2020 Reading Challenge - My Friend Anna by Rachel DeLoache Williams

I've decided I don't like resolutions for a new year, I much prefer the term goals. Might just be me being super picky, but I always associate resolutions with promises you make to yourself that (9/10) never actually happen. Whereas goals you can set up as targets, with deadlines and actions. They're trackable. And one of my goals for 2020 was to read 10 new books...

Life | Holiday Reads

There is one thing that I love to do on holiday - that is read. To me a holiday is sitting by the pool, in the sun, with a good book by my side. Bliss. This holiday was no exception - so let me fill you in on what I read on holiday...

Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger

After reading Revenge Wears Prada I searched for any other Weisberger books for holiday. I've read all except this one so downloaded it and it was the first one I read. Honestly, this book took me the longest to read on holiday and it was one of the shortest. It's about a woman called Bette who starts working for a events company and her adventures. It wasn't that it wasn't a great book - it just felt very Devils Wear Prada to me. It had the same underlining story of girl gets new job, job takes over life, alienates her from others, dramatically quits etc. Same formula, but it just didn't work as well for me.

A Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern

I love Cecelia Ahern. I love her imagination, the way she turns "chick lits" (I hate that name btw) into something a little bit different. It's never just about the romance - it's about the story and the people within it. This is about journalist Kitty who loses her mentor to cancer and has to write her mentors last story from a list of 100 names - and no synopsis. It's gorgeously written, witty, funny and you fall in love with the characters. I loved it. Which showed when it took me all of about 5 (ish) hours to read and finish. Loved it. I would definitely recommend this and I'm already on another of hers.

Elemental Mysteries Series (Books 1 - 4) by Elizabeth Hunter

Basically another vampire saga, with a bit of a difference - as they all our. This one is centered around Giovanni, vampire who can control fire and Beatrice, or B, a mortal - and yes you guessed it, they fall in love. I actually loved this though. The characters, though vampires, are relatable. The relationships are so well portrayed and the books are really well written. For me, this is on a par with Twilight - but with sex. I would definitely recommend this is you like Twilight, but have grown up a bit since then.

Bit of a different post from me, but I do love my books!

What's your top holiday reads?

Easy Meals by Rachel Allen

Yes I know, a completely different kind of post from me today. With the plan of moving in with the boy this year I thought it was probably about time I got a couple of cook books so I could do some lovely home made meals. His Mum is probably the best cook I know so he has been spoilt for life - something I now have to live up to! So, I had a look through some of them in WHSmith with the view of finding meals Adam will actually eat (he is very picky!)

Eventually I stumbled across Easy Meals by Rachel Allen, it's a mix of different types of recipes ranging from mussels to oreo sundaes. It is full of original recipes that are easy to make and scrummy to eat. So far I have tried one recipe, chicken and chorizo rice, and it was so good. Ridiculously easy to make with minimal ingredients and incredibly tasty.

I really want to try Spanish Mussles. I love mussels and if they are in a restaurant I will usually pick them. I love that with this recipe it's mixed with something other than white wine and garlic - I can't wait to give it a go!

Overall, fab first cook book for the little house girlfriend (bit soon to say wife) and I'm so excited to try everything out... Orea Sunday anyone?

What recipe books couldn't you live without?

Book Club: Fifty Shades Darker & Fifty Shades Freed

As seen here I've done a recent review on the first Fifty Shades book and was a bit undecided, but I decided to struggle on and read the next two in the series... And I'm so glad I did! I thought I'd pop both in the same review as I feel the same way about both of these so, here we go - Book Club #2 is here!

Fifty Shades Darker by E L James. (second book)

So, this book starts about four days after the first book ends after Ana leaves Christian. The book is centered around them trying to establish a 'vanilla' relationship with kinky sex mixed in. Also add a little danger when one of Christian's ex subs turns up wondering how he can love Ana but not her. YAY STORY! I have to say, I fell in love with Christian in this book. In the first one he really annoyed me, but this book made me do a complete 180. The thing I love about this book is that there was an actual story to it, not just sex. And there isn't as much sex in this one as there is the first one - yay! I felt like I was finally allowed to get to know the characters, identify with them and relate. I felt like I could finally get into the story and enjoy it. I still wouldn't say it was the most incredible writing in the world, or the best book I have ever read. But compare it to the first book and it's a definite improvement. As opposed to the three weeks it took me to read the first one, this took me around four days. You begin to understand by Christian is the way he is, definitely fell a little bit in love with him.

Fifrty Shades Freed by E L James (third book)

This book carries on with Ana and Christians unorthadox yet addictive relationship, however in this book they are trying to deal through their marriage and Christians controlling tendancies. Again add a little danger with someone looking to seek revenge on Christian and his family and voila - MORE STORY YAY! You get to see more of other characters in this book as well such as Mia, Kate, Ethan and Elliot. As well as Christians parents and Ana's relationship with her step father Ray. Which is a nice change as even though it is still mostly about Ana and Christain you get a bit of a break from them as well. There is more kinky sex in this one then the second and it was verging back into the realm of a porn story at times, but it's more balanced then the first book. Again you can identify more with all the characters and gain a full understanding of Christian and his behaviour.

Summary

So, definitely preferred these two books and would recommend them whole heartedly and I've spoken to many who feel the same. Now, this is a little rant - I saw a comment on FB during the week actually saying "all those dumb people that read 50 Shades" and I want to clear this up. Yes, this book is full of sex, and no, it's not an intellectual read (minus all the long words I don't understand myself) but that doesn't make its readers dumb. Books are a way of escapism, like films so they don't have to be an intellectual read and frankly I'm pleased there is a book that isn't ashamed of its sexual natural that's aimed at women. Women are allowed to like sex too and they are allowed to read books such as this - it DOESN'T make them dumb! Everyone is allowed a form of escapism and everyone is allowed to have their own tastes. Sorry to rant but this made me angry!

Anywho, these two have kinda reinstilled my faith in E L James, I am however worried what the film will be like now they have said they're going to make one... I think a porn film is slightly different to a book with kinky sex in it but we'll see!

Book Club: 50 Shades of Grey

A little something different for me .. Am going to start doing a little "Book Club" section with books I've been reading and just give my little view. If you'd like me to do a particular book just let me know. Hope you enjoy!

Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

Okay, so everyone has probably heard about this book now and everybody probably knows its main theme: sex. Now, I know there have probably been a ridiculous amount of reviews on this book; however I really wanted to give my view on this as I have mixed feelings about this book and I want to share them so I might decide how I really feel about it.

So, this book is written in the first person from the point of view of Anastasia Steele who meets rich businessman Christian Grey who has a dark secret.

Within the first few pages I was hooked and desperately wanted to know his secret. As a lover of the Twilight & True Blood books I was quite excited to learn whether he was a vampire or something like that. But no, he is a sexual dominator who has a red room of pain.

Now, this doesn't bother me. If you've ever read True Blood you will know that sex plays a big part in a lot of those books. However, I have found it really hard to read this just because everything is sex. Helicopter ride leads to sex, graduation leads to sex, even dinner with his parents leads to sex in the boat house... 

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a prude, but when the story is completely dominated by sex it's hard to really get into it. Every time I really start to get into the story it then gets sidetracked with sex and to be honest I end up frustrated - not sexually frustrated, but frustrated because I really want to get into the story.

This is probably the longest it has EVER taken me to read a book. Which is saying something as anyone who knows me will tell you I read like lightening, especially when I love the book (the first Hunger Games book took me 4 hours). This book has literally taken me three weeks, plus. 

I am going to be incredibly hypocritical here and say I do want to read the other two books. This is the first in a trilogy of books and I am very intrigued to see how E L James has made this into a trilogy. May take me another couple months if the other two are anything like the first.

Now I need to give it its dues as I'm making it sound awful, and it isn't. It's written really well and the characters are relatable in aspects. I love Kate, the room mate, she's so protective and straight talking and I'd love a friend like her, she reminds me a lot of one of my girl friends actually. So I promise it is not all bad. I would definitely recommend giving it ago, just because it's not entirely my cup of tea doesn't mean you won't enjoy it.

Have you read 50 Shades of Grey? What did you think?