UPDATES; Before we head on to the review there are some things I need to update you on. Firstly what do you think of the new layout? The site has been down for the past few days because there has been a lot of tweaking going on. I know nothing about html, and so when I had this urge to have a change I was left a little stuck. Worse still after hours of searching I finally spotted something I liked only to realise another blogger I was familiar with had the exact same one. Yes, no one said life was fair. So I searched and searched, depressed at the fact that I couldn't make my own because I sucked at these things. Then spotted this and no joke; got butterflies. After hours of searching I felt relief and clicked with it immediately. I wasn't sure if it would be permanent. Perhaps keep it for some days but since then I have warmed to it more after making some changes. So this is important. What do you guys think of it. Don't worry I still have my old layout saved. I can't part with it completely since I am too fond of it. I might be switching back and forth between the two whenever I miss it too much. I've put up a poll as you can see, and want it down fast since I think it ruins the layout, so I've given you guys two days. It's a little worrying having a new layout. I've had the layout for so long that I know people begin to identify you and your blog with the layout they first saw and became used to which is why your input as my readers is so important, so be honest. Yay or nay? PS The search bar, follower button etc etc are right at the bottom. I've also updated my about me Tab. You'll find that I've added more info about myself and even a picture :)
Also I'm crazy excited about this. My good friend and lovely blogger Staysi from Lost In Ink IS BACK!!!! Do you remember her? I missed her a lot when left and it's such a relief to see her back. If you remember her or don't for that matter don't forget to hop on over and say hi. She deleted her old account and is starting from scratch so she can do with all your awesome support. :)
"This is where it all begins. Everything starts here, today."
Hardcover: 437 pages Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Genre: Adult Fiction/ Contemporary/ Chick Lit Source: Library
"And it was at moments like this that she had to remind herself that she was in love with him, or had once been in love with him, a long time ago." My Thoughts - Emma has always pined after Dexter, so she is over the moon when they end up in bed together. It soon becomes apparent though that he is hardly interested in having a relationship with anyone, much less her. The fact that they graduate that very day only confirms things. She will never see him again. But it doesn't quite turn out that way. The both of them connect and find that they would be better of as friends, but it's not just friends that they become, but best friends.
The book follows up every year from the exact same day and date for 20 years.
We watch on as the two of them grow and begin to change. The real issue is that he has always been a womaniser, so just how long is Emma willing to wait for him to come around? That's not to say that both characters don't have their flaws because they sure do. It's weird because they are so perfect yet so far from being perfect for each other. What annoys me the most about Dexter though is how he allows life to just pass him by. He messes around with countless women, uses them, has slight fame, and lets it change who he is, but most importantly allows it to come in between him and the one person who genuinely loves him for him. Emma on the other has drive. She wants to strive to be something and she works hard for it. Dexter on the other hand seems to think that everything will be handed down to him. This mentality of his will be his downfall.
It sucks to see Dexter hit rock bottom. It probably sucks more because it's clear his mother saw this coming much earlier on, and it sucks because it's hard to feel sorry for him when he was such a crap son, brother and best friend. What annoys me the most is that the two may be best friends and they might make each other happy at times, but they are so wrong for each other. It was that revelation which saddened me more than anything else. It's flabbergasting to me how I even missed it, or maybe I just didn't want to see it. I don't know if it's their own little issues or just them as individuals, but they just could not last. It sucks because both of them go through absolute hell, and although I didn't exactly adore either of them I still wanted the best for them, I still cared.
Did I fail to mention how depressing the book is? Gosh it is a depressing read at times. Probably because it's so realistic which was one of the things I really liked about it. I just finished watching the movie trailer and I'm not getting the same vibe at all. Seems like they have made the movie a lot more light hearted. What a shame.
Then there is the scene that was supposed to be earth shattering - have me distraught. It was so out of the blue, yet still, I felt nothing. Not an ounce of sadness. It was pointless and ruined the book.
I saw something special within it's pages. Something that set it apart from just your typical chick lit - if you rate it as one that is. Yes there is a twist that seemed to hold no purpose and I did loose patience with it at times, but that doesn't go without saying that it was a pretty great read that stood out me simply because the story remained ingrained in my mind long after I had finished it, but what let's it down and takes it down a notch are the two main unsympathetic characters and that one BIG pointless twist. However, the book itself was so memorable and enjoyable, so realistic and honest in the way it presented these two people who were meant for each other and how real life and mistakes got in the way. Who go through so much that you root for them only to realise that they shouldn't be together at all. It was these things that I loved most. How the author didn't sugar - coat things and was honest.
The ending itself was beautiful in a bitter - sweet way. I read the ending, smiled and actually said to myself "ahh so this is how it's going to end" it was then that I was sad because it gave us the beginning to an end. I know that it was meaningful, that the realism of some scenarios got under my skin and made me feel uncomfortable - in a good way. I think when you head into a heavy and realistic book like this one you can't close it fully without scarring a little. It's books like ONE DAY that represent every day life and what couples go through. I remember the lovely moments that Dexter and Emma shared, the moments which would make me smile and laugh, and then my mind lingers to all those chances they had and to how they could have done things so differently, and that's when I feel my frustration building back up. Because they made so many mistakes, and missed too many opportunities. And even if they weren't right together I wanted them to be. It reminds readers like me that life isn't all that pleasant and things don't always turn out the way you want them to. When I look back, like now, I feel sad because the both of them deserved more. They were working towards bettering themselves only for everything to go downhill. With a book like ONE DAY it's so hard to rate it. There are so many highs, lows and in between that whilst writing this review I've realised that I couldn't rate the book even if I tried. So I won't.
"And then she frowned, and shook her head, then put her arms around him once more, pressing her face into his shoulder, making a noise that sounded almost like rage.
'What's up?' he asked.
'What's up?' he asked.
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