This was my first time reading a Nicholas Sparks book and I have to be honest that I had my doubts going into this. I wasn’t sure this would be a writer I’d enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading romance books every once in a while, but I’m very picky and don’t like them too sappy. And even though a lot of people might disagree, that stigma is still attached to his books and the movies based on them. Nevertheless, I wanted to try one and of the movies (yes I’ve seen almost every one) A Walk to Remember was always my favourite.

This is one of those rare times when I enjoyed the movie more than the book. It’s not a bad book, it just failed to move me like the movie did. The ending is sad, to be sure, but I wasn’t balling my eyes out if you know what I mean

Let me start off by saying that I’m so glad I took my time for this book. It really does the story justice if you can completely immerse yourself in the world. I’ve never read anything quite like this. Stories that leave an impact like this only come along every once in a while and this is a special one. I’ve read other books by V.E. Schwab, so I already knew that I liked her writing, but I absolutely loved the beautiful language she uses in this book. I don’t know exactly how to describe it, but it made me feel things. Every other page or so I stumbled across another beautifully written sentence or clever metaphor and I must say I was eating it all up.

The story is very character driven, which I love, but this might not be the book for people who require a lot of action to keep their interest piqued. It reads like you’re reading a history, really, as if you’re on a journey with Addie and you’re discovering the boundaries and wonders of her new life together.

Henry’s fear that time’s passing by too fast and his sense of being lost were very relatable to me. “Blink, and the years fall away like leaves” hit me right in the feels. Even though I’m “only” 24 (which already feels super old to my 18-year old self), like Henry, I have this fear of wasting time and not making the most of things. Like Addie, I often feel like I’m stuck. Afraid to make the wrong choices, to choose the wrong path in life, only to realise years later that you’ve wasted your youth.

Something I appreciate greatly is that the toxicity of Luc’s character and actions isn’t romanticised like we so often see these days in popular fiction. Schwab does plays with the idea... even Addie herself falls for it eventually. But in the end she sees Luc for what he truly is. Someone who wants to possess her but confuses that need for love. He’s not the typical dark, brooding, but redeemable bad boy that can only be “saved” by the heroine and I’m here for it!

5 stars

How do I even review this book...? I can only say that I loved every second of it. Because of my lack of words, I’ll just share some lines from the book that stood out to me.

I didn’t understand how you could live in a mean world and not have any of that meanness rub off on you.

I got to thinking that poems were like people. Some people you got right off the bat. Some people you just didn’t get - and never would get.

I felt alone, but not in a bad way. I really liked being alone. Maybe I liked it too much.

I wondered how that felt, to really like yourself.

... I’m not into all this academic stuff. Too much analysis. What ever happened to reading a book because you liked it?

I was in love with the innocence of dogs, the purity of their affection. They didn’t know enough to hide their feelings.

Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer morning could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder.

Maybe we just lived between hurting and healing.

Wholesome tearjerker.

The development of Devon and Foster’s relationship was quality content

“That’s the power of literature, you know, it can act like little love letters between people who can only explain their feelings by pointing at other people’s.”

This quote is kind of how I’m feeling about this book. I went into it without knowing anything about it and, honestly, I think that’s the best way to do it. The story is so cleverly written. Everything fits together perfectly. And you don’t even notice it until the author tells you so. Or at least, I didn’t

I don’t know how to review this book. What I do know is that every single book I’ve read by Nina LaCour (three in total now) touched something deep inside of me. There’s this quality to her writing that I can’t describe. Her stories are both so sad and so full of hope that they leave you feeling emotionally drained but in a good way.

4.5 stars

The paradox of volcanoes was that they were symbols of destruction but also life. Once the lava slows and cools, it solidifies and then breaks down over time to become soil - rich, fertile soil. She wasn’t a black hole, she decided. She was a volcano. And like a volcano she couldn’t run away from herself. She’d have to stay there and tend to that wasteland. She could plant a forest inside herself.

Once again, I’m not much of a reviewer. Let’s just say it’s the book’s fault, for rendering me incapable of expressing my thoughts. Also, the quote above made me cry. And I underlined many more beautiful passages (not literally, I’m not a savage

Wanted to check this out because I enjoyed the Netflix series and it made me curious about the books.

This was cute, if only it wasn’t for a certain scene...