Category: Friendship

Book Review- Clean

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CleanIt’ s a dirty business getting clean.

Clean is just one of those books that grabs you, and doesn’t  really let go. I found myself thinking about the lives of the characters, and how messily and yet beautifully their lives intertwine, and patch into place.

Lexi doesn’t think she is a drug addict. She just does it for fun. Her brother Nikolai, however, doesn’t share the same opinion, and when she almost overdoses, she leaves him with no choice but to send her to Clarity, a discreet, secluded centre for addicts. As Lexi grows to feel comfortable there, she meets other inmates- a set of young adults who each have problems- and secrets- of their own, but still manage to create a lifelong friendship and aid each-other in recovery.

I thought that this book was so poignant and beautiful; I was very much attached to the various characters and how they moved forward, leaving their security behind them.

This book in three words: Self-Worth – Insecurity – Growing

#getCLEAN

Hawi xx

Book Review- The Princess Diaries

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I must foreword this by making a very clear statement- The Princess Diaries series is not a normal chick-lit series. It is AMAZING. Not only does it have romantic elements, but also is very educational. Mia Thermopolis and her friends are all very opinionated and well-spoken individuals, and defy stereotypes for being teenagers and geeks. She should be an inspiration to all girls. Additionally, her views are not just complaints; she used her publicity to make issues that mattered to her known, like the cruel system of American high school and animal rights.

I am thrilled that there are books like this in the world. Simple things that adults wouldn’t think about twice are highlighted as issues for very valid reasons. The women in the story are equal to the men and there are no mindless idiots meandering here and there with nothing on their minds but romance (even Tina Hakim-Baba thinks about other things. Sometimes.).

Mia’s world is a wonderful and unique place and I really invite you (whether you’re an adult or teenager) to come and join the club. The only bad part is when it finishes and you just wonder what you are going to do with your life from that moment forward. Other than reading it again.

So, in case you haven’t realised, I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WITH A BRAIN.

I hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for reading.

-Hawi

Book Review- Paper Butterflies

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If there was one book I could give to every single person in the world, one book to share with everyone, it would be Paper Butterflies. It is absolutely breathtaking, it will make your heart break and your eyes weep and your mind think. There are  honestly very few words that have been invented to describe the pure genius this book has been written with, but I will do my best to capture it. I’m not really much of a crier bu t this book had me sobbing like a baby.

June’s life is a brutal one- when her dad is home, all seems well. When he leaves, though, she is at the non-existing mercy of her stepmother, a white woman who despises everything about her, from her corkscrew curls to her dark skin. Then June meets Blister, a boy from a loud, loving family. When she is with him, she feels free, almost like she can fly away from her house, only to be dragged back to reality every time she has to walk away. Scared stiff of the consequences, June has never told anyone about her dangerous reality. For how much longer can a paper butterfly stand underneath the immense weight of it all before it tears?

I am imploring you to read this book. It is currently my favourite book and Lisa Heathfield is truly a gifted and unique writer.

Thank you for reading and see you next time!

-Hawi

Book Review- Turtles All The Way Down

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tatwdTurtles All The Way Down is simply amazing. It is a true tribute to those suffering from a severe mental illness and an eye-opener to those that don’t.

Aza Holmes is caught in a spiral- an ever-tightening helix of thoughts and emotions that never seem to cease. So when the opportunity arises to earn $100 000 for finding the  fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, Aza is too wrapped up in her own thoughts to care. After the insistent pushing of her best friend Daisy, though, she obliges, and soon is sucked into her past with Pickett’s eldest son, Davis.

As Aza tries to gain control of her own head, she finds herself struggling to keep the pieces of her life from falling apart completely.

One thing I found very interesting about this book is her metaphor about spirals, which are representative of her thoughts’ tight grip on her daily life and how that affects her as a person; I found it very original.

I also found her general musings and views on life very and interesting, particularly on pages 1-2 and also 11-12 where she documents her views on the lack of control teenagers have in their lives and how schools leave no space for creativity and expression, but stifle imagination.

This classic to-be is heart-wrenching, thought-provoking and unmissable.

I hope you enjoyed this (slightly lengthy! 😉 ) post.

Hawi xx

Book Review- Three Dark Crowns

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Note- for the time being I am no longer adding photos of the books to my posts as it is not aligning in the way I want it to.

The first time I saw this book was when my friend was reading it at school. I was intrigued but didn’t get round to reading it until a bit later. I absolutely loved it and  would recommend it to just about anyone.

Before a queen dies, she gives birth to three triplet princesses- the elemental, the poisoner and the naturalist. They grow up separated until their sixteenth birthdays- from then on they have to hone the skills they grew up mastering and fight to the death for the throne.

Twisted in the midst of lies and mistakes, the current princesses are forced to give up what is left of the affection towards their sisters and go in for the kill.

The order of the series as of December 2018 is:

  • Three Dark Crowns
  • One Dark Throne
  • Two Dark Reigns

 

Book Review- Girlhood

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Girlhood

Sugars and Spice and Scars for Life.

I’ve always loved books that are about female friendship. There is just something so relatable about them, and that always helps in understanding and liking a book.

After her twin Jenna dies from anorexia nervosa, Harper decides to fulfil their childhood dreams and go to boarding school. She makes new friends, and she is happy.

Then she meets Kirsty, a new girl at Duncraggan Academy, who understands her in the way that the others couldn’t; she’d lost a sister, too. But as Harper and Kirsty become closer, more and more strange things appear about Kirsty as she tries to surface from a tangle of lies. Their friendship affects everything around them and unearths their darkest secrets and their deepest pains. Under the enormous strain of guilt and grief, will their friendships survive?

Something interesting about this book is that you don’t find ou the main character’s name for a while. Instead of finding that frustrating, I thought that was pretty interesting because it shows  Harper is so engrossed and possibly overshadowed by her twin that she forgets about herself most of the time.

I really loved it and recommend it if you like YA friendship books.

 

Book Review- The State of Grace

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The State of GraceThe State of Grace is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. You don’t really get books about autism, and this one’s a gem.

Grace has Asperger’s. She sees the world a little differently to most people. She has an understanding best friend and a beautiful horse, and she’s happy. But when Grace kisses Gabe and things get strange at home, she loses her state of precarious calm. Suddenly everything is going wrong, and Grace needs to do something about it.

A wonderful novel about understanding and accepting people of all natures into our lives.

Book Review- Beautiful Broken Things

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BBTThis unique story swept me off of my feet. It was filled with a lot of situations that teens can relate to, and it is brimming with emotion and bad decisions.

Caddy and Rose are best friends. It’s always been like that. Until Rose meets Suzanne. At first, she seems OK, but inside she’s falling, and trying not to pull Caddy down as well…

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves books about the complexities of female friendship.

The Apple Tart of Hope

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apple-tart-of-hopeThe Apple Tart of Hope is truly amazing. It really is a masterpiece. It is about two people, Meg and Oscar, who take turns writing about their lives after a terrible mistake Oscar made.

Sarah Moore Fitzgerald and her gentle way of flooding this book with emotion render the reader quite speechless.

I really think this deserves a 5 star, simply because, as the Telegraph says:

‘ This novel is gentle.. but it has hidden powers, too.’

This book simply MUST be read.