Kabul Beauty School - Deborah Rodriguez

“Afghan women have been held in the dark for so long and, during the darkest years, they suffered more than even I can imagine. They need the rest of the world to look, watch, and make sure nothing puts out that light again”

Deborah Rodriguez arrived in Afghanistan in 2002 with nothing but a desire to help and a beauty degree. In her first few weeks she learned that the once proud tradition of Afghan beauty salons had been all but destroyed by the Taliban.

With her knowledge of both beauty and enterprise, Rodriguez opened the first salon in Kabul that actually trained local women to become beauticians - one of the few ways in which a woman could support herself and her family, and gain some autonomy in a strictly patriarchal society.

Many of the students had alarming stories to tell, and within the sisterhood of the Kabul Beauty School, together with Rodriguez herself, they learn the art of perms, friendship and freedom.

When I started reading this book I didn’t realize it was a memoir, but this only pulled me further in to the story even more.

The first chapter sets a scene during the traditional preparations of an Afghan bride, which then jumps back in time to follow the highly emotional, impulsive and sympathetic Rodriguez as she struggles against financial and cultural odds to eventually set up the Kabul Beauty School.

The women in this story are real and strong and make me realise how lucky we are to have the opportunities we do in developed countries.

This book is a must read for any woman.

Thanks for the Memories - Cecelia Ahern

Joyce Conway remembers things she shouldn’t. She knows about tiny cobbled streets in Paris, which she has never visited. And every night she dreams about an unknown little girl with blonde hair.

Justin Hitchcock is divorced, lonely and restless. He arrives in Dublin to give a lecture on art and meets an attractive doctor, who persuades him to donate blood. It’s the first thing to come straight from his heart in a long time.

When Joyce leaves hospital after a terrible accident, with her life and her marriage in pieces, she moves back in with her elderly father. All the while, a strong sense of déjà vu is overwhelming her and she can’t figure out why…

I was a bit wary when I picked up this book upon seeing that it was by Cecelia Ahern, the same writer who wrote P.S I love you. I thought it might be too ‘mushy’ and over-the-top lovey-dovey like P.S I love you (although having said that about it, I do enjoy watching the movie in the right situation, I just don’t have the tolerance to read something like that!)

But I was pleasantly surprised. While I don’t think it wins the title of the best chick-lit book I have ever read, it definitely kept me interested enough to turn the pages, and even enjoy the predictably romantic ending.

The characters were unique, although a little monotonous at times, but I enjoyed watching them grow over throughout the book.

On a serious note, this book highlights the importance of blood donations. If you want to be a real hero and give blood (we don’t guarantee baskets of muffins and personal chauffeurs though!) contact the Red Cross Blood Service in your area!

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

The Book Thief takes place outside of Munich in Nazi Germany before and during World War II. Narrated by ‘Death’ who finds foster child Liesel Meminger (aka The Book Theif) to be very interesting, as she brushes Death three times in her life.

Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she discovers something she can't resist- books. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever they are to be found.

It follows Liesel’s young adult life, and her relationship with her foster parents, best friend Rudy, and Max, a Jewish fist-fighter who hides in her home during the escalation of World War II.

The blurb on the back of the book did not do this book justice. It is so cleverly written and has such character depth that it deserves every single award it has won (13 in total). I don’t want to give too much of the plot away as that will ruin the mystery and suspense (which is what makes the book so thrilling) so you’ll just have to trust my recommendation that you will not be disappointed when you pick this one up, it has instantly jumped to one of my Top 5 books ever.

House Rules - Jodi Picoult

They tell me I'm lucky to have a son who's so verbal, who is blisteringly intelligent, who can take apart the broken microwave and have it working again an hour later. They think there is no greater hell than having a son who is locked in his own world, unaware that there's a wider one to explore. But try having a son who is locked in his own world, and still wants to make a connection. A son who tries to be like everyone else, but truly doesn't know how.

Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject--in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do...and he's usually right. But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger's--not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, flat affect--can look a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel. Suddenly, Jacob and his family, who only want to fit in, feel the spotlight shining directly on them. For his mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication of why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
Emotionally powerful from beginning to end, House Rules looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way--and fails those who don't.

Jodi Picoult is a sure thing, as yet I have never read a book written by her that I haven’t loved and this one is no exception! Her characters always have flaws and imperfection but she writes them so well that in the end you love for that just as much as their strength and humour.

There has been a bit of backlash from readers who have Asperger’s themselves, or family who are affected, saying that this book does a disservice to people living with this condition, but whatever way you look at it, from a fiction or non-fiction pint of view, this novel is an honest look in to a typical modern dysfunctional family with teenagers and is a gripping read from beginning to end (just make sure you have some tissue handy, unless you are completely cold hearted!)