Category: Books

Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

Hey Upper East Siders,

I just finished the Gossip Girl book and I thought I would share my thoughts with you.

So I’ve actually read this book before. I planned to read the whole series after I finished the TV show but never got around to getting the rest of the books because I was a poor secondary school student. And then, earlier this year when I got a library card I discovered they had the series on their ebook app. So now I can read them all!

Anyway yes, I wanna say beforehand that I love the TV show Gossip Girl. The drama was everything, the cast was everything. I love it a lot.

Will I love the books though? I guess we see.

So I know the show is loosely based off of the books so I’m not expecting anything to be exactly the same. I would say the first few episodes of season 1 are similar to the events in the first book.

So here’s my list of similarities:

  • Serena back from boarding school
  • Nate slept with Serena
  • Chuck tries to force himself on Jenny at the Kiss on the Lips party
  • Blair wanting to have sex with Nate but finding out about Serena and Nate

So not many things. But they don’t all happen in the same way they did on the show. To be expected.

Now onto things that were different because this stuff was interesting.

First thing is that everyone’s parents are around. Yeah it’s weird. Because in the show Serena has her daddy issues and Lily remarries several times and then also on the show Chuck never knew his mother. But in the book world of the Upper East Side both their families are in tact. Not only that, all the families have more siblings than the show had you believe.

I can’t imagine Blair or Chuck having siblings it doesn’t seem right. But there ya go.

Also Gossip Girl is a .co.uk site? This is weird to me only because the book is based in America so why would the website have a UK domain? I don’t think this is a thing most people care about but I do.

Plus, Gossip Girl always refers to everyone only by their first initial on the website. Unlike on the show when sometimes Gossip Girl would use their actual name. Which I’m glad they did on the show just because only referring to someone by a letter doesn’t sound good when you’re talking about them lol.

Another thing they play up in the book is that Nate is a major stoner. Which we never really got in the TV show. Not to mention that everyone smokes. Though I suppose that wouldn’t have been a good look on TV. Especially since at the time of the TV show I feel like you couldn’t smoke everywhere like you could early 2000s when the book was set.

But yeah, other things that happen in the first book did happen in the TV show just later on like Blair’s mom getting with Cyrus and the introduction of Vanessa.

Oh! That’s another thing Vanessa goes to Constance in the book! Which I can’t even imagine but yeah that’s a thing.

I can see that the TV show definitely changed a lot but it’s understandable. With TV shows they need to amp the drama up and cut minor characters because it’s a money thing. But in books you don’t need as much drama. Which is fine. I mean I’m not expecting anything major from the first book.

I am interested to see where it goes though. I mean right now there’s the familiarity of everything that happens but I have no idea where we go from here.

If I had to say anything it’s that I am sad we won’t have Dorota in the books. Dorota is Blair’s maid and she honestly makes the show so much better haha.

Also, do they reveal who Gossip Girl is in the books?! Because the TV show reveal was weak and I think it would be better maybe if there wasn’t a reveal but at the same time I would love to know who Gossip Girl was actually meant to be. Kind of like how in Pretty Little liars, A is actually not who they made it out to be on the TV show. (I haven’t read PLL but it’s on my list even though I know who A is in the books).

But yeah, overall I liked it. Like I said I am interested to see where we go from here.

Don’t have much else to say. I mean this was just me breaking down the similarities and differences from the TV show but I promise to talk more about the books as we go on. But I can’t say I won’t bring up the TV show again. But yeah, more focus on the books from now on.

So until next time,

You know you love me,

xo xo

~ Courtney

(P.S I’m glad they add the ‘xo xo’ part on the TV show I don’t know why but it just sounds good)

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ 1 Comment

I could not wait to read this. Literally, I knew as soon I finished reading “You” that I needed to know what happened to Joe after Beck.

Turns out a lot of things happened. A lot of unexpected things.

I have so many thoughts on this so be prepared because it’s gonna be a long one.

First of all, Joe and Amy. Another girl he is obsessed with. Of course. But she’s no Beck, no she is better than Beck in every way.

But sadly the Joe and Amy story doesn’t last very long as she bolts to LA to become an actress. Gross.

Joe isn’t pleased and has to hunt her down and kill her. And this is where I’m pumped up and excited, which is a weird thing to be excited about but for some reason with Joe it feels right.

So Joe goes to LA and he hates every second of it. I feel like if you love New York you aren’t a fan of LA and vice versa. It’s just how it is.

But don’t fret because things are just beginning for Joe and soon he is living in a crappy apartment with an annoying landlord and a clingy neighbour and the worst drug-addict boss.

It does not take long for him to make his first kill. And honestly, I really enjoy Joe’s thinking and his reasoning behind everything. I think because it’s logical, and I think logically about things too. I definitely don’t justify to myself why someone needs to die and so plan to kill them but like I follow Joe’s thinking well.

Plus in this book he isn’t referring to anyone as “you”, because he has moved on and there are a lot more people he has to focus on now. Yet the writing is still the same style and I’m all in for it.

So his first murder in LA was kind of unexpected. I don’t think I saw it coming until it was decided and happening. But soon after Joe gives up his hunt for Amy as he is thrown headfirst into the rich life of LA.

He falls in love with this girl called Love. Which I honestly hated so much like I know that’s the point but it is actually the worst thing. Anyway, he falls for her and he gives up his fight for Amy. And I was surprised by this because I didn’t think anything would stop Joe once he was on a mission.

I suppose he did have a new mission though. To love, Love. To be her everything, to be a part of her world.

Sadly though not everything is peachy there because Joe is jealous of the men in Love’s life and while he deals with his issues with that he also manages to get another murder in there on the sly. That one I saw coming haha but still surprised it didn’t happen sooner.

Eventually, though Joe realises he has nothing to be jealous about. Except for the fact, Love has a strong connection with her twin brother Forty. Again the worst name but I didn’t pick it.

Forty is the worst character. I just hated everything about him and Joe did too. Forty was a rich, drug addict who thought he could make it in Hollywood and he just got on my nerves so damn much.

Sadly though he sticks around for a while as Joe becomes friends with him for the sake of Love. He listens to Forty as he tells Joe all of his stupid movie ideas and Joe decides he can make them better so he starts writing for Forty on the DL. Immediately I know this isn’t a good idea but Joe thinks it would be cool to get his break in Hollywood.

Meanwhile, Love’s third twin – again something stupid which I hate – Milo writes a movie and he wants Love to be in it and they start filming and there’s this tension between Joe and Milo because this movie is just Milo’s way of showing he is still in love with Love. And ya know we love a good love triangle. Wow. Drink every time you read the word love in this blog post lol.

Anyway yeah so we have this jealousy again and then there this whole scene in the movie about oral sex and it’s a big deal because “Love doesn’t do that” but she would for the movie but then she ends up doing it with Joe to show she truly loves him and the scene is cut from the movie. So all is going well for Joe.

Until a police officer comes and attacks Joe because he knows that he killed his clingy neighbour. Which he did but the police don’t have proof so it fine. Joe knows what needs to be done.

Once he takes care of things everything is once again all sunshine and rainbows for Joe. And now I’m actually rooting for him to finally he happy and be with a good person and everything end well for him. Even though he killed like four people in the last book and also has up to this point killed three more people…

Sadly though there is just one more person Joe feels like he needs to rid the world of. Forty. Forty screwed Joe over and didn’t give him credit for writing the scripts he sold which I gotta say was a dick move but also didn’t you kind of sense it coming because that’s the kind of thing people do.

Forty ends up going on a bender and Joe feels like it is his responsibility to help Forty on to the afterlife. Except while he is finishing Forty off he finds out that the Salinger family is investigating the death of Peach. And Joe is thinking about that mug of urine he left in her house that time. Yikes.

Joe immediately flies out to little Compton to see if he can get the mug but he has no such luck and also Love busts him for lying and saying he was in Las Vegas looking for Forty when he flew out to Little Compton.

Joe decides to tell Love the truth. All of it. Minus the Forty part and I am shook. I can’t believe he would tell her everything…

More so I cannot believe that love is OKAY with it??? She barricades Joe in the bathroom and disappears and immediately I think this is it. Joe is done. And Joe thinks so too but mo Love comes back with the mug!

I am so surprised by this but also happy and rooting for them both in some weird twisted way and not to mention love is pregnant! Okay, this part I’m not so sure on. It’s what she says and of course Joe would believe but something about it just doesn’t sit tight with me…

But they are both happy and all is well and even better news is that Forty is alive! I am shocked by this news just like Joe is and they go to the hospital where Forty gets Joe back in on the writing “deal” otherwise Forty will tell everyone joe tried to kill him. Yikes.

Luckily forty cares more about his fame and realises he needs Joe for that so Joe is not going to jail today.

Fast forward a bit and Joe actually runs into AMY.

Man did we forget about her? I didn’t and I was surprised she hadn’t shown up sooner.

They have a faceoff and I seriously thought this was when Joe was gonna end her but lucky for her he is a changed man and he just let’s her go.

I was definitely surprised because I didn’t think he would just let her walk like that and also I was amazed no one saw them on the beach but I suppose there was fog…eh still they seemed to be there a long time and Joe was straddling her – almost strangling her lol.

Still, Joe let’s her go and he feels at peace at last and even ends up hearing even better news. Forty is dead. And Joe didn’t kill him! Are you shocked? I am too. Immediately I am thinking that this is some plot Forty constructed to bring Joe down but it was not, it was just an accident.

Now Joe’s life is perfect because he’s got the girl, the rich life, a baby on the way…it’s everything he’s ever wanted.

This is when he gets arrested.

I don’t know how Joe will get of this one but he believes he will, he is thinking very positively because of Love and the baby. But like I said earlier, I am suspicious about Love and the baby. I don’t know what it is but something about her and her family seem too perfect. I think there is something going on, even if Joe doesn’t see it.

But I guess we won’t know for sure until we get the next book.

So yeah, that was a wild ride from start to finish. I love how the story is going and I can’t wait for more. Sadly though I have no idea when the next book will be.

On the bright side, season 2 of the Netflix show is coming in a couple months and I am excited for it. I’d never thought I’d say this but I think that Penn Badgley does make a good Joe Goldberg. Even if it took me ages to see it because to me he will always be Lonely Boy from Gossip Girl lol.

Speaking of which – I think my next read will be the Gossip Girl series. I really want to read it and I think this is the time. I know it will be very different from the TV show but I’m still excited to see what it’s like.

So yes, overall really enjoyed this book and the series. I would recommend the TV show and the book to be honest because even though the first book and the TV show are very similar they are both just really good. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait too long for the next book! 😛

~ Courtney x

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

I feel like I have to say this every time I’ve read a book that has a movie based on it. I’m gonna be upfront about it – yes I’ve seen the movie.

But actually, I did read a bit of this book before the movie. And what I mean by that is, one time I was at my sister’s house and I saw the book sitting and I read a few pages in bed, didn’t think much of it and forgot about it.

Then a few years later I saw the movie, cried, obviously.

Now today I have finished reading the book.

I have to say I do think it’s redundant about reading a book when you’ve seen the movie. Which everyone says. But I only mean it if the movie and the book are basically identical. And that’s the case here.

Too bad you don’t really know it until you’ve actually read the whole thing lol.

Suppose I could have asked or looked to see if anyone had asked but I guess I wanted to find out for myself.

I enjoyed the book a lot, it brought back flashes of the movie which I liked. I couldn’t imagine Will as anyone but Sam Claflin he’s gorgeous.

But yeah, it was a good book though I would skip it if you’ve seen the movie. I am interested in maybe reading the sequels. I think it is a great standalone book but there are a couple sequels. I’m not too fussed on reading them but it would be interesting to see what Louisa gets up to next.

Did I cry at the book?

I was trying very hard not to lol I was in a cafe at lunchtime and didn’t really think it was the best time to start crying. But it definitely still got me emotional.

Overall a cute read, yet heartbreaking at the same time. Don’t know what my next book will be but I’m sure I’ll find it in no time. 🙂

~ Courtney x

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

This book sounded super cute and kind of cliche so I decided to give it a read.

It is 100% cliche but I don’t mind a cliche. Depending on how it’s done. This one was okay.

I was surprised to find I really didn’t like any of the characters in this book. Like Fixie’s siblings are the worst, Fixie is annoying in her own way, Ryan was actually awful and Seb was okay I guess. Though why he decided to get back with that ex of his I have no idea it was stupid.

So yeah I’m amazed I stuck with it but I guess I wanted to see where this Fixie and Seb thing went.

Of course they got together in the end. That was expected.

I wasn’t expecting the little break up but it was nothing.

I’m glad Fixie got her backbone and stood up to her siblings. They really needed it.

Honestly Nicole was pissing me off because she never finished a sentence and was such an air head, and Jake just seemed like dick lol hated it.

Plus the whole Fixie and Ryan thing. Ugh. Red flags all over the show. He was actually the worst person and it sucks she didn’t see it for the longest time.

But yeah overall the book was okay I guess. I definitely think I wanted to like it more than I did.

I did like the idea of Farrs though. I love that of all things the thing I loved the most was actually the family shop haha but it was a cute idea and I just imagine it being really fun and friendly.

I think if there was a movie I would go see it just to see how they did the shop lol.

Anyway, this is actually the first Sophie Kinsella book I’ve read. I really want to read Confessions of a Shopaholic because I liked that movie but I have no such luck getting the book in the library so it’s been on hold.

It was an easy read. I feel like I tend to gravitate towards books that have this kind of writing style. I don’t know how to explain it. I guess it’s like chick lit? Haha it’s a similar style to the “I Heart” series ya know. But it’s not a bad thing. I do like a good chick flick movie so why not a good chick lit book?

And my chick lit journey doesn’t stop there I picked up a new book at the library today: Me Before You. Yes I’ve seen the movie and I totally cried so we shall see how the book treats me

~ Courtney x

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

I feel like I said this about the other two books, but this one is so cute. So fluffy. So everything.

I wish I could hate on how perfect everything in this book is but I honestly don’t. Like you know those stories, where everything is always good and happy and wonderful and it all works out – those kinds of stories that are hardly ever realistic? That’s this. But I don’t hate it.

In this book, it is Lara Jean’s final year of high school and she has some big decisions to make about her future. And it made me feel very nostalgic for my own final year in secondary school. Sadly mine was not as magical and perfect as Lara Jean’s – but I still felt the same way that she did about being sentimental and wondering what the future would hold for me and all my friends.

So Lara Jean has had this plan that she and Peter were going to go to the same college, he was going to play lacrosse and she was going to do whatever she was gonna do and it was all going to be cute and happily ever after but…she gets rejected from the college…

Now she has to figure out a plan B, but in the meantime, she is keeping herself busy with trying to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie and also planning her dad’s wedding.

I was kind of surprised that Lara Jean’s dad and their neighbour Ms Rothschild ended up together. I wasn’t expecting it, but with the way the whole series goes, of course, their dad should have someone. It makes sense, and I totally cried reading about the wedding, but that probably had to do more with Lara Jean and Peter.

So, even though I was totally team John because of the second book, the third book totally sold me on Lara Jean and Peter forever. They had so many cute moments in this book and I couldn’t handle it. When they went to New York and Peter went to get that cookie for Lara Jean, at prom and then when Peter recreated that scene from Sixteen Candles for Lara Jean’s birthday. Ugh, I couldn’t handle the cuteness. And I definitely feel like if this was any other book series I wouldn’t have been a fan of all the lovey-dovey stuff but it works here.

I’m glad everything works out with them in the end, they were too pure not to end up together, let’s be real.

Aside from all that I thought it was interesting to see Margot not taking to Trina like everyone else. I mean it made sense but I kind of liked that there was some drama going on at home. I love a good bit of drama. Of course, it got resolved in the end but it was still something new to the series.

If anything, I do have to say I’m kind of sad that we will never know what happens when the Song girls go to Korea. Although currently, the actress that plays Lara Jean in the movie is in Korea. And so maybe the movies will give us a look into what that was like. I just think it would be fun to have the girls hanging out and spending time together without boys.

But yeah, overall a cute and fluffy book series. I really enjoyed them and I would definitely recommend reading them if you liked the movie. I am beyond excited to see the movies now that I know what happens in the books 😛 I know things aren’t going to be exactly the same but I still like having an idea of what to expect.

Just counting down the days till the next movie now…

~ Courtney x

P.S I Still Love You By Jenny Han Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

The sequel to ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’. I read the first book because I liked the movie, and obviously, I wanted to know what happened next.

This book was so cute – like cuter than the first one.

And I’m just gonna put it out there right now – I totally would have chosen John over Peter. I suppose if Lara Jean had gotten with John then she would have discovered that it was nothing like the idea of being with him…but they did have so many cute moments in this book and I was totally hooked on it.

I am so excited to see the second movie and see how they do the scenes with John like I can’t wait to see Lara Jean and him in their 40’s get up looking cute as ever. It will be great.

Anyway yeah okay onto the rest of the book haha.

So the first half of the book actually talks about the fall-out of the video posted about Lara Jean and Peter in the hot tub – this is covered at the end of the first movie so I wasn’t surprised this happened. Though the movie kind of glossed over it whereas it was a big thing in the book – I don’t know if they will bring it back up in the sequel but I guess we see.

The book also deals with Lara Jean being insecure because Peter is still spending a lot of time with Genevieve and Lara Jean is jealous. Which I would be too if my boyfriend was still spending a lot of time with his ex. Though nothing happens between Peter and Gen it definitely seems like something is going on…especially when Peter doesn’t really talk about it.

I think it’s interesting how fast Peter and Lara Jean’s relationship seemed to fall apart and get put back together again – with the way things were going I actually didn’t expect Lara Jean to choose Peter…like not until John literally said: “I didn’t even have a chance did I?”

Not that I’m mad about it I guess – I just think it will be interesting to see what happens next.

Also, I really enjoyed this idea of Assassin – it sounds like a fun game. Again, something I can’t wait to see how they do it in the movie 😛

Overall, a really enjoyable read. Super excited to see where the series goes, and can’t wait for the movies either – the actors that play Lara Jean and Peter are so cute and have great chemistry so it will be great to see them together again!

In the meantime, I will settle on picturing them in my head as I move onto the third and final book in the series – I hope the ending is satisfying, I couldn’t bear for the series to end badly it’s been so good so far. Fingers crossed!

~ Courtney x

You By Caroline Kepnes Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

5196gJhgX-L

I watched the Netflix adaptation of this book at the start of the year and it definitely made me want to read the book.

You is about a guy called Joe and Joe falls in love with Guinevere Beck but his love is just a little bit too much to handle. Basically, he’s an obsessed stalker who would do anything to get with Beck.

Now I gotta say the TV show definitely changed some of the storylines and I think it was to make it even more dramatic which is fine it makes sense. Also in the book they didn’t have a neighbour for Joe like Paco on the TV show. He was a good egg. Miss him.

I really enjoyed reading the book, it was really addictive and I think I liked it more than the TV show just a little bit. I think sometimes the TV show dragged a little. But the book did not.

It’s so interesting to see things from Joe’s point of view. He never has a doubt in his mind about what he is doing, he does everything for her and to protect her. And it’s wild.

Also thank you book for explaining that Beck actually emails people so that’s how he can follow her, rather than the TV show saying that Joe can read her text messages even though they showed her using iMessage but she had an Android phone and those things just don’t work together…

Anyway, I am super excited to read the sequel if I can get my hands on it, plus I hear a third book is on the way. I’m kind of obsessed with seeing where things with Joe will go. It’s just so different from other things I’ve read yet still in the realm of things I enjoy haha. Gotta have a bit of thriller and mystery in there.

So basically overall loved the book – though sometimes it was a bit hard to read because I got confused at who was talking sometimes. And the whole thing about how he only talks about Beck like “you are doing this, you see me, you act like…” etc. Some of those paragraphs were long and it took a while to process but nothing too terrible. Still easy to read and very addicting.

Now excuse me while I go out of my way to find the sequel – I read this book as an ebook borrowed from the library but they don’t have the second one as an ebook which is annoying…but I’ll find a way to get it.

~ Courtney x

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

20190817_154749.jpg

I read this for the first time when I was in secondary school. It was on a summer reading list and while I wasn’t a fan of being told what I had to read at the time, I actually really enjoyed this book.

So I decided to read it again.

I didn’t really remember what happened in the book, I just remember at the time I read it and I enjoyed it and I had a fanfiction idea for it. I don’t remember what that idea is now but the ending definitely made me think there was more to the story and I wanted to continue it. I never wrote that story but part of me wishes I did, just to know what I was thinking at the time.

Anyway, reading it the second time was the same as when I read it the first time.

It took me a while to get into it because the language is different from other books I’ve read. It’s more poetic in a way and more descriptive.

But I loved the story when I got into it. I fell in love with the idea of Manderly and Rebecca. It just seemed magical.

Also, I had totally forgotten about the plot twist about what actually happened to Rebecca so I was shocked all over again. Which I think is good, the past couple of books I have read have been based on movies and TV shows so I knew what happened but this time not knowing what would happen was exciting.

I would have loved to know what happened next like I said at the beginning of this post I did want to continue the story in my own way before but now I can’t even imagine what would have happened. With Manderly burning down and Mrs Danvers gone, what happened to all the staff? Did they get out? Would anyone find out the truth about what Maxim really did?

I mean I think the beginning of the book does have reference to what happens to Maxim and his wife, though I can’t remember what that is right now. It’s one of those things that is a small detail before it goes into the real story. So I didn’t pay much attention.

Still, it makes me wonder.

The book also made me curious about Rebecca – naturally, that’s what the whole book is about lol – but I wanted to know more. When something always talks about a person like they are a myth or that they are perfect I wanna know more about the real person. Her point of view and everything. But I suppose I settle for what I know – or go online and see if people have written fanfiction maybe…

But anyway, definitely a great read and I would highly recommend! I guess I can’t say anything too bad about the school reading list if it brought me to a book I actually liked and would have never found otherwise…but I still think if you are reading at all then it’s better than having to specifically read from a setlist. But I finished school long ago so I don’t need to worry about that anymore.

I’m not sure what I’m going to read next but I will probably get something in the next few days. I’m trying really hard to keep up the reading momentum so I don’t lose it. 🙂 So if you want to keep up to date on what I’m reading follow me on Goodreads, I will always post reviews here too but sometimes I don’t write them and just give the book a rating. So if you want to know everything, even the page I’m on then Goodreads is where to go 😛

~ Courtney x

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

I picked this up after watching the TV show and also because I’m on a reading kick and wanted to read something new.

Right off the bat I will say I prefer the TV show just because I really enjoy the actresses that play the main characters, they are amazing and I also think the drama plays out really well on the show. I also like the changes they made in the TV show in terms of Renata’s character and other little things.

One thing though I was surprised about was that in the book, Madeline and Ed have a good relationship. In the TV show, the relationship is very strained. I was also super surprised that Madeline actually had three children and not two lol, but I guess that’s a minor thing.

Anyway, time to talk about the book.

I liked the book, it started off easy enough to read, kind of like To All The Boys I Loved Before the sentences were mostly kept short and chapters were tiny. Though I feel like as it went on I was taking more frequent breaks from reading. I think just because I already knew what happened so the build-up was kind of nothing to me.

The little snippets where parents are being interviewed was a bit confusing for me because I always ignored the names and just read what was being said. Which is really on me because I should have kept up with the names but there were a few and I just didn’t bother.

I did like being able to understand more about the thoughts and actions of Celeste and Jane though. I mean Celeste does talk a lot about her feelings on the TV show because she sees a therapist but for Jane, we never know fully what she is thinking so I liked knowing things from her perspective like why she moved to town and everything.

Overall I think it was a good read, personally, I think it’s the kind of thing that if you have watched the TV show you don’t really need to read the book because it’s not vastly different. I think the TV show just adds extra bits to fill out the story so they could get the second season. Other than that I mean it’s not necessary to read the book.

Sometimes when books are adapted to TV and film you do need to read the book still because the adaptation leaves things out but I’d say the TV version is pretty great. And if you have read the book but haven’t seen the TV show I recommend it, it’s really well done and like I said the actresses are amazing.

Anyway, now that this book is done, the next one on my list is Gone Girl – yes I know I’m years behind but I am finally going to get around to reading the book. I’ll try not to make a lot of comparisons to the movie but I guess we see.

~ Courtney x

Party Girls Die in Pearls by Plum Sykes Review

~ Courtney Shek ~ Leave a comment

I found this in the library and the title caught my eye. I wasn’t really sure if I was going to check it out but after looking around I decided to give it a chance because honestly, nothing in the library that day was really standing out.

This book took a while to adjust to, the writing style is drastically different from the previous two books I had read which were casual and written in the first person POV. This book is more of a formal style and also written in the third person POV. Not to mention the fact that we get introduced to a lot of characters very quickly and it took me ages to figure out who these people were lol.

Anyway, the story follows Ursula Flowerbutton as she investigates the murder of India Brattenbury, set in Oxford in the 1980s.

I enjoyed the story a lot, once I got the hang of the characters and the mystery began I was fully engrossed. I wanted to know what happened and how all of these characters suddenly intertwined in India’s life and if they were connected to the murder.

When they started talking about societies and black-tie affairs, not to mention everyone sleeping with each other it definitely gave me Gossip Girl vibes. You know if Gossip Girl was British and in the 80s.

So it’s safe to say this is definitely my kind of book.

When I first started reading and looked up the author I saw that this was An Oxford Girl Mystery, which made me think it was part of a series, I thought maybe I wasn’t going to understand what was going on but luckily for me this was the first book in the series and there haven’t been any new ones released so I am on top of this series.

Of course, I want to know what things Ursula and her friend Nancy get up to next, I enjoyed this book a lot and I want to see what else they get up to, especially since Ursula is only a Fresher, there are plenty of university scandals still to be uncovered.

It will also be interesting for me to follow a book series as it’s being released because I’ve never had that before, the closest I had was when I was reading the ‘I Heart’ series just because I was reading it and caught up just as the final book was being released – not that I knew about that until it came time for me to get the last one.

I don’t know if I can take the waiting though…but luckily for me I have a lot more books to read until then. 😛

~ Courtney x