One Day by David Nicholls

“What are you going to do with your life?" In one way or another it seemed that people had been asking her this forever; teachers, her parents, friends at three in the morning, but the question had never seemed this pressing and still she was no nearer an answer... "Live each day as if it's your last', that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that? What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical. Better by far to be good and courageous and bold and to make difference. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you. Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance.” 

It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. 
Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself.

Twenty years, two people, one day.

I loved this book, and devoured in 3 days (a particularly impressive feat considering I have a toddler). I haven't cried like this because of a book since Me Before You . 

I fell in love with Dex and Em, Em and Dex. They were awkward and flawed and in theory they are so wrong for each other. Watching their lives unfold made me fondly remember my jerk ex-boyfriends and forgive them, just like I was able to forgive Dexter for his poor choices and bad behaviour.

Something else I found realistic and that also stuck with me from this book was how your identity can change through the different stages of your life, and depending on your circumstances you may even go through quite a few - the angst (and/or pain) will pass and and you can settle in to something that feels a bit more stable and comfortable.    

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

“Marin believes love is better in the chase than caught,’ she says. He raises his eyebrows. ‘That does not surprise me. It is not better. But it is easier. One’s imagination is always more generous. And yet, the chase always tires you out in the end.” 

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office-leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist-an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand-and fear-the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

So beautifully written, with a beautiful cover to match.

While I wouldn't describe this story as shocking or action-packed, there was actually quite a lot that went on that kept me guessing until the end.

Wild Connection: What Animal Courtship and Mating Tell Us about Human Relationships

"Animals don't feel badly about who they are, and unless animals are hunting or being hunted by predators, they don't spend their lives trying to look like or be something they are not. Maybe we can take our cues from them. I mean, have you ever seen a squirrel trying to act like a swan to get the girl next door? Not likely. Squirrels spend their time perfecting everything about being a squirrel. So, for all you squirrels out there, if you find that you are more squirrel than swan, your best bet is to embrace those acorn hoarding instincts in you and just be the very finest squirrel you can be."

Wild Kingdom meets Sex and the City in this scientific perspective on dating and relationships.

A specialist in animal behavior compares the courtship rituals and mating behaviors of animals to their human equivalents, revealing the many and often surprising ways we are both similar to and different from other species.

What makes an individual attractive to the opposite sex? Does size matter? Why do we tend to "keep score" in our relationships? From perfume and cosmetics to online dating and therapy, our ultimate goal is to successfully connect with someone. So why is romance such an effort for humans, while animals have little trouble getting it right?

Wild Connection is full of fascinating and suggestive observations about animal behavior. For example, in most species smell is an important component of determining compatibility. So are we humans doing the right thing by masking our natural scents with soaps and colognes? Royal albatrosses have a lengthy courtship period lasting several years. These birds instinctively know that casual hook-ups are not the way to find a reliable mate. And older female chimpanzees often mate with younger males. Is this the evolutionary basis of the human "cougar" phenomenon?

Fun to read as well as educational, this unique take on the perennial human quest to find the ideal mate shows that we have much to learn from our cousins in the wild.

This book is the best example of interesting, intellectual and hilarious. I loved reading it because I learnt lots of interesting facts that I can easily retell to friends and family, and it still made me chuckle in every single chapter.

It covered a diverse range of animal species, but there were still some interesting parallels to human relationships and behaviours. 

This was one of those books that I kept on my bedside table and picked up in between other books to read a few more chapters at a time. 

The Elegant Art of Falling Apart by Jessica Jones

"After cancer, every gift seems like a treasure. Every day is special. Some are simply magical."

Inspiring, unflinchingly honest, and laugh out loud hilarious, The Elegant Art of Falling Apart shows us how, sometimes, we have to lose everything to understand that the moment is all we have. And living that moment with style, grace and a damn good lipstick is all that matters.

Jessica Jones had a complicated life. Booze, cocaine, bad boyfriends – it was a rollercoaster ride of what self help writers call ‘opportunities for growth’ But she got way from all that. She rebuilt her career, became prosperous and, at last, found happiness in a wonderful, new relationship. 

Just when things were almost perfect... she learned that she had breast cancer. Jessica did what she’s always done, she got through it. After seven months of gruelling treatments she travelled from London to Sydney to begin a three-month holiday of a lifetime with her gorgeous man - only to find herself plunged into a different, and totally unexpected, life crisis. 

A story of courage, friendship and laughter that gives us hope that, no matter what, we can always start again.

Its been a few weeks since I finished reading this book, and although I've been busy, I was also putting off writing down my thoughts on this book because when it comes to Memoirs, I really don't like to seem too critical. It must take so much guts to write down your personal story, especially when you can't hide behind a fictional character/setting.

When I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be one of those books that I just had to tell my girlfriends to read - it was raw, inspiring and important. But somewhere along the way I lost touch with the author and I couldn't relate to her personality as much - even though I have never had depression, an addiction OR cancer. Maybe it is through my own fault and I was shying away from the harsh truth of depression, but I just couldn't relate to her 'love addiction' and the fact that she was struggling so much to let go of what seemed like such a toxic relationship. To me that overshadowed the positive way she seemed to tackle her cancer treatment. 

But overall, I think this book would be helpful for someone who has a close friend or family member diagnosed with cancer and going through treatment, and even to someone healthy who just wants a reminder not to take that fact for granted.