Just Live....Live Well! The Bookbabe reviews Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

This book was not at all I expected it to be. I thought it would be an easy, quick romance. Instead I got laughs, romance and a ton of unexpected tears. Mind you I am reading this before seeing the movie and years after it was published. I only know of one friend that has read it; and she is not the type to ever post spoilers or ruin a plot for me. I only knew that the story was a romance and that it involved a man suffering from a spinal cord injury. Me Before You centers around Louisa Clark and her experiences with wheelchair bound William Traynor. Will was injured when a car hit him. Louisa is a young woman living a small life. She goes to work, comes home, spends time with her boyfriend Patrick and is just trying to get by. When she loses her job she finds herself at the door of the Traynor’s. Who are in need of someone to help them care for their son. Louisa takes the job and on her first day has the feeling that Will will never like her. He’s rude and mean and incredibly bossy. As the months wind down on her is month contract Louisa’s life begins to change; she and Will become close and before you know it they are both in love. However, Will’s plans to end his life could derail the love they share and change the lives of all those around them.
Upon reading this book I knew going in what the ending was; I knew that the book dealt with assisted suicide and the right to die. I was interested in seeing how the author would handle this delicate topic. The end result was a well written, well developed novel about love and loss.
At the same time I could see why disability advocates took issue with the novel. No matter how well developed the story was it seemed like the author romanticized the topic. Of course, some will disagree with me on that but I'm just calling it as I saw it. However, that did not stop me from loving the book. Mainly because I loved Will’s way of coaxing Louisa to live a big life. To live her life to the fullest.
I read this three weeks after the death of my grandmother and some of its themes seemed to be things I could hear her saying to me had she been able to communicate them at the end of her life. Which is why I believe this book will be an all time favorite of mine going forward. Another thing that I loved about this novel is that Moyes characters are flushed out, well developed. You really can connect to Louisa and will and you can see a part of yourself in their story. I definitely saw a lot of myself in Louisa. Me Before You would definitely be a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a lovely story on the importance of living in the moment and loving the life you have. I gave Me Before You five stars of Goodreads.

Quotes I loved:

“Believe me, when you've done shifts at a chicken processing factory, working in Guantanamo Bay for six months looks attractive.”

“And I cannot for the life of me see how you can be content to live this tiny life. This life that will take place almost entirely within a five mile radius and contain nobody who will ever surprise you or push you or show you things that will leave your head spinning and unable to sleep at night.”

“Just live….live well.”

Seem like the 2nd time is the charm: My review of 1st to Die by James Patterson

Sometimes the second time is the charm: Bookbabe reviews 1st to Die by James Patterson

As many of you know, I was first introduced to the writing style of Patterson when I read The Murder of King Tut. I was seriously disappointed in that book and really had no desire to read 1st to Die; even though I had purchased the book around the same time I read the other. 
But, this summer I decided it was time to get through some of these paperbacks that had been taking up space on my shelves. Not to mention this book featured heavily into all the other mysteries I had been reading all summer. 
The book introduces us to Lindsay, a San Fran police officer. Clarie, a medical examiner. Jill, an assistant district attorney and Cindy, a reporter. Together these women work together to help solve and trap a murderer.  Each character is wonderfully and colorfully written; however, the friendships between them seemed a little odd. Almost stunted. I really found myself annoyed because the personal conversations between Lindsay and Claire felt phony, and felt like something that women would not really say to one another. It did not really feel genuine. But, aside from that I really really liked this book. I found that I could not put it down.
What I loved most about the book was the relationship that Lindsay developed with her partner, Chris Raleigh. However the partnership ends tragically which was a twist I was not expecting; especially since Patterson has already dealt Lindsay a pretty rough hand to begin with. 
One thing that was surprisingly impressive about the book were the twists. Right until the end I had the killer wrong. I thought it was one person and it ended being someone else; even though the killer was having their strings pulled by someone else. 
This alone is why I will most likely read the next book in the series. I hope that as it goes along that the dialogue gets better between the characters. 

Quotes I Loved:
"Never wrestle with a pig, Lindsay. You both get dirty. The pig likes it."

"I'm in shape. Round's a shape."

"There comes a point in everybody's life when you realize the stakes are suddenly changed. The carefree ride of your life slams into a stone wall; all those years of merely bouncing along, life taking you where you want to go, abruptly end."

"To the ice bitches of the world; and the men who can not thaw us out."