Pages of Comfort: Jojo Moyes

Showing posts with label Jojo Moyes. Show all posts

Friday, November 27, 2015

[Review] After You by Jojo Moyes

After You by Jojo Moyes
Series: Me Before You, #2
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publishing Dates: Sept 29, 2015
Format: ARC, hardcover
Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future. . . .

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await.

After You is quintessential Jojo Moyes—a novel that will make you laugh, cry, and rejoice at being back in the world she creates. Here she does what few novelists can do—revisits beloved characters and takes them to places neither they nor we ever expected.

My Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a bad book hangover after reading Me Before You (first review here; second here). I couldn't get over how amazing Lou and Will's story was, and I didn't want to to be over. Once I found out there was going to be a movie, it helped my hangover a little. And then I saw there was this sequel. I couldn't wait to get a copy of it! It did sit on my shelf a little longer than I wanted it to, but I had to get to some others first. Plus, let's be honest, I was a little nervous about starting this. I loved Me Before You so much that I was really worried this wouldn't be as good.

Thankfully, my worries were unfounded. I really, really enjoyed After You. It was slower paced than Me Before You, but good nonetheless. I enjoy Lou as a character and I liked finding out what happened to her after the end of the last book. We saw her grow so much in Me Before You and in After You, she regresses a little. But I think that's to be expected after you lose someone you love. But as the book, and her life, moves on, she slowly starts coming out of her depression and living a little more. There are certain characters that help her with this and it's interesting to see how they all interact.

I know some people felt this book wasn't necessary, but I'm glad it was written. I like Lou as a character, I wanted to find out what happened to her after, and I really like Moyes' writing. I thought she did a good job of giving the readers more info about Lou without taking away from the story in Me Before You. Very much enjoyed this book!

Monday, November 16, 2015

[Review] Re-read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publishing Date: Dec. 31, 2012
Format: paperback, purchased
369 Pages
Goodreads rating: 5 stars
First read: March, 2014

Synopsis

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

My Review

This is a re-read for me! I wanted to read this again before I picked up After You, the sequel. It's been a little over a year and a half since I last read this and I actually forgot quite a bit, so I'm glad I read it again. See my first review here!

Last year, when I finished this book, I said it was easily one of my favorite books and one of the best book buying decisions I've ever made. I couldn't wait to re-read it, but I always have reservations about re-reading one of my favorites because I'm worried I won't like it quite as much. I couldn't have been more wrong! I absolutely loved this book just as much, if not more, the second time around! Everything I loved about it the first time was amplified the second time. I absolutely love Will and Louisa as characters. They are so incredibly real and I can easily relate to them. Will has had something horrible happen to him, and unfortunately, it changed his life forever for the negative. While I can't understand what it's like to be in his situation, I can empathize. He led a HUGE life before his accident and he struggles with not being able to do the same things.

On the other hand, Louisa leads a very quite, very simple, if not boring life. She works, she goes home, she sometimes sees her boyfriend. But once she begins working with Will, he pulls her out of her shell. Little by very little, we see her grow. She argues with Will, tells him when he's being a complete ass, but also goes along with his wishes to show him she can. She really is different from the beginning of the book.

And together, these two are beautiful. I cried so much throughout this book; more than I thought I would since I already knew what was happening! Part of me kept wishing this book would end differently. But at the same time, I realize the end is what makes this book so wonderful. I really can't get enough of this book or Jojo Moyes' writing!

Monday, July 13, 2015

[Review] One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publishing Date: July 1, 2014
Format: hardcover, gifted
368 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis

One single mom. One chaotic family. One quirky stranger. One irresistible love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You.

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages... maybe ever.

My Review

Me Before You is one of my absolute favorite books. I really think it might be THE favorite of mine ever! (: So I absolutely couldn't wait to get a copy of this one by Moyes. I had been waiting since this was release to get a copy! Then I got it as a gift for Christmas and I couldn't wait to read it! Unfortunately, life got in the way... buying a house, moving in, doing some remodeling and other house projects..But I finally started reading it when I suggested my book club pick it for July. I was so excited to dive in!

This book didn't disappoint me one bit. All of these characters were so interesting and unique. Jess is a single mom to her young daughter and teenage step-son. Her husband up and left them, doesn't work and doesn't pay any child support. Jess is trying to give him the benefit of doubt because she believes he's suffering from a mental break. But she still has to do what's right for her kids. I love that she takes care of Nicky like he's own her own flesh and blood. She sticks up for him like no one else will. Tanzie is such a sweet little girl. She's super intelligent and looks at things in a different way; and Jess embraces that whole-heartedly.

Ed is different. He seems quiet and soft-spoken, yet very bright (obviously since he and a friend created their own company!). But he clearly doesn't make the best decisions all the time and they have landed him in a bit of trouble. He makes a spur of the moment decision to drive Jess and her kids to the Math Olympiad and his life is never the same after.

What I really loved about this book was the different types of characters. Some are so serious, some playful, some funny. They all fit each other really well and play off each others' strengths; they complement each other. Plus this book was funny! I wasn't expecting it, but there were so many times that dry humor crept through and I found myself literally laughing out loud. I'm sure my husband thought I was a little strange since it would just be quiet and then I'd be laughing.

This book really had it all: serious issues, drama, family feuds, comedy, and (probably my favorite) romance. I highly, highly recommend this book. It fast rose up to the near top of my list and I can't wait to read what else Moyes has written. The Girl You Left Behind is sitting on my shelf just waiting for me to pick it up and I know it won't disappoint.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Tell Me Something Tuesday AND Top Ten Tuesday! 3.17.15

It's so nice when two of my favorite memes match up with subjects for the same week!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the The Broke and the Bookish. Every week she posts an idea for a 'Top Ten' list relating to books, and encourages other book bloggers to respond and participate. All the details are listed on her site.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings. Each week a new question is presented. Check out Heidi's blog for all the details :)

This week's question: Top picks for Spring 2015!

Oh so many good books to chose from! It's going to be a slower spring for me in terms of reading because I'm moving starting next week! Yay! Then my husband and I have many, many projects we want to do to our new house... as much as money permits, that is. :) But, I will definitely still make time for reading, so these are the ones I'm thinking of! Can't wait to get started! And HUGE bonus - it's starting to get nice outside and now that we own our own home with a big fenced in backyard, I'll be spending a lot of my time outside reading!!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Stacking the Shelves 12.28.14

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews. Its all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether physical or virtual books. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course, ebooks! Tynga posts this meme on Saturdays, but you can post on any day that works best for you! Check out the guidelines by visiting Tynga's blog!

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I had a lot of hopes to work on my blog and get some more posts done over the few days I had off for Christmas. However, I was unlucky enough to get the flu on Friday, which completely knocked me out. I'm slowly recovering today, but its been a rough road. Thankfully, I got some great books over the week, so that has helped cheer me up (even though I've been too sick to enjoy any of them)!!

ARC

Christmas Gifts!

Ok, so the Star Wars book is really my husband's, but it's still going on our shelves! :) I'm so excited to read each and every one of these! Christmas was very good to me this year and I also got a few gift cards, so we all know what I'll be buying with those! Hope all of you received the books you were wanting!