Book Review / Postscript by Cecelia Ahern

 It's been seven years since Holly Kennedy's husband died – six since she read his final letter, urging Holly to find the courage to forge a new life.

She’s proud of all the ways in which she has grown and evolved. But when a group inspired by Gerry's letters, calling themselves the PS, I Love You Club, approaches Holly asking for help, she finds herself drawn back into a world that she worked so hard to leave behind.

Reluctantly, Holly begins a relationship with the club, even as their friendship threatens to destroy the peace she believes she has achieved. As each of these people calls upon Holly to help them leave something meaningful behind for their loved ones, Holly will embark on a remarkable journey – one that will challenge her to ask whether embracing the future means betraying the past, and what it means to love someone forever…

 

 

 

Published:     19th September 2019
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 2, PS I Love You
Source:  Bought
 

 

 

MY REVIEW

Having read and enjoyed PS I Love You back when it first came out and re-reading it recently, I was intrigued to find out what happens next , hoping that it will not just re-hash what happened in the first book all over again.  With this book, we are following Holly again seven years later.  Interestingly, it is not Holly who is dragging up the past but a group of people who were inspired by Gerry's story wanting to get in touch with her so she can help them.  It comes at a time when Holly is about to move on, selling the  home that she shared with Gerry. 

Honestly, I enjoyed this story but in places it did drag for me.  The story was very slow paced, which I was expecting since the first story, PS I Love You, was slow paced also, but I was hoping for a faster pace since it is a contemporary.  

What I liked the most about this story was following each of the characters in the PS I Love You Club.  All of them have their own story lines and all that we heard from were very emotional to follow.  

An enjoyable emotional read and worth picking up if you were a fan of PS I Love You.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review / PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

 

 

A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again.

Now in paperback, the endearing novel that captured readers' hearts and introduced a fresh new voice in women's fiction Cecelia Ahern.

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

The kind of enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal that comes along once in a great while, PS, I Love You is a captivating love letter to the world!

 

Published:     5th January 2005
Publisher:  Hachette
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 1, P S I Love You
Source:  Bought

 

MY REVIEW 

 

I first read this book back when it came out and had very fond memories of reading it.   I had watched the movie, the one with Gerard Butler in it, a short while ago and reminded me of how much I enjoyed the book (I didn't really enjoy the movie very much and though the book was better - isn't that nearly always the case?!).  I thought I would pick up this book and give it another try to see what I thought about it now.

Honestly, I did enjoy reading it found the pacing this time around to be slow which meant it took me longer to read.  For a story that I would normally pick up and like to read quickly, reading it slower than normal did make me not want to keep picking it up.

What I did enjoy and had forgotten about was the part with the travel agent and the arrangements that were made.  It was points like this in this book which added that emotional element to it.   Yes, there was a lot of this story that was very predictable and cliche but that is what I wanted from this when I picked it up.  

I am intrigued now to pick up the sequel to this novel, Postscript.  I think I am going to need to pick up next to see what happens next (which I am assuming is what the story is about, but I guess I will find out...).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review / Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz

 

TO AVOID SPOILERS -  BELOW IS THE DESCRIPTION FOR ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship--the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

 

Published:     12th October 2021
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 2, Aristotle and Dante
Source: From Publisher

 

MY REVIEW

 

Having read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe both in 2016 and again not that long ago, I can't tell you how excited I was to read this.  As I mentioned in my review of the first book, I felt there was a lot that was unsaid and unfinished after I had put that book down.  I was very intrigued and excited to see what was going to happen next in the lives of Aristotle and Dante.

As this is book 2, I am not going to go into too much detail here but the pacing and the writing was perfect and easy to read which matched perfectly with the story.  We are, of course, following on the story with Aristotle and Dante and it was also good to have a lot more of the regulars (parents and friends) coming back into this novel.  

What I loved the most, which is the same as the first book really, is the honest way the relationship between not just the main characters is but the relationships with the other characters such as parents and friends.  It wasn't portrayed in a fairytale way, it was very real conversations with the usual ups and downs. 

Again, a beautiful and moving story.  I would highly recommend (but would certainly recommend reading book 1 first).

 

 

 

 

Book Review / Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

 

A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship--the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

 

Published:     21st February 2012
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 1, Aristotle and Dante
Source:  Bought

 

MY REVIEW

 

This is my second time reading this novel and I just adore it so much!  I would comment that although this novel seems to be pitched towards younger readers, any person of any age could read this and enjoy it just as much.  The writing is easy to follow and so laid back, it was so hard to put it down at the end of the day when my eyes just won't stay open any longer.

What I loved about this book was, of course, Aristotle and Dante.  Following them both as they navigate through life, their feelings and emotions and any obstacles they come across or create for themselves.  Honestly, this book for me was all about the two main characters and of course their parents and their friends. 

When I finished this story the first time around back in 2016 the sequel to this story wasn't even thought of I believe but I definately felt, after reading this book, that there was so much left unsaid and so much more I wanted to learn about not just Aristotle and Dante, but their parents and their friends also.  I can't tell you how exicited I am to  pick up the second book, and that is exactly what I am going to do next! 

 This is truly a beautiful and moving story that I would highly recommend.