The final instalment in the Finn - River saga.River has recovered from her break up with Finn when he comes back into her life in the only way that Finn can. But as they re-connect River learns of the underworld Finn has caught himself up in. Heart overrules head as River cannot contemplate a life without Finn but as we know the road to true love never runs smoothly.
A fitting end to the saga - teen angst and a little bit of suspended reality never hurts anyone.
In October 2012 Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban but this book is so much more than a recount of this episode of Malala's short but busy life. This biography explains where her passion for political activism comes from and praises her father and his stand against authorities who look at the education of women as unnecessary.
Whilst reading I do wonder how much is told in Malala's own voice as opposed to the help of Christine Lamb and some areas do read much like an essay than a book. If you want a true depiction of life in Pakistan, you cannot get a more authentic account. I'm glad I read this but I don't know that I would pick up another biography like this again.
I got through this in a day - I've always enjoyed history books from unique perspectives but this was not what I expected at all. I believed this would be like other TV tie in books, depicting key points in US history witnessed by the help but this book at only 112 pages long tells you the story behind the story. How Will Haygood found a unique angle for a newspaper article in time for Obama's inauguration in 2008, how Eugene Allen served as butler for 8 presidents and voted for Obama the day after his wife passed. There is no real detail of Eugene Allen at work at 1600 Pensylvania Avenue, for that you'll have to watch the film but remember like all good films, a little imagination goes a long way.
An amazing recommendation from a friend, Guernica does exactly what it says on the cover - An epic story of love, family and war. Set against the back drop of the beautiful Basque country we follow the Ansotegui brothers; Justo, Josepe and Xabier through the Spanish Civil War, the devestation of Guernica itself and it's reprecussions into the Second World War.
Boling writes characters you can imagine off the page, Justo the iron man and his wife Mariangeles, the talk of the village. Dodo and Miguel; brothers on very different paths but at the end of the day loyal to the family, Xabier, the priest who is friends with the Basque president. I found it very hard to do anything else but read whenever I could whilst reading this book, I found myself wondering what the characters were doing after the final page was turned, how they are now - always the sign of a good book. May have to find more of this author!
