[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! 

Harry Potter Read-Along?

Last week I watched Magic Beyond Words: The JK Rowling Story on Netflix. My husband watched it at work one day and said it was pretty good, so I couldn't pass it up. I wasn't sure what to expect; I actually thought it was a documentary at first, but turned out not to be, which was ok! I thought the acting was pretty good and I really learned a lot about JK Rowling - even how to pronounce her last name, which sounds silly but apparently I've been saying it wrong for years! Haha

After that, I really wanted to reread all of the books. I feel like I know the first one pretty well, because I've read it so often, but I definitely haven't re-read the last few. And now I'd really like to! 

Is anyone interested in a read-along?

I'm thinking of reading one book a month or so. I still want to be able to read other books on my shelves, so I don't want to cram all 7 books into a short period of time. Plus I want to enjoy them all and not rush through. I thought it might be kind of fun to read along with someone else and be able to talk about it! Comment below if you're interested!

Now in Harry Potter spirit, here are some fun facts! 

JK Rowling never clarifies if Harry, Ron, and Hermoine ever return to finish their 7th year at Hogwarts. 

Rowling admits that Arthur Weasley was supposed to be killed in the 5^th book, but instead exchanged him for someone else.

Lupin and Tonks were not originally going to be killed in the 7^th book.

Dolores Umbridge’s mother was a muggle, her father a wizard, and her brother a squib.

Fred and George were born on April Fool’s Day.

Harry’s Birthday is July 31; so is Rowling’s.

Ron’s character originally swore a lot, but the publisher’s wouldn’t let Rowling use that language because it is inappropriate for young readers.

Only Alan Rickman, the actor who plays Snape, knew of his character’s fate before the Deathly Hallows was released because Rowling told him.

Contrary to popular belief, the ‘t’ at the end of Voldemort is silent. The name comes from the French words meaning “flight of death.”

Dementors represent depression and were based on Rowling’s struggle with the disease.

[Review] Re-read! Left Drowning by Jessica Park

Left Drowning by Jessica Park 
Publisher: Skyscape
Publishing Date: July 16, 2013
Format: ebook, ARC
399 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis 

Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

Mini Review

This is a re-read for me! See my first review here. I've really been wanting to read some of my favorite books again, but with so many new ones to read, I sometimes feel guilty. But I decided that August was going to be my re-read month (along with some new ones, of course).

I'm always worried when I re-read a book that I won't love it as much the second time around. But this was absolutely not the case with Left Drowning! I think it helped that I first read this in July 2013, so its been two years since I've read it. I had actually forgotten some of the things that happened in this book. Needless to say, everything that I wrote in my first review still stands true! I absolutely love this book and all of the characters in it! Blythe and Chris are really wonderful together and all the supporting characters make this book so much better. 

Seriously, I can't say it enough. This is a wonderful book and I highly, highly recommend everyone grab a copy!