Miniature Book Reviews | | Naomi Alderman & Dolly Alderton

University has me incredibly busy. My mind is bouncing from one module to the next and getting through multiple readings lists. Finding time to squeeze in a blog post is a challenge, so here's a couple of short book reviews. 

Genuine Fraud - E.Lockhart.

Lockhart is a genius. There's no doubt about it. Genuine Fraud blew my mind. The story of Jules, an extraordinary woman with a captivating past. From the outset I was gripped by Lockhart's writing, which is always a good thing, it's deeply complex, and honestly, a masterpiece. The authors characterisation of Jules is something to be admired, she's written superbly, Jules is a manipulative liar and she's profoundly good at it. It starts of with Jules staying in a hotel, she's been there for a month but we're not sure yet. During a session in the hotel's gym she meets Noa, but Noa isn't who she seems to be, she's onto her, and Jules is by no means an ordinary person. She's got an impressive skill set and a cunning mind. Genuine Fraud is a book of structured lies, it's utterly fantastic. Read this if you want to be thrilled, if you want to scream out loud in shock. I guarantee you will not be able to put it down until you've finished it. 

The Power - Naomi Alderman.

This is one of the books on my genre fiction reading list. I'm new to the world of science fiction. I find myself feeling intimidated by the genre, but Alderman's The Power has transformed my reading experience. YES FOR FEMALE SCI-FI WRITERS. The Power is absolutely amazing and thought provoking. It contains a highly complex idea which may change your thinking, and make you think 'what if', which is exactly what the genre sets out to do. The teenage girls in The Power have discovered they have the ability to electrocute men. They use it to their advantage, completely swapping the gender game around. Men are now terrified of women, men are now terrified to look at women and boys have been separated into single-sex schools. The concept is so fascinating and interesting, and a glimpse into another future. A world where women have all the power, what a dream? It's only February, but come December I'm certain this book will be in my top 5 for the year.  

Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton.

Do you ever read a book and it has such a strong effect on you that you'll remember it for the rest of your life? This is it. Dolly writes about her life: her relationships, friendships and career. All the ups and downs. It is both emotional and hilarious. Dolly is brutally honest about female friendships and their longevity, about intimate relationships and not settling down when it seems like all your friends are. About bad dates and awful guys. About living with your best friends. Everything I Know About Love is such a compelling read. To me it feels like a female bible. On how to live, and how not to live. There's some wisdom to take from it. It has some hilarious lists and basic recipes (Like scrambled egg for instance.) I really, really loved this book. If there's one book every woman reads this year, it's this.