Bookaholic Series

I’ve been trying desperately to get back into reading. I love reading but finding time to pick up a book is the real struggle. I’ll be completely honest, I like to finish work, get in pyjamas and binge watch Netflix. I like to get stuck in a good TV series so I know I have time to read, I just choose otherwise.

About a month or so ago, I joined a book club on Twitter and got sent ‘Cinder by Marissa Meyer‘ I knew it was time to get back into reading. It’s not like I hated reading, I actually rather enjoy it. I find reading a way to escape reality, de-stress and just relax. I’ve actually read a decent amount of books growing up. I always took part in my local library summer holiday reading challenges, not that I remember what books I read though.

I was sat reading my latest book, thinking how ‘I cant be the only one who chooses TV over books’. So I thought if I share books that I’m reading, books that I’m loving, books that I have read and recommend then it might inspire more people to read. I’m not saying give up telly for good, just choose a book over the telly now and then.

So here we are, the first of my Bookaholic series. I’m going to write a post every Monday filling you in on what books Ive finished, loved, hated and couldn’t put down.

To kick start my Bookaholic series, I have three books that I have read and finished since the beginning of March. Three!? I know, I’ve been doing some serious reading.

Book One:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

“Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation. 

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth’s future.”

I would never of picked up Cinder in a bookshop, probably wouldn’t of even picked it up at my local library. It just didn’t seem like my type of book. I’m not really a sci-fi fan, so I wasn’t sure how I felt about the book. It’s not your typical ‘cinderella’ story. I wont lie, it took me a good few chapters to get into the book properly. Cinder becomes a test subject for an outbreak of the plague and tries endlessly to save her stepsister’s life. She hides the fact that she’s a cyborg from Prince Kai, who is clearly becoming quite fond of Cinder. I become engrossed in the story, I felt like I needed to know what happened. I had to know whether Cinder’s stepsister lived, I had to know if Cinder ended up with Kai, if she actually went to the ball in the end. I finished the entire book in 3 hours, cover to cover. Even though it wasn’t a book I would have chosen personally, I enjoyed the story. I want to read the series to find out what Marissa Meyer had in store for Cinder.

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆

Book Two:

We Were On A Break by Lindsey Kelk

“Is it a break? Or is it a blip?

‘You’ve just had a holiday’ I pointed out, trying not to yawn. ‘Wasn’t that enough of a break?’

‘I don’t mean that kind of break.’

There’s nothing worse than the last day of holiday. Oh wait, there is. When what should have been a proposal turns into a break, Liv and Adam find themselves on opposite sides of the life they had mapped out.

Friends and family all think they’re crazy; Liv throws herself into work, animals are so much simpler than humans and Adam tries to get himself out of the hole he’s dug.

But as the short break becomes a chasm, can they find a way back to each other? Most importantly, do they want to?”

I saw this on Goodreads and after reading the blurb, I thought I would give it a try. I wasn’t sure what I would make of the book but it sounded good. I ordered it via Amazon and within 4 days, it arrived. I noticed straight off that the writing style wasn’t for me, but I continued to read it anyway. As I dived in deeper and deeper into the book, I was hooked. It’s a relatable storyline, (not that I’ve gone on a break or had a proposal waved in front of me) but the fact that Liv struggles to find herself and who she is, who she wants to be. She can’t decide what it is she wants in life. Adam declares that he wants a break and then changes his mind soon after, but Liv is then conflicted by what Adam really wants. Surely, if he had said he wanted a break then deep down that’s what he wants? So Liv then insists that they follow through with the break and work things out. It doesn’t all go to plan when Adam becomes friends with his client and Liv downloads Tinder. As the story unfold, its unsure whether or not they will get back together. I finished the book in 2 days… I’m a quick reader, I know. Once I’m into a book, I struggle to put it down. I had to know if Liv and Adam ended up together or went their separate ways. In the midst of their break, Liv deals with some of her own stuff too. Her father retires and leaves the business to her but she’s unsure whether it’s what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Even though the writing style wasn’t really my style, I’m glad I persisted to finish the book. It made me look at my own life and see what I really wanted from it.

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆

Book Three:

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

“Lou Clark knows a lot of things. 

She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now, and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time.”

I’ve wanted to read Me Before You for a long time, but never really got the chance. I ended up watching the film (which I cried my eyes out to…) instead of reading the book. Normally this is a big mistake BUT I found the film kept to the books storyline without straying. I was hooked straight away. I absolutely loved the writing style and I fell in love with the characters. Louisa loses her job, and goes on a series of adventures trying out different jobs through the job centre, none of which are what she wants. Until a job opportunity arises to assist a young man with a disability, and she doesn’t have to wipe his bum! The money was great so she jumps at the chance. She’s given the job but begins to dread going to work everyday when the man she’s looking after is rude but with her home situation in dire need, she doesn’t give up. Weeks pass and Will Traynor loosens up around Lou, he actually begins to like her. Then the day comes where Lou finds out that Will is planning on taking his own life and that she was only hired to try and change his mind because she’s young, pretty and quirky. Lou decides that she’s going to make it her mission to change Will’s mind, she plans a series of events and trips to encourage him that life isn’t so bad. I wont spoil what happens in the end, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me smile.

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Each week I’m planning on giving a little review of the book I’ve most recently read, I’m currently reading the sequel to Me Before You, so expect to see a little review on After You by Jojo Moyes next Monday (27th March).

For now, feel free to check out my Goodreads profile.