The Missing Wife by Sheila O'Flanagan

Title: The Missing Wife
Author: Sheila O'Flanagan
Publisher: Headline Review
Release Date: 16th June 2016
Genre: Fiction, Romance

Summary:

Imogen seems to have it all: a loving husband, a house, friends and an exciting job. However, everything is not as a it seems on the surface and Imogen is deeply unhappy. So she decides to disappear.

Review:

I read another book (hooray!). After getting bogged down in dissertation reading and writing, I needed something easy to read that did not require me to think too much and The Missing Wife fit the bill perfectly.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Leuithan

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green and David Leuithan
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: 6th April 2010
Genre: Young Adult

Summary:
Will Grayson is a socially awkward teen who struggles to fit in. On an unremarkable night, he meets a stranger who turns his world upside down. The stranger he meets is called Will Grayson. Whilst the two Will's are very different, they soon realise that they can learn from, and help, each other to help realise their dreams.

Review:
What I really love about John Green books is that you can completely turn off and not think because they are so easy to read and understand. Will Grayson, Will Grayson did not disappoint and I found this to be such an easy read.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Publisher: Quirk
Release Date: 1st May 2009
Genre: Horror, Classics, Fiction, Romance

Summary:
England has fallen victim to a mysterious plague which turns people in to mindless, brain-hungry zombies. However, the Bennett sisters are highly-trained fighters who are determined to protect their small village in rural Hertfordshire. Elizabeth Bennett, the eldest sister, is their best and most fearful leader in the fight against Satan's spawn. That is until she is distracted by the arrogant and intriguing Mr Darcy.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines
Author: John Green
Release Date: 21st September 2006
Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Summary:
Colin Singlton has dated nineteen girls, who were all named Katherine. All nineteen of these relationships have ended in heartbreak.

In an effort to get over the heartbreak of the latest Katherine, he goes on a road trip to nowhere with his bestfriend, Hassan. Ever the genius, Colin tries to prove an underlying theorem to help predict the future of any relationship and help Dumpees everywhere.

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Title: The Miniaturist
Author: Jessie Burton
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: 3rd July 2014
Genre: Fiction

Summary:
Nell Oortman thought that was she marrying into the wealthy family of an Amsterdam merchant. However, her new husband, and his family, are hiding a dangerous secret. He presents Nella a curious and unique wedding gift in the form of a miniature model of their house. Nella soon enlists the help of a miniaturist to help decorate her new toy.

Things soon take a dark turn when she is sent mysterious and intrusive decorations for her model home and the secrets hold within her family start to leak...

Some Honest Truths About Being in a Long Distance Relationship

For the past my boyfriend and myself have being in a long distance relationship whilst he jetted off to live in sunny California (the lucky bugger). Whilst it has not been plain sailing, and we have had a few problems, I feel that I have learnt a lot about each other and really learnt how to work together.

To be honest I was terrified before he left as I had no idea of what it would be like or what would happen. He is currently back in the UK (although albeit the other side of the country) and, although I am no expert, I thought I would share a couple of things.

So for those of your thinking about getting in to a long distance relationship, here are some honest truths which I wish I would have known before getting in one...

1. Lets face it, you are NOT in a relationship...
A long distance relationship is not really a relationship per say; it is a promise. A promise to support each other and wait for a time when you can be together, whether that will be in a couple of weeks, months or years. It is a promise for a future not present.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Penguin Classics edition,
published 27th May 2003

Title: Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Author: Thomas Hardy
Release Date: 1891
Genre: Classics, Romance

Summary:
The life of Tess Durbeyfield, a simple, family girl, is changed forever by the greed and lust of a wealthy man. Can society and the man she loves forgive Tess, or will she be judged for a crime she did not commit?

Review:
I have not had much success with "classic" books in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised about how easy to read this book was and emotionally gripping it was. However, I am not going to lie, it was extremely hard work to get in to, but once you get past the first one hundred pages; you just want to carry on reading and reading and reading...

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Title: Sense and Sensibility
Author: Jane Austen
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1811
Genre: Romance, Classics

Summary:
Umm, see below...

Review: 
So, my New Years Resolution for 2014 was to read more classic novels. Seeing as 2014 is nearly over, I thought I had better make a start and try to at least read some classic books before it's too late! My best friend loves Jane Austen but when the bookshop didn't have Pride and Prejudice in stock, I thought I would settle for Sense and Sensibility and, at first, I was really excited to read it...

However, my excitement soon ended (approximately) ten pages in. Needless to say, this turned out to be a very, very, very hard read and I really struggled to make much sense out of it, if you would pardon the pun (I've been waiting to use that joke for a while hahaha...). From what I could gather, it is about two sisters who deal with very similar situations in two completely different ways - one in a sensible, civilised way and the other, not so much.

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Clash of Kings
Author: George R. R. Martin
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: 1st September 2011
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary:
War is coming as five nobles stake their claim for the most coveted chair in Westeros - the Iron Thorne - a prize is so sought after it turns family into foe, and friends into enemies.

Review:
It may have taken me two weeks, but I have finally finished reading the second book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series! Running a book blog and working full-time on a placement year, is not as easy as I thought it was going to be...

Anyway, whilst it did take me ages to finish it - I enjoyed every page of the book and cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

Deranged Marriage by Faith Bleasdale

Title: Deranged Marriage
Author: Faith Bleasdale
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Release Date: 11th June 2014
Genre: ChickLit, Romance

Summary:
At the age of twenty, Holly Miller made an innocent marriage pact with her childhood best friend, George. However, ten years later; the events of that drunken night comes to haunt her and threatens everything she holds dear.

Review:
I do not really have that much to say about this book, so I will make this quick...

I was really intrigued when I started reading this as the plot was so original. However, the novelty of the idea soon wore off as, in my opinion, far too much happened at the beginning as the spark soon fizzled out in regards to the marriage pact. I was left thinking, "Oh, was that it? But there is still like two hundred pages to go?" This resulted in a long, drawn out plot which, in my opinion, diverged quite a lot from the original starting point.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Title: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Author: Helen Fielding

Publisher: Jonathan Cape

Release Date: 10th October 2013

Genre: ChickLit

Summary:

Bridget is back and, unfortunately, single... again. (Where's Mark Darcy gone?!)

However, things are a bit different now as now she must navigate the world of dating whilst trying to juggle being a single mum, her newfound Twitter addiction and the uncharted territory of toy-boys. 

Review:

I was really looking forward to reading latest instalment front the diaries of Bridget Jones as I had grown bored of the repetitiveness of the previous two books in the series (my review of Bridget Jones's Diary can be found here, and my review of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason can be found here).

The Getaway by Wendy Lewis

Title: The Getaway
Author: Wendy Lewis
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Release Date: 
Genre: Romance, ChickLit

Summary:
Lexi is thrown in the deep end when she leaves behind her life in London for a sleepy countryside village.

After her estranged father suddenly dies, she inherits the Nobles Hotel and takes on the challenge of becoming its new hotelier.

However, running a hotel and country life can be an eventful business, full of weird and bizarre happenings.

Whilst trying to juggle mysterious guests, clingy ex-boyfriends and rumours of Phantom bagpipers; Lexi soon finds herself smitten with Sam, the local sledger.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding

Title: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Author: Helen Fielding
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: 18th November 1999
Genre: ChickLit

Summary:
Bridget Jones is back and crazier than ever.

In the second installment of her singleton diary, Bridget finds herself dealing with drug lords, death threats and prison (oo-er..)

And, not forgetting, the gorgeous and dashing Mark Darcy.

Review:
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, is very much the same as its predecessor Bridget Jones's Diary (my review can be found here). It is funny, cheesy and unbelieving engrossing for women everywhere. Not to mention; it is not a patch on the film!

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Title: Bridget Jones's Diary
Author: Helen Fielding
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: 25th October 1996
Genre: ChickLit

Summary:
Bridget Jones is the ultimate singleton. She's forever single, stuck in a dead-end job and slightly overweight.

In her diary she documents her struggles with; men (Mark Darcy or Daniel Cleaver?!!), her weight and her over-possessive and barmy mother.

Review:
I was really looking forward to reading Bridget Jones's Diary, as I absolutely love the film! (Here I am basing a book on the film... again!)

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones
Author: George R. R. Martin
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 23rd December 2010
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary: 
In the Land of Westeros Winter is coming and the struggle for the Iron Thorne has begun.

Review:
I was not sure what I was expecting when I was persuaded to start reading this series but I did not think it was going to be as good as it actually is.

It is awesome and it is easy to see why it has become so popular.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 28th February 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Summary:
Becoming sixteen is a big deal for all teenagers.

For Beatrice Prior, however, at the age of sixteen she must make a life-changing decision that will change her whole world for she lives in a society divided my factions.

She must choose where she belongs and prove herself to her new "family". Her decision, however, has deadly consequences.

Review: 
I decided to read this book after my best-friend raved about it constantly. However, I was not impressed with her taste in books (which is usually impeccable) this time as I had two major issues with it...

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

After finally finishing all my assignments; I finally have some time to read! However, this review will be short and sweet as I now have exams to revise for! 

Title: The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 2nd January 2014

Genre: Humour, Romance

Summary: 

Being the world's most socially awkward and weird man makes it extremely hard for you to find your perfect partner. Don Tillman, a successful geneticist and lecturer, however has a plan. Enter The Wife Project; a scientific experiment of find the perfect woman and lifelong partner. Don is determined that this method is guaranteed to produce the answer to all his dreams. However, when Rosie unsuspectingly walks into his life; she turns his world upside down.

Review: 

I am not going to lie, I brought this book because I thought the cover was interesting and I had heard a lot about it online.

Big mistake.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Title: Atonement
Author: Ian McEwan
Publisher: Vintage Books
Release Date: 2nd May 2002
Genre: Romance, Crime, Classics, Period Drama

Summary:
In the summer of 1935, Briony Tallis tells a lie. Little does she know that this little indulgence on her imagination will have a detrimental impact on the lives of the ones she loves.

I think that is all I can say without giving away too much...

Review:
When I started reading this book, I was expecting it to be extremely boring as I am not a fan of the "Downtown Abbey Manor House" genre. I was, however, pleasantly surprised and became extremely engrossed with the characters and the plot.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Title: My Sister's Keeper
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Release Date: 6th April 2004
Genre: Fiction, Family, Romance

Summary:
Sara Fitzgerald would do almost anything for her daughter, Kate. However, when Kate is diagnosed with leukaemia; Sara's love for her daughter is truely put to test.

Anna, a by-product of Sara's mission to save Kate, was specifically designed and conceived to save Kate's life by providing a much needed bone marrow transplant. However, Sara's world is turned up-side down when Anna decides that, after many years, she does not want to help anymore and sues her own parents for the rights to her body.

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Cover for Picador film tie-in edition
(published 16th October 2012)

Title: The Silver Linings Playbook
Author: Matthew Quick
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: First published 2nd September 2008
Genre: Romance

Summary:
Pat is a man with a plan. Get fit. Read books. Get his wife back. Simples!

However, like most things in life, it is not that simple. Especially seeing as Pat has just got out of a psychiatric hospital and his wife, has now, become estranged.

When everything seems to be going on, something appears beyond the horizon...

Here comes Tiffany, his silver lining.

Review:
When writing my reviews for posts, I usually find it easy to class the different books into their relevant genres but when writing this, I really did struggle.