I'm a huge fan of reading and one of the things I really enjoy is having a conversation with people about their favourite books. I really think it helps me get to know them a lot more, so I wanted to share with you guys just 5 of my must read books!
The Declarationby Gemma Malley
"The Declaration opens in the year 2140, and people have conquered death in the form of Longevity drugs. With limited food and fuel resources, waste has become a serious crime and the worst crime of all is having a child. Anna is one of these children. She is housed at Grange Hall where she and other Surpluses are taught that the most they can ever hope for is a harsh life of servitude to make amends for their existence.
Anna is well on her way to becoming a Valuable Asset when Peter arrives at Grange Hall. He challenges everything she has learned by arguing that people who take Longevity are the real criminals and perversions of nature, not the young. He also claims that he knows her parents and that they want her back. Peter is strange and new, but is he enough to make her risk everything to escape with him?"
This book I've had since I was around 11 years old and never over the past 8 years have I gotten bored of it. It's an amazing dystopian thriller that has always had me burning the midnight oil. It set me up to be a big fan of Gemma Malley's other stories...and I've now realised that there are actually another 2 books which are sequels to this one...so there's a spending spree going on right now!
Buy it here: The Declaration
FangirlBy Rainbow Rowell
"Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life.
Without Wren Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible . . ."
Emily first introduced me to this book in late 2014 (I think) and I read it in like 5 hours. I think it's one of the first books with links to Mental Health that I've ever read, and it was so tastefully done. I instantly felt a connection to Cath and her boy struggles. I fell in love with the characters and bought myself a copy as soon as I'd finished reading. It's still one that I pick up regularly to read, and the fact that it's become a widely known book lately has made me so happy!
Buy it here: Fangirl
Don't let anything dull your sparkleBy Doreen Virtue
"Difficult relationships and challenging circumstances all come down to one thing: drama. In this ground-breaking book, Doreen Virtue guides you through the process of determining your Drama Quotient. You'll discover how much stress you are unnecessarily tolerating and absorbing from other people and the situations you find yourself in.
Doreen explains the physiological reasons why you can become addicted to high-drama relationships, jobs and lifestyles, and how to heal from this cycle. You'll come to understand why traumatic events from the past may have triggered post-traumatic symptoms, including anxiety, weight gain and addictions, and you'll learn natural and scientifically supported methods for restoring balance to your body and your life.
Doreen shows you how to:
- Deal with relatives, friends and co-workers who are 'hooked'? on drama
- Assess your own level of drama addiction
- Relieve stress and bring about inner peace
Go on an overall Drama Detox to clear away negativity and let your light shine through!"
For me, I'm always trying to better myself. One of the things I try the hardest with is breaking away from negativity and trying to understand how my past has influenced my present...and therefore how I can move past it. This book has been so interesting and has definitely given me some food for thought.
Buy it here: Don't let anything dull your sparkle
Practical magicby Alice Hoffman
"Sisters Gillian and Sally Owens were brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica. As the magical charm of their childhood wears away, they escape from this mystical mayhem - one by running away, the other by marrying.
Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again, and once more they are in a place that blends the mundane and mysterious, the familiar and fantastic. Three generations of Owens women are brought together in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that such perceptions are rare and wonderful and - to be sure - practical."
It's a tale of love, family, magic and acceptance. I first became a fan of the film when I was a child, so naturally (always being a fan of books more than films) I had high hopes for the book....and it did not disappoint. It was a truly magical experience.
My favourite ending passage:
" there are a few things, after all that Sally Owens knows for certain: Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep Rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can"
Buy it here: Practical Magic
"If we are willing to do the mental work, almost anything can be healed" Louise Hay
"Life Is Really Very Simple. What We Give Out, We Get Back What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us. I believe that everyone, myself included, is responsible for everything in our lives, the best and the worst. Every thought we think is creating our future. Each one of us creates our experiences by our thoughts and our feelings. The thoughts we think and the words we speak create our experiences."
Buy it here: Don't let anything dull your sparkle
Practical magicby Alice Hoffman
"Sisters Gillian and Sally Owens were brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica. As the magical charm of their childhood wears away, they escape from this mystical mayhem - one by running away, the other by marrying.
Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again, and once more they are in a place that blends the mundane and mysterious, the familiar and fantastic. Three generations of Owens women are brought together in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that such perceptions are rare and wonderful and - to be sure - practical."
It's a tale of love, family, magic and acceptance. I first became a fan of the film when I was a child, so naturally (always being a fan of books more than films) I had high hopes for the book....and it did not disappoint. It was a truly magical experience.
My favourite ending passage:
" there are a few things, after all that Sally Owens knows for certain: Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep Rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can"
Buy it here: Practical Magic
You can heal your lifeby Louise Hay
"Life Is Really Very Simple. What We Give Out, We Get Back What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us. I believe that everyone, myself included, is responsible for everything in our lives, the best and the worst. Every thought we think is creating our future. Each one of us creates our experiences by our thoughts and our feelings. The thoughts we think and the words we speak create our experiences."
The book shows us that through changing the way that we think, and by using different mantras and thought patterns, any physical or emotional issues can be overcome! It's even been tried and tested for drug users trying to overcome their addictions...and it was successful.
Buy it here: You can heal your life
What are some of your favourite books to read?
Love,
Louise x
