Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. Really, she is. She goes to work, eats the same meal deal, drinks two bottles of vodka on a Friday night and wakes up on a Monday ready to do it all again. But one day, by complete coincidence, she meets Raymond, a middle-aged tech support worker who introduces her to new things, and forces her to confront things that she has tried very hard to forget...

But this is not a love story. It is a story primarily about loneliness, and about the best and worst that humankind has to offer.

This was an amazing story, but it took me a while to get into it. For the first third or so, I didn't really get where it was going, I didn't get the point. But after that, it became very clear very quickly, and now it has become one of those books that I will continue to think about, even though I've finished it.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It is just one of those feel-good books that will stay with you for ages after you finish reading it.

Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Jude has bound High King Cardan to her for a year and a day, to look after the throne while her brother grows up. But he despises her for this, and has taken it upon himself to make her life as difficult as possible. Despite this, the two of them have feelings for each other that neither one can explain, and this only makes ruling a kingdom even harder.

I really enjoyed this book, but I have given it four stars for two reasons: the first is that I found Jude really quite irritating. She's incredibly selfish and makes rash decisions without really thinking things through. The second is that cliff-hanger ending! It's brilliant, but it's annoying that the next book isn't out until next year.

I like the fact that we get more details about Elfhame in this book, and we find out more about how the ruling family is linked directly to the throne. I also like the fact that we find out more about the other courts in Elfhame. This book is full of twists and turns, and it was hard to put down.

Review: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

A poor widow, Elizabeth Woodville, is left with nothing after her husband is killed in battle, leaving her and her two sons penniless. Believing that she is meant for something greater, she sets her sights on the young King Edward of the House of York. After a short courtship, he marries her in secret and she finds herself as the Queen of England.

Queen Elizabeth is very clever, and very manipulative of the King. Despite being a nobody, she convinces the King to marry her, and sets about installing her vast family into as many important positions in court as possible. This series is written from the point of view of the women of the families, since their stories are so often ignored, and this has been done incredibly well. This book is the first in a series about the Cousin's War, between the houses of York and Lancaster for the throne of England, each family believing that it is theirs by birthright.

I love a bit of historical fiction, and Philippa Gregory's has to be some of the best in the world.