge read as much literature as possible! Here are the titles that I picked up in July, and my opinions on them pre a good thorough reading. How organised of me.


Title: The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books


First Thoughts
Chaos Walking, old friend, welcome back into my life.

It's been a while, and I've read widely, but now I'm all set to take the plunge back into the world of Todd and Viola. I've always loved the concept of the Noise, which Ness has previously portrayed wonderfully, and I look forward to discovering how this continues to play a role in the story.

Is Viola still Alive? (I assume so) And will Todd ever escape the clutches of Mayor Prentiss? (He'd better do) Well, it looks like I am about to find out. Here we go...


Title: More Than This

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books


First Thoughts

We've all thought, at some point in our lives, whether there really is 'more than this'.

In this book, so does one dead boy. Newly drowned, he finds himself deserted and alone, posing this question to the world.

Ness, you have intrigued me, and I shall read this book until my intrigue has been quenched, and I turn the last page.

Title: Fahrenheit 451

Author: Ray Bradbury

Publisher: Harper Voyager



First Thoughts
I am enraged that Bradbury has written a character whose paid job is to make books burn, and smoulder out of their forbidden existence. It's outrageous!

To destroy a book is to erase a fragment of our race's precious knowledge and culture, and obliterate the lives of those who live between the fragile pages of a book. To me, that is absolutely unforgivable.

Book burnings have happened in our world. They are one of humanity's greatest crimes, and as far as I can tell, this book is full of them. I await this read with hopes of racing through the words in a manner that only an infuriated passion could fuel. I can't wait.


Title: The Girl with all the Gifts

Author: M. R. Carey

Publisher: Orbit


First Thoughts

'Not every gift is a blessing.' Ooh, a thriller, how exciting.

Melanie is different. Living her life in a cell, she is also dangerous, but how and to whom I do not yet know.

I've imagined the plot of this one to follow a young girl with supernatural powers, too strong for her to control, without bringing humankind into some kind of great peril. This speculation seems a bit predictable, and I highly suspect that I am wrong...

What is Melanie's gift, and why has she been locked up?


Title: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth

Author: Isabel Greenberg

Publisher: Jonathan Cape


First Thoughts

I've heard beautiful, beautiful things about this one.

A graphic novel written and illustrated by the hugely talented Isabel Greenberg, this is book with many stories to tell, each detailing the fictional Early Earth. Featured is a storyteller, a star-crossed romance, and a journey that takes one young human halfway around the globe.

The artwork that I've already seen is highly promising, and I look forward to diving into this ancient world. Isabel, I'm ready to go on a journey!


That's everything this time round. Safe to say, this seems like one of my top hauls to date, and I've been so crazily excited to get reading. Reviews will follow!

Tag: Pretty Spines

Words in books are important. They're the marks on the page with an ability to construct entire universes and deliver them straight into our minds, should we feel compelled to move our eyes from one to the other. Agreed, they're pretty amazing. I'm glad that we've acknowledged this.

Call me superficial, but today I don't want to talk about the words themselves, but something else that is pretty damn gorgeous. Today I'm going to discuss book covers, and the cream of the crop at that. You know the kind that I'm talking about. The ones that make you want to gather them in your arms and start stroking them lustfully in Waterstones (Ahem, that can't just me).

A little while ago I watched the booksandquills Pretty Spines Tag, where Sanne listed some of her favourite cover art from her own personal library. I thought that this was a great idea and had a browse through my own collection to pick out some of my 'pretty spines' and of course to write my own tag response. Here's what I came up with!

You can view Sanne's great video by clicking here!















Look at them, aren't they beautiful ^_^

Perfect
 By Rachel Joyce

 
            Back                                                                                                                                                          Front

I wasn't expecting these beautiful illustrations under the jacket of my hardcover copy of Perfect. The images are reflective of the story told within the cover, and just look really dainty and lovely. Yes.


The Shock of the Fall 
By Nathan Filer

Another of this year's purchases, I was initially drawn to The Shock of the Fall by it's captivating cover. So shiny.

 

Pandemonium 
By Lauren Oliver

I love this edition of Pandemonium. It's artwork almost seems like a painting and has a really delicate texture to touch. Plus, the whole trilogy looks even better as a complete set!







The Canterbury Tales
Retold by Peter Ackroyd

This cover is absolutely littered with illustrations. It looks like one well penned doodle with an eye pleasing colour scheme. In short, I find it charming.

 Jayne Eyre and Tom Brown's School Days
By Charlotte Bronte and Thomas Hughes

 












           
               Bronte                                                                                                                                                Hughes

There's something about these two that just looks classic, which is fitting, as they are 'Classic Adventures' after all! Perhaps it's the leathery texture or the fancy gold lettering, but the truth is they look just fine sat side by side on my bookshelf.

The Hobbit 
By JRR Tolkien

There are so many different editions of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, and I'm really not surprised as it is a great (and hugely famous) piece of literature. I've actually had my eye on the pocket edition for a while now, which is really cute and well designed. Despite this I still love my own copy, it's simple and striking, as well as shiny. I really like shiny things.





And there you have seven of my 'prettiest spines' to date. The quest continues... such a list will never be complete!

Book Haul: June 2014

For us students out there the month of June means two things: the end of yet another exam season and the beginning of the long and glorious, uni-free summer months.

Here are the books that I chose to kick start my summer with, and devoured in a sun drenched England. Apart from the last one, it was raining when I read the last one. This is England after all.


Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Publisher: Vintage
Star Rating: ****






Mini Review:


It's taken me a while, but I've finally got round to reading The Curious Incident. Huzzah!

This title follows the story of one autistic adolescent, Christopher Boone, a gifted mathematician with a fondness for puzzles. When the dog next door, Wellington, is murdered, Christopher is given the perfect opportunity to play detective. This is a project that lures him far from home, and all by himself for the first time.

I really admire Christopher. He faces many frightening scenarios in the course of the book, but perseveres because he is doing what he believes to be right. There's a lot that we can learn from this young guy.

This book is also hugely creative. In a similar way to The Shock of the Fall, Christopher is writing his own story in his own way. Hence, the pages are full of charts and drawings that help us to understand the character and how he sees the world. All of the chapters are even prime numbers, it's great.

I would highly recommend this title to readers of any age, particularly if you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.

Title: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged Thirteen and Three Quarters
Author: Sue Townsend
Publisher: Penguin
Star Rating: ****






Mini Review:

'My skin is dead good. I think it must be a combination of being in love and Lucozade.' 

Adrian Mole is honest, sarcastic and full of attitude. His diary entries guide us through just over one year of teenage life, reading through his worries, fixations, and many of his parents' shortcomings. Adrian's doing his best at negotiating teenage life, but it doesn't always run smoothly, and that's where the humor kicks in!

I really enjoyed reading this book, yet it didn't make me eager to read others in the series. If you're looking for a pick me up or a story that you can easily dip in and out of, then this book is ideal.



Title: Attachments
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Orion
Star Rating: ***






Mini Review:


It was all going oh so well, until I reached the last twenty pages. Too cliche Rainbow, too cliche!

Set in a newsroom in 1999, Lincoln, who's taken up a post in IT security, has been given the job of sifting through emails, night after night, that have been sent between employees of the newspaper. Snooping, basically, for a management that doesn't yet trust the internet, or more what people in the office could do with the internet. Sending personal emails, among other things, is absolutely forbidden. It's this way that Lincoln comes across two women, slowly getting to known them through emails that are continuously flagged up in the system. As Lincoln keeps on reading, it isn't long until he finds himself falling for one of them...

Rainbow always writes wonderful characters that I really find myself rooting for. Lincoln was no exception to this, and I loved reading as he finally found his feet in the world.

This book really was so close to the four star mark. For over 300 pages, Attachments was a highly enjoyable, and often funny, read. I just wish that the ending had made me cringe less than it did.

 Title: We Were Liars
Author: E.Lockhart
Publisher: Hot Key
Star Rating: *****






Mini Review:


Over the past few months I've seen We Were Liars absolutely everywhere. In the world of YA, it's pretty much exploded. I don't want to give too much away, so in terms of a synopsis I'm going to say just this:

This is a book about love and it's a book about tragedy. It's a book about growing up and discovering who you really are. But most importantly, this is a book about liars. I can't tell you much more, or I'd have to lie to you too. So sorry about that.

A great read for fans of Young Adult fiction. It's short, but entirely deceiving, and will probably wrench your heart in two.