Monthly Book Favourites: February

As if I don’t cover enough topics on my blog, today I am starting a new series: my Monthly Book Favourites. I’m always in awe of blogs which have one niche and stick to it but I love being able to cover everything that interests me and one of those things is definitely books. You may know that I’m currently studying for a Masters in Publishing, so it’s fair to say that books are a huge part of my life! In order to encourage myself to read more alongside my course, I will be talking about some of my favourite books every month:

This month I wanted to talk about three books. I’ve spent a few weekends on trains which has meant that I’ve been able to get plenty of reading in! Firstly, The Girl With All The Gifts by MR Carey (Little, Brown) is a thriller or sci-fi novel which I picked up on buy one get one free in Waterstones. It reminded me a little of Gone Girl purely in the sense that the cover and blurb gives nothing away – and really to appreciate it, that’s the way it needs to stay. As a result, this isn’t exactly a review as I won’t reveal the plot! I would recommend it if you enjoy thrillers, post-apocalyptic novels or horror.

I originally watched the film Warm Bodies, before borrowing the book by Isaac Marion (Vintage Originals) from a friend. This zombie book is a quick read but enjoyable nonetheless. I felt that the book developed the characters more than the film, and the sub-plot involving the zombie children added another dimension to the story – although it was a little heavy handed regarding it’s ‘moral point!’

Finally, I have been wanting to read Sane New World by Ruby Wax (Hodder) for a long time. It is broadly about mindfulness, but in reality you get over 100 pages in before mindfulness is even explained. Really, it’s a combination of an autobiography, neuroplasty and mindfulness exercises. I found it thoroughly refreshing, laugh out loud in places and enjoyable to read. However, it also was extremely informative, explaining the science behind the brain and mental illness in particular. I would recommend it for anyone who is struggling with mental illness and considering mindfulness, but it is also an interesting and enjoyable read for anyone broadly interested in the brain or a fan of Ruby Wax.