HelEinir's Books

I've been meaning to review this book for a long time but I always felt I couldn't explain why I love it so much. Maybe I still can't, but I feel like gushing about it.

First of all this is a book I had been wanting to read for years (since I found out about it in 2009-ish) and it wasn't until 2013 that a friend gifted it to me (as back then I wasn't comfortable shopping online and that was the only way I could get it). Finally, I had the book that I had told my friend I was just dying to read. I was so excited I could barely get through our lunch that day without glancing at the book inside the bag every few minutes. Naturally, I began reading the moment we said goodbye. I got around 7 chapters in and then life happened and I sort of... put it on hold...for over a year. HA! So typical of me. I make no sense like that. It wasn't until early 2015 that I picked it up again and then... I couldn't stop.

So okay, I knew I needed it but it wasn't insta-love, I must be honest.

Anyway, the reason I wanted to read it so badly was because of the blurb. "When I was twelve, a fortune-teller told me that my one true love would die young and leave me all alone..."

Give me the romance, give me the angst, give me tragedy and tears! Plus, I had read several quotes from the book and fell in love with it through them, they made me think, they made me laugh, they made me sad, and I hadn't even read it. If this isn't a quotable book then I don't know what is. That was a good sign.

The book starts with Jacob publishing an ad on the newspaper "If your intentions are pure, I'm seeking a friend for the end of the world." Trixie (our MC) responds to his ad on a whim, and so their doomed relationship begins.

Trixie was one of the most relatable characters I had read in a while, even when she is several things I'm not. I loved her sense of humor, her thoughts, her eagerness for change. She's relatable and yet, unique in her ways. I loved that she broke the mold for many romance heroines out there, she was patient and supportive, but she set some limits, stuck to them, knew her worth and what she wanted without being a bitch about it--unless she absolutely needed to act like one. Which she did a couple of times.

I didn't instantly fall in love with Jacob, in fact, I'm not sure I ever did. He's a great character, no doubt about that, and maybe the fact that I couldn't see myself loving a man like him but understanding why Trixie did, went a long way. He was sweet, thoughtful, fun and smart, but he had this...broody side that I wasn't a fan of. I must admit though, the way he dealt with his issues reminded me so much of exactly what I do when I'm feeling like crap, and admittedly it's not the greatest way to deal with your problems, even less so if you're in a relationship. I just hated that he kept pulling the same thing on Trixie. Maybe that's why I couldn't love him, I saw something of myself that I hate in him. Too much alike, love, too much. Other than that small big flaw he was perfect for Beatrice.

Jacob and Trixie had one of the most organic and healthy relationships I had read about in a while. Of course it wasn't perfect, of course they had big flaws and unintentionally hurt each other. But that's the thing, you knew it was sincerely unintentional, and that they were honestly struggling to learn and become better.

This book is basically about their time together, how they slip into a relationship, help each other grow and deal with their own separate issues, and begin to plan their future. It's about personal growth, making the change you want in your life happen, and coping with whatever life throws at you. Sounds standard-ish and boring. But it's not, belive me, it's not. Tiffanie DeBartolo knows her stuff.

I literally laughed out loud several times, I even snorted once when I was in public , and I cried, oh I cried so much (In private, luckily).

This book is amazing. The characters, the writing, the feeeeeels.

This being a quotable book, you'll understand if I can't help myself. I won't spoil anything, no worries.

First some silly quotes:

"Besides, maybe if he would've talked to me first, instead of staring embryonically at the wall."

Okay, this one was one of my favorites and it's so silly and dumb it may not be all that funny to a lot of people but I literally had to put the book down as I dissolved into a fit of laughter because...well..."Staring embryonically at the wall." It's perfect. Excuse me.

I bolted upright in bed and purposely made a lot of noise around the room. I like to live by the rule that if I'm not sleeping, nobody's sleeping. (could not relate more)

"Jacob, if you want the milk, you have to buy the cow a meal."
"Excuse me?"

I left Chick early that day. I had an appointment at Helen Nail's. My monthly ten dollar pedicure.
"Listen, Trixie," Jacob said to me not long after we moved in together "I wouldn't trust a place that doesn't understand how to correctly form the possessive of a noun."

"All I could think was, why can't I be as stupid as Lucille? Why can't I blame all my successes and failures on The Lord Jesus Christ Almighty? I would be so fucking happy if I lived like that."

Other quotes:

"But there's a limit to how long you can starve a hungry person before they're going to bite your leg off."

"Committing suicide so as not to be murdered is the worst reason I've ever heard of to die."

"He was well aware of his skill as a writer, so if he poured his heart into something, and then other people didn't like it, he thought it no fault of his own."

"There's nothing like a little heartbreak and pain to inspire."

"Love alone couldn't turn a speck of dust into a galaxy of stars."

And my absolute favorite quote in the entire book, the one I keep going back to when I need a little motivation and that deeply touched me when I read it. Because well, it's basically something I tend to do. Think I have all the time in world.

" [...] You can't put life on pause and then catch up with it when you have more energy to give."

This book was fantastic, so just read it, okay?