Alice Kuipers

What an interesting little book this turned out to be. It caught my eye because it's a bright pink little hardback with a ribbon page marker in it, and flicking through it I could see that it is entirely made up of notes written between a mother and daughter and stuck on the fridge in their kitchen. With each note starting a new page (though the later notes get longer) it was a quick book to read, but it packed quite a punch.

Writing in such a personal style quickly gives the reader an show more insight into the relationship between these two individuals, a doctor who is constantly on call at the maternity ward, and her sociable teenage daughter Claire. The two barely see each other, with other commitments constantly hindering them in spending time together even when they've tried to arrange something special. This in itself is poignant enough when shown in such a stark manner, but when Claire's mother discovers a lump on her breast things get even worse. Through these notes we see her struggling to explain things to her daughter and get her own mind around what she's facing, and hear about Claire's worries and her attempts to make things better for her mum.

I hadn't expected the book to take this direction at all - I just thought it was a quirky little chick lit book, to be honest - but by the end I was sobbing into my breakfast and wanted to run out and give my mum a big squidge. Mum and I have always been so close that this situation would never happen to us, but perhaps that made it all the more heartbreaking for me to read, imagining how I would feel and how dreadful it would be if there was such a distance between us at such a critical time.

Definitely worth a read - quick, but a strong reminder about family and getting your priorities right. Brilliant. show less

I got this book as a surprise gift from the Harper Collins Facebook group. I kept reading good things about it on that group's postings so I took it with me this morning because I knew I would be finishing the book I was reading before the end of the day. Since I had a few bus rides and then a wait for a medical appointment I did finish my previous book and I started reading this. When I say that I finished it at lunchtime you might expect that it was a light fluffy read but it certainly was show more not light.

In a probably common scenario a teenage daughter and her single parent obstetrician mother communicate with each other by leaving notes on the refrigerator door. They rarely see each other but they do seem to eat fairly healthily judging by the items one asks the other to pick up at the grocery store. Then the mother tells the daughter (Claire, sometimes ClaireBear) that they have to make time to talk. After a few tries they get together and Claire learns her mother has a lump in her breast. At first it doesn't seem too serious and Claire is sure that broccoli and exercise will make her mother all better. Then chemotherapy and radiation have to be started and the mother is having to be looked after by Claire. Claire also starts a relationship with a boy during this time and then the boy breaks up with her. Just reading the notes from that period brought back the anguish of teenage love.

This sparely written little book packs a big wallop. I recommend it but it might not be the best read for someone diagnosed with cancer or who has a loved one who has been. show less

[I WAS PROVIDED WITH A PHYSICAL ARC IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW BY THE PUBLISHER]

Alice Kuipers is a new favorite author of mine, and I am determined to find out what she will be writing next.

It was no wonder that Me and Me was going to be an amazing book. The synopsis was a dead giveaway of that! However, I was shocked when I reached the ending, completely and utterly transfixed by everything that had occurred.

Lark (love that name!) is a character a lot of wish we could be; she's in a show more band as the lead singer and songwriter, is going out on a date with a crush, and seems to have a generally nice life. However, this all shifts during her date with Alec, when the little girl she used to babysit is face down in the water. Upon diving in with her, Alec hits his head and starts to drown.
She's got one choice to make, and she doesn't know which to choose.

This is when we are introduced to the dual perspectives. We have Lark chooses Alec, and we have Lark chooses Annabelle. Both options give her a fate that has good and bad turns, with plot twists galore.

"I turn back. I'm halfway between Annabelle and Alec. I have to save them."

You know how some quotes give you the feels? Yeah, that was this quote right here. Rip out my heart, why don't you!

I loved the characters in this book and how they developed. However, I felt some of them—Lucy, for example—were overlooked. And while I get that supporting characters usually don't get much of an appearance in books, I felt like, as Lark's best friend, she should have been in the story more than she was.

Other than that, the rest of the book was great. The plot flowed together nicely, and everything made sense. I loved how everything turned out in the end and would definitely read it again. I do suggest that you pick up this book if you haven't already.

I rate this book 4.5/5 stars. show less

Loved the idea of notes between a mother and daughter that encapsulate both the comings and goings of the household as well as the intimacies of the roller coaster relationship -- intense love and two hours later intense conflict. The author pulled this off seamlessly. Coming from my own single parent household, I felt she captured this dynamic quiet well and also honestly portray the light and vigor that makes a fifteen year old adolescent so special. As other reviews have intimated the show more author suggested that important conversations took place outside of the kitchen and the character reported what happened. As a reader, I felt jipted. It was as if the characters were discussing a five course meal and I was being fed table scraps. Further, the cancer story did not ring true to me. I have been an oncology social worker for over 20 years and there were moments that were missing from the story that I wished had been captured. The most toughing moment for me was that both mother and daughter wanted something from the other -- the daughter to know she was like her mom @ 15 and the mom to know that she was a "good mom". This was a good first novel. I would love to read her future book to see how she develops as a writer. show less