Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus by John Gray

Title: Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
Author: John Gray
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 1st January 1992
Genre: Self Help

Summary:
Do you sometimes feel that you are your other half are from different planets? That is because you kind of are.

John Gray explains how men and women are both biologically, emotionally and mentally different, in our use of language, body language and stress coping methods.

Review:
So I was recommended to read this book by a work friend, and was quite excited about reading it. I got through it in four days, which for a non-fiction book is quite good for me!

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.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Title: Jurassic Park

Author: Michael Crichton

Publisher: Arrow Books

Publication Date: 1991

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Sci-fi

Summary:
John Hammond, a mad, eccentric billionaire, has done the impossible and brought history back to life on a remote island far off of the coast of Costa Rica. He calls it, Jurassic Park.

But his dream is riddled with flaws that, in an unfortunate and terrifying sequence of events, prove that man cannot play God and recreate nature and history.

Review:
I cannot rave about this book enough! It may be quite old and not well known (lets face it, who knew that Jurassic Park was a book before it was a film?) but I could not put this book down and finished it in four days!

Apart from the Harry Potter series, I have not felt so gripped and immersed by a book in a long time! I cannot exactly put my finger on why the plot is so thrilling. I think it is to do with the mix of life threatening danger, like the terrifying tyrannosaurus and velociraptors, and the scientific explanation.

So why would you read the book when you can just watch the film? Well, the book is immensely more detailed in the genetics and reasoning behind how the dinosaurs were recreated whereas the film just brushes over it and leaves unanswered questions. The same is with how a supposed colony of female dinosaurs are able to breed - the book explains this perfectly with a totally logical explanation that could be plausible.

Lets face it though, you probably could not recreate dinosaurs from scratch through the method described by Crichton in the book but it does make you think...

I also liked the foreboding through the constant references to the Chaos Theory. If you watched the film, this keeps you on the edge of your seat as you are constantly wondering when everything is going to go crazy!

Rating: 10/10. I bet you cannot read it without imagining Sam Neill as Dr Grant...

You can buy Jurassic Park from Amazon here.

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Title: Elizabeth is Missing

Author: Emma Healey

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 10th June 2014

Genre: Fiction, Mystery

Summary:

Maud is forgetful, but there is one thing she is one hundred per cent sure of - Elizabeth is missing. 

Review:

I honestly thought this book was going to be great and, given that it was the winner of the 2014 Costa Book Award, I was looking forward to reading it. However, surprise surprise, this book was, in my opinion, pretty poor. 

Without giving too much of the plot away, two plots are interwoven throughout the book; one of when Maud was young and one in the present day following the old, forgetful Maud. I think this aspect of the book was the only bit I liked. The past life of Maud helped explain her current behaviour and raised interesting questions about how certain events can impact you for the rest of your life. However, I did actually find the past plot line more interesting than the present and skim read the other story line just so I could get to the interesting part.

A Dance With Dragons 2: After The Feast by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Dance With Dragons 2: After The Feast
Author: George R. R. Martin

Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: 15th March 2012
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary:
Conflict is reigning in Westros. With those that were once powerful fallen from grace, the underdogs are rising from the pits to take advantage.

Review:
Firstly I would like to say that a year ago, before by boyfriend disappeared to America for the year, he let me borrow his entire collection of the A Song of Ice and Fire books. One year on, I can proudly say that I finished reading them all one week before he came home for good! Yay!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 6th November 2013
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Summary:

Unrest is tearing the long-established faction system apart and the ideologies of those in power is corrupting Tris's family, friends and world.

Haunted by the horrors of the last simulation, Tris must carry on and fight for the right cause, whichever that is.

But will she survive and at what cost?

Review:

Okay so I was not a big fan of the first book in the Divergent series (which you can read here) but I watched the filmed and loved it.

A Dance With Dragons 1: Dreams and Dust by George R. R. Martin

With travelling to California (again) and university assignments, it has taken me a while (a month) to read this book. However, going to Disneyland, Hollywood and Huntington Beach was way more fun than reading... soz! Anyway, at long last, here is my review...

Title: A Dance With Dragons 1: Dreams and Dust
Author: George R. R. Martin

Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: 15th March 2012
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary:
New wars are raging in the North and East.

With a Kingslayer on the run, a dragon princess without her dragons and a bastard son about to rule, there is never any rest when playing the Game of Thrones.

Review:
A Dance With Dragons 1: Dreams and Dust is very much the same as all of the other books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. However, where I got bored and tired of the plot and characters in the other books; this installment seems to be picking up... at long last!