Me Before You
Jojo Moyes
The only reason I read
Me Before You was because I thought I might want to see the movie. I typically don't read books that are extremely popular, although I am starting to more. After reading the book, I really have no desire to see the movie and although I rated the book four stars on Good Reads, I'm just not sure the book plot warrants a movie.
For those of you who have seen the movie preview, you probably have a basic idea a summary of the book. Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living with her parents in a small town in England who has been with her boyfriend for more than five years and works at the local coffee shop. When the coffee shop closes unexpectedly, Louisa finds herself without an income and lacking the skills for the majority of the jobs available. She accepts a position as an informal caretaker to young quadriplegic after much encouragement from her family and boyfriend. After getting off to a rocky start, Louisa finds she actually enjoys working with Will Traynor and eventually their employer-employee relationship becomes more like friends and then possibly might even be considered boyfriend-girlfriend. However, Louisa is caught off guard by a decision Will is about to make and the terms of her employment. She attempts to quit before her feelings and beliefs become too involved in the situation but it doesn't work and she is forced to make some difficult decisions along with Will.
(If I say anything more, it would give away too many spoilers to the plot.)
I almost feel that everything worthwhile, if you can call it that happened in the last 100 pages of the book. Now that I'm done and after reading the next book I reviewed, this book felt like it was a bit slow going. It took me longer to read than expected as well. The characters all drove me a little nuts at some point as well but I think their faults just added to how they helped others in the story discover their strengths and ambitions. I almost feel like this book had so much hype around it and it really wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There was so much more potential here to do more with the story line. Again, there is so much about this book that I don't want to give away that I won't say much more about it.
If you plan to see the movie or you need a book for the beach, read it. I'm too critical and I'm finding lately that I rate a book on Good Reads and by the time I write the review my entire opinion has changed about the book after thinking into it more.
We Were Liars
E. Lockhart
I hadn't intended on finishing two books this weekend but when I started this one I couldn't put it down. I did though because I had so much to do around the apartment but I of course treated myself with reading a few chapters for every item I crossed off my to-do list. When I went to bed I had less than 100 pages left and I needed to know what happened, so of course I stayed up and finished it. I'm suffering that decision now as I'm struggling to stay awake.
The Sinclair family has been summering on their own private island, Beechwood, for generations. The patriarch has a house and his three daughters also all have houses across the island. As one might imagine, you would have to be quite wealthy to own an island with four large homes on it and money is not a problem for the Sinclair family. However, there is much turmoil regarding trust funds, inheritances, the island houses and the patriarch's will as he becomes older and more demented. While the three sisters, spend the majority of one summer bickering over these items, the older grandchildren, affectionately known as the Liars, realize steps must be taken to ensure that the family does not dissolve over money. How far are they willing to go though to save their family from demise?
The book has many flashbacks to the summer when these events happened, the summer Cady missed on the island due to the aftermath of that previous summer and then the following when she struggles to remember what actually happened the summer she and the rest of the Liars were 15. It's not really what you think this book might be. It starts out as a summer read about a wealthy family but becomes so much more as the suspense builds around Cady's recovered memories. Again, I really can't say much more because there is a major plot twist that I do not want to give away.
I loved this book and I told my coworker if I was a teen librarian still, I would have definitely book talked this for summer reading visits. I could definitely picture myself on the island with the Liars and enjoying the summer traditions they loved. It's funny because I found myself getting angry with some of the characters and then the plot twist happened and everything made sense then. The author weaves a very suspenseful tale of family, money, prejudice and love.
Run to the library and check this one out! It's a young adult book and a quick read, perfect for a day at the pool or the lake! They should make this one into a movie!
Happy Reading!
