2016 saw me get back into my reading groove. I read a lot of new (and old) books, some of which I never expected I would enjoy so much. My aim is to sail into 2017 reading so much more, and really broaden my horizons with the material that I choose to read. So far it's looking good :)
Here are some of my favourite books that I read last year.
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
This was definitely a book I never expected to love so much. I have a habit of popping into book shops and picking up whatever looks appealing to me based on the cover or the title (talk about judging a book by its cover, I know). This is exactly what I did when I bought All the Birds in the Sky, and I wasn't disappointed.
Without spoiling anything, All the Birds in the Sky is a delightful and adventurous read. It starts from the persepective of childhood friends Patricia and Laurence and documents both of their lives, how they grow closer to each other and inevitably drift apart. Their lives and worlds are so vastly different, Laurence is a scientist while Patricia is a witch with a very strong connection to the natural world. I suppose it's a story of nature versus technology in a way, tradition versus new methods, and how dangerous both can be.
It wasn't a book that I had to put in a great deal of effort to get into, and I found myself wanting to stay on my lunch for a little while longer to get to the next part whenever I was reading. I think overall I'd give it 4/5 :)
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
I'd seen The Girl on the Train advertised in Leeds train station a number of times the year it was released, but wasn't initially drawn to it. I don't usually tend to read thriller/crime novels, and rarely tend to enjoy them just because of my own personal tastes. The moment I saw the trailer for the film adaptation though, I decided I wanted to read it. The book was described as the new Gone Girl, and I absolutely loved reading that.
I'm sure that a lot of people have already read/seen The Girl on the Train, but I still don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't yet. It honestly kept me gripped throughout, and with such an unreliable narrator as Rachel who suffers from an alcohol addiction, I felt compelled to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. It was fast paced and had plenty of twists (some of which I predicted) and I thought it was a good read.
I haven't seen the film adaptation yet though, and I'm quite reluctant to, mostly because of the number of huge changes they've made. Saying that though, it's rare to enjoy a film more than the book, and that's something I've grown to accept. Overall, I'd give it 3.5/5 :)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
I've already written a separate blog post about this book here. It's funny how I happened to buy this book. It was a Saturday afternoon and I was horribly horribly hungover and had spent almost all day in bed. I stupidly agreed to go shopping with my parents and felt absolutely awful the whole way around. We popped into W H Smiths and in an attempt to make myself feel better I ended up buying The Night Circus.
Hungover Courtney made a good decision because I thought this book was magical. It's a love story with a twist. Celia and Marco have been desitined to duel their whole lives, and there can only be one winner. Their life-long battle births The Night Circus and this is where we see the magic really take place. The characters are well constructed, as is the story, and I'd really recommend this to anyone who loves magic, fantasy and the mystery of the unknown.
I'd give The Night Circus 4.5/5 - one of my favourites to read last year!
The Power by Naomi Alderman
I saw Alderman's book in Cosmopolitan's upcoming book releases, and the plot immediately struck me. What would the world be like if women had the physical power to inflict pain upon anyone they touch? I was so intrigued to read it, and impatiently waited until it was released. I managed to get hold of a signed copy from Waterstones at the end of October last year and started reading it straight away.
I practically ate this book I read it so quickly. Normally I really take my time with reading, especially if I enjoy a book, because I don't want it to end. I think I enjoyed The Power far too much though! I really don't want to spoil the plot of this book for anyone, but I will say if you're interested in feminism and apocalyptic themes, then you'll enjoy The Power. It's a very well written and well balanced book. I didn't feel like I was being fed anything by the narrative, simply that I was able to enjoy it.
It gets 5/5 from me :)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany
As a life-long Harry Potter fan, much like most of the population, I had to buy The Cursed Child when it came out. I doubt that I'll ever get to see it on stage, so reading the play was great. I didn't enjoy it as much as the original books because the story is different and I'm very emotionally attached to them. I did, however, love the development and growth of characters that we all know and love. We didn't get to see Ron and Hermione as much as I would've liked, but obviously the new story doesn't revolve around them.
I'm definitely of the opinion that the plot of The Cursed Child couldn't withstand being a full novel. Personally I thought it was a little predictable a less captivating than Rowling's beloved books. It works well as a play, and from seeing the cast I think it would be amazing to see in the West End.
Hopefully I'll get to see it at some point in the future! For now, I'd give the book 3/5 :)
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
When I found out that Anna was releasing an autobiography I was so excited for it to come out. I've always loved Anna Kendrick, as an actress and just as a person in general. She's witty, awkward and her dry humour suits mine to a tee.
Through her book she gives a 'warts and all' insight into the acting world and the bright lights of Hollywood. Things I thought would be super glamorous turn out to be... well, not so glamorous after all. Knowing that even after her nomination for an Academy Award for Up in the Air she still had barely a penny to her name gave me a much more realistic idea about what the life of an actress is like.
A myriad of anecdotes, some hilarious and some touching, fill Anna's book and I really really enjoyed it. Every now and again I'll pick up something non-fiction to read, and I'm so glad that Scrappy Little Nobody didn't disappoint. If you love Anna Kendrick, then you'll love this. I give this one 4/5 :)
Mistletoe on 34th Street by Lisa Dickenson
This is not a book I would've chosen for myself. Being as judgemental as I am, I would have passed this book by and missed out on a treat. My friend bought me this as a Christmas present (which I opened early, don't judge me...) and I decided to get it read before Christmas was over. I'm superstitious and didn't want to read it at any other time of year.
I was so pleasantly surprised by how hooked I became from the off. Dickenson's style of writing is lovely, so fluid and uncomplicated. She doesn't throw in unnecesary synonyms like I seem to find in other books, which for me personally can make something so taxing to read. Each character had a voice, and I absolutely loved the main character Olivia.
Set in New York for most of the novel, it follows Olivia's work and personal struggles, as well as the fact she's getting over the fact she's a Christmas Grinch. I found myself rooting for her to get everything she wanted. She was likeable because she had her faults as well as many positive characteristics.
I thoroughly enjoyed this winter romance, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a feel-good book to read. I give it 4.5/5 :)
Thanks so much for reading my book post! I'd love to keep future posts more like this, and more book/writing focused. Let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments, or let me know what your favourite books of last year were. I'm always looking for recommendations :)
~ C xxx
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