Book Reviews: Recent Reads part 2

I don’t read as often as I used to, but I have managed to read these books recently. I thought they were all worthwhile reads, so I wanted to share, in case anyone out there wanted to get her hands on a book and didn’t know which one to crack open. These three books are for three different mindsets.

The Last Letter From Your Lover
by Jojo Moyes

It is 1960. When Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital, she can remember nothing-not the tragic car accident that put her there, not her husband, not even who she is. She feels like a stranger in her own life until she stumbles upon an impassioned letter, signed simply “B”, asking her to leave her husband.

Years later, in 2003, a journalist named Ellie discovers the same enigmatic letter in a forgotten file in her newspaper’s archives. She becomes obsessed by the story and hopeful that it can resurrect her faltering career. Perhaps if these lovers had a happy ending she will find one to her own complicated love life, too. Ellie’s search will rewrite history and help her see the truth about her own modern romance.

I picked up this book because I am a huge fan of Moyes’ Me Before You. While this one isn’t as good as that, it is still a nice read.

This is the book you should read if you’re looking for a mature, serious love story which will keep you turning the pages as you wonder who the mysterious lover is, and if they will ever get back together. I don’t condone extra-marital affairs at all, but this book kind of makes me understand why some people do it.

If I Stay
by Gayle Forman

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it’s the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

If you’re in the mood for a good cry, this is the book for you.

I love the flashbacks of Mia’s life, her interactions with not just her boyfriend, but her family as well. It’s an easy, short read, and despite the sad premise, it’s not too heavy. It’s been turned into a movie, so perhaps that is a good enough reason to read it.

 
This is What Happy Looks Like
by Jennifer Smith

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O’Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie’s Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?

This book had me at the first few pages of cute witty emails, and by the time I got to the one where they discussed “what does happy look like?” I was a goner. This is a perfect chick lit, feel-good rom-com light-reading.

Any good books you’ve read lately that you’d recommend to me? Let me know in the comments, please and thank you. 🙂

Book covers and synopses sourced from Goodreads.com.