Thursday 27 March 2014

Read It Or Not: How I Live Now



I remember seeing the poster for the movie adaptation of this book a couple years ago and making a note to go see it but I never did. Then, some time in February I made my way over to Leeds to visit my sister & a couple of my best mates (read about my adventure here) and ended up leaving with a couple extra books to read after drooling over my mate Rach's bookcase.  How I Live Now was one of the books she recommended I give a chance so here I am...giving it a chance.

This is my book for April.

Feel free to join me on this adventure or share your verdict on the books I plan to read or recommend the ones you love.


Mo x

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Read It Or Not: The Perks of Being a Wallflower


This is a book I would love to have read when I was younger. Not because I don't think I am able to relate to the characters in the book but because I feel like my teenage self would have really, really enjoyed this. But at least I have read it now and I must say I do rather like it. 

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'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' is story that falls under the 'Coming of Age' category. It is a novel that regales you with the tale of a boy called Charlie who is trying to find his place in the world as he is about to start his freshman year at high school. I really admire the way Stephen Chbosky wrote this book. He somehow captured the essence of the voice of a young person in the letters that were written by Charlie making it easier to imagine this world of his. It felt like the letters were addressed to us, the readers, and we were invited into the mind of Charlie to see things as he saw it. And it was only halfway through reading this book that I finally understood its title. When I watched the film I sort of had an idea of what the story was about but I have to say the book had quite a few hidden treasures within it that made me understand the characters a lot more as you would rightly assume it would.

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If you haven't read this book before and are looking for something this is quite an easy read (I finished it in March guys. Whoop!!), has a great plot and is also an ode to other great works of literature then is the book you should get a hold of.

Read it or not...that is your choice.


Mo x 

Monday 10 March 2014

Read It Or Not: The Perks of Being a Wallflower



After buying The Perks of Being a Wallflower back in August last year I am finally getting round to reading it. And by George I will finish reading it this month as it is hardly a long story (only 231 pages). I remember watching the film adaptation of the book, which was written by Stephen Chbosky, and really revelling in the story of young Charlie and his view on the series of events that unfurled in front of him. When I found out that the film was based on a book I made a vow to read the book and grasp as many extra bits of information about Charlie, his friends and family that did not make it into the movie as I could . And now, almost 2 years later, I am fulfilling that promise I made to myself.

This is my book for March.

Feel free to join me on this adventure or share your verdict on the books I plan to read or recommend the ones you love.


Mo x

Friday 7 March 2014

Read It Or Not: Eat Pray Love


My goodness how time flies! I have not started off this year well on the reading books front. I cannot believe it is March already. Argh! Right, I have finally finished Eat Pray Love, written by Elizabeth Gilbert, and found it to be somewhat of an eye opener. The film left out soooo much but then again, it would be ridiculous to think they could cover everything in 1hr and 30 mins.

So, onto my review:

This autobiography is one that has been an absolute joy to read despite the fact that it has taken a bit more than a month to finish- I only read it during my lunch break for some reason... The way Elizabeth Gilbert wrote this book made me feel  like I was a friend of her's that was sat on a comfy sofa in her living room with a cup of tea in hand, a few biscuits in the other and had a lovely blanket made in India draped over me whilst I listened to her give me a detailed account of what happened on her year of self-discovery. I loved it! Her tales are funny, inspiring, educational and have a resounding feel of honesty. And reading about her trip to Italy, India and Bali woke up my inner traveller from its deep slumber and has lead to me taking my dream of seeing more than the city I live in a bit more seriously. But the thing I love most about this book is her perseverance. Her perseverance through all she went through and the brave decision she made to step out of the box that was her life to gain a new perspective and take charge of her life again is what filled me with doses of inspiration. That and knowing that just because your life may not be the way you hope it would does not mean you have to wallow in self-pity or the toxic abyss that is your current problem; you can pick yourself up again and reap bountiful rewards.

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So, if you are in the mood for a book that is about a woman's search for a happier version of herself and told in a witty, relatable and heart warming way then this is for you. I really do not think you will regret reading it but as I always say:

Read it or not...that is your choice.


Mo x