Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
by Matthew Quick
Published: 13th August 2013
Publisher: Headline

Blurb

Leonard Peacock is turning 18.
And he wants to say goodbye.

Not to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing something tragic and horrific.

Nor to his mum who’s moved out and left him to fend form himself. But to his four friends.
A Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour
A teenage violin virtuoso
A pastor’s daughter
A teacher

Most of the time, Leonard believes he’s weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he’s not.

He wants to thank them, and bid them farewell.

Review
I picked this book up after I finished (and loved) The Silver Lining’s Playbook, I was extremely interested in seeing what else this author could produce. I chose this one to read next from his collection of work, firstly because the blurb fascinated me, and secondly because there was praise from Jay Asher, who wrote one of my favourite books, Thirteen Reasons Why.
I began this book, and I can honestly say I didn’t like it at first. The reason I didn’t fall in love immediately was because I didn’t take a shine to the protagonist, Leonard, instantly. What struck me initially was the characters voice. Leonard has a very dark, dry sense of humour that really made me feel uncomfortable. I mean the first sentence of the novel blew me away! Once I got over that, and realised why the character was that way, I felt the voice was very powerful and effective. I grew to appreciate his cynicism and started to relate to him in some ways.
The structure of the book is something that I found quite interesting. The author has uses footnotes throughout the novel. At first I really enjoyed this, it was something I’d never come across before, and then I found them really annoying because I found them to be quite jarring because I had to keep jumping around the page. I got used to them by the end, and it was an interesting feature. I also enjoyed how the author plays with the words on the page. I loved the visual representation of the character’s feelings. I saw each word spread over a few different lines, and I could read the word individually in its own right – very effective writing indeed.
In terms of plot, this is a very difficult narrative to read. From the blurb you can see that Leonard is battling quite a lot of demons, and has decided he wants to end his life. This is never an easy topic to read, but the author has presented it in an astonishing way by writing it from Leonard’s perspective. I never thought I would enjoy reading from the perspective of someone that wanted to commit murder-suicide, because it’s very blunt and at times truly difficult to read. Writing this novel from this perspective works incredibly well because you feel everything the character is feeling, and you have a deeper understanding of why he has chosen to take this path.
I loved the relationships involved in this novel, obviously including the four described in the blurb but also with Leonard’s mother. The novel is a huge comment on the effects of relationships, and how we treat people. I enjoyed the relationship between Leonard and Herr Silverman the most but I actually felt the strongest about the interactions between Leonard and his mother, Linda. I don’t want to go into too much detail here because I think this is something you need to experience first-hand, but let me say this, it will leave you speechless.
I truly could go on and on about this novel, it really is a breath taking read. I loved The Silver Lining’s Playbook, and I love Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock even more. I would really recommend this novel to everyone, and I think it’s a read that will stay with me for a long time. After I turned the last page I was sat in awe for several moments, and I think I’ve fallen into a book hangover because how can I move on from that?

Get it, read it, enjoy it. You won’t regret it.

If you’d like to grab yourself a copy: Amazon link

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

Published: 3rd January 2013

Publisher: Phoenix

Blurb

Who are you?
What have we done to each other?

These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy’s friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn’t true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren’t made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone.

So what did happen to Nick’s beautiful wife?

Review

I heard about this book when I was participating in a book bloggers chat on Twitter, and that week’s topic was ‘book to film adaptations’, and the people in the chat were discussing the new trailer for this book. I checked out the movie trailer and immediately went out to buy the book. I must admit it took me a while to get round to reading it, and I had every intention of reading it before I saw the film, but that didn’t happen in the end. This is an incredibly hyped book, and I understand why there is such a buzz surrounding this book now that I’ve finished it. I think it definitely deserves the hype.

I should begin this review by stating that this review will be spoiler free, because I think it’s important that if you haven’t read the book that you get to experience the twists and revelations first hand.

To start with, I’d like to talk about the structure of this book. It’s split up into 3 different parts, and throughout the book there is dual narrative. I absolutely adore books that have dual narrative, I love reading two different perspectives because it adds a lot of depth. It’s especially interesting in this novel, because it creates an interesting dynamic for the reader, as it creates the potential for an unreliable narrator. When you read the characters perspectives on events, they could be perceived differently because everybody remembers things differently and has different opinions.

The characters are incredible in this, for the majority of the story I didn’t know who to side with and I had a huge love hate relationship with them. I love that they’re flawed characters, as it adds a stronger sense of realism to a plot that at times is far-fetched. I like the different voices for each character, and at times the humour that they brought to the situation they are in.

In terms of the plot, without spoilers, I felt that the plot was intense and well thought out. It has plenty of twists and turns and definitely kept me engaged throughout. The ending to me was frustrating, but I wasn’t disappointed as such, I was more surprised that the author took the story in that direction. I particularly liked that the plot bounces from past to present, and that each event from the past adds to the suspense and character development.

I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone, and I think I will lend my copy to my Mum to read because she’ll love it too. I’d say that this book is up there with my favourites of the year. As you know this book has recently been released in the cinemas, and I have already seen it (twice) so keep an eye out for an upcoming review of that. If you’ve read this book I’d love to speak to you in more detail about it because there is a lot to say for this one!

I cannot recommend this enough. I honestly think the majority will love this novel. A must read!

Personal-Planner Review!

Hi there, today’s blog post is a review for a product that I think you’ll find interesting!

I would like to talk to you about a company I was turned on to by Creative Pixie called personal-planner. This is a website that allows you to custom make a diary! As soon as I saw Jean’s review, I jumped over to the website and ordered myself one.

I should say, this idea completely appealed to me for several reasons. One reason is that after I finished University,  I struggled to find a diary that would fit my needs. Most diaries have pages in them that I find useless, for example, in the academic diaries there are class timetables. I couldn’t even write my rota in that because I haven’t got a consistent rota. I never work the same shifts each week. Another reason is that I could never find a diary layout that was perfect for me. I like to have enough space to write a few notes, but I don’t need a full page, and so sometimes I couldn’t find a good sized diary in a design that I liked.

Personal-planner offers a ‘design it yourself’ element so that you choose the most intricate details of your diary.

Here are a list of things that I customised:

• The front cover – I was able to either choose from a set of pre-designed images available on the site, or, I could upload any image that I liked and used that for my cover. I absolutely love this! For me, I know that my diary will be complete unique because it has a picture of my lovely bookcases as my front cover! Plus you can add text in any colour of choice. I chose to add my blog name, intothebookcase, and then book blog planner.

• The back cover – I could have again uploaded an image or choose from images already available, but for the back of my diary I chose to have a solid colour instead. I chose a beautiful light green for the back of my diary.

• The elastic fastener – I was allowed to change the colour of the elastic that keeps the diary closed. This shows you really can customise the smallest of details. I chose purple to go with the light green on the back.

• The details page – This section is ideal for any contact information or even a quote that you live by. You can type in anything your heart desire on this inside page. I decided to put my blog address, my blog email address and my twitter handle.

• The page layout – This is the aspect that I appreciated the most! I loved being able to choose how I wanted my diary set out, so that it fits my needs. I chose a layout that had plenty of space to write the things I needed, and meant I could see the whole week clearly.

• The back pages –   Now this is where this site is fantastic, not only have I got a personalised, beautifully made diary but I got to choose what I wanted to have in the pages after the diary has ended. This ranged from lined, or squared pages to suduko or pages to colour in! I adored this idea, what a fantastic thing to add in. I chose to add the ‘colouring book’ for a bit of fun.

Other additional elements:

• Add important dates (anniversary, birthdays)
• Add to-do lists, or notes etc
• Choose colours for nearly everything
• Choose start month
• Plastic wallet to store things in

I was absolutely thrilled when my diary arrived and I cannot recommend the site enough. They really supply a fantastic product, and I’ll definitely be a repeat customer. This would also be a perfect gift for those in your life that love organisation, or may find this is inspiration to be more organised. I’d completely recommend this to my fellow book bloggers that are looking for a great way to keep track of blog posts and tours etc.

Don’t hesistate, go and check out the personal-planner website: Here!

The Pointless Book by Alfie Deyes

The Pointless Book
by Alfie Deyes
Published: 4th September 2014
Publisher: Blink

Blurb

Brought to you by YouTube Vlogger Alfie Deyes, The Pointless Book, accompanied by the free downloadable app, is the ultimate addition to his YouTube channel a weird & funny video-diary of fun, challenges and nothingness: bake a cake in a mug; take part in a people-watching challenge; create a time capsule; diarise a week of your life and learn to make origami. Fully illustrated and packed with a host of games, activities and pranks, Alfie invites you to join his online following as he challenges you to complete your journal of pointlessness and do virtually nothing with pride.

Review
I’d like to say a big thank you to Emma from Midas PR for kindly sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’d seen this book mentioned a lot online, and I was really interested to see what it had to offer, so I was thrilled to receive a copy to see what it’s all about.

Firstly, I should explain that the author of this book is not your average author! Alfie Deyes is actually a 21 year old Youtube personality, with a following of over 3million subscribers, and 1.5 million followers. He wanted to create a book that expresses his personality and something he’d be proud of.
The Pointless Book is an interactive book that is ‘started by Alfie Deyes and finished by you’. This means that each page of the book has a different challenge or task. For example, there is a mixture of games like spot the difference, and word searches, and then tasks like bury your book overnight. This is a fantastic idea, and one that will engage an audience of any age, because there is something for everyone.

The fantastic thing about this book is that it comes with a downloadable app that is used alongside the book, and has exclusive footage. Alfie has really found a great way to tie in his online video content into his book, and it is a unique aspect for me. I’d never seen anything like that so I was impressed.
One thing I need to mention is that it has been compared quite a lot to Wreck This Journal. I haven’t personally got a copy of that book but my sister-in-law has and she loves her copy. From the pictures Jackie has posted it is a fair and understandable comparison as they both offer an interactive element, in terms of the challenges and tasks. However, I’d say that is where the comparison ends because I think the addition of the app and video content makes this particular book stand out. From what I can see, I think there is room in the world for both as they both offer their own unique qualities.

Overall, I think this book is fantastic and such a fun idea. I think this would be a perfect gift for any age, particularly teenagers and those that are fans of Youtubers. I think it’s fantastic to see the Youtube community grow and expand from behind the cameras and do something new.

Brilliant, I’d absolutely recommend this book and I look forward to completing all the challenges.

Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

Roomies

by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

Published: 2nd January 2014

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Blurb

The countdown to university has begun…

When Elizabeth receives her first-year roommate assignment at the beginning of summer, she shoots off an email to coordinate the basics: TV, microwave, mini-fridge. She can’t wait to escape for her New Jersey beach town – and her mom – and start life afresh in California.

That first note to Lauren in San Francisco comes as a surprise; she had requested a single. But if Lauren’s learned anything from being the oldest of six, it’s that you don’t always get what you want, especially when what you want is privacy.

Soon the girls are emailing back and forth, sharing secrets even though they’ve never met. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives… and each other.

Review

I was kindly sent a copy of this book from the lovely folk at bookbridgr, partnered with Hodder & Stoughton, in exchange for an honest review. I was extremely eager to read this book, so much so that I immediately packed it to take on my holiday to the Lake District.

The main thing that I loved about this book is that it’s written from dual perspectives. We all know I love a book with that feature. I appreciated how the voices and writing styles were as opposite as the character’s lives. This is obviously because it has been written by two authors, but still, I like that they were completely different. If someone were to read out a passage from this book, I felt like I would have been able to identify which character was speaking.

I found the plot compelling, and would have devoured this book in one sitting if I wasn’t running around on holiday. Each chapter encouraged me to read on, and I was eager to find out how their relationship developed. This book has the perfect combination of drama, with a touch of romance, and also in my case, it made me feel nostalgic for my University days. Each chapter bounces back and forth between the characters, so I was never bored by one character, and I was engaged throughout.

I thought it was also an interesting insight into how much social media and the internet affects the way people interact. The girls use emails to communicate over the summer (as EB lives across the country) and this was at times a curse and a blessing, as often text and tone can be misunderstood. Also, it’s interesting how friendships can be affected by such things as facebook, or twitter, and how quickly impressions can be made from those social media sites. This book is a great example of those aspects.

The only problem I had with this book, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, is that I didn’t want it to end where it did. I felt like I wanted more from it, I wanted to know what happened next. It could be seen as anti-climactic, but I think it’s more of a sign of how much I loved reading about the characters.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It felt like a perfectly nostalgic throwback read, and made me remember how excited I was for the next step in life. I’d recommend this to all of the people that are going to, are taking, and have already taken that step in life.

If you’d like to grab yourself a copy: Amazon link

Sims 4: Pre – Release Expectations

Hi lovelies! Today I thought I’d do something I’ve not done before on my blog and review a game, The Sims 4. I’ve decided to split the review into 2 parts because the post would be forever long. In this instalment I’m going to discuss my pre-release thoughts and expectations, and the differences between the games. In the next I’ll discuss the game play and my initial thoughts.

I’ve been a fan of the franchise since it was released back in 2000, and I remember playing it for the first time. From then on I’ve been an avid follower of the different generations and expansions, slowly collecting and absorbing the different developments. The game quality has come a long way since the early days, and a lot of fantastic features have been added. I’ve loved all of the different expansion packs, my favourites being Pets (1-3) and Generations (3) as I’ve found them to bring the most realism into the game.

When I heard there would be a new generation, I was extremely excited to see the advancements and be wowed by the quality. I pre-ordered the game like I always do and waited eagerly for the release date. That is until I did some research and learnt about the differences between The Sims 3 and the new game. Instead of the advance in game play and progress in quality, it seemed to lose a lot of the things I think made Sims 3 so great.

I read that the main things we would lose in this game were Create-A-Style, the function that would enable the player to customise absolutely anything in the game. You want a turquoise zebra print bed frame? Then that was the tool for you. It was the dream tool for my creative urges, and I felt this would be a massive loss to the game. The other massive loss is that the ‘open town’ plan that was introduced in Sims 3 has been cut from the newer generation. Instead we’d have a set-up similar to Sims 2 in which the gameplay would be focused on one household and if you wanted to take the sim to another location, you’d be faced with a loading screen. These changes upset quite a few fans of the franchise, including me because we felt like instead of advancing the series it’s taken a step back. In hindsight, I understand why these elements were taken from the gameplay, as the creators felt that they wanted to make a game that would function better on the lower-end PCs. I can relate to this, I had a lot of problems with Sims 3 turning itself off or freezing, so perhaps without these elements the game will run smoothly for longer periods of time.

There were a couple of losses that I couldn’t wrap my head around at all, and in fact make me really frustrated with the creators. They have decided to take away the Toddler age level, and swimming pools. Now, swimming pools have been in the game since the beginning of the franchise and they played a massive part in the game for a lot of people, as the game is meant to be about living lives you can only dream about, and for some having their sims swim in their back garden was a fantasy they enjoyed. I’m not overly fussed about the use of the pools but what annoys me is that they’ll probably add it into an expansion pack, making it cost for something that had been in the base game for years. As the game and all of the expansion packs can get expensive, you can imagine why folk are
annoyed. The loss of the Toddler stage is a big one for me, as I think this is essential in any game play. They’re always talking about adding features that will make the gameplay more realistic, yet they take away a milestone in life. It’s un-natural to go from a baby to a child (which looks around 8 or 9) without having a toddler stage. I found this stage to be really important, as I loved being able to teach them to talk, walk and potty train. I loved this part of the game play, so I think I’ll miss that the most.

Overall, I can’t say I’m thrilled for most of the changes, it seems like a massive step back from the last generation. I just hope that a smoother game play and new features make up for it.

Here is the trailer for the new Sims 4 game, and I’ll be discussing this and how I find the game in the next installment:

The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight

by Jennifer E. Smith

Published: 24th May 2012

Publisher: Headline

Blurb

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of Hadley’s life…

Her father is getting married in London to a woman she’s never even met, and she’s just missed her flight.

Hadley has never believed in destiny or fate before…

But, stuck at the airport in New York, today is also the day she meets Oliver. He’s British. He’s cute. And he’s on her new flght.

Review

I purchased this book at the start of summer when I was looking for a light hearted, quick read, and only got round to reading it at the end of summer. I’d heard a lot of good things about this book, and had every hope that it would live up to the expectation. Thankfully, I can agree and say that this book is worth the praise, and I’m very happy I read it.

This book follows Hadley as she travels to England for her Dad’s wedding. She accidentally misses her flight by 4 minutes and must wait to catch the next flight. As she’s waiting in the departure lounge she meets Oliver, a charming attractive British boy, who is waiting for the same flight.

At first, I didn’t like Hadley, as she seemed immature and whiney. I understood that she was upset at her Dad for leaving, and I guess it must be because I’ve never been through the same situation, but for me reading about her lashing out at people was annoying. Oliver, I loved from the start. He was funny and sincere, and he sounded adorable. As I continued to read I realised that he brought the best out of Hadley, and I ended up quite liking her.

This story is set over 24 hours, and the last book I read that had this sort of time line was If I Stay, which I didn’t like. That book wasn’t split up into chapters and I became frustrated by it. I loved that this book was split into chapters, and it made it easier for me to read. Also, the flashbacks were moulded seamlessly within the present, and they were all relevant to the present. I hate when I’m reading something that jumps into a flashback that bears no real relation to the present plot. The flashbacks in this book deepened the relationships between the characters, and I enjoyed reading them.

As the book is set in 24 hours, the pace of the novel is quick, and I felt like I was on the journey with the characters. I didn’t want to put the book down until I know what happened in the end. There was no point that I felt like I wanted to skim read or was bored.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight, it was refreshing, and thoughtful. It truly is a light hearted, and breezy read, that I would recommend to all of those that are romantics, and anyone that may have been through a break up and need a reminder that love is unexpected and can rock up when you least expect it.

Give this book some love, it deserves it. It was a perfect read to end the summer!

If you’d like to grab yourself a copy: Amazon link

Love Like The Movies by Victoria Van Tiem

Love Like The Movies

by Victoria Van Tiem

Published: 19th June 2014

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Blurb

Kenzi Shaw knows the plot of her life down to the last line – the career she’s building as an up-and-coming marketing exec, the gorgeous fiancé (Bradley) she’ll marry in a fairytale wedding, the children they’ll raise in her dream home. But when heart-breaking ex Shane comes back into her life, life starts going off the script . . .

Shane tries to win Kenzi over by re-enacting all the rom-com movies they used to watch together – Sleepless in Seattle, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing to name a few. He’s just a guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to trust him again. But has he really changed? Not only is her head in a spin over Shane, but now her job is on the line. And with her perfect sister-in-law showing up every tiny thing Kenzi does wrong, she feels like she’s permanently in the corner.

Should she risk her sensible life for the chance of a Happy Ever After? One thing’s certain, when Shane meets Kenzi (again), she’s suddenly not so sure who her leading man is . . .

Perfect for fans of From Notting Hill with Love . . . Actually and You Had Me at Hello. Grab some popcorn, hit the sofa and enjoy this feel-good and very funny novel.

Review

This book was given to me by a friend a while ago, as she had a spare copy of the book, and I’ve just gotten round to reading it. I knew straight away it would be a perfect book for me, as it references some of my favourite movies on the cover. I had recently gotten over a bit of a reading slump, and this book pulled me right back into reading. I couldn’t put this book down. I simply had to know what was going to happen, and raced through this book within 24hours. If I didn’t have to work that day it would have been quicker.

Firstly, I loved the concept of this book, to ‘love like the movies’ and all the re-enactments of the romantic comedies. Rom-coms are my favourite movie genre, and for the same reason as the main character in this book, because the journey to finding their love is bumpy, and problematic, usually funny, but they always get there in the end. I loved being able to reminisce all of my favourite rom-coms, and I’d seen all of the films mentioned in this book, so I was fully engaged by the re-enactments. It was clever to reimagine the rom-coms with new characters, or ‘actors’ and it was my favourite thing about this book.

I enjoyed the characters, a lot, I liked that the main character, Kenzi, had flaws, and she’s a strong person. Often in the genre I can get annoyed with the female leads as they always appear perfect, and will fall to the feet of the nearest attractive male. Kenzi isn’t like that, she can be clumsy, and silly, and makes decisions based on what is right for her.

For instance, this book focuses on a love triangle between Kenzi, her fiancée Bradley, and her old flame, Shane. Her ex-boyfriend is obviously and ex for a reason, and I like that she doesn’t immediately forget that the instance he walks back through the door. I like that she remains reserved and uneasy about it. I like that she calls out the people that upset and wrong her, including her family.

The supporting characters are also amazing. I loved to hate Ren, and another surprising character, I nearly dropped my book when that was revealed. I thought Shane was fantastic, and I certainly failed the tummy flip test when he appeared. I particularly loved his attitude, and his creativity. Also, for those that read it, the seven candles were my favourite.

Overall, as you can probably gather, I loved this book. A lot! It was exactly what I needed to read, and I realise why this is my favourite genre to read. It’d been far too long since I picked up something like this. I could re-read this book over, and over again and never get bored of it.

If you’re looking for the perfect mash-up for chick-lit, and rom-coms this book is for you. Please pick this book up, you won’t regret it!

If you’d like to grab yourself a copy: Amazon link

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

The Silver Linings Playbook

by Matthew Quick

Published: 2nd September 2008

Publisher: Picador

Blurb

Imagine that your life is a film directed by God. A romcom, obviously, complete with happy-ever-after ending. Before the credits roll, there will, of course, be tears, tantrums and misunderstandings, but you know you’ll get there – and get your girl – in the end.

Welcome to Pat’s world.

It’s a world of silver linings and true love, but also a world where God makes movies and Kenny G lurks in your attic – and when Pat inadvertently befriends the tragic Tiffany, he begins to question whether or not he might just have got the genre wrong.

For anyone who loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time or Little Miss Sunshine, The Silver Linings Playbook is a novel about love, life and American football … and what happens when the woman you love isn’t the woman of your dreams.

Review

I have a confession to make: I actually bought and read this book after I’d seen the film. I know! I have been chastised for this already, but I already had heard that the two were very different, so I figured it would be okay. I had every intention of reading the book first, but alas, it didn’t happen. This book was recommended to me, and I’m quite thankful that it was.

Just to tell you a little about this novel, it follows Pat Peoples and his fight to reconcile with his wife, Nikki. Sounds like your typical romance novel? Except that Pat has just been released from a mental hospital, and is battling some past demons, and Nikki has a restraining order against him. There is a lot going on in this story, and it is an absolute page turner. I must admit, I started this book and thought I’d be steaming my way through, and I was doing. Then I hit a reading slump and didn’t pick it back up for a while. This isn’t a comment on the book, more that my life got in the way for a while.

The characters in this book are incredibly complex, and well written. Each voice and character was distinct and realistic, and unique. I absolutely loved Pat, and reading about his journey, especially as Pat sees his life as a movie. This made for an interesting book format. As the book reads like a typical rom-com narrative, and Pat even comments on ‘this would be were the montage begins’. I loved that it included false endings, and dramatic highs and lows.

I loved that Pat had lost his grip with reality, and he cannot remember a chunk of his life. As a reader we get to relive, and learn along with the character. This, for me, is what made the book a page turner, because I was eager to find out more information about what happened to Pat and Nikki, and how their story would end.

Another strong character is Tiffany, a self-labelled ‘messed up person’, who befriends Pat. I love that she says it like it is, and doesn’t hold back. She’s sincere and interesting. I absolutely loved this character. Along with many other characters in this book, each character stood out for different reasons. I loved how they were interweaved in Pat’s life, and the interesting way he views these relationships.

Also, I believe this book deals with mental illness beautifully. The novel highlights the way in which people use mental illness to taunt people, and how frivolously they throw around mental illness in an insulting way. The character witnesses first hand, and through other means, and this really stood out to me.

Overall, I couldn’t fault this book in any way, it is truly a phenomenal read, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. This review does not do it justice, and I could talk about this book until I’m blue in the face.

I think absolutely everyone needs to have this book in their lives, and experience it for themselves. You won’t regret it!

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Landline

by Rainbow Rowell

Published: 3rd July 2014

Publisher: Orion

Blurb

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 besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides 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?

Review

I was really looking forward to the latest novel from Rainbow Rowell, and I pre-ordered a copy of the book. I eagerly dived into the book and buddied up with Abbey (from MissBookwormReviews) so that we could enjoy it together. This review, I’m sure you’re not surprised, is another rave review for this author.

This novel is the author’s second adult novel, and her fourth published book. When I was reading this book, I felt that it read like her YA novels, and it just happened to be that the main characters were adults. As ever, this author is a master at writing complex, funny, unique characters, and these were no exception. The main character, Georgie McCool, is a workaholic sitcom writer, wife, and mother, residing in LA. She is fantastic, hilarious, and very relatable. I think she’s up there with my favourite all-time characters. Each of the secondary characters were fantastic too, I really enjoyed reading about her family and colleagues, especially her husband, Neal, and their adorable little girls.

Although I adore the characters in this book, it wasn’t my favourite part. My favourite thing about this book is the concept, and plot. As you can read in the blurb, Georgie and Neal are having problems, and she stumbled upon a way to communicate with her husband before they got married. This concept fascinates me, and I was immediately engaged in the storyline. I really couldn’t put this book down, and it pained me to work in between reading it. I simply had to know what happens between these characters. Not only did I feel emotionally connected to the characters, but I wanted to know more about how the ‘time-travelling’ worked.

This absolutely got me thinking about my own life, and being able to speak to people from the past. Would I keep everything the same as it is now? What if I knew I can’t speak to the person in present time? It couldn’t stop thinking about all of the possibilities and timelines this could create.

Pace wise, I was very happy with the progression and felt like binge reading to find out what happened, each chapter urging me forward. I was content with the ending of this book, and because I was involved with the characters, and felt like I knew them personally, it felt right for them. I did predict the ending, but not in a negative way, I took it that I read the situation and could see it was the best solution and conclusion for this book.

This is yet another fantastic piece, and I can safely say that Rainbow Rowell is one of my favourite authors. She was also a pleasure to meet, and have her be the first book signing I attended. You can read about that experience here. I think everyone will appreciate this book, and will hopefully enjoy it as much as I have.

Please open yourself up to experiencing this fantastic novel.

If you’d like to grab yourself a copy: Amazon link