Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Original Title: Attachments

Year Published: 2012

Published by: Plume

Number of pages: 323

First Sentence: "Would it kill you to get here before noon?"

Goodreads Rating: 5/5

Plot:

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained- and captivated- by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?

My thoughts: 

I loved this book. Rainbow Rowell has after only two books (that I've read) become one of my favourite authors. She is brilliant and her characters are charming and oh so lovable.

This book centers around Lincoln, a man in his late twenties who has no idea what he want's to do with his life. The job he managed to score is not what he thought it was and it gets him down on a daily basis. His love life is non-existent, and why would he want love after Sam? Lincoln is a very charming character and it was lovely to follow him, his thought process and what he felt in certain situations. He is also awkward and unsure, which stems from his lack of self-confidence, but that only endears him even more to the reader. He struggles to find his own place in life, and the meaning of his life, just like we all do. In the end I didn't care how he found it, I just wanted him to be happy.

Beth and Jennifer are the two main female characters. We, as well as Lincoln, get to know them through a series of e-mails. The e-mails are hilarious although they sometimes deal with very serious issues. Beth is in a relationship with a guy who is in a band, and she feels that she isn't all that important to him most of the time. She still loves him and he does have his moments.Jennifer is married to this amazing man, but the subject of children is something that is grating on her. Her husband want's them, Jennifer do not. The women feel real and were just like Lincoln, very charming and easy to love.

There is a group of other characters that are just as charming and help creating the easy atmosphere of the book. There are some embarrassing moments in the book, just like we have embarrassing moments in life, and there were moments of loss and love, happiness and sorrow. Overall it was an amazing book and one of my favorites.

Do I recommend it?

Oh yes! It is a proper feel-good book and you will put it down with a smile on your face and a happy sigh (at least I did).

Mort by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #4)

Original Title: Mort
Year Published: 1987
Published by: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Number of Pages: 243
First sentence: "This is the bright candlelit room where the life-timers are stored— shelf upon shelf of them, squat hourglasses, one for every living person, pouring their fine sand from the future into the past."
Goodreads rating: 5/5

Plot (Taken from Goodreads):
In this Discworld installment, Death comes to Mort with an offer he can't refuse -- especially since being, well, dead isn't compulsory. As Death's apprentice, he'll have free board and lodging, use of the company horse, and he won't need time off for family funerals. The position is everything Mort thought he'd ever wanted, until he discovers that this perfect job can be a killer on his love life.

My thoughts:
He does it again. Mort is a brilliant installment in the Discworld book series. It's an oldie but a goldie. You get to meet Mort who by strange circumstances become the apprentice of Death, you get to know Death and his daughter alongside several other grand characters. Mort soon realizes that being the apprentice of Death is even more strange and complicated that it seems at first glance.

The Terry Pratchett humor is great in this book and intervowen with some more serious elements, and that is honestly what makes Pratchett's books so amazing. He entertains his readers with sarcasm and more straightforward humor, but at the same time brings an element of seriousness that grounds the stories in reality.

Do I recommend it?
Yes, just like with any of the other Terry Pratchett books I've recommended :D

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Original Title: Good Omens: The nice and accurate prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch.
Year Published: 2006 (first published in 1990)
Published by: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. (First edition by Workman Publishing Company Inc)
Number of Pages: 398
First sentence: "It was a nice day."
Goodreads Rating: 5/5

Plot:
According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner. So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon - both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle - are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist ...

My thoughts:
Loved it! I always love Terry Pratchett's books but team him up with Neil Gaiman and you get one of the most brilliant book's ever written. I usually dislike books with religious themes but this is just fantastic.

There is a variety of brilliant characters who all are extremely important to the plot. You have the dynamic duo, Angel Aziraphale and the Demon Crowley, the four horsemen, the Witchfinder Newt, the Witch Anathema Device, who is also  descendant of Agnes Nutter, and of course, Adam and the Them. They are all lovely, and there are also several more than the ones I mentioned, but the ones mentioned are probably the most important.

Gaiman and Pratchett tell a brilliant story with many twists and turns. You have no idea where the book will end up which is amazing, There is no way you can predict the end, which could have been annoying but in this case is just fantastic. It is probably one of the best books I've read.

Do I recommend it?
Hell yes! Read it! Go on, do it!

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #23)

Original Title: Carpe Jugulum
Year Published: 1998
Published by: Transworld Publishers Ltd
Number of Pages: 378
First Sentence: "Through the shredded black clouds a fire moved like a dying star, falling back to earth - "
Goodreads Rating: 5/5

Plot (taken from Goodreads):
In a fit of enlightenment democracy and ebullient goodwill, King Verence invites Uberwald's undead, the Magpyrs, into Lancre to celebrate the birth of his daughter. But once ensconced within the castle, these wine-drinking, garlic-eatin, sun-loving modern vampires have no intention of leaving. Ever.

Only an uneasy alliance between a nervous young priest and the argumentative local witches can save the country from being taken over by people with a cultivated bloodlust and bad taste in silk waistcoats. For them, there's only one way to fight.

Go for the throat, or as the campyres themselves say ... Carpe Jugulum.

My thoughts: 
I absolutely adore Terry Pratchett. He is my number 1 favourite author. If I was forced to choose one author to read for the rest of my life it would be Terry Pratchett. Within the Discworld world the witches are probably my favourites. This is book nr 6 in the Witches series and it does not dissappoint. It's a great book with many amazing characters.

The witches are in number of three: Granny Weahterwax, Nanny Ogg and Agnes. In this installment they have to deal with something that Lancre has not dealt with in well ... forever. Vampires. The dialouge is hilarious as per usual with Pratchett and all the different subplots are extremely entertaining and do not distract from the main plot. He ties together all the loose ends perfectly in the end and manages to surprise you even though you thought you had it all figured out.


Do I recommend it?
YES! Especially if you love satire. It's a book filled with humour, colorful characters and manages to teach many lessons in a refreshing way. I do recommend Terry Pratchett (the name of the book is not that important, they are all great) to anyone.