Still Alice

Title: Still Alice
Author: Lisa Genova
Type: Paperback
Read: 17th November - 21st November 2015
Rating: 5/5
Published: 26th February 2015 by Simon & Schuster UK

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a renowned expert in linguistics, with a successful husband and three grown children. When she begins to grow forgetful and disoriented, she dismisses it for as long as she can until a tragic diagnosis changes her life - and her relationship with her family and the world around her - for ever.
Unable to care for herself, Alice struggles to find meaning and purpose as her concept of self gradually slips away. But Alice is a remarkable woman, and her family learn more about her and each other in their quest to hold on to the Alice they know. Her memory hanging by a frayed thread, she is living in the moment, living for each day. But she is still Alice. 

A heartbreaking tale of Alice who not long after turning 50, is diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. We see this from Alice's view, from the trial of coming to terms with it, and to the fear she has of one day realising, that she will loose her memories and everyone around her.

It's a touching story, it's sad and you'll look at this disease in a new light. It does make you think. Alice is a hard working mum of three, she's a doctor at Harvad university, she's known for her work, her mind, her brilliance. It's a scary thought that its all taken away from her.

I really felt for Alice and her three children. I wasn't at all fond of her husband John. I don't think he could cope with it and the choices he made or wanted to make seemed really selfish. He's way because well Alice wont' remember.

I would watch the film for this, just to see how its' on the big screen. However i'm not sure if its based on a true story or not. But its a wonderful, thought provoking book.

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones | Wordery

Illumicrate - Unboxed

The latest subscription box is out and this time is turn for us in the UK, who can finally get hold of a book subscription package. Once a quarted Illumicrate will send out book related boxes, this being the first one. I had to sign up for it. So whats's inside...

1. Wolf by Wolf - Ryan Graudin {signed}
2. Wolf Tattoo Bookmark
3. Mockingjay Necklace 
4. Harry Potter Series Poster
5. Books before Looks Pocket Mirror
6. Six of Crows Badge

So was it worth it. You bet it was. I've never read anything by Ryan Graudin before and this is the first in a seires. The book mark is gorgeous and I'm in love with the mirror! Overall, i'm gutted to wait till February for the next one!

If you want more on Illumicrate check out: www.illumicrate.com 

Just A Girl, Standing in Front of A Boy

Title: Just A Girl, Standing In Front of A Boy
Author: Lucy-Anne Holmes
Type: Paperback
Read: 29th October - 8th November 2015
Rating: 4/5
Published: 30th January 2014 by Sphere

'My love story may not be the sort you read about in books or see in films . . . Love stories have glorious highs and ghastly lows. But when it comes to my own life, I'd have to say, you can keep your fabulous highs and I'll happily steer clear of the terrible lows.'

After a rocky start in life, Jenny Taylor, 27, star receptionist at the local doctors surgery, has things all worked out thanks to a list of ten daily things she must do to keep the blues at bay. But her life is turned upside down when she meets aspiring musician Joe King. And reliable boyfriend Matt proposes. And then her mum leaves her dad and moves into Jenny's flat determined to 'bond'.

This book screamed to me Notting Hill. It also said, do not read becuase you love Notting Hill so much and this book won't be at all about it or like it in any way, shape or form. It was correct, but I really enjoyed the book.

The story is about Jenny or Fanny as she is known by her friends due to her childhood nickname. Jenny lives in a small town whilst flat sharing with Al, a guy she randomly met whilst at a kebab stall. Jenny's best friend Philippa also lives near them. Together they're the three musketeers, the three amigos, the ones who can always make each other laugh and be there for each other, no matter what. Their friendship is to be really admired, its so close and just great to read about.

Jenny is dating Matt, an over ambitiius, numpty. He doesn't really ever have time for Jenny nor their relationship. He seems to think he knows her and proposes ontop of the London Eye (Jenny is afraid of heights). Whilst planning the wedding with her best friend, Jenny then meets the lovely Joe King (dear books, stop making joke names and expecting me to read them with a straight face). They're electric together, they're meant to be. Oh and Jenny hasn't seen her mum for years due to life before she left home and suddenly mum is on the door step, aparently left her dad. It's all fun and games.

I did enjoy the story, I liked how Jenny and her mum became friends again, how they eventually got over what happened in the past. I loved the friendship between Jenny and Philippa. I loved their little note giving as ways of making people smile. I didnt' like Matt. He was just ugh, wanted to change everything about Jenny just so he could get a promotion or made a partner at work. Such a hypocrit with things too.

Joe was lovely, they're a match made in heaven and i wanted everything to turn out all lovely like Notting Hill in the end. It's a really good story, the writing style was different but it worked.  

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones | Wordery

Last Book Haul of the Year

This is a mixture of book hauls, I've been very slacking lately and just haven't had time to do anything book related posting really. But I've brought these lovelies since September to now. I've read two of them so far as well.

1. Gorsky - Vesna Goldsworthy
2. The Leopard - Giuseppe Tomasi De Lampedusa
3. Animal Farm - George Orwell
4. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
5. A Parcel For Anna Browne - Miranda Dickinson {Read}
6. How To Stuff Up Christmas - Rosie Blake
7. Mosquitoland - David Arnold {Read}
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon
9. The Deep - Nick Cutter
10. Love Letters to the Dead - Ava Dellaira
11. Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
12.  Through the Woods - Emily Carroll

I got Mosquitoland & The Deep via Bookbridgr which I was super pleased about. Mosquitland is really enjoyable and The Deep looks really dark. I was told Gorksy is an updated verision of The Great Gatsby, I picked it up not knowing that until I paid, but the cover was bright red and stood out. So i cant' wait to get around to reading it.

Everyone knows why I brought Carry On. It's one of the most talked about books this year having made is fictional debut in Fangirl.. so the fact we get a whole book about Baz and Simon Snow is just wonderful. I'm really hoping it lives up to expectation. I'm also so overly excited to finally get my hands on Rosies book;  How to Stuff Up Christmas. This one, I have also waited patiently for as well.. so woo I got it delivered the day before release date. And I was invited to the book launch which is happening next week in London, sadly I am flying out to Poland on the day it's to take place, so I'm very gutted I will be missing all the fun.

My final exciting book is the graphic novel 'Through the Woods'. I've never read a graphic novel before, and when I searched on good reads, found there were thousands. But alot fo them seemed like they were part of a series which I didnt' really want. So when i seen this one, i ummed and Ahh'd about it for ages. I took the plunge and it looks good. I've only flicked through it so far, but some of the graphics are scary as... good time to read around all-hallows-eve.

Awful Auntie

Title: Awful Auntie
Author: David Walliams
Type: Hardback
Read: 25th October - 27th October 2015
Rating: 5/5
Published: 24th September 2014 by Harper Collins Childrens Books

From larger than life, tiddlywinks obsessed Awful Aunt Alberta to her pet owl, Wagner – this is an adventure with a difference. Aunt Alberta is on a mission to cheat the young Lady Stella Saxby out of her inheritance – Saxby Hall. But with mischievous and irrepressible Soot, the cockney ghost of a chimney sweep, alongside her Stella is determined to fight back... And sometimes a special friend, however different, is all you need to win through.

The only book of David Walliams I've read to date is Ratburger and that left me feeling blah. This book though, is brillant. I loved it from start to finish. It's a kids book, yes. But even us adults enjoy the simple things. It's a nice easy read.

Lady Stella has lost her parents and now her Awful aunt Alberta is to look after her. Alberta only wants the deeds to Saxby Hall, the deeds that belong to Stella. There is plenty of mischief and mayhem throughout the book where Stella and her trusted ghost friend are to save themselves and the house from the evil aunt.

It's a cracking book. I must add, that the hardback edition is great, if you have a sneak under the dust jacket the main cover is goregous. It really is wonderful.

Go Get It From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones 

Mosquitoland

Title: Mosquitoland
Author: David Arnold
Type: Paperback
Read: 10th October - 23rd October 2015
Rating: 4/5
Published: 10th September 2015 by Headline

When her parents unexpectedly divorce, Mim Malone is dragged from her beloved home in Ohio to the 'wastelands' of Mississippi, where she lives in a haze of medication with her dad and new (almost certainly evil) stepmom. But when Mim learns her real mother is ill back home, she escapes her new life and embarks on a rescue mission aboard a Greyhound bus, meeting an assortment of quirky characters along the way. And when her thousand-mile journey takes a few turns she could never see coming, Mim must confront her own demons, redefining her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane.

I recieved a copy via bookbridgr for review. At first i was very torn with this. I had high hopes and during the first part, I was slightly let down. However give this book a chance. It does get better.

Mim lives with her dad and his partner. They moved away from Ohio and from Mim's mum without any reason, well to Mim. So when she hears them talking about her mum in the principles office at school one day, she skips school and heads on a journey back home.

I felt really sorry for Mim at times, she was young and felt like she had a lot to prove. Throughout the book, Mim is writing to somone called Izzy which at first I thought was her aunt, but we find out later it's her sister, not yet born. We have to remember Mim is still young and therefore shouldnt' really be travelling across the US at all on her own. She meets a bunch of interesting characters and some not so.

My favourites were Walt, Arlene and Beck. They all make huge impacts to Mim and the things she does. I did fall in love towards the end of the book. Mim and Walts relationship was just amazing, I was all smiley happy for them, they were great. And Beck, he was great. He was this nice guy, who helped out, was there and listened.

It needs to be read. It's written in leters, notes, pictures and its seems like a journal of Mim.  

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones