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labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
This girl didn't break your heart. She just broke your streak.
Immediately after finishing [b:Just One Day|17623975|Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)|Gayle Forman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368722144s/17623975.jpg|17992862], I had to read this one. I enjoyed it so very much, and needed to hear Willem's adventures. And this book didn't disappoint.
Not nearly as amazing as the first book, but just a wonderful view of Willem after wondering what was going on with him for an entire book.
It takes some weird, Forrest Gump-level turns at points (the Bollywood film), but it's a serious case of what if. What if Allison had done this. What if Willem had done that. They'd have met up earlier, and saved both of them pain.
But neither of them were ready to meet each other. They both had so much healing to do, and had to suffer, break, and come back together as "I" before they could possibly come back together as "we".
Around 3/4 of the way through, I realized Willem's story was going to end exactly where Allison's story ended. And I was frustrated, because I wanted to see their conversation, see them discuss what had happened, apologies, explanations, realizations. I wondered if there would be a third book.
But by the time we got to the end of the book, I didn't want another book. I saw there's a book 2.5, but I really don't want to read it. I think this is the absolute perfect ending. I don't want to hear their discussions. I just want to imagine them, in blurry water color form. It's lovely, and each reader can put their own mental spin on what happens.
A very sweet series of books. Unexpected treasures.
Immediately after finishing [b:Just One Day|17623975|Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)|Gayle Forman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368722144s/17623975.jpg|17992862], I had to read this one. I enjoyed it so very much, and needed to hear Willem's adventures. And this book didn't disappoint.
Not nearly as amazing as the first book, but just a wonderful view of Willem after wondering what was going on with him for an entire book.
It takes some weird, Forrest Gump-level turns at points (the Bollywood film), but it's a serious case of what if. What if Allison had done this. What if Willem had done that. They'd have met up earlier, and saved both of them pain.
But neither of them were ready to meet each other. They both had so much healing to do, and had to suffer, break, and come back together as "I" before they could possibly come back together as "we".
Around 3/4 of the way through, I realized Willem's story was going to end exactly where Allison's story ended. And I was frustrated, because I wanted to see their conversation, see them discuss what had happened, apologies, explanations, realizations. I wondered if there would be a third book.
But by the time we got to the end of the book, I didn't want another book. I saw there's a book 2.5, but I really don't want to read it. I think this is the absolute perfect ending. I don't want to hear their discussions. I just want to imagine them, in blurry water color form. It's lovely, and each reader can put their own mental spin on what happens.
A very sweet series of books. Unexpected treasures.
bookishmadness's review against another edition
5.0
I need to know what happens after they find each other again!!! Dammit!!!
****
What I thought: After I read Just One Day, I was desperate to know more. What happened after Allyson arrived on Willem's doorstep? Were they going to be together? Then I found out about Just One Year and while it wasn't exactly a sequel, it was more than enough to satisfy my craving to know more. Of course, everyone wondered what Willem had been doing during that year they were separated. Did he try to find her? Did he think about her? Or had he forgotten about her after he mysteriously left? Just One Year answers all those lingering questions, and we get to know a lot more about Willem, his past and just who he really is. Just One Year is a lot like Just One Day, except it's spread over a lot longer span of time (obviously).
What I loved most about this story, was getting to know more about Willem's past. We learn more about his family, the reason he is a constant traveler, more about who he really is - and what I discovered is that I love Willem so much. He is an extraordinary character, with many faults but also many strengths as well. His life is certainly outrageous and just a bit dysfunctional, but we learn the reasons for this throughout the story.
While Just One Year definitely answered many of my questions, I've still been left with this burning desire to know "What happens next?"
I loved Allyson in the first novel and I fell in love with Willem even more in the second, so I just want more more more of them! Seriously. Give me more now!
So if you loved Just One Day or you just love Gayle Forman's amazing writing, then you will definitely need to give Just One Year a read too!
The Good: I love when you get to read a sequel/companion style novel like this, so you get more out of the original story. This was a great insight into Willem's mind and what happened over that missing year.
The Bad: I want to read about their lives together, past when they find each other :(
Rating: 5 bookstacks
****
What I thought: After I read Just One Day, I was desperate to know more. What happened after Allyson arrived on Willem's doorstep? Were they going to be together? Then I found out about Just One Year and while it wasn't exactly a sequel, it was more than enough to satisfy my craving to know more. Of course, everyone wondered what Willem had been doing during that year they were separated. Did he try to find her? Did he think about her? Or had he forgotten about her after he mysteriously left? Just One Year answers all those lingering questions, and we get to know a lot more about Willem, his past and just who he really is. Just One Year is a lot like Just One Day, except it's spread over a lot longer span of time (obviously).
What I loved most about this story, was getting to know more about Willem's past. We learn more about his family, the reason he is a constant traveler, more about who he really is - and what I discovered is that I love Willem so much. He is an extraordinary character, with many faults but also many strengths as well. His life is certainly outrageous and just a bit dysfunctional, but we learn the reasons for this throughout the story.
While Just One Year definitely answered many of my questions, I've still been left with this burning desire to know "What happens next?"
I loved Allyson in the first novel and I fell in love with Willem even more in the second, so I just want more more more of them! Seriously. Give me more now!
So if you loved Just One Day or you just love Gayle Forman's amazing writing, then you will definitely need to give Just One Year a read too!
The Good: I love when you get to read a sequel/companion style novel like this, so you get more out of the original story. This was a great insight into Willem's mind and what happened over that missing year.
The Bad: I want to read about their lives together, past when they find each other :(
Rating: 5 bookstacks
christiana's review against another edition
4.0
I think I liked this one better than the first/its companion novel/Just One Day. However, I don't think I would have liked this had I not read Just One Day first. How's that for a rock and a hard place?
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
Why is it that Gayle Forman's books about the guys are better than the girls? Loved how the ending was a beginning full of wonder and possibility and that tiny nugget regarding Adam Wilde was just perfect.
nenich19's review against another edition
5.0
If anyone needs me, I'll be in my corner, crying my eyes out because THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND I WISH I COULD GO BACK AND READ IT AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
nhornby's review against another edition
4.0
An utterly brilliant book but the ending, just urgh! I can totally understand why people who read this before 'Just one night' was released would be beyond annoyed!! One to 'Just one night' I go!!
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
When Allyson reunites with Willem at the end of Just One Day we are left completely in the dark about how their reunion goes, or what Willem has even been up to during the last year. This book seeks to answer the second question, and hint at an answer for the first.
This one's maybe not quite as magical as the first, but it's surprising to learn Willem's fully fleshed out and complicated backstory. It turns out Allyson wasn't all wrong to be suspicious that Willem was a player, but, thankfully, there's so much more going on than that. Like Allyson, he's also at a crossroads in his life and needs to make some decisions about the kind of adult he wants to be and spends the year, in typical Willem fashion, traveling around the world trying to figure that out.
A solid follow up. (I hear there's an e-only novella that tells more about what happens after they reunite, but I feel like that would spoil the story. Now we know how that One Day changed both their lives and helped them both work toward the paths they needed to head down for the next phase of their lives. Can we please leave some things unknown?)
This one's maybe not quite as magical as the first, but it's surprising to learn Willem's fully fleshed out and complicated backstory. It turns out Allyson wasn't all wrong to be suspicious that Willem was a player, but, thankfully, there's so much more going on than that. Like Allyson, he's also at a crossroads in his life and needs to make some decisions about the kind of adult he wants to be and spends the year, in typical Willem fashion, traveling around the world trying to figure that out.
A solid follow up. (I hear there's an e-only novella that tells more about what happens after they reunite, but I feel like that would spoil the story. Now we know how that One Day changed both their lives and helped them both work toward the paths they needed to head down for the next phase of their lives. Can we please leave some things unknown?)
gpittfield's review against another edition
3.0
I was not aware that this was a second book in a series and was a little lost at first. It took a while to get into the characters and I do not feel as connected to their story as I did with other books by this author.