Me Before You (Me Before You, #1) in Reads With Friends

Apr 03, 2016 Kristin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-reads, books-i-own

My Review on YouTube - https://youtu.be/ZlpZTn7R5Bk

Nobody talk to me. I just want to sulk, alone, by myself.

I wish I had read this book before the hype. I think it would have hit me harder and made me think more. But because of all the hype, I was mentally prepared for the turmoil rather than taken by surprise.

Despite all of this, the book is beautifully written and I absolutely love the characters and their humor! The banter between the two characters was fantastic and I can only hope it is som ...more

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Mar 28, 2016 Ashley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Reading this broke me. It never had a chance to build me up. From the very beginning it just grabbed me by the heartstrings and started tugging me around like a puppy that couldn't keep up. Me Before You was just that sort of story. I fell in love with it and wanted things to go well for the characters that we followed.

There are a lot of people out there who said that this book made them cry. I unfortunately am one of them. Here is the thing, generally if I know something will be sad and crying Reading this broke me. It never had a chance to build me up. From the very beginning it just grabbed me by the heartstrings and started tugging me around like a puppy that couldn't keep up. Me Before You was just that sort of story. I fell in love with it and wanted things to go well for the characters that we followed.

There are a lot of people out there who said that this book made them cry. I unfortunately am one of them. Here is the thing, generally if I know something will be sad and crying is expected, I don't. Something just clicks in my brain and my heartlessness kicks into overgear. This is only one of two books that has bucked against that trend and I believe it is because of how well this book sucks you into this story. It does what it sets out to do well. It tells the story of Louisa and how her life could change so suddenly and unexpectedly.

The real heart of this book is the characters. Louisa is quirky, but not overly so. She's quaint and sweet. It was painful to see the position she was in. The butt of all jokes within her home. Hopelessly neglected by her boyfriend. Worst of all she had settled into a state of content that she didn't feel comfortable breaking out of to the point that she didn't really think that was what she wanted. Maybe it was because I connected to Louisa on a deep level, I really wanted the best for her. I felt myself drowning with her. Examining my own life and the choices I had made. That was the moment that I knew it had me.

Then we met Will and my life began to crumble. Maybe it's because I love a grumpy person. Will is the epitome of confrontational and a curmudgeon. I loved him for it in every way. The more we saw of him the harder and faster I fell for him. The situation he was in only made it worse. There was this dangling weight and sense of impending doom looming over him. It hurt me to watch him open up and things to change.

The relationship between Will and Louisa was beautiful to see play out. I don't wish to spoil anything, but they way they managed to compliment each other really worked. They were a competent team. Quickly, I found myself longing for and loving the scenes of them together. They were my loves and I didn't care.

The story is straightforward. There is a goal that is well defined that propels the story forward. As it progresses you a sense of urgency drives it forward, but you also get so caught up in the simple mundane and beautiful interactions the pair of them are having. It really is a story of Louisa's journey and it at times was heartbreaking. Thankfully it also had moments that were so sweet they could make your teeth hurt and it really balanced the book.

Overall, I loved this book. It's one of those that I would recommend to almost everyone. ...more

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Sep 08, 2015 Melissa White rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2016, favorites

~ I'm still trying to find all the pieces of my heart which shattered into a million pieces by the end of this book ~

How ... just how ... I knew this ending was coming from about 1/3 of the way into the book but the ending still managed to reduce me to a blubbering mess.

Me Before You was such a heart wrenching, fascinating, insightful and moving book about such ordinary people. I loved every character in this book and I felt their emotions as they played out on the pages before me. It has also ...more

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Mar 31, 2016 Heather rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorites, heart-wrenching, favorite-books-read-in-2016, owned

Me Before You is a heartbreaking read that is a must read for any chick-lit or emotional book fans. It tells us all about the importance of choices, something we all perhaps take it granted. This makes me think about the hard choices we might have to make even if it will only make someone else happy and not ourselves. 5 stars to this one. (I'm honestly surprised I didn't sob or cry once. I did come close though.) ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Cecilia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had a feeling this would end in tears. I love it.

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Mar 29, 2016 Sarah rated it liked it · review of another edition

I’m not usually a fan of Romance/Chick Lit books. My decision to read this was based on the fact the movie is coming out and it attracted my attention. I don’t regret picking this book up, and I’m glad I gave it a chance; I loved this story. This is not a story about romance, it’s a story about life choices.

This is a story about a man who is struggling to live with being a quadriplegic and a girl who is content with her, for a lack of better word, boring life. Lou is looking for a job and so en I’m not usually a fan of Romance/Chick Lit books. My decision to read this was based on the fact the movie is coming out and it attracted my attention. I don’t regret picking this book up, and I’m glad I gave it a chance; I loved this story. This is not a story about romance, it’s a story about life choices.

This is a story about a man who is struggling to live with being a quadriplegic and a girl who is content with her, for a lack of better word, boring life. Lou is looking for a job and so ends up as Will’s carer, a man who longs to end his life. Lou sets out to give him a reason to live.

Lou is a charming awkward individual. She tries all kinds of activities to cheer him up, some are a success and some aren’t. She’s enthusiastic about it and I found it endearing. Will encourages her to take risks and to put herself first. Will used to be a successful active man, who feels trapped after his accident. He is dead inside and doesn’t see a future for himself.

I loved their relationship, I loved that at first they didn’t like each other but over the six months they spent together, they grew together.

"It has been," I told him, "the best six months of my entire life."

There was a long silence.

"Funnily enough, Clark, mine too."

Try as I may I couldn’t connect to Treena’s character. I thought she was a spoilt child. Some of you may disagree with me, and she did occasionally help out Lou but overall she was used to getting what she wanted and that made her unlikeable to me.

I don’t think this story shines a negative light on being disabled. Lou’s character goes on forums to talk to other quadriplegics and their friends, family and carers, who are not wanting to end their lives. Moyes tries to show that this is one man’s story, one man’s feelings. She isn’t in anyway saying that being a quadriplegic means you shouldn’t live.

This story handles a sensitive moral discussion, and I thought that she handled it with respect and fairness. We all have our opinions on euthanasia and this book challenges you to think, think about why the person is choosing to end their life.

Maybe you’re not a fan of romance, chick lit or adult books but I don’t think that that will affect your enjoyment of this book. It will suck you in whether you want it to or not.
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May 11, 2016 Joanne Monroe rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-reads, spring-2016

so heartbreakingly bitter sweet. a reminder to live big, don't settle, and to always try to help those around me see the good in life. And to love fiercely.

Good grief, I'm a mess. ...more

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