Thoughts on The Perks of Being a Wallflower and reminiscing over cherry pie.

Cherry pie

I finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower over a week ago so this post is very late. I've been really busy for the past few weeks and have only now had the chance to stop and think about the book. 

The two main feelings that I have on the book are that I really (really) liked it and that I wish I had read it when I was 15.

I had wanted to read the book for a while, so when I heard that it was being made into a film directed by the author Stephen Chbosky I quickly panic bought it. The book is short (230 pages) but the story pulled me in so much from the start that it seemed much longer and I definitely wouldn't classify it as a light read. The story follows Charlie as he embarks on his first year of high school and the entire book is written from the perspective of Charlie, who tells his story through a series of letters addressed to a friend (the reader). The story has far more depth than a typical coming-of-age and further layers of the story are revealed throughout. I loved the reading and play list that was developed throughout the book and it has definitely inspired me to re-read some of the books mentioned, especially Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. While I could relate better to some of the other characters in the book, I found the central character of Charlie very  familiar and incredibly funny. I would happily recommend this book to anyone and I think that most people would be able to relate with some part of the book. Ensure that you have a pack of sticky notes at the ready for the quotes you will want to write down!

I've been thinking a lot lately about some of my favourite books that I read before I began this blog and I've decided that these books deserve some discussion. So I've decided to add little reviews on some of my favourite books in my next few blog posts. Two of my favourite books are Love in a Cold Climate and the Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith and I will be talking about one of these books in each in my next two posts. 

I am currently still reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls and I'm really into the story. I haven't read a non-fiction book for a while and I'm looking forward to seeing how this one pans out :) 

xx

Breaking my book rules

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

This week I broke the only two rules I had in terms of books at the moment. These were the rules-
1. Don't buy anymore books until the five I got from Waterstones last month have been read. 
2. Don't read two books at the same time and finish The Perks of Being a Wallflower first.

So I bought another book and I've started reading it .

The Perks of Being a Wallflower  

I do have some excuses though. I was planning on buying The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls in my next book haul, because I've read   really good things about it from other blogs. Apparently it's a regular on required reading lists in a lot of schools in the United States and I've also read that it's a favourite for many. Anyway, I found a really pretty hardback first edition at a charity shop for just one pound! So I think that's a good excuse for breaking the first rule.

My excuse for breaking the second rule is that I read the first two pages and then couldn't stop. The story so far is like nothing I've ever read and I love the style it's written in. I can't give any further insight into the book than that, as I'm only about three chapters in, but I'm guessing that my next review will be on two books. It's clear that I can't follow book rules and that now I'm going to get as confused as I always do when I'm reading two books. On the plus side I found a bag of Cadbury's Twirl Bites in my bag which I'm sure will help me cope.

Mmmm

xx

Thoughts on the age of miracles and an update on things

The age of miracles and a pretty diary

I finished the age of miracles by Karen Thompson Walker about a week ago and I was surprised by how much I liked it. The idea in buying this book was to move away from my usual genres and get a bit scienced...

...I didn't get scienced.

I haven't read much from the dystopia genre before, in fact I've read two (1984 and Fahrenheit 451) and while the subject matters of those two were definitely more my cup of tea (political totalitarianism and state-sponsored censorship pretty much epitomised my degree), I actually preferred the age of miracles as a novel. Unlike the politically motivated dystopian futures of 1984 and Fahrenheit  451, the negative elements in the age of miracles are not man made and are affecting not only society, but the world as a whole. The story follows the story of Julia as she is comes to terms with becoming interested in boys, making new friends, some family drama, oh and the day becoming 48 hours long after the slowing of the world's rotation. 

It wasn't the dystopian theme that made me fall for this book, but more the coming of age elements and the development of the relationship between Julia and Seth. I could relate to the character of Julia so so much, particularly in the way she'd managed to become completely infatuated with the boy without him having any idea, too stubborn to give an inch.  

Julia understands as much about the so-called 'slowing' of the world's rotation as any eleven year would, so not much. So since the novel is written from her perspective it would be best recommended for those who are looking for an alternative coming of age, rather than a sciencey (sciencey?) obsevation of what would happen if the rotation of the world changed. So in the end I didn't get scienced, but I didn't mind. 

So now I'm reading the perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and so far it's really funny and has referenced The Smiths twice, so I think I'm gonna like it. I need to read it in enough time to also lend it to my sister to read before the adaptation is released early next month, so I should be finished soon.

Aforementioned tiny blonde child with birthday balloons 

Aside from the reading, there's been lots going on here to keep me nice and busy. It was my nephews second birthday party (see tiny blonde child) the other day and there was a bouncy castle and beer. What else could I need? 

I've also been busy with a writing internship that I got a few weeks ago. The writing is for a 'not-for-profit' rehab organisation and I'm really loving it so far and I've also been helping to set up their newsletter (fancy Skype work meetings) and get some copy writing experience which is pretty cool. 

I will probably post again soon once I've finished the perks of being a wallflower, with good news I hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_NME1Iu79U

xx