| Maybe Not(Maybe, #1.5) |
“I don’t want you to change, Bridgette. I’m not in love with who you could be or who you used to be or who the world says you should be. I’m in love with you. Right now. Just like this.”
Funny thing…
I read this book with no context that; 1. it is part of a series. 2. this novel is in fact not the beginning of the series 3. that I would instantly like the (kind of) hatable characters developed in this novel and be able to read about them pre and post this small time period of their lives. So yay. 🙂
This novella was a funny, sexy, snap shot of two flatmates Warren and Bridgette introduced in CoHos first novel Maybe Someday (I read that later this month) and what happened during their pranks, hate, love, general hilarity of time spent together. It’s a short and in the end very sweet read that you can enjoy as a standalone or in order of the series, but if you’re anything like me once you start you will be hooked to know what happens to them next… and who the other flatmates are in the story!
| Before We Were Strangers |
“Everything seems better in a memory.”
I think I liked this. I know that seems odd to say since I am the only one to judge but I am just not sure anymore. At the time I enjoyed reading this novel and wanted to know where this story would go… but looking back on it (ironic given my favourite quote I selected from the novel) I’m not sure I 100% did.
It starts with a man named Matt glancing across a lady on the train who might be Grace, his first love of 15 years ago and the one who ‘got away’. Well there’s more to the story than that but I don’t want to ruin it for you.
Whilst I consider myself to have recently suffered a something-life crisis, this novel gave me hope that everything will eventually work out and you must always try to make the best of the situation you are in. I know that sounds corny but I really appreciate when a story has real-life value.
The contemporary writing style of the novel isn’t usually something I love, instead craving hope, loss or longing of a new world, romance or creepy thriller, but Renee Carlinos style so genuinely captured the complexities of human relationships and desire that I was transfixed and had to find out more. I would be lying if I didn’t admit to feeling a similar loneliness and heartache that these characters experienced on every page. Albeit mine isn’t over a lost 15 year love, thats a little too poetic for my existence.
So actually whilst reflecting on my reading experience with this novel yeah I think I did like it and I hope you do too.
“The present is our own. The right-this-second, the here-and-now, this moment before the next, is ours for the taking. It’s the only free gift the universe has to offer. The past doesn’t belong to us anymore and the future is just a fantasy, never guaranteed. But the present is ours to own. The only way we can realize that fantasy is if we embrace the now.
| Maybe Someday(Maybe, #1) |
“We try so hard to hide everything we’re really feeling from those who probably need to know our true feelings the most.”
Once again CoHo has captured my heart and emotionally spoiled me with another unique and deeply devastating romance read.
After reading Maybe Not the 1.5 in the series and realising it was in fact a series read I jumped on the ‘Maybe Someday’ bandwagon and read Maybe Someday and Maybe Now back to back… wow.
As usual Colleen Hoover has delivered with her beautiful writing style, thoroughly mapped out stories and richly developed characters that no two CoHo romance reads are the same. Maybe Someday and Maybe Now are no exception to that!
I think not knowing the plot of the novel or this series is part of the experience and what made the book so wonderful for me. So I will leave you with just this… there is a girl named Sydney and a boy called Ridge… 😉
Prepare to except what you typically wouldn’t. To understand what you normally couldn’t.
To see things from a new, unbiased perspective. To leave all judgment at the door while hopping into this book because you will be gifted the opportunity to view both sides of a relationship coin.
“A life of mediocrity is a waste of a life.”
| Maybe Now(Maybe, #2) |
“Our maybe someday just became our absolutely forever.”
What is more important? Friendship, loyalty or love?
To be honest… Maybe Someday ended kind of perfectly to me and as I am still not the biggest series enthusiast (I have a few exceptions as you know) I would have been happy to stop there. But I’m human and had to know how CoHo saw this ending. While this novel was great and had ‘all the feels’, it was quite cheesy and had many over used life lessons.
I still loved it though haha.
- “We shouldn’t revolve our lives around their possible endings. We should revolve our lives around the experiences that lead to the endings.”
- “Apologies shouldn’t happen because of the response of the person who was wronged. Apologies should happen because of the wrong”
- “But people need to put themselves first sometimes. If you aren’t living your best life for yourself, you can’t be your best self for those in your life.”
- “The problem with hating yourself when you’re all alone is that you have no one to remind you of any of your good qualities. Then you just hate yourself even more, until you sabotage anything good in your life and in yourself.”
| Olive |
“You must remember that no decision is ever really the wrong decision. Because it’s the decision you made at the time. Respect your past self and her choices.”
I was suggested to read this novel and after hearing very mixed (mainly negative) reviews about it I am now finding it difficult to pin-point exactly what it is I loved so quickly about it, but hear me out…
The novel Olive introduces her and her three best friends whom are all in their early thirties; Cec who is a lawyer, married and excitedly pregnant with her first child, Bea also married and already a mother of three, Isla who is a therapist and struggling with fertility issues and Olive who is adamant she doesn’t want children and just became newly single as a result of it. The novel explores struggles in friendship, relationships, fertility, careers and societal pressures around the expectation that all women are supposed to have children.
While some may say the novel was un-relatable, awkward, terribly written and quite jarring. I would argue it introduced readers to different experiences surrounding having children in todays age and exploring the pros and cons of choosing to be a parent or choosing to be childless. Given the current state of some countries at this time and that choice being taken away from them you may also argue that thats a very privileged issue. Well yes, but its an issue and one worth exploring none the less.
While I remember being young and pretending to be a mother with a plastic baby, as I’ve grown older I have never felt a desire to have children and have frequently been told my mind will change. What if it doesn’t? If anything, after reading this novel I feel far more certainty over being childless and more at peace with that decision than ever before.
| Wish You Were Here |
“Love is a wordless secret; it’s an inside joke. Only the two of you have to understand it.”
Sadly this book didn’t deliver for me what Renee Carlino’s previous June read did.
This novel follows a girl named Charlotte who works as a waitress in L.A and randomly one night meets a guy named Adam who has recently quit his job as a lawyer to paint full time. They share one night together and the following morning when he begins acting strange she leaves and they lose touch. Seven months later, still hung up on Adam, Charlotte seeks to find out why he was acting so odd and what he is doing now.
While I can agree with most readers and say that this novel is emotional, poignant, and a beautiful story of love, loss, and soul mates. It also is very similar to ‘Me Before You’ and a little too similar for my liking. Unlike Jojo Moyes story, I didn’t feel the chemistry between these two characters and when you can draw so many similarities between the stories it becomes very hard to not compare and pick a favourite. Sorry, this wasn’t it.
“If your mind and spirit are directed to your task, everything else will follow. Relax.” “But focus,” said Hermes. “Relaxation without focus leads to failure.” “Focus without relaxation leads to failure just as surely,” said Athena. “So concentrate . . .” said Perseus. “Exactly.” “. . . but calmly?” “Concentrate calmly. You have it.”
LOVED THIS BOOK TOO.
He’s done it again folks!
If you didn’t read my April Yarns when I read the first in Stephen Fry’s Greek Mythology series then I should preface this review by saying that again I listened to Stephen Fry narrate a retelling of Greek Mythology; this time Hero’s edition, using his whimsical voice to enlighten me with these heroic fantastical fables. I should also remind readers that one requires no previous Greek Mythology knowledge to enjoy both Stephen Fry and these incredible tales.
I have gone from a complete Greek Mythology novice to now having favourite gods, goddess’s, demi-gods and geographical Greece knowledge all while being thoroughly entertained. In particular, this novel focuses on the heroic tales of Perseus, Herakles (Hercules), Orpheus, Theseus, Jason, Atalanta and Oedipus.
These books are for everyone. 🙂
“It is the destiny of children of spirit to soar too close to the sun and fall no matter how many times they are warned of the danger. Some will make it, but many do not.”
| Night Music |
“You are the one honest thing I’ve done in my whole life.”
After reading a similar Jojo Moyes book earlier this month it had me wondering what’s new with Jojo? A statement I am sure we all say. Sadly nothing I haven’t read, so I divulged further into her repertoire of novels, pre her more notable reads of ‘Me Before You’ or ‘The Last Letter from Your Lover’ to this historical fiction.
A poignant and engaging story about a widowed violinist and her children inheriting a dilapidated Spanish countryside property and the trials and tribulations that they encounter while trying to start their lives over. The characters were intriguing, unfathomable and at times had me clenching my fists in rage. I shan’t spill more details on the story but for any long term Jojo Moyes fans this one is for you!
I will say the ending annoyed me and is the only reason this novel is receiving a three verses four star rating. The characters deserved better!
(Oh and in case you are wondering – I have read A LOT of Jojo Moyes… almost all her published novels I think. So yes I have read the ‘Me Before You’ series and ‘The Last Letter from Your Lover’. Didn’t want you thinking I had skipped literary greatness)
I may have also read the ‘Hot and Hammered’ series this June consisting of Fix Her Up, Love Her or Lose Her and Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey, aside from the dreadful series title these novels and I did not gel. Sure I love a good, corny romance here and there but not these. As I have been wisely informed – “if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all”.
So that is where I leave my June Yarns of the novels I completed this month.
If you have read any of the above books, have suggestions for what I should read next or want to see what I’m reading right now comment and check out my Goodreads below.
GC Chronicles 