FIVE FRIDAY

1. The Lunar Chronicles, by Marissa Meyer

Cinder on goodreads.com           Cinder on Amazon.co.uk

These books have been circulating in the book-blogosphere and instagram. I have finally admitted that I want to read them and have added them onto my goodreads.com 'Read List'. They sound like my cup of tea and are hopefully very like all my favourite YA book series such as 'divergent', 'Hunger Games' 'Uglies' etc... I am also interested in this series as they are themed on well known fairy tales - and this is hinted in the covers. The covers are, I feel, quite similar to those of the original Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and it makes me wonder whether Marissa Meyer's name has always been 'Meyer'. Coincidence or not, I can't wait till I have the money to buy these books. 

2, Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng

goodreads.com          Amazon.co.uk

Everything I never told you is a sensitive family portrait with themes of secrets, love, family and longing. A family are torn apart when their daughter is found dead in a lake. It gives us a powerful insight into the relationships between parents and their children and how they will forever struggle to understand each other. I am hoping that this is a gripping novel that gives us an in-depth picture of the complex relationships that hold families together.

3. Illusions? Maybe, by Glenn Riley

goodreads.com          Amazon.co.uk

This book was recommended to me by a friend who asked me to read and review it on my blog. I already had this one on my kindle as a colleague wrote it and I wanted to support them in their journey to becoming a writer. However I had never prioritized this semi-autobiographical novel until now. When I do read and review this book I promise to be completely honest and truthful. I don't know whether this book will be 'my cup of tea' but I am going to try it anyway... hopefully soon. 

4. Change of Heart, by Jodi Picoult

goodreads.com          Amazon.co.uk

I love Jodi Picoult's books. They always leave you with a moral decision to make and each decision will always have consequences. I have found that a lot of Picoult's novels have a similar story line and structure which I felt at one point made them a little boring after reading Picoult novel after Picoult novel. However, I haven't read one of her books for at least a year and I miss her writing. I added this one as the story line sounds incredible... The character's daughter needs a new heart but the only available match is that of a murderer. I mean, WOW. Really would like to get this book, maybe to read in the summer holiday. 

5. The Golem and the Djinni, by Helene Wecker

goodreads.com         Amazon.co.uk

I was attracted to the cover of this book as it is very pretty and mystifying. I saw it at a local health organisation where you can take books to swap. I traded in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame for this one. When I picked it up and the first thing I saw was 'If you love The Night Circus then you'll love this' that was it, I had to have it! It is quite a big book and I hope that doesn't make me leave it to the bottom of the reading list. I am really excited to read this - but how do you pronounce 'Djinni'?
Tell me in the comments if you know!

Let me know what you've added to your lists recently.

Love Charlie, Xx

HELP ME! by Donna M. Zadunjsky Book Review for Netgalley.com

HELP ME! by Donna M. Zadunjsky

First Published: 2015

Publisher: BookBuzz.net

Pages: 126

Rating: 3*

<Disclosure: This is a review for Netgalley.com. I am not getting paid for this review. This review is 100% my true opinions and is not biased in any way. I want my readers to have honest content on my blog>

HELP ME! on goodreads.com

This book is available on Amazon.co.uk for £4.70 in paperback or £2.02 in kindle edition. 

I really wanted to read this book as i thought it would be a development in YA fiction with themes of mental health. I thought the cover was great in terms of warning you of the content within. The subheading, 'Once I slice, it relieves so much pressure, I can breathe, again...' is suggestive also of self-harm and is a good warning to have on the front. I believe this is important for two reasons; firstly, there is no age limit on books in the Library, a child of any age could pick this up. The novella is extremely graphic and, I believe, not suitable for children under the age of thirteen. Secondly, the cover acts as a Trigger warning for those who are affected by the content of the book and want to avoid reading anything that may encourage their downfall of mental health. It acts the same way as 'spoiler alerts' so you can choose whether you want to read the article or not. 

I was a bit afraid to write this review as the book touches some sensitive topics. The main character, Mick, is dealing with trauma - The trauma of his best friend killing himself. Suicide is the most prominent theme within the book closely followed by self-injury. I believe this book is targeted to teens who are affected by self harm themselves, and for those who want to help a friend. This book would also be a good read for those in their final years of High School as it helps to break down false stigma surrounding mental health. It would be a good lesson before the students leave High School and go into a world full of labels and where mental health is profoundly misunderstood. I was very relieved to read that Zadunjsky hadn't glorified the act of self-injury as many others have done. 

This short novella comes to the conclusion that the best thing for you to do in this situation is to get help. Either by informing the sufferer's parents, their school teachers or guidance counselor - and by doing so, you could be saving their lives. Another important message in Zadunjsky's writing is that friends of the victim shouldn't carry a burden or sense of helplessness. They should try to help without feeling that it is their responsibilities. Teenagers are extremely susceptible to keeping everything to themselves and trying to fix the world. However Zadunjsky makes it clear to her readers that when someone is in this situation, they cannot be solely fixed by a friend and outside help is needed. 

Although this book provides us an in-depth view of one person's struggle with self harm, I would hardly say this book was educational. Whether that was the aim or not, I think that if you're going to 'go out on a limb' and talk to teenagers about mental health, there is more you could say in one book. On the otherhand, this is the first book in a series tackling mental health so I don't know what she [Zadunjsky] is going to bring to the table next. Overall, I thought she could have put more recovery strategies in the story to help first-hand sufferers who are reading this novella. 

I appreciated the helpful links in the foreword, and Zadunjsky did give the readers more information of the epidemic of suicides in young people. I cannot stress the importance of this, especially in young adult/teen books as readers are so impressionable and inquisitive at this age. By providing links, you allow teens to access helpful, educational websites rather than their own research which may take them to less helpful sites. 

When I started this book, at first, I found the prose difficult to read... Like a badly translated novel. However, as the book continued I discovered that it was a fast paced book. I read this in less than an hour and it wasn't only because the 126 page length of the book. The sentences were very short and the characters came alive, as though what I was reading was a diary excerpt. I congratulate Zadunjsky in her first Help Me! novella and I hope she continues to provide younger people with insights and information regarding mental health illnesses and issues.  The description of self harm within this book is very real and it is evident that the author has done her research. 

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book, although I don't think I would read it again. I certainly would not pay £4.70 for this book in paperback unless I felt it would help a friend. I would buy it on kindle, but as I said, I don't think I would recommend this book to others. (Unless they were suffering themselves with themes from this book, or they had a friend in this situation.) Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book, I believe it is important for High Schools and Libraries to have a copy of this book as it has helpful links and advice. 

Books I want to Read in 2016

What books do you want read this year?

Maybe a classic that you've wanted to read for years, or a book you bought last week. A children's book you're so fond of you want to read again or a book you've previously abandoned. Maybe you want to read a book that's hitting the screen this year or a book in a series you've started. Whatever it is that you want to read, maybe you should make a list so you remember. Not that I'm saying you'll forget; but just look at how many books on your shelf (or shelves) you haven't read yet.  

As lots of readers will understand, I have many books sitting on my shelves that I want to read but haven't yet had the time to. Not only books that I own, but also books that I want to read and have to buy. This year, as many years previously, I will make a list (quite an ambitious list) of what I want to remember to read this year. It helps me to make choices relating to the books I already own and I feel acomplished when I have read a book that I have had on the shelf for a while. This list isn't etched in stone and I will read books that aren't on the list, but from a January perspective, it's a starting point; a guide. 

Here we Go...

Firstly, These are five books that I have both wanted to read for a long time, and have been lying on the shelf. I'll give you the sun by Jandy Nelson and Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe are 'newish' books. I'll give you the Sun first published in 2015 and Love, Nina in 2013. I was very excited to read both of these books when I bought them but somehow they have remained on the shelf. The other four books are books that have been recommended to me by friends. (And it's about time I gave them back!)

The next Five books are all children's books. These are also books that I keep forgetting about but have always wanted to read. This year I want to read at least two of them. Also, I would say that all five of these books are must reads and fit into the category of 'classics'. 

These five books are aimed at teenagers - early twenties. But my philosophy is that if you can read; you read whatever you want to. As you can see, these books are all quite similar in terms of genre, and that is because I fell in love with Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games'. I felt a serious hole in my reading heart when I finished The Mockingjay. I went on a rampage to see what other readers were reading next. I have read the 'Divergent' series by Veronica Roth and also started the 'Matched' series by Allie Condie. These books are the first in five different series that are apparently going to satisfy my longing for the Hunger Games. (If only I could read them for the first time again.) 2016, it looks like, is going to be an adventure!

 Finally. I have 6 classic books that I wish I had already read. I've attempted nearly all of these books before now, however was not in the right 'frame of mind' at the time. (Is it just me that has to 'be in the mood' to read certain books?) These books don't scare me but I feel as though they are a challenge for me. I don't know why. This year though I want to tackle these 6. I want to be able to say I've read them, and I hope I enjoy them once I 'get into them'. I'll let you know. 

There we go, 22 books that I want to read in 2016. Once again, this list is for my personal guidance and I will read other books. For example, when making this list, I did not even look at what I have on my kindle, nor did I include books that I want to buy, books that I may pick up in the Library or new releases.  Wish me luck! 

• I'll give you the Sun - Jandy Nelson
• Abarat - Clive Barker 
• Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult 
• Tipping the Velvet - Sarah Waters 
• The Diving Pool - Yoko Ogawa
• Love Nina - Nina Stibbe
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
• Watership Down - Richard Adams 
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
• The Magician's Nephew - C.S Lewis
• Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
• Gone - Michael Grant
• The Maze Runner - James Dashner
• Delerium - Lauren Oliver 
• City of Bones - Cassandra Clare 
• The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien 
• Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H Lawrence
• To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
• One Flew over a Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
• The Shell Seekers - Rosamunde Pilcher 
• Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte 

Soon, I will do a Post including books that are on my Kindle Voyage and books that I want to buy in the next few months. Keep an eye out. 

Love Charlie, Xx