A BOOK: THAT'S A THRILLER

Hello! My mystery/thriller book is Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes, the third book I've read by her despite it being her debut novel and soon to be a film. The author herself was an analyst who had always had a love of writing and after entering National Novel Writing Month and after that she just continued to think out plots and get them down on paper (or a screen).

Into The Darkest Corner jumps between the past and the present. In the past, Catherine has fallen for a guy that she thinks is perfect and her friends more than agree. However, Lee starts to get possessive, controlling and in the end, violent. It tells the story of how they met, how their relationship developed and eventually how he was, for the time being, out of her life. The present shows Catherine in her new life where she is controlled by OCD and PTSD. She moves on in her love life and works to overcome her anxieties. The past and the present merge through her friends and her past invading into her new future.

I won't lie, this book gave me nightmares. It's the kind of thing that hits you quite hard when you realize that it's a reality for some people and putting yourself in that situation is impossible. However, I thought the book was so accurate in so many ways, and honestly rather clever. I think Elizabeth Hayne's books are probably all my favourite thrillers (I've also read Under The Silent Moon and Revenge of the Tide) and I am always flicking through the pages as fast as I can to find out what is coming next. As with any good thriller, it's always completely unpredictable.

A BOOK: WITH A ONE WORD TITLE

Hello! My school has put up a list of different genres of books and set a challenge to read 24 books in a year. While I won't even be at my school when this challenge ends and it's not an impossible amount of books I thought it would be a nice thing to do to get out of my reading-comfort-zone. And of course to tell you guys about.

So, a book with a one word title happened to be a book that I bought on my Kindle just before I went back to school so I thought it would be a good one to start off with. Typhoon by Qaisra Shahraz is the story of three women living within a Pakistani village and the problems and trauma that they all face. One is caught in the arms of another woman's husband, one is the husbands wife and the other was raped in her youth. The story is set over just a week, with a reunion of characters some 20 years later, allowing you to see how their attitudes have changed and how the events described earlier have had an impact on them. The end of this book was a great shock to me as it finishes with a huge tragedy that I didn't anticipate until it happened. The women are all powerful, even in a time of such male dominance, especially in their religion and country. Although not exactly admirable throughout, the women all hold great burdens and while reading you are always made to feel sympathetic towards them.

Culturally, this book is really interesting because of the staggering contrast between how this small village deals with such problems and how they would be dealt with here. The book also incorporates the villages language into sentences, although you're always able to understand the meanings. If you've read The Kite Runner then it's not dissimilar to how Indian words are scattered throughout.

MAGAZINES

Hello! I don't know about you, but I feel like Company Magazine made a mistake going digital. Every month I desperately looked forward to going into the shops and picking up a new copy and I miss having a physical magazine to read, or one at all as I don't buy the digital version. I've been an avid reader of Company since I can remember and when I was moving house back in February I threw away years worth of issues, including ones before they redesigned. To fill the void that is now left I have been looking at magazines which could be a replacement and perhaps a little more specific to my current interests.

1. i-D. I first heard of i-D when I went to a university open day and they had it in their little shop on campus so I jotted it down and looked it up when I got home and I've been searching for it in a shop ever since. i-D has built itself a reputation for reinventing and inspiring fashion for all those involved in fashion culture and has included people from many creative backgrounds such as Tom Ford, Madonna and Kate Moss - all giving a cheeky wink. A years subscription includes 6 issues at about £27 which is incredibly good value and extremely tempting... 

2. LOVE. Love magazine is a twice-a-year magazine that aims to inspire designers, artists and just anyone looking for visual inspiration in fashion or design. Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevigne and Miley Cyrus have all been featured within the magazine and they look to feature up and coming music developments, art and fashion. A mystic ball for the creative world if you like.

3. The Creative Review. The Creative Review is just like any other 'Review' - it displays the latest projects, people and inspiration for a specific field. In this case, it's all things creative (as the title would suggest) but if you take a look and are particularly interested in Economics, English or any other subject then there is a review for almost anything. It's actually a great way to read further in your subjects if you're at school and lots of departments at my school are subscribed so that you can read essays and just broaden your knowledge. Great for your personal statement if you're thinking about applying to university this year (eek!) or next year or just for your exams. Or even just personal interest!

4. boat. A travel and culture publication. Boat magazine presents its reader with a new city each issue, showing you how inspiring a city can be and really getting right into the cracks of the city. London, Los Angeles, Athens and Lima have all been focused on so far. Great if you're an avid traveler looking for some iinspirationon where to go next. It contains pictures, interviews, personal profiles and artwork from each place, giving you an honest and bare view on a city every issue. Even the covers are inspiring. 

5. Violet. A publication focusing on leaders, authors, entrepreneurs and all-round inspiring and amazing women including Alexa Chung and Brit Marling. Alyson Swan, creator of Violet, aims to inspire and motivate women to create their own career and success through her inspiring interviews and editorials so that women can get to know women who can inspire them. 

6. In Bloom. A publication for youths with curious and creative minds. It captures fresh talents in music, fashion, literature, art and photography while also giving an industry insight to all. 

I hope that some of these catch your eye and maybe you might pick up a copy if you spot one in a shop next. You can order single issues from a couple of magazine websites which make it easy for you to find smaller and more independent magazines. I hope I've given you a little bit of reading-inspo. Happy reading! 

Let me know if you've read any of these magazines before or if you have any other suggestions along the same lines!