A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout

“I've realized that the world is, in essence, full of banana peels - loaded with things that may unwittingly trip an internal wire in my mind, opening a floodgate of fears without warning.”

The dramatic and redemptive memoir of a woman whose curiosity led her to the world’s most beautiful and remote places, its most imperiled and perilous countries, and then into fifteen months of harrowing captivity—an exquisitely written story of courage, resilience, and grace.

As a child, Amanda Lindhout escaped a violent household by paging through issues of National Geographic and imagining herself in its exotic locales. At the age of nineteen, working as a cocktail waitress in Calgary, Alberta, she began saving her tips so she could travel the globe. Aspiring to understand the world and live a significant life, she backpacked through Latin America, Laos, Bangladesh, and India, and emboldened by each adventure, went on to Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan. In war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq she carved out a fledgling career as a television reporter. And then, in August 2008, she traveled to Somalia—“the most dangerous place on earth.” On her fourth day, she was abducted by a group of masked men along a dusty road.

Held hostage for 460 days, Amanda converts to Islam as a survival tactic, receives “wife lessons” from one of her captors, and risks a daring escape. Moved between a series of abandoned houses in the desert, she survives on memory—every lush detail of the world she experienced in her life before captivity—and on strategy, fortitude, and hope. When she is most desperate, she visits a house in the sky, high above the woman kept in chains, in the dark, being tortured.

Vivid and suspenseful, as artfully written as the finest novel, A House in the Sky is the searingly intimate story of an intrepid young woman and her search for compassion in the face of unimaginable adversity.

I battled with myself to keep going through this story - when I was reading about her earlier travels and life I just wanted to hear about the kidnapping, but once I got to that part, even though I genuinely wanted to keep reading it, but I had to stop and have breaks to mentally prepare myself to keep going because they were so shocking and heartbreaking.

Parts of it were so saddening that I have to questions if any of it was embellished, I just can't believe that someone would go through something so terrible - especially when managing to remind themselves to stay positive and even feel some kind of sympathy for her kidnappers!  

“By concentrating on what I was grateful for, I was able to stave off despair.” 

Well done to Linkhout for surviving and seemingly growing from something so huge and life changing. Now that I've finished reading her story, I feel like doing to Hunger Games salute for her. The strength of her mind is amazing.

“It's only your body that's suffering, and you are not your body. The rest of you is fine.” 

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Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . "

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?

Seriously what is there not to love about this book? Witty friends who 'keep it real', a broody hot guitar player in a band, a funny hot nerd, flirty work colleagues, a slightly wacky Mum, loud-mouthed best friend and looooove!

This book was the perfect ratio of realistic modern-day communication and stalking, against dreamy and probably wouldn't actually ever happen (making out in the cinemas before ever meeting or talking? Umm, maybe not, or at least not unless it really happened in a nightclub!)

A really quick read so I burned through it in 24 hours! This is one of the rare times that I actually would want to see a movie made from a novel. I wouldn't change a thing about this book.

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You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes

“Lies don’t pave the way to joy,” he says and sometimes he reminds me of a rabbi and I can’t believe I used to think that you had sex with him. “And, if there’s anything I’ve learned in almost fifty years on this planet, it’s this: If you don’t start with crazy, crazy love, the kind of love that Van Morrison sings about, then you don’t have a shot to go the distance. Love’s a marathon, Danny, not a sprint.”

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

"I didn’t go to college, Beck, so I don’t waste my adulthood trying to recapture my time in college. I’m not a soft motherfucker who never had the guts to live life right now, as is."

Umm, no wonder why so many women have trust issues these days! This was a seriously disturbingly good story, but maybe not one that the weak hearted would enjoy as much. 

I think most people will admit to checking the Facebook / instagram / twitter feed of an ex or new crush, but this is taking it to a whole new level!

Even though Joe is clearly crazy (actually, after reading the Psychopath test recently, I feel I can confidently diagnose him as a true Psychopath), he does raise some valid points about society these days. And Beck is one beautiful disaster herself! They really should be perfect for each other...if only they weren't so self-indulged, damaged and mentally unstable their love story might actually be romantic!

They were definitely messed up, but these were some of the better sex scenes I've read in a book. They were graphic but I didn't feel like I was reading a porno mag, and they weren't as cringe-worthy or predictable as other 'romance' novels (*cough* rhymes with Nifty Shrades of Lay)

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It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

"Cycles exist because they are excruciating to break. It takes an astronomical amount of pain and courage to disrupt a familiar pattern. Sometimes it seems easier to just keep running in the same familiar circles, rather than facing the fear of jumping and possibly not landing on your feet."

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

“In the future . . . if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again . . . fall in love with me.”

Wow Wow Wow! I haven't been moved by a book since Me Before You...

This book took a turn I was NOT expecting and I loved every minute!! I was honestly so engrossed in the story that I read it on my phone kindle app while listening to live music at a festival. 

I really don't want to go into any detail and potentially spoil any surprises, but the writing is perfect and I was completely absorbed even before the end of the first chapter. The characters all play an important part of the story, and were exactly who they needed to be. The relationship between Ryle and Lily was painfully, but profoundly real. Even Atlas had an important story to tell.

Definitely a 5 star book in my opinion, but I would give it 6 stars if I could because of the Note from the Author at the end.

Colleen Hoover is now officially on my top 5 favourite author list (November 9 almost had her there, but this just topped her over) 

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