Outlander #1 by D. Gabaldon

After loving the show a lot, I decided to read the book. Yes, I always do quite the opposite when you're supposed to read the book before and not after. However, knowing the story spoiled everything, yes, but it did help me to not get mixed up with the characters. It also helped me to visualize the characters and the settings. 

I was agreeably surprised to see that the show was true to the book. The book did not give much more information, therefore I did not discover anything, but I still liked the book. It's beautifully written and the characters, well at least for Claire and Jamie, are really modern. I love how Claire is depicted as a strong and capable women, strong headed and understanding. She adds so much to the story: peps, modernity, a feminine point of view, feelings, strength and so many abilities. I like to read about women like that, it's empowering. As for Jamie, I loved how he evolves. He is strong minded as well, a bit brutal and barbarian sometimes but still, he is modern and intelligent. They are not stereotypes and I love that about them!

As for the history itself, I found it so interesting. There is a bit of fantasy in there, but without being too much, just enough to add to the mystic atmosphere of the Highlands of Scotland. Everything is well put together and it's so intelligent as a whole. Stories like that, as big the book is, are always worth reading. I can only recommend the book, knowing the show already or not. Now, I have to read the 9 other books...

The anxiety solution by C. Brotheridge

This is probably the book that I wanted to read the most for years. The title was exciting for me as I'm struggling with anxiety. Of course, I was not expecting it to cure it, but I was looking forward reading more about anxiety and be more at peace with it.

BUT. Yes, there is a but. I disliked this book. Reading it made me think about my own anxiety issue and therefore made me anxious. It's quite paradoxical, but this book did not help me in nothing. I don't like self-help book in general, this one adds to this list. I hate when they take examples of other people who struggle a lot and became a miracle because they did one thing to change their life. I mean, if we would do the advice that self-help books give (eat healthy, do a sport, love yourself, etc.), life would be so perfect, isn't it? I'm tired of those advice that you can read everywhere. 

In the end, I don't really know what I expected about this book, probably feel concern and connected. However, it was not the case. Sometime, people who write those book should think not only about those who struggle A LOT with anxiety, but also about people who don't struggle that much but would like to live more free from anxiety. For me, this book was not helping.

 

Becoming by Michelle Obama 

Read my review here!

Anne of the Green Gables #1 by L.M. Montgomery

Guess who has seen the show before reading the book: me, again. To my defense, I did not know that the show was based on books. I was so happy to grab the first one as Anne with an E is probably one of my favorite show ever (I was even happier when I saw that there were so many books to the series!).

Well, I did like the first book. I loved Anne and her view on the world. Seeing things through her eyes is fantastic even though she can be quite... too much. But she is such a likable character that we have to feel sorry or happy for her. The setting is also wonderful with all of these details (but not too many!) about the place. Her relationship with Marilla and Matthew is beautiful, they are all imperfect but so true to themselves. 

However, I was disappointed to see how quickly the story is told. In the space of one book, we have 4 years! And adding to that, we have less details than in the show. Many things are different (and better sometimes), but many things are missing. We don't have that many details of her time at school or with her friend. And her non-relationship with Gilbert is so disappointing, I was expecting to see more of those two. Yet, I loved her relationship with Diana. Those two are so genuine towards each other and so devoted that it is only inspiring. Now, I'm excited to read the following book to see what's next!

7 ans après... by Guillaume Musso

As French, I'm probably one of the only person in France who has read only one of his books. I don't even remember what is was about or if I liked it a lot or not. And this one was sitting on my "to read" list for years that I had to read it at some point. Well, let me tell you: I do not understand why people like his books so much. This one was so simple, so easy, so boring. We guess the end of the story from the beginning. Zero characters are likable and I did not count the number of stereotypes in this book. The description is boring and worth of an amateur, it's not modern, long and not worth it. 

This guy who lives in New York with half of his family (oh yes, when they got separated with his ex-wife, they shared their twins between them. I mean, who does that?) is the most annoying character of all. He is stuck in the 19th century and is the perfect stereotypes of misogyny. His son (the one who doesn't live with him) as disappeared and he has to find him with his ex-wife, whom he dislikes (of course). From that, they got themselves into deep shit. After that, everything is just predictable. Well, boring. There are so many things left being and I'm not even going to talk about the end that was just crap. I'm just sad that so many people like this kind of writing when there is nothing special about it.

Oh and yeah, none of the books in those photos are the one mentioned here.