Thursday, February 24, 2011

My very first book review!

I know I was probably supposed to get this done a month ago, but I have a life and I didn't want to review a book that I hadn't actually read.  So, with that being said, the book I read was The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Ahern.

The Book of Tomorrow is the enchanting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Cecelia Ahern, blends magic and mystery with a life-affirming tale of a poor little rich girl's curious troubles that arise when her lixurious life is pulled out from under her.  As she has done in such internationally beloved books as P.S. I Love You - the basis for the Hilary Swank film- Thanks for the Memories, and The Gift, Ahern brilliantly caputres the emotional complexity of her heroine as she struggles to make sesnse of the strange new situation into which life has thrust her.
At sixteen, Tamara Goodwin has it all: she lives in a modernist mansion in the most upmarket of suburbs, is delivered to her elite school each morning by a private chauffeur, and can acquire any material possession she desires.  But this life of unbridled privilege is turned upside down when her father, despondent over faltering business deals, commits suicide.  Suddenly, Tamara and her mother are virtually penniless and, compounding their grief, are forced to sell most of their belongings and temporarily move to the countryside with Tamara's aunt and uncle.
Tamar could not be more unhappy with her new situation - she knows no one, there is nothing to do and nowhere to shop, and she doesn't even have computer access or a cell phone.  Worst of all, though, is her timid Aunt Rosaleen, a compulsive housekeeper and cook.  Rosaleen has taken complete control of caring for Tamara's mother, Jennifer, who is suffering from depression.  Indeed, Rosaleen is keeping Jennifer a virtual prisoner, never allowing her to leave her bedroom, and, despite Tamara's protests, refusing to acknowledge the abnormality of the state of affairs.  Rosaleen is also caring for her elderly mother, who lives in a bungalow across the road.  When Tamara tries to meet the old woman, she encounters some oddities that don't square with what she's been told.
With nothing else to occupy her time, Tamara takes to wandering the grounds of a ruined castle, where she meets Sister Ignatius, a feisty and wise nun who seems to possess some furtive knowledge about the uneasy local history.  Tamara's only other diversion comes in the form of a traveling library, driven by a cute local boy named Marcus.  In the bus that houses the hodgepodge of books, she finds an unusual leather-bound book with a golden clasp.  The book is locked shut, but Tamara opens the lock with the help of Sister Ignatius.  She disovers a diary with nothing but blank pages, but when she looks again later, the first pages of the diary have been inscribed with an entry, dated the next day, in Tamara's own handwriting.  When the events of the next day play out as recorded, Tamara realizes that she has stumbled upon a mysterious tool - one that could allow her to shape the future.  But what could that future hold in a place where she can't even make sense of the present?  And how far is Tamara willing to go to break through the web of secrets?
As Publishers Weekly says, "Ahern's tale-spinning prowess keeps the reader riveted."  Booklist raves, "A veritable modern-day Gothic, Ahern's [ . . . ] engrossing new novel is filled with family secrets, intrigue, and magic aplenty."  The Book of Tomorrow was an instant #1 bestseller in the UK and is sure to delight Ahern's devoted American fans as well.

About the Author
In addition to P.S. I Love You, written when she was twenty-one, Cecelia Ahern is the author of Love, Rosie; If You Could See Me Now; There's No Place Like Here; Thanks for the Memories; and The Gift, which have collectively sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.  The daughter of Ireland's former prime minister, she live in Dublin.

Now that you've read all that, here's what I thought of the book!  Since I love, love, love the movie P.S. I Love You I was excited to read this novel.  I was not disappointed.  The story is really well written and could appeal to a wide span of age ranges.  I think teen as well as adult women would really enjoy this book.  It was full of twists and turns and I LOVE a good mystery.  The end was so exciting to read that I was literally skimming the pages so I could find out what happened. An amazing story with a great happily ever after ending.  So, since I'm moving and my storage is already full of books, I'm going to give my copy away.  If you're interested in reading the book, comment on the post and if I get more than one, haha, I'll pick a lucky person to send the book too! If I only get one comment then woohoo the book is yours!!!!

How exciting! Probably my longest post ever and 90% of it wasn't me!  And a giveaway!

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