Book Club | Easy by Tammara Webber

"I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before turning around. It was Lucas who stood there. His gaze was penetrating, not wavering for a moment, and my pulse hammered under his silent scrutiny.  I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so full of pure, unqualified desire.  Lucas is the stranger who saved Jacqueline from an attack by a fellow student - she'd never noticed him before then, and now he's everywhere.  But can Jacqueline trust him - or will the secrets he's hiding come between them?"

It's been a while since I last wrote a book review and that's mostly because I was re-reading one of the Harry Potter's.  Wizards aside, I've recently finished a book by Tammara Webber (yet another chick lit to add to the list...), an author I hadn't heard of before, but I'm glad I found her.  The novel Easy is a step up from Young Adult fiction, as Webber simply calls it "New Adult".  Think in terms of 50 Shades of Grey, this book would be a step down from that in terms of genre and the level of explicitness.  It was a really gripping read from the first word.  There's an extremely violent opening scene where the main character Jacqueline is attacked by a man with intentions of rape, before her rescuer, Lucas, saves the day.  The storyline then follows these two characters and how their relationship grows.  Overall I really enjoyed it and sailed through it pretty quickly.  The writing was good and sometimes extremely evocative.  It was also reasonably priced, at £2.99 for the Kindle.  

Currently reading: Between The Lines by Tammara Webber

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Book Club | Starstruck by Lauren Conrad

"Madison Parker has discovered that not all publicity is good publicity. After turning herself in for stealing some bling, the reality star is stuck doing community service while her Fame Game castmates soak up all the screen time. Not that newcomer Kate Hayes needs more attention—ever since her breakout song became an overnight sensation she's suddenly acting like she's Katy Perry. Aspiring actress Carmen Curtis is finally making a name for herself, but she's finding it harder than ever to get out from behind her famous mother's shadow. And in Hollywood, leading men are a dime a dozen, but a good man is hard to find. So when two of the girls have their eye on the same guy, that can mean only one thing: on-camera drama."

Surprise, surprise, another chick lit novel.  I've really been enjoy girly reads lately and Lauren Conrad's second book in the Fame Game trilogy is no exception.  An easy read, which could be a novel version of a season of The Hills, Starstruck has everything a great chick lit should contain; romance, drama and a good plot.  Each character goes through a transformation in the second instalment, Madison becomes likeable, Kate gets a bit too big for her boots and gets shipped off home (Heidi Montag being sent back to Colorado to get away from Spencer rings a bell...) and Carmen grows a thick skin against her mother.  If you like Lauren Conrad, The Hills or chick lits in general, you'll enjoy this book.  It's not groundbreaking in terms of writing, but as a quick escape, it ticks all the right boxes! 

Reviewed in the series: The Fame Game 

Currently reading: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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Book Club | You Had Me at Hello by Mhairi McFarlane

"Rachel and Ben. Ben and Rachel. It was them against the world. Until it all fell apart. It’s been a decade since they last spoke, but when Rachel bumps into Ben one rainy day, the years melt away.  They’d been partners in crime and the best of friends. But life has moved on: Ben is married. Rachel is not. Yet in that split second, Rachel feels the old friendship return. And along with it, the broken heart she’s never been able to mend."

Whilst looking for a book to read on Amazon, You Had Me at Hello kept popping up. After reading the blurb I was sold.  I can honestly say, this is one of the best books I've read this year. McFarlane writes extremely well and draws you into the book from the first sentence.  There were moments when I laughed out loud and that very rarely happens when I read a book.  I think what make the story so good is that it's completely relatable.  We all have that one person in our past and I bet you often wonder what would happen if you bumped into them again in years to come.  If you enjoy romance novels or just reading in general, I really recommend you read this book - it's fantastic and at only 99p it's a real bargain.  The only let down is that McFarlane isn't releasing another novel until December 2013.  

Currently reading: Starstruck by Lauren Conrad

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Book Club | The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up."

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

Considering it's a New York Times Bestseller, I hadn't heard much about this book before I read it.  I knew it had been turned into a film with Emma Watson but as always, I like to read the book before I see the film.  It's only 187 pages long, so it's a short and sweet action packed novel, and the first I'd read by Stephen Chbosky (someone tell me how you pronounce that please!)  When I began reading it, I realised that I'd seen a lot of the quotes on Tumblr. The book grips you straight away. It's written in a letter format and the language Chbosky uses cleverly conveys the main character, Charlie's, social awkwardness. A lot happened in under 200 pages, some I didn't see coming, others that I picked up reading through. It's one of those cult books and I can see why, it was a really enjoyable read and if you love books, you'll certainly love this one! 

Currently reading: You Had Me at Hello by Mhairi McFarlane

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Book Club | Cheryl: My Story

"The nation’s sweetheart, Cheryl has achieved unrivalled success with Girls Aloud, as a solo artist, a judge on the X Factor, a fashion icon and as the face of L’Oreal. However, the path to fame is rarely easy and for Cheryl it has been a colourful journey.  From happy but humble beginnings growing up on a tough Newcastle estate, Cheryl saw firsthand the damage that drugs and alcohol can do. But this feisty Geordie never gave up on her dreams of being on stage.  With success came a level of fame no one could prepare for. As Cheryl’s career went from strength to strength her personal heartache was played out in the national media. From her divorce to her battles with malaria, Cheryl's every move was captured by paparazzi. There was nowhere for Cheryl to hide. However, a true fighter, Cheryl emerged from every challenge stronger.  Now it’s Cheryl’s turn to set the record straight. In this heartfelt account, she opens up about all of the incredible ups and downs of her life. Told with searing honesty this is Cheryl as you’ve never seen her before."

I'm a big Cheryl fan and have been since the beginning when she first got into Girls Aloud. When I saw that she was releasing an autobiography, I initially wanted to read it to find out the truth about Ashley because there'd been so much speculation when they were together.  It was an entertaining read, although at times the writing was pretty basic.  I was quite shocked at how much she hates the paparazzi, becoming one of only a few celebrities who have been granted an injunction against them.  Cheryl talks very openly about her battle with Malaria, which is quite difficult to read especially when she was being told her organs were one by one shutting down.  

Although there were quite a few lows in the book, there were a lot of laugh out loud parts too, especially her relationship with Simon Cowell, who she described as money hungry and vain.  It was also quite funny reading about when she got arrested in Guildford, somewhere I shop and go out quite often myself.  There's also a great story of how Cheryl met Prince Harry on Simon Cowell's dressing room floor... If you like Cheryl, than you'll definitely like this book or if you just like to be nosey and find out more about people.  Like I said, it's not very well written but for the entertainment factor that can be forgiven.  

Currently reading: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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Book Club | Reflected in You by Sylvia Day

It's been a long time since I last did a book club post, but truth be told I've been buried in academic texts, researching for my dissertation and haven't really been able to pick up my Kindle.  The second novel in the Crossfire trilogy came out at the beginning of October and it was just the kind of easy to read book I needed.  

"Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest of pleasures. I couldn't stay away. I didn't want to. He was my addiction, my every desire, mine.  My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We'd never work. It was too hard, too painful, except when it was perfect. Those moments when the driving hunger and desperate love were the most exquisite insanity.  We were bound by our need. And our passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession..."

Just like 50 Shades of Grey, this book is fast fiction and definitely a fantasy.  The quality of writing is better than 50 Shades, but the plot in the second sequel is pretty much the same apart from the addition of Eva's past.  I quite liked the addition of Brett, Eva's ex-boyfriend, which had Gideon being even more unbearably controlling in their on-again-off-again relationship.  It's definitely an entertaining read and I will more than likely read the third, but if you're looking for something better written, I'd steer clear of these trashy chick lit stories.  

Currently reading: Cheryl Cole: My Story

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