Book Review: 'Sharp Objects' by Gillian Fylnn

Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books
Date Published: 2006
Number of Pages: 254

Plot: Camille Preaker works as a crime journalist in a small Chicago newspaper, after a brief stay at a psychiatric hospital due to self-harm she is sent back to her small hometown to research the disappearance of two young girls. While back in Windgap, the life Camille has tried so hard to forget comes rushing back to her. Wicked carved across her hipbone. Nasty on her kneecap. Baby-doll scarred into her leg. Words carved into Camille's skin was her way of dealing with a troublesome childhood which still haunts her well into her adult life. As Camille uncovers more and more about the young girls she notices a few too many resemblances with her dead sister. She knows if she is going to survive being back home she's going to have to come face to face with the demons she been dodging her whole life. 

Thoughts: In my eyes Gillian Flynn can do no wrong. Oh wow! The second I started this novel I was hooked. If there was ever a book I wish I could remove from my memory only so I could read it and be blown away all over again it would be this one and Gone Girl - also written by Flynn. I loved everything about this novel. I loved the damaged characters. I loved the soul sucking town. I loved the darkness behind what was happening. Every time something would start to make sense, Flynn would completely switch it around. When I wasn't reading this novel I wished I was reading it. The story was so well thought out and well written that it has stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

4/5 stars for 'Sharp Objects' by Gillian Flynn.

photo source: http://weheartit.com/entry/147584939/via/littlelphxnt

Book Review: 'The Rain' by Virginia Bergin

Title: The Rain
Author: Virginia Bergin
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Date Published: 2014
Number of Pages: 384

Plot: It's in the rain... and just one drop will kill you. Two weeks after the first deadly rainfall our main character Ruby has to trek across the country to find her dad. The water is infected and the last of the drinkable water is running out.

Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book. I really wanted to like our main character Ruby. When I first heard about this novel, about the plot I thought it was going to be great! An epic survival adventure. I love apocalyptic stories, 'The Walking Dead' 'I Am Legend.' But this book was not that. There was no epic tale. There was no epic anything. Our main character Ruby spends more time thinking about how many boys she can kiss and how many sparkly dresses she can pack on her journey across the country. When she is meant to be searching for clean water to drink, she instead goes shoe shopping. I was disappointed by this story. I'm so used to reading about strong female characters - Rose, Tris, Katniss, etc, etc that Ruby made me cringe. I get that she was meant to be 'normal' teenage girl, trying to survive the only way she knows how, but that way was wearing heels and thinking about the beautiful Casper McCloud. Not about surviving the deadly rain.

I feel that this story could have been so much better if Ruby was a bit more... badass I guess. If she stopped acting like a silly teenage girl started acting like this shit was serious!

 Needless to say, I didn't enjoy this book. I had to force myself to finish it. There was many times I'd turn on my e-reader and think "Why am I forcing myself to read this?"

I don't like writing reviews like this because I know the author worked really hard on this novel but that's my opinion. If you've read this book, did you like it? and if so are you going to pick up the second installment 'The Storm'? It's due to be released February 26th 2015. I for one will not be picking up the sequel.

2/5 stars for 'The Rain' by Virginia Bergin. 

The Extrordinary Adventures of Purrlock Holmes

Nick-named 'Black Betty' by my dad

Witches cat

Recreating The Reichenbach Fall from 'Sherlock' season two

Best buddies Red and Purrlock

On January first last year I found Miss Purrlock Holmes. A scared little kitten who couldn't find her way on a dark and stormy night. I begged my parents to let me keep her but they kept telling me no. We already had two cats and there was no need for another one, but my dad being the cat lover that he is soon fell in love with the little fury thing.

Between vet visits, loosing one of my other cats and many, many treats Purrlock became the leader of my house. She rules the roost. She has brought a love of life back into my seventeen year old cat, Red and every chance she gets she jumps on his back and the tuffs of hair fly! There was been countless fights between the two of those but they always end up cuddling.

So much has happened in 2014. I lost all my friends. I fell in love. My beautiful niece Alissa was born. I fell out of love. I wouldn't change anything that happened in 2014 for the world and I'm so glad that at the end of every day I got to come home to a little black kitten who loved me no matter what.

She spends the day sleeping in the sunlight and the night getting up to whatever extraordinary adventure awaits her.