Hey guys! Today I am reviewing the books that I read over my holidays. I finished another book that is apart of a series, so I will post that review once I finish the full series. For now, I have two cute little YA novels that both made me cry.
The first book is Life As It Comes by Anne-Laure Bondoux. This book from France and has been translated into English. The translator did a great job, it didn’t notice at all that it was a translation. Overall the novel is very easy to read. I read it in two days but could have easily read it in one. The language is simple and flows quite easily, so I found myself breezing through the pages.
The story is also very simple on the surface, but the emotions and themes are much deeper. The story follows two sisters, Mado and Patty, during the first summer after their parents have died. It’s a coming of age story but focuses on death and life and the bond between sisters. It made me really sit back and think sometimes, and I found myself reflecting on the story when I was doing other things. It’s a young adult novel but still grabs my attention now that I’m older. Overall I think it was a very short and sweet novel. It’s perfect for a quick read on the beach.
The second novel I read was Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott. The novel follows two teens with cystic fibrosis, Stella and Will. As someone who has done fundraising for cystic fibrosis, I wanted to read this novel to learn more about the disease. I would probably recommend doing some research about CF before reading the novel. Otherwise you may find yourself having to do some research as you read. I was fine since I knew about CF, but just a recommendation.
I love the characters. Lippincott created a small cast but made the characters so complex. I fell in love with all the characters, despite their flaws. This show is also quite heavy, dealing with the philosophy of death and living. This was also a very emotional novel. I was reading this book on the beach, and I was casually sobbing at the end. 😂 The novel does have happy and bright moments, but I will say that the overall tone of the novel is very pensive and sad. Now I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that while it wasn’t perfect and happy, I still liked the ending. It felt like the right ending. I would definitely recommend this novel, but it’s more of a curled by the fire book than a beach book haha.
And that’s my thoughts on these two novels. Let me know some of your recent favourite books in the comments, I’m always looking for some to add to my reading list!
xoxo
Lea
Leave it to Lea 