Skip to main content

My Favourite Books... So Far


I have only really been reading seriously since I was thirteen years old, but I sure have found some books which I believe have really entertained and changed my perspective of life. Here are a few that I have rounded up that might be of interest to you.

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl


Yes, this is pretty much a staple in any young reader's bookshelf, but not for me it wasn't. I didn't get to read this treasure until I was nineteen and I was so annoyed that I left it so long. Seriously, who doesn't love the idea of winning a golden ticket to a chocolate factory? It's the perfect little read for any age. Don't get me started on the writing! Oh, I could talk all day about it. It's simply perfection.

2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell


I know I'm basic. This is already such a popular book already, but I just couldn't resist. This book personally came at the right time for me. I read it just as I was going round and researching universities to go to myself. The book only helped me reinforce the dream that I have now achieved. It's also an awesome book to read in general. Plus, how could we not forget the Simon Snow spin-off books?

3. It Only Happens In the Movies by Holly Bourne


I only got round to reading this book this year and I was completely enraptured in the story. It's a great story which not only focusses on some of the elements that make rom-coms so cliché, but also family dramas that you can't help but root for the main character. It's also feminist in some regards, but not so that it is in your face. I'm just sad that I can't read it again for the first time.

4. Wickham Hall by Cathy Bramley


Okay. Okay. No need to shout. I've done it again. I've snuck in Cathy Bramley. But truly this is my favourite book from her catalogue. It got that element of romance but also community and the historical element of working at a stately home such as this. In some ways it kind of reminded me of a place in Derbyshire called Chatsworth House. So anything that resembles Pride and Prejudice is good enough for me.

5. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston


Red, White and Royal Blue can be summed up as being a masterpiece in my books. Sorry for the pun. Even though there are elements that are not factually correct I don't actually care that much, as the story seems to carry it through. It just annoys me how could anyone have not thought as such a brilliant book before. I've had to wait twenty-two years for this great story to be planted in my hands. It kind of makes me think of how did I live before that moment? Well, obviously I didn't.

6. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo


This book is like poetry and a Michelin starred meal all in one go. There is simply no way to describe the journey of this book, it is almost like it pops in your mouth like a firecracker. There are some hard-hitting themes such as teen pregnancy, but you still want to root for the main character through her determination to make something of herself, as well as look after a young child. If you want to read at least one book this year, make sure that it is this one.

7. The Humans by Matt Haig


I loved the perspective that the main character has, being that it is an alien from another planet disguised as a human. If you don't like those sci-fi elements that includes alien worlds then this one is for you. As the more that you progress throughout this book the character thinks critically what it means to live and how to fit in. I also love this book, like many others that Matt Haig has written is the philosophical element in it. He really knows his philosophical theories which makes my heart sing.

8. Moon Dog by Jane Elson


Even though I have only read this book very recently within the last month it has really made an impact. How I feel about it goes beyond words. In fact, my family have now started to make jokes about how much I talk about this book and how I wish I read it when I was a kid. Even though the plotline is simple, there are tough themes and wonderful characters which you want for them to come out ok.

9. Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. by Malcolm Duffy


When I discovered that there was a book which was upfront about some of the darker aspects of life, yet still had the dialect of a Geordie accent how could I pass up? The word choices were simply perfect and so real that it felt like all the characters were living off the page. I'm glad that I had the time to read this, as I feel everyone should read about domestic abuse and how to get help, even if it is just fiction.

10. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang


I found that this book is slightly different in terms of how the main character can be seen to react to certain situations. It is nice that for once Autism Spectrum Disorder is represented. I really felt connected to this character that I don't think I have really connected with any other before. When she cried, I cried. When she laughed, I laughed along with her. It's a book which at the end simply made me feel happy.

What is your favourite book? Did you enjoy some of the books in this list too? Let me know in the comments.










Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Eric Idle

So what do I truly think about this book? Well, it says it all when it takes a whole two years to get through. If I am being honest, when I first came to read this book I was very excited. Possibly even elated to find out more about one of my favourite pythons. But I came out with a very different opinion to what I began with. First of all, if you want to keep your sanity, as well as your time and money, don't read this. I mean seriously don't read it - not even if you have a curiosity. Trust me it will help you in the long-run. The book itself starts with his beginnings, who he was and what made him become the very python that we all know today. (Albeit, this can be seen to be very brief). But after this character development is where this book begins its downfall into the pit of doom. Why? Is all I can really say. Fame has really gone to his head. He has really gone down the road of no return. Not only did he cheat on his first wife but his name droppings became inc...

From Worm to Bookworm

Since beginning of this blog back in 2014, I have taken you through many of the books that I have read and my thoughts on various other topics involving books. However, one thing that I have never really opened up about is how I became a bookworm . How I started and how my love affair still continues to this day. Back in primary school I struggled. I mean really struggled. Struggled to fit in, struggled to be present, struggled with reading and comprehension and make any real friends. It was only when i moved to another primary school i began to see my self-worth. I was finally able to have the chance to read anything. You would think this is where I got the bug right? WRONG! Yes, the change helped me but it wasn’t long, I mean just under two years until I thrust upon secondary school. As you can imagine, this was a challenge like what most 11 year olds would experience. Me? I felt like I had been swallowed up whole. It was only when I turned year 8 (12-13 years old) the wind began to ...

Angels and Demons

As i am an A-level Religious Studies student, i feel like it would be wrong not to read this book. Not because it is mandatory or even relevant. I also understand that most of the information presented within this book was false and harshly critised. But no matter what, it is all a bit of fiction; a bit of entertainment. So this is the first book in the Robert Langdon series, which i must admit the character himself is very dear. I don't know why but after completing the whole of the book, i couldn't stop thinking about the plot. It may have been because how some of the twists in the book are pretty much outrageous. Or that most of the information about the Vatican i have never heard about before. The plot itself is about Robert Langdon has been called up in the middle of the night because of a significant murder. Branded by the Illuminati. Vittoria Vetra and himself discover that the antimatter once created by the victim of the murder is now missing. The only clue to k...

Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga

When I look at 'Here we are now' I think of a fair few things. First of all, there is not many father/daughter relationship type YA books on the market at the moment. Secondly, I thought that it would be interesting to see how such a relationship between father and daughter, with the added stress of the Dad being famous adds to the hype of this type of story. However, when delving into the book itself, it felt as though it was more about the relationship between her father and mother, rather than the main protagonist herself. In fact, it seemed as though the main character was pushed to the side so much, due to the flashbacks, that it felt as though she was a weak supporting character. To this day, it feels as though I haven't really understood what Taliah (the supposed main character) was all about and her mind processes, that we usually see with other beloved characters. Throughout the book I had found that for the plot itself, I felt as though it was far too shor...