I cannot speak highly enough about this book. It is truly one of the best I have ever read. I absolutely adored Zusak's [b: The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368] and was interested in his other book, and boy was I blown away.

I've tried explaining this book to other people before, and I find that I can't. What seems to be a simple story (a below-average taxi driver is sent mysterious cards with addresses/words on them) is transformed into a beautiful and powerful story about making the most of life. Zusak masterfully paints a picture of Ed Kennedy, a brutally honest narrator who makes an amazing transition from apathetic to empathetic, as well as a wonderful cast of characters (my favorite is his ancient, coffee drinking, smelly dog named the Doorman). While the ending is somewhat confusing (but not if you think about it), this book ultimately leaves the reader gasping with the beauty of it all. I think what sums it up is Ed's own conclusion:

"I'm not the messenger at all. I'm the message."

What a fun, enjoyable, and sweet romance! I’m a sucker for a love story, especially one during Christmas, and especially one set in London, and this book had all of that and more! I loved the characters, especially that this was a more mature love story. The age of the characters helped the romance between them feel more real and had some adorable moments.

Not a fan of this one. I mostly finished it just to finish it. I did not like the main character, or really any of the characters. They were all very one dimensional (at one point the author even calls out the “manic pixie dream girl” and workaholic character tropes, maybe poking fun at her own representations of these characters?) and frankly boring. There was a bit of emotion at the end, but it wasn’t anything new or groundbreaking by any means, much like the whole book itself.