Recent Reads #8

Just Friends by Billy Taylor

August and Ethan have been bestfriends since the day they met at Ethan’s seventh birthday party. And now, twelve years on, their friendship continues to grow. But after magic, fame, money and an unexplainable miracle in a car accident, August realises maybe she wants to be more than just friends.

I'm sure you've seen this book somewhere on twitter. It's the reason I bought it anyways! The beginning was cute and I guess the ending was cute too however the middle of the book I just couldn't related to. The story line and characters was so un-relatable to the point I was even complaining to my mum! I felt like in certain situations they should of used different characters for those parts to make it a tad more realistic. It's a shame because I liked the idea of the story at the beginning and thought this would be a good little easy read but no. 

PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry. Childhood sweethearts, they could finish each other's sentences and even when they fought, they laughed. No one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other. Until the unthinkable happens. Gerry's death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms, Gerry comes back to her. He's left her a bundle of notes, one for each of the months after his death, gently guiding Holly into her new life without him, each note signed 'PS, I Love You'.

I've had this book for years, sitting on my shelf and I just never read it. I bought it because I remember a friend of mine telling me how great and emotional it was. I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me really enjoyed following Holly and seeing what the next note was going to say. And yes some of the notes did make me tear up, only slightly. However, the other part of me got really annoyed with some of the story. Just little parts I felt was a tad unrealistic considering what we already knew about the main character. Wasn't nothing major and I still enjoyed the book regardless.

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan

A local schoolgirl has been missing for weeks when Margot Lewis, agony aunt of the 'Dear Amy' advice column, receives a letter:

Dear Amy,

I've been kidnapped by a strange man. 
I don't know where I am.

Please help me,
Bethan Avery

This must be a hoax. Because Bethan Avery is another young girl, who went missing twenty years ago. As more letters arrive, Margot becomes consumed by finding the sender and - unlike the police - convinced that the girls' disappearances are connected. Solving this puzzle could save someone's life - but could it also cost Margot her own?

I saw this book at the train station and it caught my eye (advertisement has really been working we with recently with books). I did enjoy reading this book. Throughout most of it you never know what is real or what is just in Magots mind which I personally enjoyed because it kept me wanting more. Usually I figure out the twist with thrillers half way through but because of Magots doubt trying to find the kidnappers it took me longer to find out. There is more than one twist as well which made up for the shocking but not OMG shocking ending. 

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

Best friends Caddy and Rosie are inseparable. Their differences have brought them closer, but as she turns sixteen Caddy begins to wish she could be a bit more like Rosie - confident, funny and interesting. Then Suzanne comes into their lives: beautiful, damaged, exciting and mysterious, and things get a whole lot more complicated. As Suzanne's past is revealed and her present begins to unravel, Caddy begins to see how much fun a little trouble can be. But the course of both friendship and recovery is rougher than either girl realises, and Caddy is about to learn that downward spirals have a momentum of their own.

I love love love this book even though there wasn't much action and soppy love story. I loved it because it was realistic and relatable. In a way I saw myself in all 3 girls and felt for each one of them. I did get emotional towards the end which wasn't good as I was on a bus desperately trying not to cry!

SPOILER!! (Even though you find this out near the beginning of the book)

Suzanne was abused/beaten by her stepdad and this book shows a realistic side of the aftermath of being in that situation. It's not all happy endings the minute you escape abuse and that is the reason this book is a fav for me.

Description of books were taken from Amazon.