Jack & Michael Whitehall 'Him & Me' review

I am a massive Jack Whitehall fan, and have been for a while. I have seen him live on ' A League of Their Own' and watched many of his stand ups, I find him very funny and enjoyable to watch. I then received Jack and his fathers book 'Him & Me' for Christmas which I was very thrilled about.

I do like how throughout the book, both Jack and Michael take it in turns to write a different chapter about something amusing that has happened in their lives, because you get a different prospective from them both. Jack likes to exaggerate in his chapters, whilst Michael keeps it straight, with the odd joke now and then. They also add in comments to each other on their chapters which I enjoyed, and I do not think I have come across that in another book before, so that was something new. Then at the end of each chapter, the opposite person who wrote the chapter would then write a list of their opinions from that chapter. Usually Michael stating how much Jack has over reacted.

My favourite chapters were 'Four weeks in Provence' and 'Art'. I found them the funniest and felt like I could relate to the stories compared to the other chapters.

I could not help but feel a little disappointed on the very last chapter, because I knew I had heard this story before. I got Jack's stand-up DVD for Christmas the year before, and he had taken some of the script out of that and put it in the last chapter. I felt like it was a cop out in a way, surely he could have put something new in the last chapter?

Another part of the book that I felt let down by were mainly Jack's chapters. I really enjoyed them and I think i preferred them over Michael's, but could not help thinking that the majority of the story was either highly exaggerated or completely made up. Which I would not have minded because I enjoyed them, it would be when I got to the very end and Michael would state how much of a lie most of it was, but, I suppose that is what comedians like to do to make people laugh.

Martina Cole 'Revenge' review

I have never read any of Martina Cole's books before, so when I picked up her new novel 'Revenge' I read it with an open mind.

The novel was very fast paced, aggressive, brutal and some parts were quite sad.

The novel starts off with Micheal and Josephine's daughter- Jessie, being kidnapped. Leaving everyone puzzled that someone would have the nerve to put their hands on a Flynn.

Prior to the kidnapping, Micheal Flynn works his way up to be the toughest man in Europe, learning everything from his mentor and legendary, Patrick Costello.

I liked how Micheal and his family were not stereotyped in any way. He would not easily forgive anyone who had stepped out of line in any way, but he was a true Christian and loved his dear Josephine very much. This side of Micheal reminded the audience that there was some decency in him.

I did find it hard to warm to the characters, but I did like Declan Costello. Although Patrick and Declan were brothers, Declan always wanted a step back from the business. Declan showed his loyalty throughout the novel with Micheal, and he always knew how to lighten the mood when plans went wrong.

The novel shows how everyone is affected by Micheal Flynn's actions, and his greed to become more successful and to only get a bigger wedge at the end of it all.

I thought this novel was brilliant and I definitely will start reading Cole's previous books.

My Christmas list (for books)

There are a few novels that I have had my eye on for a while so I thought I would write a list for the books that I would love to read in the new year.

First of all there is Marilyn Manson. I would really love to read his autobiography, mainly because he is portrayed as this horrendous person as he has previously been blamed for many of Americas gun crime. I would like to take time and read his autobiography and make up my own mind.

Another book, or actually any of the books that Richard Dawkins has wrote, has been on my list for a very long time. I have watched him on television when people are firing questions at him and he always has such an intelligent and respectful answer to give back. I think his books would be very interesting.

I would also like to read Stephen Fry's autobiography, and his QI books. I watch QI on a regular basis and I am very fond of him and the show.

I look forward to delve into these novels.

What's on your list?!

Lee Child, Tripwire review

I have just finished reading Lee Child's third novel, that follows on the Jack Reacher series; Tripwire.

This novel was published in 1999, and although Jim Grant (better know for his pen name Lee Child) was born and bred in England, he has created Jack Reacher who is a former American military policeman. He then goes into great depth about the adventures Reacher takes in America, and it is very rare for there to be  a dull moment in his life.

There is usually always an attractive woman that catches Reachers eye during his travels, and in this novel the woman is no stranger to him. The last time he saw this girl she was 15 and Reacher was 24, It has then been 15 years since they last seen one another and they have a great bond.

With child's novels I always find myself learning new facts and copious amounts of information about types of guns and army equipment that I would have never known before, and I always love learning something new. 

I do not want to give anything away from this novel but there is a brilliant and unforeseen twist that take place at the end of the book, and I read the last three chapters so fast I was that engrossed and completely shocked. I like to guess my way through books but I was out by a long shot.

Jack Reacher does not fail to impress and charm as he does everything in his power to make everything right. There is only one criticism I have for Jack Reacher, and that is Tom Cruise playing his character. There is a CV at the start of every Reacher novel and I'm afraid Cruise just does not fit the criteria. When I read Reacher I most certainly do not visualise Cruise, I would say more a Clive Owen? Or Gerald Butler? 

The third novel left me with plenty of questions and is certainly making me want to pick up the forth book straight away.

The best spot treatment I have come across

I know I usually blog about what books I have read, but I felt like this needed sharing! 

I do not have the best of skin, and for a 23 year old it's never nice to have acne, especially when your skin was so smooth and healthy as a teenager!  I am always researching natural products and vitamins to help with acne, (because I feel like the medication I get from the doctors are too harsh on my face),  but nothing would make a drastic change. 

I started using, simple spotless skin rapid action spot zapper, and I think it's brilliant. It is not harsh on your face so does not hurt or upset the skin when applying it directly to your spots like other brands may do. I apply it to most of my face and have seen a massive improvement. 

I would strongly recommend  people to try this who suffer with acne, as it's the first product that I have bought off the shelf that works! 

Why Audrey Niffenegger is one of my favourite authors

Audrey Niffenegger was born in 1963 in South Haven, Michigan.

Niffenegger was trained as a visual artist at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, then later receiving her MFA (Master of Fine Arts) from North-western University's Department of Art Theory and Practice in 1991. 

Although Niffenegger has only wrote two novels, she also has visual and graphic novels as well as artist's books. She has such a fine talent within her writing as she has had so much influence from being so creative as a visual artist, when reading her novels you cannot help but visualize everything, as she makes everything crystal clear and so beautiful. 

In 2003 The Time Traveler's Wife was published and received a massive response. It was then later made into a movie, and I could not help but think that it did not do any justice for the book. I went to see the movie at the cinema in 2009 when it was released, and had witnessed people walking out, whilst the crowd I was with did not follow the film so well and were left a little confused. I kept advising them to read the book first as they would have got a full understanding and a great read.  Originally, in 1997 Niffenegger wanted to make this into a graphic novel, but decided against this as she realized that it would be difficult to represent sudden time shifts with still images.   

Her second novel Her Fearful Symmetry was published in 2009, and was as expected a phenomenon, with mirror image twins, terrifyingly similar. This novel is set in London and although I would say this novel is intriguing and contemporary, it has a mysterious twist to it.

I would highly recommend everyone to read up on Niffenegger as she is one talented woman, and I thoroughly hope there will be an appearance of a third novel coming soon!  

                                       "I love films that are intense, creepy, 
                                     beautiful to look at, morally complex.
                                  I want a film to be smarter than me,
                               to leave me with mysteries, to haunt my sleep."

                                                                                   Niffenegger

Jane Costello: The Wish List

Emma has six months left of her twenties and she is finding it hard to acknowledge that she will be turning thirty, feeling like she has not got much to show for it. Emma and her best friends dig up a 'Wish List' that they contributed together in their teens, and she is determined to attempt to complete everything on the list.

Costello writes this book brilliantly, having short chapters throughout the novel encouraging you to want to read the next chapter straight away. I always read Costello's books very fast because of this clever technique.

I found myself laughing out loud in some parts of this book, then at other times I was near to tears, which is quite a rarity when reading a novel. The one thing that I loved about this book was that I felt like I could relate to the characters, and I easily warmed up to Emma from the start. I feel like I can relate to the characters because some of the situations they are put in, do actually happen, and the feelings are genuine. Throughout this book not only could picture myself in the characters shoes, but some of them were reminding me of my friends which was very surreal and interesting.

There are plenty of unforeseen events that take place in this novel, even at her 6th book I still do not see the twists coming and always left surprised, this is why Jane is one of my favourite authors!