Another rainy Sunday. Or well, it's actually snowing at the moment. After weeks of autumnal weather it looks like winter has finally arrived. Last Sunday, I mentioned that my favourite thing to do on a rainy weekend is reading a good book. I love to make myself a cup of white tea or a hot chocolate, light the candles in my room, grab the book I'm currently reading and spend the rest of the day in bed. Reading is a huge passion of mine even though I can't always read as much as I'd like. When I'm on holiday I usually finish at least 3 books in a week, that's actually the thing I look most forward to when going away. Reading opens the door to another world and is a reminder that we're not alone. Whenever I'm reading a book I really enjoy I desperately want to know how it ends but then I can't bear the thought of it ending (do you feel me?). Anyway, enough with the ramble, I managed to read a lot during the festive season and I thought I would share my favourite books with you. So here we go. x
All The Bright Places (Jennifer Niven)
This is a book you've probably all heard about. And I can only join the hype, this novel is one you will never get out of your mind again. It is about the unusual relationship between Finch and Violet, two teens with completely different lives and yet they have something in common. When both of them meet on the ledge of the bell tower, ready to give up, their stories change and a special bond forms between them. With Finch, Violet slowly manages to let go of her painful past and to truly be herself. They start exploring the world together, but while Violet is in the process of finding herself, Finch is feeling more lost than ever, despite of being deeply in love with her. A very touching and inspiring story that will make you cry but want the live your life to the fullest at the same time. The author finds the perfect way to talk about difficult topics like love, mental illness and suicide. An extremely well-written novel that deserves all the attention it can get.
Fallout (Sadie Jones)
A compelling novel about the glamour and the struggles of the acting world, love and loss. Fallout deals with a young man called Luke who escapes the world of his provincial town by moving to London and following his dream of working in a production company. He meets Nina, an actress who is struggling with the dominance of her mother and the side effects of acting, and is immediately attracted to her. His desire for her does come with consequences, though, and suddenly everything that Luke has worked so hard for seems to be in danger. And while Luke is fighting for the love of his life, he is battling his painful past that he's trying to move on from. This novel paints a very realistic image of the ups and downs of the world of acting, production, glamour and fame and shows how fragile success, love and friendships can be.
Christmas on Primrose Hill (Karen Swan)
I am aware that Christmas is over but this book is definitely worth mentioning. It deals with a young woman called Nettie who suddenly gets caught up in a huge social media campaign that she initially didn't want to be part of. While her actions go viral, she awaits Christmas with mixed feelings as it only reminds her of the life she used to have, before the tragedy happened. Since that day, her life has been frozen and she has found herself unable to move on. Meanwhile Nettie's campaign attracts the attention of Jamie Westlake, a famous singer and she gets drawn into a world of fame and paparazzis, a world that she has never wanted to be part of. But while dreading the loss of privacy, she can't deny her attraction to Jamie. A novel about the side effects of beging famous, about family, friends, love, misunderstandings and discovering the painful truth about the past. You won't be able to put this book down once you've started reading, I can guarantee you that.