I'm a Sucker for a Love Story
There's absolutely no doubt that if i were to be in a position where I had to chose only one genre of book to read for the rest of my life, it would be romance. What's not to love about love?
Okay, so I do enjoy the simple, regular, cliche love story where two people meet in a coffee shop and never look back, but the ones that captivate me the most are the ones full of twists and tales, ones that lead you down one path but end up going down another, ones that don't end the way you predict them to.
So, before I ramble on about the genre as a whole, I'll introduce you to my top 5 favourite romance books (I'll start from the top, because I'm not going to commit myself to picking a favourite).
Alphabet Weekends - Elizabeth Noble.
Good reads rating - 3.56/5 stars.
On the offset, this book appears to be a simple love story surrounding the love-struck character Tom attempting to win the heart of his long-term best friend Natalie through letter-themed weekend dates following her recent heartbreak. He takes her on weekend dates, each date starting with a letter of the alphabet (A for abseiling, H for hotel and P for Paris), all of which are entertaining, funny and light hearted.
However, the book is much deeper than that. It explores the issues faced by real couples on a day-to-day basis and how this affects the lives of the people around them. I found it captivating how the author incorporated so many love-stories into a book that I originally assumed would be focused on the main plot-line, it almost has a Love Actually feel to it. It involves the stories of the parents, siblings and friends as well as Tom and Natalie, which made the book, for me, much more interesting and intricate and really helped the main plot-line to develop in a way more than just a girl falling for her best friend.
If you're looking for a quirky book that isn't your typical boy-meets-girl love story, but you're still wanting a light read without things getting too complicated, then I recommend this.
Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman.
Good reads rating - 4.23/5 stars.
For someone who isn't necessarily the most affluent writer on the planet (me), trying to write a review of a book of this brilliance, this degree of something I can't even find the words to describe, is very, very difficult. This isn't a typical, cliche love story. This is a love story that opened my eyes to a world that is very, very real and a world that shouldn't be this way. It's essentially a version of Romeo and Juliet, except this isn't family rivalry, this is racial divide and it put things into a very real perspective for a younger me.
I can't say too much about the plot-line of this story without revealing too much, but I promise you that it is astounding and if you haven't read this yet, please do. The emotions that I felt while reading this were insane and the importance of the story is so eye-opening. I also think it's important to note that it is aimed at teens and young-adults, which means the writing style is slightly less intricate, but it is still worth the read, 100%.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for something that will make your emotions go through the roof, so if that's you, please read this book.
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Good reads rating - 4.31/5 stars.
Do I really need to talk about this book? If you haven't read it, or at least seen the film, where have you been? Why haven't you read it?
This book is ultimately one of the most devastating books I've ever read. It does not go in the direction you think it will, I promise you that and I cried myself to sleep when it after I'd finished it. Also, the ending does not get any easier to read, no matter how many times you do read it.
It's basically about a young girl with cancer who meets a boy at a support group who is there supporting his friend. They fall in love and then things go very, very badly and that's all I can say before I ruin the whole thing.
To end this very brief review, just read the book, but be prepared to have your heart broken.
Fallen - Lauren Kate
Good reads rating - 3.74/5 stars.
This book is the first book of a series of four books, and it's a series I will read over and over until I can't, for whatever reason that might be. It's a love story like no other love story I've ever read before, it's captivating and it will keep you guessing. It won't make sense at first because no one is as strongly attracted to someone as the the main character, Lucinda, is to the mysterious blond boy at her new school, but keep reading, it'll all fall into place.
I probably won't convince you to read this book through my own words, but if you haven't read it, do, especially if you love mysteries. Once you've read the first, you'll already be hooked on the next three books, but I won't get started on those.
Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
Good reads rating - 4.31/5 stars.
There's nothing about this heartbreaking story that I didn't like - well maybe one thing, but if i told you that, it'd ruin the whole book, so just take my word for it, it's pretty great.
It focuses on a woman who gets a job as a carer for the most cynical man she'd ever come across in her life, but as her time with him lengthens, they learn things about one another that make them fall in love. But it isn't all as cliche as it sounds, the plot twist will tell you that. I won't give too much away, but the man of her dreams is currently wheelchair bound and unhappy and not wanting to live for much longer and she's put in a position of attempting to change his life so much that he'll change his mind and he'll want to live the rest of his life.
It's an emotional book but it'll keep you enthralled in wanting to know what will happen. Will she be able to change the mind of a once free spirited young man now trapped and unable to care for himself? Why don't you find out for yourself?
Alphabet Weekends - Elizabeth Noble.
Good reads rating - 3.56/5 stars.
On the offset, this book appears to be a simple love story surrounding the love-struck character Tom attempting to win the heart of his long-term best friend Natalie through letter-themed weekend dates following her recent heartbreak. He takes her on weekend dates, each date starting with a letter of the alphabet (A for abseiling, H for hotel and P for Paris), all of which are entertaining, funny and light hearted.
However, the book is much deeper than that. It explores the issues faced by real couples on a day-to-day basis and how this affects the lives of the people around them. I found it captivating how the author incorporated so many love-stories into a book that I originally assumed would be focused on the main plot-line, it almost has a Love Actually feel to it. It involves the stories of the parents, siblings and friends as well as Tom and Natalie, which made the book, for me, much more interesting and intricate and really helped the main plot-line to develop in a way more than just a girl falling for her best friend.
If you're looking for a quirky book that isn't your typical boy-meets-girl love story, but you're still wanting a light read without things getting too complicated, then I recommend this.
Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman.
Good reads rating - 4.23/5 stars.
For someone who isn't necessarily the most affluent writer on the planet (me), trying to write a review of a book of this brilliance, this degree of something I can't even find the words to describe, is very, very difficult. This isn't a typical, cliche love story. This is a love story that opened my eyes to a world that is very, very real and a world that shouldn't be this way. It's essentially a version of Romeo and Juliet, except this isn't family rivalry, this is racial divide and it put things into a very real perspective for a younger me.
I can't say too much about the plot-line of this story without revealing too much, but I promise you that it is astounding and if you haven't read this yet, please do. The emotions that I felt while reading this were insane and the importance of the story is so eye-opening. I also think it's important to note that it is aimed at teens and young-adults, which means the writing style is slightly less intricate, but it is still worth the read, 100%.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for something that will make your emotions go through the roof, so if that's you, please read this book.
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Good reads rating - 4.31/5 stars.
Do I really need to talk about this book? If you haven't read it, or at least seen the film, where have you been? Why haven't you read it?
This book is ultimately one of the most devastating books I've ever read. It does not go in the direction you think it will, I promise you that and I cried myself to sleep when it after I'd finished it. Also, the ending does not get any easier to read, no matter how many times you do read it.
It's basically about a young girl with cancer who meets a boy at a support group who is there supporting his friend. They fall in love and then things go very, very badly and that's all I can say before I ruin the whole thing.
To end this very brief review, just read the book, but be prepared to have your heart broken.
Fallen - Lauren Kate
Good reads rating - 3.74/5 stars.
This book is the first book of a series of four books, and it's a series I will read over and over until I can't, for whatever reason that might be. It's a love story like no other love story I've ever read before, it's captivating and it will keep you guessing. It won't make sense at first because no one is as strongly attracted to someone as the the main character, Lucinda, is to the mysterious blond boy at her new school, but keep reading, it'll all fall into place.
I probably won't convince you to read this book through my own words, but if you haven't read it, do, especially if you love mysteries. Once you've read the first, you'll already be hooked on the next three books, but I won't get started on those.
Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
Good reads rating - 4.31/5 stars.
There's nothing about this heartbreaking story that I didn't like - well maybe one thing, but if i told you that, it'd ruin the whole book, so just take my word for it, it's pretty great.
It focuses on a woman who gets a job as a carer for the most cynical man she'd ever come across in her life, but as her time with him lengthens, they learn things about one another that make them fall in love. But it isn't all as cliche as it sounds, the plot twist will tell you that. I won't give too much away, but the man of her dreams is currently wheelchair bound and unhappy and not wanting to live for much longer and she's put in a position of attempting to change his life so much that he'll change his mind and he'll want to live the rest of his life.
It's an emotional book but it'll keep you enthralled in wanting to know what will happen. Will she be able to change the mind of a once free spirited young man now trapped and unable to care for himself? Why don't you find out for yourself?
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