What are weekends for? Forgetting patients exist and doing two of the best things in the world: reading and playing Star Wars The Old Republic.

That being said, I have finished a couple of books today, and I am keeping both. Because they were awesome (sorry Mary Kondo, ALL books spark joy!). Here's a couple of reviews, enjoy!

"Girl Up", by Laura Bates

This is the second book I read by Laura Bates, and she still doesn't disappoint. Although aimed at teenagers, this books should be read by absolutely everyone, with much needed information that I wish I had when I was a self conscious teenager and that old-fashioned people should be updated with (and by old-fashioned, I mean sexist).

One of the things Laura Bates talks about in this book is the media. The media and their influnce on what is "beautiful" or "attractive". She also points out that girls start to feel self conscious about their body shapes at age five. Personally, all I remember from those days was watching Empire Strikes Back ten times a day and learning to read being the most amazing thing that happened. I do however remember feeling self conscious about my body at age 9. Something as simple as my wavy hair (which I now love), all because I couldn't get it to be straight "like the girls on TV". (I also remember that was the year I made my parents spend a fortune on cinema tickets because they remastered Empire Strikes Back for its 20 year anniversary, so that didn't change).

The "hair issue" escalated to the hair on my arms, then to my very slender figure, then to a slightly gummy smile and a few years back it ended with fat deposits on my bottom. So the problem I had at 13 - being too thin - had now changed to being too fat, at age 25?! As my husband and everyone around me pointed out: I wasn't too fat, the girls in magazines and on TV were starving themselves and exercising like an athlete, And I was never too thin as a child, I was just that, a child.

So now, almost 30, I really don't care about what other people think of my body. I try to make it healthy, I try to feed it good things, I keep it clean and functional. I will even put on a nice frock and some make up if I had a bad day and want to make myself feel better. Key word here: MYSELF.

"The Girl of Ink and Stars", by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

My husband gets me the best books. He works in a bookshop, and comes home at least once a week with a new book he knows I will like (talking about enabling a habit!).

This is one of those books. He was absolutely right as the cover and even the pages are just stunning. I didn't even need to read the blurb to know I needed to start reading it straight away. Because of this thirst to start a new story, I didn't realise this was a children's book. I only found out because I noticed it was published by Chicken House (they do books for young people). That didn't stop me AT ALL from enjoying this book, especially since the story was making me itch for more: an island you can't leave, borders you can't cross, magical maps, mystery round every corner and a character that risks her life for her best friend...
The story follows a young girl, daughter of a cartographer, trapped in an island full of secrets. When her best friend goes missing, she has to venture into the forbidden areas of the island and face its terrifying mysteries.
I wouldn't say this is a typical book for children, as it deals with delicate things such as death and parent disilusion, among other less pleasant things. (But hey, maybe that's just me! I grew up reading The Princess Diaries, so what do I know!)
It is, however, a very beautiful book. Just look at it!