Wednesday 30 October 2013

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Although I felt like the book had a bit of a slow start, once I got to a certain point, I could not put it down. I was hooked, desperate to know what would happen next - and always shocked as each new twist was revealed. At first, I hated Nick and felt sorry for Amy, then my feelings took a total u-turn, much like the public's opinion during the story. I felt the character Amy was very unique and really drove the plot forward. All the little clues she left were really cleverly thought out. The ending, however, whilst apt for the characters, left me feeling a little bit sad and worried about Nick's future. But I really enjoyed the book and give it 9/10.

Friday 25 October 2013

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

I'm slightly confused as to whether I enjoyed this book. There were parts where I was really gripped, and I enjoyed getting to know all the characters at the beginning. However, whilst there were some odd aspects to the uninvited guests, especially Charlie, and it was clear they were supposed to be ghosts, I just don't think it was executed well enough. There were times where events were just trying a little too hard to be strange. But I did like all of the characters, especially Emerald, Ernest and Patience, which I feel is an important part of a story. Smudge was also a lovely character, and her quirks made me love her all the more. The ending did bring the story to a good conclusion, but it was just the main body which lacked something. I give this book 5/10.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French

I was quite disappointed with this book, as I'd really enjoyed Dawn French's second book, 'Oh Dear Silvia'. The main problem was that I didn't like any of the characters. Mo was drippy and depressing, but didn't seem to improve much until the last few pages. Dora was an irritating and extremely stupid teenager who acted more like a little child. The language used in her chapters, whilst probably accurate for girls her age, was painful to read. I'd rather it had been third person to avoid this. Oscar's chapters were more enjoyable and quite amusing, however. I found it hard to get into the story and to care about the characters. The ending was good, though, but it was far too late to rescue the book as a whole. I give this book 3/10.

Sunday 13 October 2013

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

This was a really moving and interesting book. After reading the synopsis where it explained that David Henry gave away his daughter because she had Down's Syndrome, I couldn't imagine how he could do it and how he could keep it secret, so just had to pick up the book. How the event affected his family without them knowing the truth was tragic yet fascinating to read. I wasn't sure whether to feel sorry for Norah, however, once she began cheating. Phoebe sounded absolutely lovely and I loved the character of Caroline Gill who seemed so brave and inspiring. The twist in the tale towards the end was a real shock, and I thought the ending was perfect. I give this book 9/10.