Rating- 6/10 First off, I gotta tell you, I knew nothing about this book when it was given to me. I had never heard of the writer before either so I didn't really know what I was getting into here. Apparently, George Orwell is one of the best English literature writers out there, and well known for his essays and journalism too. Who knew! So my BFF (best friend forever) isaac, gave me this little book to read and didn't really explain much about it except that it was about animals in a farm, and something about rebellion (I clearly wasn't paying much attention). George Orwell's Animal Farm, is about a group of animals in a farm called Manor Farm, that are mistreated and overworked by their terrible drunken owner Mr Jones. He's strict, treats them unfairly and at times forgets to feed the animals. One day the animals decide they've had enough, the smartest animal in the farm is a pig called Old Major. He gathers all the animals one evening and tells them of a dream he had, of a farm where all animals are equal and they don't have to answer to humans, and thus begins, the rebellion. As the pigs are the smartest in the farm, they lead the rebellion and at first it's heaven on earth. All the animals fight for their rights and kick the terrible Mr Jones away. They learn to work together as a team and treat each other equally and come up with a new name for their farm called 'Animal Farm'. They even come up with 7 commandments that they all have to abide by listed below: 'The Seven Commandments 1- Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. 2- Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. 3- No animal shall wear clothes 4- No animal shall sleep in a bed 5- No animal shall drink alcohol 6- No animal shall kill another animal 7- All animals are equal ' Sounds pretty great right?! WRONG! Well, turns out the pigs become a little too greedy with power and all hell breaks loose. This is a real political book you guys, in a good way though. I wasn't expecting that at all. So for me, the main Pig that ends up being in charge is called Napoleon, and he's basically Stalin, this book pretty much reflects on the events leading up to the Russian Revolution in 1917 and straight into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. It's so trippy! The farm is the Soviet Union during the communist rule, and 'Animal Farm' begins after a revolution, kind of like the Russian Revolution, then it spirals into its own government and structure created by the pigs. Who turn out to be just as bad as Mr. Jones, if not worse. Napoleon the head pig/leader of the farm, uses strict military style force over all the animals which in the beginning, they sort of get used to, but as the years go by in the farm, events begin to drastically change and the seven commandments are no longer followed. Having power truly corrupts Napoleon to the point where he is barely recognisable and has completely alienated himself from the rest of the farm. They even reference Karl Marx too in this book by the character of 'Old Major', the wise pig who had the dream of the rebellion in the beginning before he sadly died. This is one of those books where it'll truly remain a classic for decades to come. But it is a sort of heavy read, the message it relays is that power can lead to oppression & corruption if fallen in the wrong hands. It's a great little book, only 94 pages long. They even play with religion too, all the different animals represent a type of symbolism or type of people that can be persuaded in these kinds of situations, the followers, or gullible types, etc, but also you do have your strong characters that rebel against Napoleon's corruption and choose not to stand by it as it was not the original plan of the rebellion that 'Old Major' (Karl Marx reference) had dreamt of. There is no longer any equality in the farm. It's very well and clearly written. It is also a children's book from what I could tell, but one that should be read by all. All in all I liked this book, it was short and sweet too. It was interesting to read an analysis of the Soviet Union told through farm animals. Really smartly done. At the end of the book, the seven commandments become one. 'All animals are equal But some animals are more equal than others' I'll leave the review at that. To check out the Animal Farm for yourself at Amazon books- click here!

Rating- 7/10 Set in the Champagne region of France, this charming novel follows 3 sisters, lonely & vivacious Clementine, sophisticated and clever Madeline & the warm and caring Sophie. Clementine is the rightful heir to the vineyard, the House of Peine, that has been in her family for generations. From a young age, she has spent all her life caring and working hard for these vines, as well as her grumpy & alcoholic father. Her father soon passes away, and to Clementine's surprise, she learns that she must share the vineyard with her two half sisters, one she's never even known about and the other she has not seen for 20 years. The three sisters clash and struggle to save their family heritage while also dealing with their own personal problems. Eventually, they learn to overcome these issues...and I'll leave it at that because I don't want to spoil the ending! This book was a slow burner but once it gets going it is oh so delicious!! So worth reading till the end. The character development is very gripping, you get to discover each sister, who they really are, and how they became the person they are today. It's a story about sisterly bonds, family and the difficulty of such relationships. The book deals deeply with these issues and the complicated growing pains one can have with their siblings, and the power of a parents absence & presence. As well as the bonds that can form from an honest, nurturing & supportive family. It was really refreshing to read a book about family relationships as opposed to the romance novels I usually will go for. This novel is from the same author- Sarah-Kate Lynch as 'The Wedding Bees 🐝', a lovely romance novel that I reviewed a few weeks back. Except that this book came out much earlier than the wedding bees. I much preferred this novel and writing style, as it was a little more complex in the story line, and the ending was just amazing. So sweet and tender. It takes you on an emotional roller-coaster throughout the whole book, I actually loved it more as I read on. A real 'feel good' book! Couldn't help but feeling all warm and fuzzy inside after reading 'House of Daughters'. I also learned a helluvalot about Champagne people! Wowza, this book made me want to stay on a vineyard in the Champagne region of France so damn bad. As well as drink amazing Champagne. Like I could really murder a glass of Laurent-Perrier right now. The author really did her homework on this! I actually never really knew how champagne was made till I read this book, seriously, so very informative. It's not like I drink champagne on the regular as it's mostly for those special occasions in life, but making champagne is a true labour of love, very fascinating too. The book also featured quite a lot of french words in there and I loved how the author had a little dictionary translation of all the french words mentioned in the book at the end of the story. So great! Highly recommend this book if you are a vineyard enthusiast, champagne lover or just want to read an honest and real story about family relationships and sisters. Or if you just want a great summery book to read then add this to your list! Big hugs and thanks to Nadine who lent me this lovely book from her personal bookshelf, you have awesome taste in books. Click here to check it out 'House of Peine' for yourself on Amazon Books

Rating- 9/10 'The biggest burden facing people of colour in this country is that society deems us bad immigrants- job stealers, benefit scroungers, girlfriend-thieves, refugees - until we cross over in their consciousness, through popular culture, winning races, baking good cakes, being conscientious doctors, to become Good Immigrants' This quote comes from the poet, journalist and essayist Musa Okwonga- who features in this book. It is where the idea for the title 'The Good Immigrant' came from. The Good Immigrant is a non fiction collection of essays from 21 eclectic amazing writers from people of colour in the BAME (Black, Asian, Minorities & Ethnic) group. They all live in the U.K. and most earn their living through the arts or journalism industry. The essays address what it is like to be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant in the U.K. They discuss the backward attitude to immigration and refugee and the systematic racism that goes through the UK to this day. For most people of colour, race is in everything they do because the universal experience is white. These essays collect universal experiences of anger, displacement, defensiveness, curiosity, class, death, popular culture and plenty more subjects. Each and every essay is special in its own right and way, they showcase various backgrounds and what these writers have gone through to be where they are today. It is also very relatable for our current time and political stance. You really get incredible points of views from black African descents, to Chinese immigrants, to mixed race points of view, and then some. I learned a lot reading this book. If you are affected by immigration or know someone who is an immigrant or are just curious about the way it affects people of the BAME community then definitely add this to your reading list. I also learned a lot about these awesome writers, the layout of the book is very easy to navigate. The essays are short and sweet, and each one is very special in its own way. It took me longer than usual to read this book because each essay is so different and I wanted to fully absorb the words spoken in each story and essay. Some obviously hit home to me more than others, but that's not to say that they weren't all amazing. I loved the humour in a few of the essays too, they were real, raw and informative. I highly recommend this book, and you don't have to be a BAME to read this. Enlighten your life! Take a chance and see what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes. To give you an idea of what to expect, I have included a few quotes that really stood out for me just below- Essay- 'A guide to being black' by Varaidzo (she is mixed race ethnicity) 'Without me there, the word (nigger) is just another rhyme in a lyric. It's a tree falling in the forest conundrum: if a white kid raps all the lyrics to 'Gold Digger' and there isn't a black person around to hear it, is it still racist?' Essay- 'You can't say that! Stories have to be about white people' by Darren Chetty 'As a teacher, I have fewer books at my disposal to demonstrate to BAME children that stories can be about people like them.' Essay- 'On going home' by Kieran Yates (Indian decent) 'I know when to keep quiet; keeping quiet is all part of the displacement and I think of how keeping your head down is a crucial physicality of the immigrant experience' Essay- 'The wife of a terrorist' by Miss L (middle eastern actress) "And you don't speak any other languages? You should be ashamed of yourself." Should I? Would they be saying this to a white actor who hadn't bothered to learn German? At no point had I claimed to speak Hindi, and nor should I, but people can presume I can, just because I look a little bit like I might come from somewhere near there.' Essay- 'What we talk about when we talk about tokenism' by Bim Adewunmi (black) 'Whiteness- or, you know, white people- exists as the basic template. And that template covers all human experience, by the way: the ability to be special or ordinary, handsome or ugly, tall or short, interesting or dull as ditchwater. On the other hand, our presence in popular culture (as well as in stereotypical 'issue' roles) must always be justified. Our place at the table has to be earned.' My personal favourite quote comes from the essay- 'Forming blackness through a screen' by Reni Eddo- Lodge 'To be an immigrant, good or bad, is about straddling two homes, whilst knowing you don't really belong to either.' Big shout out to my homie Mo for lending me this awesome book! To get your very own copy from Amazon books, CLICK HERE

Rating 8/10 This is a very strong 8/10! Great book. My lovely kiwi friend Suzy (Hi Suz!) in New Zealand recommended this book when I asked her what I should add to my reading list. (I love having friends overseas) I believe her exact words when describing this book were 'it blew my mind!' Suz, this novel did not disappoint! It's also a bestseller in like EVERY major city so I just had to check it out myself. The woman in the window follows a woman named Anna Fox, Dr Anna Fox to be precise. She 'was' a child psychologist, now she spends most of her time in her brownstone, Harlem NYC house. She hasn't left the house in 10 months due to a traumatic past experience and she's too terrified to step foot outside. She spends her days on online chat groups, popping various and numerous prescribed pills lost in her memories like a ghost, as well as drinking an excessive amount of Merlot on a daily basis. Her only lifeline to the outside world is her window, where she spends all her time watching her eclectic neighbours. One evening, she hears a frightening scream and thinks she's witnessed a murder in one of her new neighbours' house that no one else sees. We don't know if Anna's judgement can be trusted, did she actually see what she thought she did? If she did, would anyone believe her? Can she even trust herself? Or is it all a product of her overactive imagination.. (cue mysterious music dun dun Dunn! 👀) This book is the true definition of a psychological mysterious suspense thriller. Wowza! Everything I love in a book like this. What a thrilling ride it takes you on! It does take it's sweet time to get going but once it does, boy oh boy. It's fast paced, wild, vivid, a crazy page turner, very addictive and so very hard to put down. I liked the main character too in it, I didn't find her as annoying as the one from 'The girl on the train', you really get a good sense of where Anna is coming from and the character development is ace. I also have to give props for the cover of this book, it's gorgeous. (The one with the ladder and brick wall) I read it in paperback and was totally mesmerised by the colours and mood of the book cover. Very mysterious. I also loved how well this book was written. Thing is, in this sort of genre, you tend to get some very simple 'page turner' writing. But this was a whole other level...I absolutely loved the writing style of this book. Very beautiful, & quite intellectual. You can tell the author is a big film buff because there are a lot of references to some amazing old classic noir films and a lot of famous lines too from them. The dialogue really toys with your mind and it's very playful, it keeps you on your toes. Kudos! I was impressed. This book was basically a homage to Hitchcock, it had some real 'Rear Window' vibes about it, as well as referencing a few of his hit movies. I loved this book. This is definitely one to read if your after a great psychological thriller with an intellectual twist. Also if your an old classic noir film buff (especially Hitchcock) then this one is definitely for you too! Great debut from A.J. Finn. He's one to watch out for. FYI- this book is soon going to be a movie starring Amy Adams, that's how good it was. A total thrilling ride, and I can definitely see it being a huge hit at the movies! So vivid. Loved it. Dare I say- 'It blew my mind!' Check out The Woman in the Window for yourself on Amazon books HERE

Rating- 4/10 It's always good to revert back to classic contemporary literature amongst all my current and flashy reads. Ross, a buddy of mine lent me this book to read along with a few others and was intrigued by this novel. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is about an ordinary prisoner inmate named Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, it is set in a soviet labour camp in the 1950s under the ruling of Stalin's communist oppression. It follows him on a normal work day in the camp/prison and the struggles he faces in order to survive a brutal, gruelling and harsh day in the prison. This novel was originally published in the Soviet Journal 'Novy Mir' (new world) in 1962. It was one of the original stories that spoke the truth about what it was really like to be imprisoned during the Soviet Union. This is not a light read in the slightest, it's dark, heavy, intense and dire. You really get a sense of what it was like to be a prisoner during this harsh time in Stalin's forced work camps. The brutality is so real. You seriously appreciate all the little things we take for granted in our lives, a simple hot meal, warm clothes, an extra blanket, basic necessities. I don't think we'll ever know what it would truly be like to live in these work camps. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn does an incredible job portraying this in the novel. That being said, personally, I found the book itself hard to read, not language wise, but more that I was bored reading it. Like really bored! It really does sort of go on about how cruel a 'one day in the life is', and it didn't really scratch the surface for me. I felt no emotions while reading this book, none, maybe because it's Russian history? Or could be because I feel the story lacked substance behind the brutal tale? It just didn't do it for me, I couldn't relate. Also the fact that there weren't any chapters to break up the story meant that it went on and on .. and at the end, yes you get to appreciate the little things in life, and to take it all day by day, if only we could all be like Ivan! It did not move me or pull my heart strings. That's my honest opinion about it and I gotta keep it real. The fact that it won the Nobel Prize for Literature gave it 2 points on the rating, and the meaning behind the story itself was real and honest. That, I do respect, but beyond that? Just didn't get my juices flowing. Although, if your a Russian history buff and like a good & intense real story then it's definitely worth a read. It's also a legit winter book btw! I tried to read this in the glorious sunshine we were having in London and it totally killed my vibe. You've been warned. Click here to check out 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich' from Amazon books.

Rating- 7/10 A pleasant, and cosy read indeed. I was in the mood for an easy romance novel this time and was given this book by the wonderful & kind Nadine, this book really suits your personality by the way! Thank you so much for lending me this warming story. The Wedding Bees is a novel about love, manners and bees. A feel good old fashioned & sweet romance. It follows Cheri-Lynn 'Sugar' Wallace, a lady who moves to New York City with nothing but her trusty beehive, good manners and a secret past. Each spring Sugar Wallace packs up her bags, bees and moves to a different city to make a new start, sort of becomes a tradition. Her travels eventually take her to New York City, where life slowly begins to change for her there and she begins to face the secrets of her past. She inherits a beehive from her late grandfather and nurtured them so much so that her bees have become her way of life. She travels with them year after year and they depends on her as much as she depends on them. She makes a living off their honey making up all kinds of quirky concoctions from various honeys, to creams, and lip balms. It's so lovely. Sugar Wallace is a southern girl born & raised in Charleston, South Carolina, which makes this book extra cosy and warming. Being from the south she's inherited good manners that she takes along with her wherever she goes, as well as spreading it to her fellow neighbors. We often forget about manners, especially if your from a big city, so it was nice to be reminded of that. She falls in love with her new surroundings & neighbours at 33 Flores street in the East Village, and even falls for a handsome & caring man along the way. This is a charming tale about love, letting go of the past, overcoming life's obstacles and opening your heart and soul to new adventures, and of course the sweet sweet magic of honey! I really enjoyed reading this novel, it made me feel all snuggly and warm inside. It fills your heart with nothing but feel good feelings and would definitely recommend it especially if your a lover of bees and all things bees related! I learned quite a lot about bees just by reading this book. It's got a great love story in it and it's about friendship and family too. Easy, light to read and great to take as a holiday read or even just sitting under the warm sunshine at home with a glass of wine. It'll definitely leave a smile on your face after you've read it. *Fun Fact- Bees perform a task that is vital to the survival of agriculture: pollination. In fact, one third of our global food supply is pollinated by bees. Simply put, bees keep plants and crops alive. Without bees, humans wouldn't have very much to eat. 🐝 Click here to get your very own cosy copy of The Wedding Bees on Amazon Books

Rating- 10/10 'When Breath Becomes Air is, in a sense, unfinished, detailed by Paul's rapid decline, but that is an essential component of its truth, of the reality Paul faced.' I remember months ago browsing my local Waterstones and seeing this book from afar, feeling so drawn to it. I loved the title and cover of the book and when I read what it was about I thought to myself- 'I gotta get this book someday'. I eventually bought myself a copy online because I was craving a satisfying, nourishing, intense novel. 'When Breath Becomes Air', was exactly what I needed. It was refreshing to read a non-fiction book too. When Breath Becomes Air is an autobiographical book by Paul Kalanithi. It chronicles his transformation from a young and eager medical student, to a respected neurosurgeon. He almost completes a decade's worth of training and out of nowhere, he gets diagnosed with inoperable stage IV lung cancer. He goes from a surgeon at Stanford University treating all kinds of terminally ill and dying patients to finding out he himself, will most likely die from this aggressive cancer. Just like that, his life has been completely turned upside down. Everything he has worked for, his future with his wife, his long career, comes to a halt with this heartbreaking news. In his memoir, Paul Kalanithi faces some hard questions from his young medical student days, to his doctor days and at the stages of his cancer diagnosis. Some are about human nature and the reality of being alive, what makes life living in the face of death? What kind of life is worth living? How does one have a child, and nurture a new life while another wilts away? This is a curious book, a bold book, it doesn't shy away from those complex questions we sometimes don't want to face, and it's as much about death as well as the celebration of life itself. Paul Kalanithi really is a beautiful writer, in his early life, he's actually inspired by great writers, philosophers & poets. He had gone into academia to try to get to the bottom of 'What makes human life meaningful?'. Later on, he studied biology and neuroscience to try and understand the rules of the brain, an organism capable of finding meaning in the world. This is also a book about family, work life, love & religion/beliefs. His wife Lucy, also plays a very significant role in his life, it's a beautiful memoir of their life from beginning to the bittersweet end. Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, aged 37. He wrote this autobiography after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and it was later published after his passing in 2016. If your after a courageous, exquisitely written, vivid, and life affirming book then definitely add this to your reading list. I myself rarely read a book twice in my lifetime but with this one, I would definitely read it again and again. (I would have to with all the doctor terminology in it!) It's funny, while I was reading this I had a pretty strong rating for it to be a 7/10 but as the book went on the rating got higher and higher, and at the end. Wow. It's heartbreaking, hopeful, so very 'in your face' real, gripping & breathtaking. One of the best books I've read this year hands down, I highly recommend it. Especially if your a doctor, nurse or just a regular human too like me :) A must read. Lucy Kalanithi (Paul's Wife): 'Although these last few years have been wrenching & difficult- sometimes almost impossible- they have also been the most beautiful and profound of my life, requiring the daily act of holding life and death, joy and pain in balance and exploring new depths of gratitude and love.' Click Here to purchase your very own copy on Amazon Books :)

Rating- 8/10 Who run the world? Girls ! Yes! What an epic book. Why no one is making a movie from this novel is beyond me. The Power is an alternate, sci-fi, fantasy world where women basically run the place. In this novel, women discover that they have 'The Power'. Now, what is the 'The Power' you ask? It is the ability to electrocute whoever they want with just a flick of their fingers. They can cause fatal injuries, even death! It's great. Haha The question we have to ask ourselves is, what happens in a world where women suddenly become the dominant gender? Where feminism is celebrated, and the world is no longer run by men. Think about it, in our real life world, everything is basically run by men. It's a simple fact. For decades & decades. Countries, businesses, wars, most of the richest people in the world are men, even most household were run by men till the 1950s. So imagine a world where the tables have completely turned and females become the dominant gender. No longer do they have to be afraid, or be weaker than the opposite sex. In this world, they are physically stronger than the men. So trippy! I loved it. With 'the power' in the women's hands, they can literary do whatever they want, and that's exactly what they do in this book. The Novel follows four main characters and the story is told through their eyes throughout the book. Roxy who is a gritty London girl from a rough family, Allie, an American foster girl from a crazy religious background, Tunde who is a rich bored Nigerian boy, and and Margot, an American local politician. The story is told throughout a time span of ten years and you get to follow how 'The Power' becomes such a big part of their lives and they're at the centre of it all. They become very strong characters in the book and make big impacts to people's lives. They all live pretty normal lives until 'The Power' begins to form in young teenage girls, they all discover they have this weird electrical power that comes from within their bodies. '...[She] feels the thing like pins and needles along her arms. Like needle-pricks of light from her spine to her collarbone, from her throat to her elbows, wrists, to the pads of her fingers. She's glittering, inside.' They can pass it on to older women and awaken 'the power' that has been inside them for many years. The story then develops from there. From the get go it's jam packed full of action and takes you on a thrilling ride on this new discovery. You get to really see all the events that would lead to a state of Cataclysm between countries. It's a very politically driven book too, which almost makes it believable if this were to ever happen. lol I also thought that it was quite clever to play on religion in this book, they sort of take on this role of 'Mother Eve', in reference to Adam & Eve in the Bible. As the kind of saviour for a lot of the women in their world. It's very symbolic and creative. There are also some great plot twists in this book that I wasn't expecting and definitely kept me on my toes. I didn't know how the book would end which was great for me. The book has a great beginning and end too which was refreshing, it provided some good closure to such an epic tale. The only criticism I would have is that at times, it was hard to follow the writing style of the book. In terms of language, it was an easy read but at the same time quite a complex writing style- that didn't flow as well, if that makes sense? But not enough to confuse you! Otherwise I totally loved this book! Such a great idea, I highly recommend all girls & women to read this if you feel like you want a good girl power feminist type of book! Men too hey? Join the movement! President Obama said it was one of his favourite books of 2017. If the former president liked it y'know it's gotta be good, amirite? It's exciting, thrilling, overwhelming, fun, wild and over all a great story. Nice book cover too, the 3D feel to it is ace. If this were to be turned into a movie or TV show (Please! Somebody do this), I actually know what the soundtrack would be! A pop group called Little Mix (click here for youtube link) came out with this song called 'Power'. It's annoyingly catchy and so relevant to this book!! So relevant that I'm gonna quote a few lines from the track 'Power' below- Baby, you're the man But I got the, I got the, I got the power You make rain But I'll make it, I'll make it, I'll make it shower You should know, I'm the one who's in control I'll let you come take the wheel, long as you don't forget Who got the power? (Beat kicks in!) Or Beyoncé's 'Run the world' (click here for youtube link) would do justice too. Yass I'm all about that girl power! Shout out to the gorgeous Olivia for recommending this book to me- it was defo worth a read! ;) Get your own copy right here on Amazon books!

Rating- 8/10 Caution: NOT SUITABLE FOR VEGANS Now, I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian or anything, but even I found this book a little squeamish. There was a helluva lot of raw fish & dolphin eating, also lots of shark killings in this book. You've been warned. I've always wanted to read a Hemingway book, I had actually read this in high school back in the day but I literary had no idea what it was about. It was totally lost on me. I was too busy having fun- ah good times. But having read it again, and a lot later in life, I've come to appreciate the story itself more than I did back then. The old man and the sea is about an old man named Santiago, a young boy, and a ginormous fish and it's set in Cuba. Santiago is a fisherman, it's all he's ever known and in the story he has a terribly unlucky streak that lasts for 84 days. It's so bad that the young boy's parents ban him from fishing with the old man, and instead he gets told to fish with some of the other more successful fishermen. The boy still helps the old man with his daily duties of loading up the boat and helping the old man when he can. Hoping to beat his unlucky streak, Santiago sets off to the Gulf Stream hoping his luck will change. Eventually, he manages to catch this huge fish and for two whole days he holds on to the line and hopes to capture and kill the fish. The old man comes to really respect this wise and strong fish and how relentless it was. He even refers to the fish at times as his 'brother', which shows how highly he thinks of this fish. It then becomes this battle against time to try and make it back to land after eventually killing the big fish. He gives this journey all his will power & energy as it may be the last ever fishing trip he will do in his life. Santiago begins to reflect on his own life & how he has always been one with nature, he very much admires the sea and refers to it as a woman, which I found interesting as a concept. '...the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favours, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought.' Part of him also wants his life to end with dignity and to be respected in his fishing community which drives him to make it home with what remains of the big fish. It's a great story and Hemingway wrote it in the most beautiful and simple way. This book is only 127 pages long but he really knows how to word each and every sentence in the most creative descriptive manner. I could totally imagine myself on that boat with that old man the whole time. It's written very vividly and is bold too. The only reason I didn't give this story a 9 or 10/10 was because of the sharks! I'm seriously terrified of them and it felt like I was watching jaws or something at times (never watched it btw). Freaked me out. Literary my worst nightmare. I also liked the fact that the book is one continuous story. So odd to read a book without chapters, I liked it. Hemingway is an amazing story teller, that's a no brainier, so if your in the mood for a short, bold and great story then definitely add this to your reading list. It's a better read the 2nd or 3rd time around. Also I learned so much about boats!! Haha I grew up in the city so it's not like I 'took my boat out on the weekends' or anything, so I learned (or I should say googled) some new words like 'Skiff', 'Mast', 'Gaff', 'Oar', 'Harpoon'. So great! Shout out to my Scottish bud Ross for lending me this novel from his personal library, you've got great taste bro. Enjoyable & thrilling read. Get your copy of The Old Man & The Sea on Amazon Books. AGet yours at A

Rating- 4/10 So I was in the mood for a twisty plot thriller this time. I wanted something easy and exciting to read, I picked up this best seller from my local Waterstones a while ago on a whim hoping it would satisfy my craving. Funny enough, this book really isn't about a 'couple next door'. That was the main point that I noticed soon after reading this book, what a random title for a book that's mainly to do with a kidnapped baby. Weird. This book is about a couple who have a 6mo old baby, they go to a dinner party at the 'couple's next door's' house, and leave the baby at home (that's the only reference to the title). They take a baby monitor and every half hour the couple take turns to check on the baby while at the dinner party. Then the baby disappears at midnight and it now becomes a crime thriller. Basically, the book is a 'whodunit' on the kidnapping and it mainly focuses on who took the baby, than the story itself. It also mentions postpartum depression from the main character, but in an irrelevant way. It kind of dragged on more than I would have liked, and also the twist at the end isn't much of a twist because I was able to figure it out myself halfway through the book. I'm a total sucker for twists! I never see them coming and I'm super gullible. So when I did, I was pretty much bored for the rest of the book and just wanted to finish the story more than anything. To be honest it was sort of exciting from the beginning, then as the book went on it just got worse and unrealistic. The narrator gives too much away and completely takes away the element of surprise. The book kind of reminded me of the TV show, CSI Miami, or any of the CSI shows, it's quite glamorously done in that glossy, filtered, extravagant kind of way, and isn't very realistic. In my opinion anyways. I wasn't drawn to the characters of the book and didn't care for them very much, therefore causing myself to detach from the book. It also had a weird ending. It was a very easy read though, so if your looking for a somewhat okay thriller then do read it. You could literary read this with lots of distractions around you, it's that easy to read. Not the most challenging writing, I feel like a 13 year old could have written this. All in all, not the best thriller I've read, i'm shocked it was a best seller. I was disappointed because it did look promising...oh well, now I know. I still rate 'The Kind Worth Killing', 'The Girl Before' and 'I'm Travelling Alone' some of the best thrillers I've read in the past year...and are always on the lookout for my beloved plot twists! The couple next door really had the potential to be a great thriller but GOOD GOD the author just killed the story. Such a good hook though...shame. Click here for the Amazon book link.

Rating- 8/10 I know what your thinking, this can't be 'THE' Ethan Hawke, as in the actor Ethan Hawke. Well peeps, it actually is. Apparently he does a whole lot more than acting, who knew?! So I asked my buddy Ross if he knows of any good books for my next read. He told me he'd lend me one of his favourite books, I assumed he would give me 'Mike Tyson, The Biography' which is what he was reading at the moment. Boy was I wrong! To my surprise, Ross, my Scottish buddy, brings me this little green retro looking book and it wasn't what I was expecting to get at all! You did good Ross, you did good. Ethan Hawke writes this little book about how to to behave as a knight, it's set in 1400s, in the olden days where knights were seen as these amazing sort of 'good guys'. It's a book on how to be a knight and lessons that you should follow in order for you to have a fulfilling and well lived life. Hawke portrays himself as a knight in the book who is preparing for his 'final' battle, he writes a letter to his four children (he actually has 4 kids in real life) on how to behave in order to be a great knight/lady in those times, set in a 20 rules format. Hence the title, 'Rules for a Knight'. Each chapter of rules, goes into detail of what is noble to do or not do in life in order to attain a moral and well lived life. For example; Rule no. 2- Humility: 'Never announce that you are a knight, simply behave as one. You are better than no one, and no one is better than you.' Some of the rules are actually written very beautifully, in a poetic way. They include all sorts of lessons like Gratitude, Friendship, Forgiveness, Honesty, Patience, plus many more. In each chapter, there are guidelines on how to achieve each lesson and they all come with these heart warming little stories. One of my favourite lines in the book has to be from the 'Discipline' chapter; 'Often we imagine that we will work hard until we arrive at some distant goal, and then we will be happy. This is a delusion. Happiness is the result of a life lived with purpose. Happiness is not objective. It is the movement of life itself, a process, and an activity. It arises from curiosity and discovery.' This is actually quite a philosophical book and really makes you think and wonder about how your living your own life, what you can do to better improve it and to be more present in it. It's a very easy book to read, I liked the layout of the book and the various little stories and lessons in it. It's one of those books that you would really want to own in your personal library (and I never keep books- too much clutter), and also a great parenting book too! It would be a great read for children growing up to learn valuable life lessons in a fun way, it could also encourage deep discussions on the values of life. It's definitely the kind of book that would get passed down from generation to generation. Such a great find. Also, fun fact! Ethan Hawke's wife does all the little illustrations in the book, so sweet :) all in all, I loved it. Thank you Ross, for bringing this little gem of a book into my life. It's a heart warming and uplifting read and would make for a great gift too. Defo get yours HERE on Amazon Books peeps.

Rating- 9/10 Loved it ! What a great unputdownable read. I was given this book by my sassy friend Rosie, who travelled around Australia and picked this up on her travels, it even had the little Australian dollar sign on it (as you can see on the pic)! She really raved about it so I thought, okay why not! Seeing as it's now a popular TV show (which I haven't yet watched), thanks Rosie! If you don't already know, this book is the inspiration for the HBO series of the same name, starring Reese Witherspoon & Nicole Kidman, amongst other great actors in the show. The book itself is based in Australia on a quaint close knit beach side town where everyone knows everyone. In the TV series, it's actually based in LA which is an interesting concept. The book mainly follows three women who all have children and are living on this small idealistic beach side town where their children all attend the same pre-school. It takes you on a journey into their daily lives and struggles that they all go through. Everything from pre-school playground dramas, affairs, marriages, infidelity, social status, and domestic abuse. The writer really plays all the characters amazingly well in this book and they are all very believable. I especially loved the dark and witty humour of this book. It had so many layers and even though there is a murder and it's essentially a crime, dramatic book, it's pretty damn hilarious throughout the whole book. It's written amazingly well and all the various characters play a strong role in the book, which would make for great television! I really enjoyed the quirky narrations of the various characters in this book, and I felt that they perked up the heavy feeling you can often get when reading a murder or domestic violence type of book. Y'know I love a good plot twist so I really did not see that coming at the end of the book, and totally loved it! It kept me guessing throughout the whole book and it's definitely worth reading till the end for it. This is a strong, female driven book that showcases the troubles that married women often go through, as well as women in general, and being accepted in society. So I did like that aspect of it. Having said that, the only negative comment I would make is that it is for 'yummy mummies', and that kind of 'well off', privileged family world, which I can't personally relate to lol, but that does not take away from how much I enjoyed reading it!! So much drama! Hence my high rating above ;) I'm now definitely tempted to watch the show and see the characters played out by actors, I hope they do justice to the book characters and story. Even though the show is weirdly based in LA ! As they say in the book: 'Oh Calamity!' Click here for your very own copy ey?!