Book Thoughts: Just One Day

 "...being in love... It's something that never comes off, no matter how much you want it to."

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A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

-Goodreads summary

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I love you, Gayle Forman. I love you for writing books such as Just One Day: books that stain.

I was so excited to read this new book by Gayle Forman and I will tell you now, it did not disappoint. I LOOOVED IT!  I never thought I’d like the story this much when I started reading it but when I read the last few words, the story totally stayed with me. I felt it.

The emotions: happiness, giddiness, sadness, longing, hopefulness… The exciting, the heartbreaking, the Awww…, the OMG!,  the Shocks! moments.

The theme... discovering yourself and finding true love. Something we all can totally relate to. Something that always comes up in most YA novels. But Allyson's journey is definitely captivating and unforgettable.

The characters…  Oh, Allyson (aka Lulu) and Willem. I love, love, love the two of them. The secondary characters also added a lot of layers to the story. Melanie, Dee, The roommates, The parents, The Ausies, Wren, all of them.

The setting… Paris! How romantic can this get? Forman showed a different side of Paris that I have not read before. This is just the place. 

The ending… Why oh why, Gayle Forman, did you have to end it the way it ended? Such a cliffhanger. Please release Just One Year very soon. I can’t wait.

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Meeting someone in a foreign country, joining him on a journey, touring Paris together for a day, seeing a whole new side of yourself and falling in love... ALL IN JUST ONE DAY. This is the story… and a whole lot more. If you loved If I Stay and Where She Went, you’ll definitely love this one.

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My Just One Day Playlist:

 

Daylight by Maroon 5- Alex G cover 

"And when the daylight comes I'll have to go

But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close

'Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own

But tonight I need to hold you so close."

Everything Has Changed - Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran

"'Cause all I know is we said hello

And your eyes look like coming home

All I know is a simple name, everything has changed."

4 AM - Alex G

"I feel so close to you right now

But have you fallen for me yet?"

"It's still your heart that lifts me

And your words that can kill me

But still I'd run for miles

Just to be near you"