Book Shelf

One of the side effects of working retail with a crappy immune system, I’m sick. Again. When I’m sick I’m terribly sentimental. I just want to lay in bed and read and cuddle and be babied. But, life doesn’t always allow that leisure.

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But, I have a hubby who does.

He worked hard to take care of himself the past couple of days  so i can stay in bed as much as possible so I can be a little bit better for work. He even walked Bianca for me in the morning so I could stay in my medicine induced sleep coma.

Poor guy has been living off Mac and Cheese.

But, I do feel just sick and not nearly dying sick so i think I can manage to go to work tomorrow.

And I have read 3 books.

 

If I Stay By Galye Forman

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This is what i wrote about it on my goodreads review
“Just finished reading “If I Stay” By Gayle Forman… what a tough book. Finished it in only a few hours. I love this books so much because it captures that transition of being rebellious and free spirited to being an adult . It captures that raw passion with music and creativity. Most importantly the struggle of love…and loss.”

But, I have more to say. The story is about Mia, a teenager musician. A classical musician( cellist ). Through a series of flashbacks we are acquainted with her family. Parents of  the rock era, matured and conformed for adult hood and to be good parents. But still, that rebellious free nature attitude is deeply entwined in the fabric of their lives. Music is what binds this family and music is what twines the words together on the page.

The book starts with a tragedy. A car crash. The book is told through Mia’s spiritual self, helplessly standing by her body while she tries to figure out what she should do. Return to her comatose body with her condition unknown and unsure of what damage was done. Return as an orphan but with the man she loves and grandparents still there . Or does she let go and reunite with her recently deceased family. Granted it wasn’t the best book ever written and the plot was thin at best. But, it pulls at your heart strings. As a  hopeless romantic, I loved this book. The pages turned fast and I was enthralled with the story. With love.

When it ended, I was amazed.

I jumped right into the next book.

Where She Went ( Book 2) by Gayle Forman

Where She Went ruined the beauty of  If I stay. It ruined it all in my eyes. I wish i never read it.  What was an epic love story, turned into bitter pointless angst. What was a very plausible story line, pulling at my heart strings cause of the very real possibility of it happening, was just erased.

Where She Went , Adam ( the boyfriend) succeeds in being a rock star. Mia succeeds in becoming  a cellist. The book is three years after If I Stay ended. And it’s pure emo angst from Adam’s perspective. I hated Mia. I was annoyed with Adam.  It ruined the epic love story. It ruined the difficult choices in If I Stay.

The “happy ending’ was mundane and cheesy and a waste of time.

I should of stayed with the first book.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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The Fault In Our Stars is told from Hazel’s perspective. We follow her trying to “live today” with her terminal Cancer and all the limitations that entails. We explore uncertainties and loss. But most importantly, wishes and love.

The Fault In Our Stars was a great novel. It presents you a very real perspective and dynamic. The only reason I didn’t bawl like a baby at the end of the book was because I knew it was happening…and I was pissed. I wanted the happy ever after. I wanted the character to live. I was furious.

And that’s the point.

Life isn’t fair. Pain isn’t nice. Cancer certainly isn’t kind or timely. Some times we don’t get a happy ever after. We only get a happy right now. This story was honest. Was true. For that, I appreciate it even more.

My good reads blurb:
“That Fault in Our Stars was a brutally honest read. I liked the book for it’s very real and raw look on terminal illness. It seems everyone has a love or hate relationship with this book. I just want to say, it may not be the authors place to depict the world of childhood terminal illness. But it’s a very real world crafted flawlessly throughout this book and we owe it to those living this in real life to read it. I read this novel in a few short hours because of the relatively, how accurate the scenarios were. Some complain there is no happy ending. Well, that’s the point of this book. A small slice of infinity is all we can ask for, more than most get. Great book.”