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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
It is a bit uncanny how it was the right moment for me to pick up this book. A few weeks ago, I would have been too uncomfortable with Tamara's actions, words and thoughts and brand her as immature, unreasonable and very, very spoiled. However, in the present moment, I am grateful that I have picked up this book.
Let's start with the synopsis. Tamara is a sixteen-year-old girl (or is she?) who had just lost her dad to suicide, her mom to agony, and her life being crumpled in front of her as everything that she knew had been ripped away from her. With nothing left, she and her grieving mother moved to the country side to stay with her uncle, Arthur and his wife, Rosaleen. Tamara was convinced that her mother who barely spoke and ate, needed help. However, it seemed that no one was listening. This results in her being suspicious of the person around her and hence set off being a detective to regain control of her life, with the help of a fortune diary.
I feel for Tamara in this book. It is an awful feeling to be suddenly be so out of control. All of a sudden, you do not know what to do. Even if you have a plan, there's nothing to do or you do not know where to start. I must admit that Tamara is indeed spoiled, which is frequently highlighted in this book. But underneath all that angst, here lies a broken girl who just yearns for love and attention from her family. She is rich in material, not but in love. In her view, the only way to get attention is to be mean, throw a tantrum, or break the rules. She struggles to express her inner thoughts and becomes aggressive as a facade. Although there's no major character development in the story, you can feel that Tamara is trying to be more open to others. Before that, she hides her feelings and spits out fiery and nasty words to protect herself. With the help of the diary, she is slowly opening up and becoming a greater person.
This story also deals heavily with the death of a loved one. Even though Tamara claims to hate her dad, you can still see that she loves and cares for her deeply, just in a way she doesn't recognize. This book proves to us that no matter how much you claim to 'hate' or 'dislike' your family member, blood still runs deep, you can never really hate them. Regret is also a major theme in this novel. There are a lot of 'what-ifs' flashing by Tamara's thoughts. This is a good reminder to readers to always be in the present and to never let any chances and regrets slip away.
I feel like this book couldn't have come at a better moment. Just like the diary being a reflection for Tamara, this book is my personal diary as it had given me the chance to ponder, reflect and examine my thoughts, feelings and actions. I discover myself a lot more while reading this book. It had also made me become more accepting towards spoiled, unreasonable, immature characters that I previously despised as it made me feel more empathetic and understanding towards their characteristics and backstory.
Let's start with the synopsis. Tamara is a sixteen-year-old girl (or is she?) who had just lost her dad to suicide, her mom to agony, and her life being crumpled in front of her as everything that she knew had been ripped away from her. With nothing left, she and her grieving mother moved to the country side to stay with her uncle, Arthur and his wife, Rosaleen. Tamara was convinced that her mother who barely spoke and ate, needed help. However, it seemed that no one was listening. This results in her being suspicious of the person around her and hence set off being a detective to regain control of her life, with the help of a fortune diary.
I feel for Tamara in this book. It is an awful feeling to be suddenly be so out of control. All of a sudden, you do not know what to do. Even if you have a plan, there's nothing to do or you do not know where to start. I must admit that Tamara is indeed spoiled, which is frequently highlighted in this book. But underneath all that angst, here lies a broken girl who just yearns for love and attention from her family. She is rich in material, not but in love. In her view, the only way to get attention is to be mean, throw a tantrum, or break the rules. She struggles to express her inner thoughts and becomes aggressive as a facade. Although there's no major character development in the story, you can feel that Tamara is trying to be more open to others. Before that, she hides her feelings and spits out fiery and nasty words to protect herself. With the help of the diary, she is slowly opening up and becoming a greater person.
This story also deals heavily with the death of a loved one. Even though Tamara claims to hate her dad, you can still see that she loves and cares for her deeply, just in a way she doesn't recognize. This book proves to us that no matter how much you claim to 'hate' or 'dislike' your family member, blood still runs deep, you can never really hate them. Regret is also a major theme in this novel. There are a lot of 'what-ifs' flashing by Tamara's thoughts. This is a good reminder to readers to always be in the present and to never let any chances and regrets slip away.
I feel like this book couldn't have come at a better moment. Just like the diary being a reflection for Tamara, this book is my personal diary as it had given me the chance to ponder, reflect and examine my thoughts, feelings and actions. I discover myself a lot more while reading this book. It had also made me become more accepting towards spoiled, unreasonable, immature characters that I previously despised as it made me feel more empathetic and understanding towards their characteristics and backstory.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
I really liked this book, is full of mystery, secrets and ghosts from the past. It's different that most of Ahern's books, but I think is worth the reading. I had a hard time putting down the book for eating or working, but I managed to survive! Ha ha. If you are looking for another happy-go-lucky with a touch of magic book this is not that, but it does have a touch of magic, give it a try!
Loved this one. The lead character was annoying at first, but you grow to understand her gradually. The mystery part was thrilling and interesting, kept me reading till the very last page. Plus, the cover is beautiful.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
What a little gem. I was gifted a well used copy of this book because the cover was pretty. Strong character development, a multitude of storylines, family secrets and plot twists with a sprinkle of magic throughout. It took my mind away when I needed it the most. I love this without any deep analysis. 💗💖
Audio book narrated by Ali Coffey
Tamara Goodwin is a child of privilege, living with her mother and father in a seaside mansion just outside Dublin, with her own suite of rooms. Nearly seventeen, she’s looking forward to getting a car for her birthday. But all that ends when her father goes bankrupt and takes an overdose of sleeping pills, leaving Tamara and her mother with the ruins of a life they once knew. Selling everything they can to pay off debts, they move to the small Irish village where her mother’s brother and sister-in-law live in the gatehouse of a once elegant but now burned ruin of a castle. There is NOTHING to do here. The nearest village (barely more than a tavern and a couple of houses) is a 15-minute drive away, and Tamara hasn’t a car. Her mother is lost in a fog, spending her days sleeping and virtually never leaving her room, let alone the house. Her aunt and uncle are busy with their own lives and never answer any of Tamara’s questions. Things begin to change when the local bookmobile stops and she finds an odd book with no title. It turns out to be a blank journal/diary with magical properties. Each night the diary writes itself – in Tamara’s handwriting – describing what will happen tomorrow. Following the diary’s lead, Tamara uncovers a major family secret.
There is a decent plot (or three) hiding in all this mess. How Tamara and her mother recover from the suicide of their father/husband, and return to some sort of normalcy would make a good story in itself. The secrets of the Kilsaney family and how their castle came to burn down provide enough intrigue and plot twists for a good book. Tamara’s change and maturation from a spoiled, tempestuous teen to a young woman who thinks of others and may have found happiness (and a boyfriend) in a small Irish village could also have been developed into a decent book. But all these plot lines and magical elements seem to have been thrown together without thought. Instead of a hearty stew that melds different ingredients into a delicious and substantial dish, we get a slop jar of leftovers.
I give it two stars because 1) there were parts of the story that I found interesting and engaging and 2) Ali Coffey did a good job of the audio version. I don’t think I’d recommend the book to anyone, and, although I know Ahern is a very popular author with several bestsellers to her credit, I’m not interested in reading anything else by her.
Tamara Goodwin is a child of privilege, living with her mother and father in a seaside mansion just outside Dublin, with her own suite of rooms. Nearly seventeen, she’s looking forward to getting a car for her birthday. But all that ends when her father goes bankrupt and takes an overdose of sleeping pills, leaving Tamara and her mother with the ruins of a life they once knew. Selling everything they can to pay off debts, they move to the small Irish village where her mother’s brother and sister-in-law live in the gatehouse of a once elegant but now burned ruin of a castle. There is NOTHING to do here. The nearest village (barely more than a tavern and a couple of houses) is a 15-minute drive away, and Tamara hasn’t a car. Her mother is lost in a fog, spending her days sleeping and virtually never leaving her room, let alone the house. Her aunt and uncle are busy with their own lives and never answer any of Tamara’s questions. Things begin to change when the local bookmobile stops and she finds an odd book with no title. It turns out to be a blank journal/diary with magical properties. Each night the diary writes itself – in Tamara’s handwriting – describing what will happen tomorrow. Following the diary’s lead, Tamara uncovers a major family secret.
There is a decent plot (or three) hiding in all this mess. How Tamara and her mother recover from the suicide of their father/husband, and return to some sort of normalcy would make a good story in itself. The secrets of the Kilsaney family and how their castle came to burn down provide enough intrigue and plot twists for a good book. Tamara’s change and maturation from a spoiled, tempestuous teen to a young woman who thinks of others and may have found happiness (and a boyfriend) in a small Irish village could also have been developed into a decent book. But all these plot lines and magical elements seem to have been thrown together without thought. Instead of a hearty stew that melds different ingredients into a delicious and substantial dish, we get a slop jar of leftovers.
I give it two stars because 1) there were parts of the story that I found interesting and engaging and 2) Ali Coffey did a good job of the audio version. I don’t think I’d recommend the book to anyone, and, although I know Ahern is a very popular author with several bestsellers to her credit, I’m not interested in reading anything else by her.
I really wanted to like this book, but it was disappointing. P.S. I Love You is still my favorite of her books.