The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.īut perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star.

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. I highly recommend The Guest List if you love an engaging thriller, and make sure to give me some recommendations of your favourite thrillers! About The Guest List Every time I flipped the page, something else was revealed and there was another twist that I would audibly gasp at. When I finally got into the action, I almost finished the last 150 pages in one sitting. However, I did enjoy the build-up because the character dynamics are really interesting. It started off slow and took almost 200 full pages to finally get to the reveals and the action. I am a sucker for mysteries and The Guest List is a classic, so I used one of my Christmas gift cards to finally get it. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us.

She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. It’s inspiring and motivating and gets me in the right mindset for the year with my own writing and work. Big Magic is a personal development book on creativity that I highly recommend for every writer or just any person too. This was a re-read for me and is a book I try to re-read every year around the new year.

A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden