In the month of November, I was able to read three books. Each book was very different. In this blog post, I share my opinions of each.
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home
From Scratch swept the internet with its adaptation that inspired the show on Netflix. Personally, I enjoyed the book a lot more than the book. The book was so beautifully written. You could truly feel the love that Tembi had for her husband ooze off the page. I also loved how the writing went from past and present.
I understand that the tv show was inspired by the book, but one thing that it did in excess was dramatize the love story. It was so much unnecessary drama that did not truly add to the point of the book which was to showcase how these very different people fell in love. I definitely recommend the book more than watching the show.
Behind Her Lives by Briana Cole
I am uncertain whether or not I enjoyed this book. This is, in part, because I recently read a book that was very similar (Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett). What I have noticed in a lot of thrillers lately, is that they wait until the final pages of the book to speed the story up and then leaves the reader left still feeling like there was something missing. For me this story dragged and didn’t culminate until it was far too late. I think it needed more foreshadowing to really get to the heart of the story.
This is very much a thriller and has the potential to be good but the execution does fall a little flat for me. However, I did enjoy the twist.
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
This might be one of my favorite books of the year. Ryan definitely flexed her writing skills by showcasing how to show the raw emotion of not only dealing with a breakup, but grief and balancing life. Josiah and Yasmen are equally likeable characters but there are instances in the book where you can understand why they dislike, or are not agreeing, one another. I also appreciated how the story highlights that in this process of uncertainity, the couple is not the only one that is effected. The children, along with their potential dates, had to deal with Yasmen and Josiah being in limbo.
I know this book is being shopped around for a screen adaption. One thing that will have to be really well executed is the script and the acting. I am uncertain that those raw emotions will be able to translate well to screen. This is too good of a story to be fumbled. I also don’t want it to be overdramatized because the power of the story is how relatable it is.
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