Fifty Books: Recreational Reading 2013

Just a quick note, I don't necessarily want to read the books in this order. This is just a list of the books that I am wanting to read. I'm sorting them by author, but not alphabetically. If you have any more suggestions for me, please, feel free to comment or email me at laurennicolegoodfellow@gmail.com :) 

1- An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

2- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3- Looking For Alaska by John Green

4- Paper Towns by John Green

5- Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

6- Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Re-reading)

7- Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Re-reading)

8- Requiem by Lauren Oliver

9- The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling

10- One Day by David Nichols

11- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

12- The Fellowship of The Ring by J R R Tolkien

13- The Two Towers by J R R Tolkien

14- The Return of The King by J R R Tolkien

15- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

16- City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

17- City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

18- City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

19- City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

20- A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin

21- A Clash of Kings by George R R Martin

22- A Storm of Swords by George R R Martin

23- A Feast for Crows by George R R Martin

24- A Dance with Dragons by George R R Martin

25- The Winds of Winter by George R R Martin

26- A Dream of Spring by George R R Martin

27- Divergent by Veronica Roth

28- Insurgent by Veronica Roth

29- Uglies by Scott Westerfield

30- Pretties by Scott Westerfield

31- Specials by Scott Westerfield

32- Extras by Scott Westerfield

33- The Clan of The Cave Bear by Jean M Auel

34- The Valley of Horses by Jean M Auel

35- The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M Auel

36- The Plains of Passage by Jean M Auel

37- The Shelters of Stone by Jean M Auel

38- The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M Auel

39- The Selection by Kierra Cass

40- Across The Universe by Beth Revis

41- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

42- The Barcode Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn

43- The Fry Chronicles by Stephen Fry

44- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

45- Under A Glass Bell by Anais Nin

46- Perfume by Patrick Suskind

47- Sophie's World by Joseph Gaarder

48- High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

49- The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

50- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Now that I've came to the end of my list, I've realised there is so many other books that I want to read! I'll use this list more as a guideline, as I can never really tell what book will take my fancy.

Happy Reading!

- Lauren

Revised Reading Target

After a lot of thought, I've decided to revise my target for this years recreational reading. I'm cutting it in half, to fifty. Obviously, if I go over that, I'll be thrilled, but one hundred books is just so unrealistic. Hopefully, with half term coming up I'll be able to read a couple of book then and write a couple of reviews for them.

Also, taking inspiration from my business teacher, I'm going to compile a list of the fifty books I want to read throughout 2013. I'll hopefully be posting that up very soon!

Wish me luck :)

Happy reading!

- Lauren 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four

I know it’s been a while since I’ve written anything, but I’m challenging myself on this next review. How to review a book that’s been in the eyes and hearts of the public since 1890?

I myself am a self-proclaimed fanatic of BBC’s Sherlock (AKA a Sherlockian) and since the release of the series, I have been eager to get my hands on the complete Sherlock Holmes works. This Christmas, to my delight, I found myself gifted with the most beautiful leather-bound copy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most acclaimed tales.

This is the second instalment of the Sherlock Holmes collection, and also the second Sherlock book I have had the delight to read. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a writer way ahead of his time, with thrilling plots, twists and deductions that have stood the test of time and still resonate with audiences across the world to this day.

The Sign of Four sees our two brave heroes - the enigmatic consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes and his loyal retired army doctor companion, Dr. John Watson – helping a young, attractive woman, Miss Mary Morstan, in seeking the whereabouts of her missing father and trying to unearth the source of several anonymous letters that are sent along with glorious pearls. After learning that her father is indeed dead, as she fully expected, Miss. Morstan learns of the Agra Treasure; a fortune worth half a million that she is fully entitled to. Unfortunately, the treasure is in the hands of Bartholomew Sholto, the son of her late father’s best friend. On arrival at Master Sholto’s home, they discover that his life has been taken along with the treasure.

From this point on, we see the real Sherlock Holmes. He uses every method at his disposal to catch the criminal, and we witness his violent mood swings according to the way in which the search is going. The tale comes to an exciting and gripping end, with a clear victory for righteousness when the criminals are caught and the treasure is given back to its rightful heir.

I'd just like to say: the book doesn't end there. Keep on reading, as everything isn't exactly how it seems.

Although this book is a classic, it reads as fluidly as any 21^st century crime and mystery novel, and I would recommend that anyone who is a fan of the movies, or the television series should invest in their own copies of the Sherlock Collection. Although it is over one hundred years old, the ideas and theories explored in the book are still as interesting to this very day. Like me, you may find yourself shocked at just how similar the 1890 and 2011 versions of the Sherlock tales are.

Be warned, if you’re not already aware, the first chapter of this book opens with Sherlock using Morphine and Cocaine. If you’re easily offended, you may want to stick to the television series where he keeps himself entertained through nicotine patches. 

I don't think it is my place to give this book any kind of rating, but I will state that it is well deserving of its place in the literary canon. I am very much looking forward to reading more of these fantastic instalments. 

Download the Kindle version for free here

Purchase the beautiful leather-bound hard cover here

Happy reading!

Review by Lauren Goodfellow