Lindsay Detwiler's Blog, page 34
October 26, 2015
After You by Jojo Moyes: Book Review
After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“How could I explain to this girl what Will and I had been to each other, the way I felt that no person in the world had ever understood me like he did or ever would again?”
Me Before You ripped out my heart, gutted me at the emotional core. I was heartbroken at the end of it, moved by Will’s death and the relationship he had with Lou. I was in love with Lou’s zesty, quirky character. I adored how she was with Will, who, in many ways, was her foil in the novel. The scene where they danced on his wheelchair broke me in two.
So when I saw After You, I was ecstatic. Me Before You left me needing more of the story. I was dying to see what happened, dying for a peaceful resolution to Lou’s life.
I don’t feel like I got it from this book.
I am a huge fan of Moyes. I think this book demonstrates her skill at combining tragedy and drama with humor. There were many parts in this book that I laughed out loud. There were many parts where I wanted to cry. Any author who can make you feel that rollercoaster of emotion in the same book is talented.
This book picks up after Will’s death. Lou is trying to piece her life back together, trying to get over Will, and trying to make good on her promise to do something with her life. She is failing, however, stuck in a rut. She is lost without Will. Moyes does a good job at making the reader feel lost without Will. I missed him in this book, so I could connect with Lou’s pain. I also, however, missed the exciting, quirky Lou. Her character certainly matches her station in life in this book. She is not the same Lou we knew from Me Before You. I think this is part of the reason I didn’t like this book as much. Without Will to balance out her personality, I didn’t find Lou to be as strong or likable of a character.
Over the course of the novel, Lou ends up finding Will’s long lost daughter Lily. There are adventures and trials with this teenager. Lou also ends up meeting a new man, Sam. Although he is nice enough, I just couldn’t feel for him like I did for Will. I found myself just missing Will during the entire book.
I truly appreciate the message of this book: life after Will would never be the same for Lou. He left a hole in her life, and this book really showcases that hole. However, I just didn’t find it fulfilling in any way. I actually found the beginning a little bit boring. There wasn’t the magic in this book that Moyes found in Me Before You. I didn’t feel the heartbreaking emotion I experienced in the first book. Without Will, this book didn’t hold a candle to the first book.
I also hated the ending of this book. I won’t ruin it for you, but I just feel like after reading the whole book, I really didn’t see true character growth in Lou. I wanted to see her grow, move on, and find something meaningful in her life. I don’t know that she did.
Overall, Moyes is a wonderful, skilled writer. I just don’t think she could ever touch the magic from Me Before You with this sequel. I almost wish I hadn’t read the sequel. I would rather hang onto the powerful, provocative emotion from the first book than have tainted it with this book.
Without You, Lindsay Detwiler’s second novel, will be released December 1st. Sign up for updates and contests by subscribing at http://tinyletter.com/lindsaydetwiler
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Writer’s Life: When Introverts Go Social
You can’t write about real life if you aren’t living it.
This is what I’ve been telling my introverted, Netflix loving, sweatpants wearing self this month as I flitted from activity to activity. This is what I’ve told myself as the month of October rolled by, throwing new experiences, hectic schedules, and cray moments at me. I’ve tried to chalk it up to experience, to tell myself I’ll have plenty of new things to write about.
It’s true that to write about life, you have to see it. You have to do new things, find new information, interact. So, in that respect, this has been a busy month of research for me.
Here’s what’s been happening in my jam-packed month:
My first time being a Bridesmaid in October
First mani/pedi (I’ll admit, though…I see now why I love my Jamberry nails! What a bargain!)
First trip to the Salt Spa in State College for Mom’s birthday
Pumpkin Fest with Henry! I love our small town
Editing Without You…coming December 1st. I’m so excited that I have a second novel coming out!
My first author speaking event at Grier yesterday. It was amazing to speak to girls about my wildest dream coming true.
So it’s been a crazy busy month filled with firsts and exciting times. I’ve learned a lot this month about myself, about others, and about life! Now I’m ready to tuck into my couch with Henry and do some writing :)
How was your October? Tell me some of your highlights!
Also, make sure you sign up for my author newsletter. I’m picking a random subscriber on December 1st to get a signed copy of Without You! https://tinyletter.com/lindsaydetwiler
My Fall Beauty Wishlist
I’ve posted before that I spend way too much at Ulta and need to enhance my income just to keep up with my habits. Okay, okay, it’s not quite that bad…yet. But I am terrible at controlling my cosmetic purchases. With that in mind, here’s my current product wishlist that I hope to cross off soon (Black Friday is coming up soon, so maybe I can check a few off then)
It Cosmetics CC Cream
I’m always looking for the absolute perfect foundation. I tried a sample of this and really liked the texture, coverage, and added benefits. I really want to give this CC cream a whirl and see if it is as great as the mascara from this company. Cruelty free=added bonus.
2. A full Urban Decay Naked Palette
I currently have the travel size in the Naked palette but need to buy a full one. This is the only eye shadow I wear now. You honestly cannot beat it!
So this product is quite pricey, but I really want it. I can see some tiny eye crinkles forming and am paranoid about them. I want to give this a try and see if it works.
My hair is finally getting to a length where I can curl it if I want to. I have a Chi straightener and blow dryer, which are amazing. I want to give the curling iron a try to see if it is as awesome as the other appliances by this company.
What’s on your beauty list? Let me know so I can add to my ever growing beauty wishlist.
Lindsay Detwiler, Voice of Innocence
October 24, 2015
Sign Up for My Author Newsletter: Lindsay Detwiler
Hey everyone! Want to stay updated on my writing, events, and contests? Sign up for my author newsletter at https://tinyletter.com/lindsaydetwiler.
I will pick one subscriber on December 1st to win an autographed copy of my new novel, Without You! Be sure to tell your friends :)
Without You
Lindsay Detwiler’s second novel is coming December 1, 2015, by Limitless Publishing.
Petit Vour
http://www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwilerIt’s one of the best days of the month! Petit Vour box day!
This month, I got the following items:
Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in a pretty gold color
Hana Organic Skincare Eye Oil (night serum)
Ursa Major Face Wash
Essence of Vali Sleep blend (you put it on your wrists at night to help promote sleep)
I’m so excited to try all of my new products! I already painted my nails with the polish. For $15 a month, I love the products I get because they are pretty nice sizes and everything is cruelty free! Check it out at www.petitvour.com.
Lindsay Detwiler
http://www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwiler
Without You by Lindsay Detwiler
My second novel, Without You, will be released by Limitless Publishing on December 1st. I cannot wait to share these characters with you :) You’ll find a lot of love, heartache, and laughs in this book about self-identity. Please like my official author page at www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwiler to stay updated on exciting contests, cover reveals, and information!
October 23, 2015
Without You by Lindsay Detwiler, Coming Soon
I’m so excited that my second novel, Without You, will be available for pre-order beginning November 21st! This book is about love, marriage, and figuring out who you are in your twenties. There’s romance, turmoil, and a whole lot of laughter, too. I can’t wait to share Jenna, Violet, and Camden with you (and we can’t forget about Henry and Bob, too :) ). Please check out my author page on Facebook to stay up to date. There are some exciting contests coming up!
October 22, 2015
A Long Way Gone: Living With Meaning, Living With Purpose
“Some nights the sky wept stars that quickly floated and disappeared into the darkness before our wishes could meet them. ” Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone
My bookshelf overflows with excessive amounts of books, and my Goodreads account constantly taunts me with incomplete reading lists. Students, teachers, parents, and friends constantly recommend books to me, and I constantly want to read them all.
With so many books awaiting my eyes, I rarely reread novels. To me, it’s wasting valuable time on a book I know when I could discover something new.
However, there are some exceptions. A Long Way Gone is one of them.
I first read this book during student teaching, and it has been dwelling in my core ever since. The book is dauntingly haunting, incessantly creeping back into you once you’ve put it down. It’s changed the way I look at myself, my life, my job, and the world. It is truly one of the books you read when you want to think.
A Long Way Gone is the true story of Ishmael Beah. At twelve, he was first “touched by the war” in Sierra Leone. Eventually, he would lose his family, witness brutal murders, and become a child soldier himself. The atrocities he witnessed and even had a hand in are beyond comprehension. The book spares no details, numbing you to the shocking horror that was Beah’s everyday life. There are scenes that sicken, scenes that frighten, and scenes that make you lose faith in humanity.
Through the book, though, gorgeous imagery and poetic statements remind the reader that life is, in fact, precious. Beah emphasizes the idea that family and relationships are more valuable than anything in life. He also underscores the importance of realizing the gift that is life. Not all of his friends and family got a chance to move on, to live. But he did, and he certainly isn’t wasting his opportunity.
By speaking out about his experiences, Beah does something more courageous than people realize. He puts his most terrific experiences and most haunting, guilt-laden actions on display for the world. He says, “World, here I am. This is what I did. These are the things I participated in. Judge me.” Think about the most horrific thing you’ve ever done. Now triple it. Now write it out for the world. Why would someone do this?
He does it to bring light to a situation few of us think about: child soldiers. He emphasizes the sadness, the tragedy in innocent childhoods cut short by treachery, raging murders, and hatred. More than that, he reminds us that there is always hope for redemption, forgiveness, and presence in life. He is the ultimate success story of overcoming your actions and your past to do something good in the world. By sharing his painful story, Beah encourages us to remember that nothing is insurmountable. No baggage from our past is too terrible to overcome. We can all make a difference, even if it is through words.
Beah’s story reminds me of how blessed I am. The dropped piece of toast (butter down, of course) doesn’t seem like a big deal when I think about how Beah saw the brutal murders of his friends and family members. My lost twenty dollar bill means nothing when I think about the guilt he felt after realizing what he had been forced to do as a soldier. So many things we worry about don’t really mean anything in the scheme of things.
A Long Way Gone puts everything into perspective. It is for this reason that I reread it every year. It is a humbling reminder of how insignificant my issues are in comparison to the worlds’ issues.
Lindsay Detwiler
October 21, 2015
Without You by Lindsay Detwiler
Without You is coming December 1st, 2015, through Limitless Publishing. Check out the official blurb below!
On the surface, Jenna Landsen has it all…
She’s smart, beautiful, confident, and married to Camden Landsen, who happens to be drop dead sexy and just as successful. But after five long years, all the success in the world hasn’t brought the romantic spark back into her marriage. Jenna fears it never will.
When life gives you lemons, open a bakery and name it Vi’s…
Violet Streiff made the exact mistake her mother warned against—she fell in love with Liam Coffman, a charming finance major. When he left her heartbroken to further his career, Violet drowned her sorrows by opening a bakery, and now relies on Bob, her eighteen-pound cat, for warmth at night instead of a sexy man.
To find love, sometimes you first have to discover yourself…
When Jenna’s job offers an extended trip to New York, she packs her bags and takes a two-month vacation from life. The chance of her marriage surviving looks grim, until the surprise of a lifetime throws a wrench in her plans to stay in the Big Apple for good.
You can bend the rules—but sooner or later they’ll break…
When Violet meets a gloomy but totally drool-worthy guy named Camden in her shop, she’s sure her luck has changed. There’s no denying the chemistry, but he’s married, and that’s a major problem. Violet isn’t a homewrecker. Still, staying away from Camden proves nearly impossible. That is, until his wife comes home.
Two women.
Two men.
Double the chance to find love in the most
unexpected places—or double the chance for disaster.
