The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
Publisher: Pan
Release Date: 27th September 1995
Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult, Classics

Summary:
On an average Thursday afternoon, Arthur Dent's world is turned upside down and destroyed. It starts with his house being demolished and ends up with him travelling through hyperspace with his alien pal, Ford.

Don't panic though - this is all for research for the latest edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Review:
I was looking for a new young adult fiction series to follow and thought it would give The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a try as, after all, it is a classic piece of science fiction.

A Change of Plan...

For several years I have always wanted to work in the publishing industry. However, after my placement year (which taught me a lot about myself and what I want from life) and my final year at university, I realised I should not limit myself to the publishing industry.

The charity co-ordinator at CLIC Sargent who I worked closely with throughout my placement year, made me realise I want to do something that I am passionate about and that I want to make a difference to the world. However, big or small this may be - I want to leave my mark. Similarly, over the past year, I have been making the most of my lovely Labrador, Meg, and spending as much time with her as possible. She makes me laugh everyday and is my best friend who loves me unconditionally. The time I spent with her made me realise that not all dogs, or animals, are as lucky as she is. That is why my new career aspiration is to work for an animal charity and use my knowledge of advertising, marketing etc. to help them in whatever way I can. In September, I will be attending Goldsmiths, University of London to me help realise this dream.

However, I will also love books and the publishing industry (who knows one day I may even write a book!) and will therefore continue this blog, at the moment, for leisure.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl
Author: Anne Frank
Publisher: Bantam
Release Date: July 1993
Genre: Non-Fiction, Autobiography

Summary:
Everyone knows the story of Anne Frank and her famous diary. This book, lovingly released by her father, captures and records her entries in her diary over the years she lived in the secret annex.

Review:
I have always wanted to read The Diary of a Young Girl but have never got around to it. In terms of writing, I cannot really comment as it is autobiographical so I will keep it short. However, this book does give an extremely interesting insight into what it was like to be a Jew during the war and what Anne, and her family and friends, went through in hiding.

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.

A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes by Stephen Hawking

Title: A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes
Author: Stephen Hawking
Publisher: Bantam Books
Release Date: 1988
Genre: Non-fiction, Science

Summary:
A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes provides an insight into the mind of Stephen Hawking and his thoughts into the history of the universe. He aims to answer, or at least unable readers to understand, his lifetime work of pinpointing a precise moment when the universe, and time and space, began.

Review:
As some of you may know, my boyfriend, and most of my friends, are physicists (they are like the plague at my university - they are everywhere!). I therefore get exposed to really long, complicated conversations where they speak in abbreviations and use weird words which I do not understand. I therefore felt it was my duty to see if this book would help me understand at least some of what they are talking about - maybe then I could stop saying the answer is pi all the time...

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

Title: Library of Souls
Author: Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk
Release Date: 22nd September 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

Summary:
Jacob, and his peculiar friends, are in London in search of their beloved Miss Peregrine and friends. They soon find themselves in Devils Acre searching the labyrinth of alleys. However, Jacob soon becomes a hot commodity as more and more people learn about his ability putting Emma and their quest in jeopardy.

Review: 
Library of Souls  is the final instalment (I believe and hope!) in the Miss Peregrime's Peculiar Children series (reviews of the other two books Miss Peregrime's Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City can be found here and here). I have a few issues with the series in general, like that it seems to be tailor made for adaptations for films (which is not necessarily a good thing) and the story seems to have been dragged out over three books just for the sake of it.

The Shining by Stephen King

Title: The Shining
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Release Date: 1st July 1980
Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Classic, Horror

Summary:
When his father becomes the Winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, young Danny Torrance does not know the danger that awaits him. Danny is blessed (or as some may say - cursed) with the shining and the mysterious forces inside the hotel want it badly...

Review:
I made a promise to myself to "try" and look after myself more with all my assignments and drama going on around me so, I thought I would take a stab at The Shining which I have tried to read about three times before.