The Other Side of the Story (~)

I have finished a book, surprisingly, considering I've been über-stressed because of school and grad school and what not. I've finished Marian Keyes' The Other Side of the Story. Obviously, I've read books by her before, but to tell you the truth, it really isn't that great. Kind of boring to tell you the truth. When you take into consideration what it is about, it just sounds like the bitchyness that might be occurring in her life from her editor and publishers, and the author just wants to write about and complain.

Basically the book is about 3 women who are inter-connected. One is an literary agent and is having an affair with one of the partners in her firm. Another one of the women is a struggling author who stole her best friend's boyfriend (who is the other women in the story). The last woman wants to get revenge on her ex-best friend by ruining her life. The book switches between the characters and tells their stories.

I must admit, that at the beginning I did find some of the parts kind of hilarious, and I actually laughed out loud, but for the most part I couldn't wait until it was finished. I wouldn't really recommend it.

Until next time, Happy reading!

Keeping Faith (↑)

I've finished another book, a little later than I had previously expected. I mean I am home from school for Christmas, but the problem was that I've been super busy lately helping prepare for Christmas, that I haven't had much time for myself to just sit down and read (welcome to the real world, right?). Anyway, I've finished another Jodi Picoult novel: Keeping Faith. It was good, but I wouldn't really say it was one of my favourites. And it definitely didn't have the twists and turns that some of her other novels did. I do like the premise behind the novel, and as usual it was well developed.

The book is about a family that is getting divorced, and how a little girl develops an imaginary friend who is believed to be God. It follows this little girl and her mother as the media tries to exploit her. The father finds out and then starts to sue for custody, and then it all escalates from there. The idea of whether or not the child is actually talking to God is a good one, and is what drew me to the novel in the first place. It's hard to decide whether or not to believe her, or if they are making it all up. Picoult also developed a lot of the characters well so that the father's lawyer was one that I particularly couldn't stand and if I had met him in real life, I might actually have tried to smack him up side the head because he's that much of an irritant.  I always like when characters seem real and have those annoying traits, it makes the story so much more believable.

Anyway, I'm going to try and decide which book to start next. Until next time, Happy Reading!

The Last Concubine (~)

After how long, I have finally finished a book! The Last Concubine by Leslie Downer. It's a very informative book about Japanese culture in the 1800's, however, it was REALLY REALLY long, which at times made it difficult to get through, seeing as I was only able to read it randomly throughout my university semester (mostly 10 mins here and there). I wasn't really surprised to read about how women had no choice and were only thought as objects and weren't of value. That was similar to British culture of that time. What did surprise me was to what extremes they go to! I was also surprised by how the Japanese are bound by honour, and how they would rather kill themselves than become traitors, or retreat. Although it was too long, I still learned a lot, but I don't think I would recommend it to others unless they have a lot of time.

This book was about a girl who grew up in a village, but knew that she didn't belong there. She was then taken by the princess who was travelling through her village on her way to wed the shogun. As she grew up in the shogun's palace, she became very beautiful, and then became the shogun's concubine. War was started, and she had to flee, but along the way she fell in love with a samurai and meets her father and she decides she wants to find her true identity.

Anyway, onward to my next endeavor! Until then, Happy Reading!

Paperback Writer (↓)

I've finished a book. Sadly this one isn't quite as good as others that I've read. It is Paperback Writer by Stephen Bly. I don't know if it's the writer's style, or whether it was the basic idea behind the novel which annoyed me, but whatever it was I didn't like it. I found the novel hard to follow.

Basically the novel is about a paperback writer who is having a hard time keeping fiction and non-fiction straight. So he's traveling home, and he apparently has this exciting adventure, which didn't actually happen, but he imagined it. The whole time you are trying to figure out whether what's happening at that point in time is real, or made up. That's what makes it frustrating. A few times, I just wanted to stop reading it because I would get so frustrated. But I didn't. I persevered. I definitely won't be reading it again though.

Alright onward to another book. Until next time, happy reading!

Slammerkin (↑)

I've finished another book. Slammerkin by Emma Donnahue. I liked it a lot. It shows how rigid society was in the 18th century, and how it is difficult to rise above your current situation into a better life. For some reason, I found it slightly disturbing when I first started reading it, but I believe that that was because it was about prostitutes.

The book was about a girl named Mary Saunders who lived in 18th century London. She got pregnant from a ribbon vendor (she wanted a ribbon, but the only way to get it was to give the vendor a kiss, however, the man raped her). Her mother threw her out, and from there she became a prostitute. She gave up being a prostitute and moved back to her mother's hometown, where she became an apprentice to her mother's friend. A few other things occur. But i don't want to give away the whole story so I'll just leave it at that.

I definitely recommend it to people who like more historical novels, however, it is 400 pages long, so be in for a long read.

Anyway, I hope to be able to finish reading another book quickly, but I am in university again, so it might be a bit more delayed. Until next time, Happy reading!

Can You Keep a Secret? (↑)

I've finished another book. Yes quite quickly, but to be honest, I don't have much else to do before I head back into the city for school. Anyway this book is Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. Very easy read, as you can tell. I started it this morning, and I finished it just now. There's not much thinking to be done about this book. It's pretty basic chick lit, and I would recommend it to any female who wants a good pick me up book, or beach read, or cozy, rainy afternoon read.

Basically, it's about a woman who is stuck in a rut in her life, without her knowing it. She randomly meets a man on a flight with whom she shares all her darkest and most private secrets. She then finds out that this man with whom she shared her secrets, is actually the owner of the company she works for. Of course, many events ensue from this occurrence. Basically, she turns her life around, and becomes who she wants to be, just be falling in love with this man.

Simple idea = simple book. Still enjoyed reading it though! Onward to the next book! Until next time, happy reading!

You Suck: A Love Story (↓)

I've finished the last of Fairul's books. This one being You Suck: A Love Story by Christopher Moore. It was dumb. Plain and simple. Easy read, but I honestly was rushing to get through it, because I couldn't wait to get on with a book with real substance. At least now it's finished.

Basically the book is about a vampire woman who changes her lover into a vampire, and from there they endure a lot of people chasing after them to try and hunt them down. Quite the story, and is quite retarded.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this unless you want a brainless read to take your mind off your life.

Hopefully, I can continue on and read books with actual substance. Until next time, Happy Reading.