Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

“Some mistakes... Just have greater consequences than others. But you don't have to let the result of one mistake be the thing that defines you. You, Clark, have the choice not to let that happen.” 

I need a hug. In fact, can someone just hold me for a week? I think I am just gonna curl up in a ball and keep sobbing now.

I know this book is very well-loved and well-known so I won't make my review super long but I just have to add to the hype by saying, in my book, it deserves all the praise it gets.

This novel is about Louisa Clark ( Lou for short ) a 26 year old woman living an ordinary life. She works at The Buttered Bun cafe, she has a boyfriend of 6 years, named Patrick, she lives at home with her parents, sister Treena and Treena's son Thomas and her granddad. She is content. 
Then without warning, her boss closes the cafe, leaving her without a job and without a way to contribute financially to the household. She comes across a job offer for care and companionship for a 35 year old quadriplegic man. She is hired on.

The man is Will Traynor.

I adored their relationship so much. Moyes really knows how to write fun, witty characters who the reader immediately falls in love with. I read this book in less than a day - the quickest I've read a book in who knows how long - and it crushed me when I finished it.The cool thing is that the book is not in the least preachy. Despite the heaviness of the subject matter, the author has created two witty and quirky characters who are very lovable and complex and who I wanted to read more about. It kept me turning those pages—fast.

Good characters, good dialogue, and a good, well-paced plot make this novel such a “goodread.” The author keeps you guessing till the end, and I was so pulled in. It’s an emotional ride. I can’t wait to read her other books, at least one of which has won awards. I’m not surprised. Highly recommend.

And despite what some reviews say, this is not a romance novel. There is romance in it, found in unlikely circumstances, but this is not a light and fluffy chic lit read.

What an important, heart wrenching book. I don't know if I'll ever get over it.

 

Amazon: Me Before You

MOVIE STARRING EMILIA CLARCK AND SAM CLAFLIN!! 

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

“I want to say yes, but I don't want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody else's first choice”

Sixteen year olde daydreamer Lara JEan has written love letters to all the boys she has ever had crushes on- These are not typical love letters but are more like good bye letters that help Lara Jean have some closure over the boys that broke her heart. When the letters are mailed without her knowledge, she is beyong upset. As her crushes begin to receive the secret letters, Lara Jean must provide and explanation to the boys, and romantic comedy soon begings to unfold..

This was a light, cute read that left me with a smile. It wasn't a book full of twists and surprises and the plot was fairly simple, but I really enjoyed it. It would be a perfect book for a summer read.

It was the first book by Jenny Han I read and I am definitely going to try her other books. 
Lara Jean was so relatable and the love interest IS ADORABLE! The characters have their flaws, but these flaws made them even better. 

The development between Lara Jean and Peter was really sweet. First pretending to date due to circumstances, it slowly turned into friendship until the feelings Lara Jean thought she'd gotten over returned. It definitely wasn't insta-love. There was a small triangle with neighbor Josh and at first, it was hard to choose but Peter won me over in the end. They match each other so well. They’re like opposites, but they balance each other so well. Kavinsky gets Lara Jean out of her safe bubble and really challenges her to live for herself. And Lara Jean keeps Kavinsky grounded and doesn’t take his bullshit. It’s such a give and take relationship, and it’s so wonderful to see. I just wanted more!

I also loved the contrast between the three sisters. Margot was the overly responsible one who acted like an adult most of the time, though she could have her own childish moments. Lara Jean was more immature for her age while Kitty was a mix of the two, she could be a brat at times and others she was very responsible. I also appreciated that their father, a very busy man, was still present in their lives and made an effort to make sure their mother's Korean heritage wasn't forgotten. I loved the relationship between the three sisters so much and found it really sweet and believable.

This is about a 3.7. I read this in one day. I honestly didn't want to put it down and I barely did. The way it ended was not how I thought it would when I started (the ending left me craving for more!), which is always cool. Sometimes with contemporaries I find the mundanity of daily activities in the stories boring, but that didn't happen here. Which was really, really nice.

This book is addictive right from the start, with Lara Jean easily carrying the story through to the end.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

"It's always nice to being wanted.  Even if it's by the wrong person." -Tabitha Suzuma

This is the story of a boy and a girl who fall in love. Lochan and Maya are best friends who have known each other their entire lives and have helped each other and fiercely loved one another through the many brutally painful experiences of growing up.
The thing is, they also happen to be brother and sister, and the unholy mess of the repercussions from their choices looms over this entire story.

The relationship between Maya and Lochan is complicated from the beginning. In my words, here’s how I see it: There’s a line between brothers and sisters. You can tell to each other your most intimate secrets, share a room, even sleep in the same bed for fear of nightmares; each other the half of a whole. But you never become more, because of that line. That label that says Brother/Sister. And that’s okay.

This may all sound so disgusting but I never felt repulsed during the book, and I think this is what made it Amazing. Tabitha Suzuma managed to make their love relationship seem so right and not once did I forget they were brother and sister. It wasn’t like “OMG! I had totally forgotten they were siblings!” No, I was conscious always of what they were and it never felt wrong.

By the ending my heart was beating so hard I thought it would just burst out of my chest, and in the last page it just stopped. I can feel that hollow. My shaking hands. And the amazingness of it all.

Obviously, many will disagree. Some will see this as the tragedy of neglect and abuse. Or a thought-provoking challenge to the parameters we put around “acceptable” love. Or a heartbreaking examination of society failing its young people. Or just a love story. There are plenty of excellent reviews that discuss these interpretations. 

Goodreads

January BOOK HAUL

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes            Alienated by Melissa Landers         Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

                                                                                                         

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

The Heir by Kiera Cass

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Anna And the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Harry Potter And the Sorcere's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter And the Chamber Of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter And the Prisoner Of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling