The Martian-Andy Weir

Published: Feb 11, 2014
Publisher: Crown
369 pages
Goodreads page

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first man to die there.

It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead. Now he's stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to get him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit--he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

This book was strangely captivating. Its basically just a survival story of this man Mark Watneys time on mars (fictional).

Some of the things that are talked about in this book are a little confusing there are a lot of technical things talked about. There were a lot of moments where i was reading and thinking 'how is this so interesting?' but it really was! I really could not put this book down even at the most boring of parts in the book.

 I had to know what would happen with him.

I feel like book will stay with me for a long time and i can't exactly explain why.

I love Marks character he's funny and witty even in such a dire circumstance and reading about the people pulling together to help was really just a great read. Even the way Mars in explained it just paints such an amazingly fascinating picture in your mind.

I definitely recommend you pick this book up!

*****

Five stars

Top books of 2014

Because i only read 29 books in 2014 i thought id narrow my favourites down to top 5. I unfortunately only read a few books that really stood out to me in 2014.

So here is my top 5 books of 2014 in no particular order.

I am malala-Malala Yousafzai

Ready player one-Ernest Cline

Gone girl-Gillian Flynn

The white princess-Philippa Gregory 

A thousand splendid suns-Khaled Hosseini

Marked- P.C & Kristin Cast

Published: May 1, 2007
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
306 pages
Goodreads page

After a Vampire Tracker Marks her with a crescent moon on her forehead, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx and has affinities for all five elements: Air, Fire Water, Earth and Spirit. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite club, is mis-using her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny – with a little help from her new vampyre friends (or Nerd Herd, as Aphrodite calls them)

I really didn't have high expectations going into this book. Its a book about vampires, and i think that ship has somewhat sailed but it was sitting on my shelf so i decided to give it a read.

I was quite surprised at how easy this was to read. It definitely wasn't perfect i had a few issues but i think it was pretty great considering the fact i thought it would be terrible.
The authors put their own twist to the vampire genre whilst still keeping to tradition (definitely no sparkling vampires here) which i liked.

The main character Zoey was likable and didn't bug me, unfortunately the same can't be said about her friends. I did find them a little annoying and the way two of them constantly say twin after everything they say to each other really bugged me, like ok we get it you call each other twin can you shut up now?

Other than that the story line was intriguing enough to keep me reading.
I would call it a guilty pleasure read to be sure.

***
Three stars

Obsidian-Jennifer L Armentrout

Published: May 8th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
335 pages
Goodreads page

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

Ok so I'm not gonna lie, this book is basically Twilight but in place of vampires there are aliens. BUT in saying that i really enjoyed it!

It was kind of a guilty pleasure read, but the banter between Kat and Daemon was entertaining. Kat is also a far better protagonist than Bella in Twilight. She wasn't annoying and had her own valid opinions and ideas.

I also did love the fact that she was a book nerd and had a blog, i actually wish there was a bit more stuff about that.

Lets be real guys, we all a need a guilty pleasure read in our lives and this was great one. It was quick because it really didn't take that much thought but still enjoyable. This time of year with the stress of Christmas and all that comes with the year ending its good to just escape into something that doesn't take a lot of effort to read.

Definitely recommend it and i will be checking out the rest of the series very soon!

****

Four stars

A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini

Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover
Published: May 22, 2007
372 pages
Goodreads page

Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them—in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul—they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman’s love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

This book has sparked a fascination in me of the middle eastern culture. I want to learn more about it. I feel so deeply for the women and all the things they have had to deal with.

The things the two women in this book experience is really terrible. Reading their journey and seeing their strength was really beautiful.

This was truly an amazing story, and while it was fiction it was based around real events and the real culture in Afghanistan.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone!

*****

Five stars

Landline - Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St Martins Press
Published: July 8th 2014
310 pages
Goodreads page

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.

Maybe that was always beside the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

I'm not really sure how to start off this review. I finished this book quite a few days ago and I'm still unsure how i feel about it.
I could definitely relate to the main character being a mum but i also felt that i could really relate to Neal and his life as a stay at home dad. Aside from me being female and him male i felt that we had so much in common.

I'm not exactly sure i was into the whole time travelling phone thing which is why its so hard to review because that's basically what the whole book is about.
Of course i enjoyed Rainbow Rowells writing style, she definitely has a captivating way with words and i am guaranteed to read anything she writes.
I will have to say this is my least favourite of her books.

I gave it the four star rating because i was unsure and also because i couldn't go less because its Rainbow Rowell and i love her writing, but for the story line its probably only a three star.

So that was a terrible review but basically is you haven't read Rainbow Rowell don't start with this one and if you have read her other books this is worth reading but probably wont be as good as what you have read by her.

****
Four Stars

The Other Boleyn Girl- Philippa Gregory

Publisher: Touchstone

Published: May 21st 2003

664 pages

Goodreads Page

 

When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realises just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots as the king's interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king and take fate into her own hands.

A rich and compelling novel of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, The Other Boleyn Girl introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamourous court in Europe and survived by following her heart

This book is #2 in the Tudor Court series that focuses on Mary Boleyn who was one of King Henry's mistressess. It basically follows her life through the rise and fall of power in the days of the Tudor court.

This book took me a long time to get through, though that wasnt at all because i wasnt enjoying it. In fact i think it may have brought me to the end of my reading slump (finally!!). I enjoy every moment of Philippa Gregorys's books and this one was no different. They way she really paints a picture of this time is amazing, you really feel like your there and you go on such an interesting journey through history.

I found Mary Boleyn's story so fascinating. We also get to see the story of her brother and her sister through her eyes and they also lived captivating lives. The things people went through andd experienced in those times is unbelievable and i honestly just love reading about it.

If you are interested in historical fiction and havent checked out Philippa Gregory's books yet i highly reccomend you do!

*****

Five stars