Waiting On Wednesday #6 : THE START OF YOU AND ME by Emery Lord

THE START OF YOU AND ME
by Emery Lord



Publication Date : March 31st 2015
Publisher : Bloomsbury
Genre : Young Adult / Contemporary / Romance
Available to order : Amazon UK




Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

*****

I am obsessed with romantic YA novels recently. I just wish I could spend all day reading these stories and this one is definitely on my list. It sounds like a good 90's romantic comedy which I love to watch when I feel down. They never fail to put a smile on my face and I cannot wait to bite into this one and discover its charm. 

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, 

that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Cecelia Ahern : WHERE RAINBOWS END

Warning! Brace yourself! A lot of patience is needed when reading this book. Plus stocking up on tissues and chocolates is recommended.

WHERE RAINBOWS END is a romantic novel written by the very talented and very popular author - Cecelia Ahern. Many of you remember Ms Ahern thanks to her "little" story - P.S. I LOVE YOU, which has not only become an international bestseller, but a blockbuster in the world of cinematography.


Many of you will also know this story under a different name - its film adaptation name - LOVE, ROSIE. And yes, I have seen the film before I read the book. If I am completely honest with you my dear readers, I have to say, that the film actually made me want to buy and read the book. I fell in love with the story of Rosie & Alex on the big screen, and I hoped that I will fall in love with their story written on pages of a book.

*****

Rosie and Alex - best friends or soul mates? Since childhood, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But suddenly, they're separated, when Alex and his family move from Dublin to America. Their magical connection remains but can their friendship survive the years and miles? Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them apart - until now. But will they gamble everything - including their friendship - on true love? And what twists and surprise does fate have for them this time?

*****

Let's talk about the edition of the book I own first. I have opted out for one of the newer editions, but refused to buy the edition released and tied to the film. Mine is quite a simple design. Purple colour is dominant and is a coat for the pages stored inside. Bold, metallic blue lettering shines through and gives it that extra little sparkle. Simple, yet elegant and chic. Paperback. 558 pages divided into 55 chapters plus epilogue. It's quite a big book, but you won't be able to put it down.

Now, before I dive into my thoughts about the story, let me express my gratitude and how impressive is that that this whole story is written in the form of emails, letters, instant messages, texts. There isn't the usual story telling which follows the regular rules. Everything what happens in the story, we get to find out the exchanges between main characters. And that is awesome and truly original. One of the best and most uniquely written stories.


As I mentioned previously, I have seen the film adaptation first. So naturally I couldn't help but compare when reading the book itself. But I also tried to be objective and pretend that I haven't seen the film before.

Here are the good points. The story and its subject is so romantic and wonderful. A friendship so strong that it withstands even the biggest challenges of life. A friendship between two people who loves each other so dearly. A love so strong that the two people are ready to make sure that the other is happy. Even when they have to let them go. It has its ups and downs, but they are there for each other in the hardest of times regardless if they have fallen out. And of course, I cannot help but admire the uniqueness of the way the story is written.

But these are the problems I have with the story. Sometimes, the author just carries on and it feels forced. The time in the story just flows by. It's expanded through many, many years. And the main two characters only find their true happiness when they are fifty years old. I am not happy about that. Some of the twists thrown between that two felt forced and unoriginal. It made me so angry that I had to stop reading the book just to breathe through it.

But that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the book, or that I did not route for the characters. I loved Rosie. She is such a troubled girl who's life is a complete mess and she can't seem to find her perfect happily ever after, because she is in love with her best friend, Alex. He loves her too, but the life is full of unexpected surprised and things gets in the way and they keep on missing each other. Alex is just a lovely, absolutely adorable at times. Every girl will have a little crush on him once reading the book. Ruby is a great addition to the story as she is keeping it fresh and down-to-earth. The banter between her and Rosie is hilarious and you will find yourself laughing out loud. Actually the whole interaction between characters is spot on. It leaves you in stitches at times. 


So yes, I did enjoy reading the story. I didn't dismiss it just because it took them forever to get together. But I think I still prefer the film adaptation a little more. Probably because I was crying like a baby when watching it. But thank you Ms Ahern for writing this story. It's romantic and unique and leaves you craving for your own happy ending and analysing your own friendships.

And guess what? The film is coming out on DVD this week so make sure to buy yourself a copy for your DVD collection. Trust me, you won't regret the decision.

MARCH READING CHALLENGE

Hello March!!

So we are closing up on the first quarter of 2015. On March 21st we will welcome the much anticipated First Day of Spring. I, for one, cannot wait for Spring to hurry up and come back to our lives. I love Spring. The nature wakes up from the long wintery sleep. Flowers are in bloom. The nature is pairing the most beautiful picture. All the colours.. Everything just want to make you run outside and spend the whole day in sun. I really want to buy a vintage bike this year and go for bike rides. I have one in my mind already. 

Of course, March brings back sunshine, so I decided to themed this month's reading challenge into light orange colours.  

Of course, me and Sara haven't forgotten about this month's #ZCbookclub . We have already picked out story for all of us to read, so keep an eye on our IG accounts - @zuzvystrcilova & @carpelibrumgirl . And don't forget to scan the hashtag #ZCbookclub to connect with us! 

So let's not wait any longer and look closer at this month's TBR list.  What will you be reading this month? 

*****

MARCH READING CHALLENGE

THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE by Jennifer E. Smith

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

It's June - seventeen-year-old Ellie O'Neill's least favourite time of year. Her tiny hometown is annually invaded by tourists, and now there's the added inconvenience of a film crew. Even the arrival of Hollywood heart-throb Graham Larkin doesn't help. 

But there is something making Ellie happy. Ever since an email was accidentally sent to her, she's been corresponding with a mysterious stranger, the two of them sharing their hopes and fears. Their relationship is not without its secrets through - there's the truth about Ellie's past... and her pen pal's real identity. When they finally meet in person, things get much more complicated. Can two people, worlds apart but brought together by chance, make it against the odds? 

NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro

In one of the most acclaimed novels of recent years, Kazuo Ishiguro imagines the lives of a group of students growing up in a darkly skewed version of contemporary England. Narrated by Kathy, now thirty-one, Never Let Me Go dramatises her attempts to come to terms with her childhood at the seemingly idyllic Hailsham School and with the fate that has always awaited her and her closest friends in the wider world. A story of love, friendship and memory, Never Let Me Go is charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of life. 

THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M. R. Carey

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh. 

SHUT OUT by Kody Keplinger

Let the battle of the sexes begin!

The girls of Hamilton High are sick of the rivalry between their boyfriends' football and soccer teams. Lissa's quarterback boyfriend Randy is always ditching her to pick a fight on or prank the other team. The girls are tired of competing for the boy's attention. They want their boyfriends back! Lissa rallies the girls and calls a sex strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new rivalry: a girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave first. And Lissa finds that it's much harder than she ever thought it would be...

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion... she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit - the more sparkly, more wild - the better. And life is pretty close to perfect for Lola, especially with her hot rocker boyfriend. That is, until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood and unearth a past of hurt that Lola thought was long buried. So when talented inventor Cricket steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally face up to a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. 

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Kasie West

Money can't buy a good first impression. 

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom's porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence - he's tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander's loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she's ever realised. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?

SOLITAIRE by Alice Oseman

"I don't ever remember not being serious. As far as I'm concerned, I came out of the womb spouting cynicism and wishing for rain."

My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that's all over now. Now there's Solitaire. And Michael Holden. I don't know what Solitaire are trying to do. And I don't care about Michael Holden. I really don't. 

I'LL MEET YOU THERE by Heather Demetrios

If Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing separating Skylar from art school is three months of summer... until Skylar's mother loses her job, and Skylar realises her dreams may be slipping out of reach.
Josh had a different escape route: the Marines. But after losing his leg in Afghanistan, he returned home, a shell of the cocksure boy used to be. 
What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise - a quirky motel off California's Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into a friendship and, soon, something deeper. 

*****

8 wonderful, unique stories. 8 brand new adventures. I cannot wait to bite into my TBR list this month! I can already see myself being lost in this wonderful, very different from each other, worlds.