Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

Goodreads Summary:

Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max; same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose; he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.

As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem; how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up? Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down; if it is really Max and along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to

My Thoughts:

A close friend of mine recommended this book several months ago. I finally got around to it after the semester ended. I did not read the description of this book prior to picking it. I wish that I had. The story took me by surprise from the first chapter and didn't get go until I finished it.

I was torn on if I liked this book the entire time I was reading it. I think I have been reading too many text books this last year so I have gotten used to not having to suspend reason while reading. This is one of those books that you just have to go with the punches and not think about it too much. I tend to think about things too much. I will say that I did like that this book made me think. I have read any number of stories about immortals but this was an interesting take on the whole idea. This being said, I am not sure I bought into the origin story of Max. This was a little too fanciful for my liking. I found it interesting but ultimately frustrating that he was so many different people throughout history. I found I couldn't read more than a chapter a night or it would start to bug me.

I guess what bugged me about this book was that it was half modern fiction and half historical fiction. Previous reads that flipped between time frames haven't bothered me too much but this one did. I liked each story but by flipping back to the present time, or five years ago, or 500 years ago something in the story lost its charm for me.

I don't want it to sound like I didn't like this book. I did like it. I thought the writing was pretty good and the characters were likable and believable, for the most part. The ending was left open which I love and hate at the same time. I get to think about what the possible outcomes for the characters could be and that is always fun.

I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers first, then I would recommend this to people who have a different personality than me. If flipping between many time lines and having to accept blindly what it being told to you doesn't bother you then this book won't bug you like it did me.

While writing this review I was listening to Emmapuppy snore and my neighbors stomp around.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Goodreads Summary:

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.


My Thoughts: ***********************SPOILER ALERT***********************

Several people recommended this book to me. This book has been racking up some serious buzz all over the place. I was hoping that it would at least be a decent read. Sadly, I was not a fan. I felt like both characters, Nick and Amy, complained and lacked development like angsty 20 something girls.

From the second chapter or so I knew what the twist in the story was going to be. It was obvious to me that Amy was alive and setting up her husband for her murder. I assumed he had done something to piss her off. They are both insane characters, which is why they felt like the same person from the start.

I really wanted to like this book but I just didn't. I thought it was predictable and not this amazing groundbreaking book that every one is calling it. I didn't totally hate it though. I liked that it wasn't conventional, predictable yes but not conventional.

I wouldn't recommend this to people who are good a guessing where a story is going. It kind of ruined the book for me that I saw the twist so early in the book.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Scandal.