My most impressionable books

"I use Grammarly's plagarism checker because originality is the new black."

So every now and again I dabble into the world of books here on YouReview, but it's really not a common occurrence. Though I love all kinds of beauty related chatter, this year I hope to expand my blog a little further to incorporate lifestyle based posts too, including perhaps my greatest love of all...books.

I had this post sitting in my drafts for a very long time, unsure as to whether I should take the plunge and post it. I took it as a sign when I received an email from Grammarly who wanted to sponsor this post, so here it is, some of the most impressionable books I have read to date... the books that have stuck with me in some way or another.

Unwind by Neil Schusterman
This was a 2013 discovery that I was so captured by that I requested the entire series as a Christmas gift! In a world when 'unwinding' is legal, teenagers between the age of 13 and 18 can be sent off in accordance with their parent's wishes to be 'harvested' - cut up and used as spare body 'parts' for the general (adult) public to use as required. Yes, it is as horrible as it sounds and a novel that really questions morals and ethics in every way. It is so cleverly written that you are almost, at times, manipulated into supporting the cause! I recommend this very much!

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Of course, To Kill a Mockingbird's (TKAM) influential nature was at its peak when it was first published in 1960 yet I feel that all these years down the track it still has its place in our society. Whether you feel that the racism addressed by Lee is still relevant or not, TKAM makes a statement about the complexities of the adult world and the prejudices people form based on no logical reasoning at all. Dear little Scout, the central character in the novel, sees the world so very clearly in either black or white, and though we as readers appreciate that it is just not that simple, this texts begs the question "Does it really have to be so complicated?"

Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Perfume is one of its kind, there is no doubt about it. Who would have thought that an entire novel could be centered completely around the sense of smell, the plot driven by an individual's drive to obtain the most desirable scent in the world. For anyone who has ever attempted to describe a perfume you would appreciate the sheer difficulty of such, but what about bringing to life a brass doorknob or the smell of a baby? Suskind is literally a genius, I have no doubt about that, and this heart-wrenching tale of a man with an unnaturally heightened sense of smell was impressionable in many, many ways. Just a little warning, this is a novel unsuitable for younger readers.


We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Another novel targeted at older readers, this is a sorrowful tale of a mother who, contrary to what she perceived to be instinctual, is unable to feel love for her child. This child then grows up to be a teenage killer who murders his teacher and classmates. Eva writes harrowing letters to her estranged husband that cleverly evolve to reveal just how Kevin grew up to be so very unlike the other children. I imagine that when I read this again as a mother it will mean even more to me, but even as an older teenager I felt such despair for this mother and was hooked in completely by the text.

Source

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Perhaps you may have read this one at school, but for good reason! Two friends, George and Lenny are bound together by Lenny's intellectual disability and George's unending loyalty as they fight to survive and dream of a better life they know will never happen. It's a beautiful story of friendship at its best, and of course the ending tears your heart out. It messes with your head which loves George and his strength, but your heart that empathises with dear Lenny.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
What? How did this make it on to the list? I know, I know, the Hunger Games Trilogy is hardly on par with the great classics...or is it? Thousands and thousands love the series, particularly within the young adult sector and therefore doesn't that allow it to qualify as an impressionable text? When you think about it, Hunger Games really does make a statement about society. It's hardly a new take on the way of the world, but it's definitely there and still makes you uncomfortable when you realise you yourself are essentially a member of the Capitol, those citizens that you just loved to loathe.

I'm always on the look out for new books to read. I would love to hear what books stood out and made an impact on you.

*Please note that being sponsored by Grammarly for this post has in no way influenced my review. As I mentioned, this was already written and in my drafts prior to them contacting me. I support what they do and stand for, hence why I accepted their offer.*