The Book of Tomorrow

I haven't read any other Cecelia Ahern novel, and I'm not sure I would have picked this up on my own, so I'm very happy I came across it on Goodreads some months ago. It was a great read!

I sense that it could take time for some readers to warm up to Tamara. She's selfish, self-centered, and she's rather foul-mouthed. However, I found myself enjoying her character quite early on. She did make me roll my eyes, and some of her antics are ridiculous, but she's full of personality and can be charming when she wants to be. As for the bad language, some may be easily offended, but I can be pretty vulgar myself so it was refreshing for me to find a character that makes use of obscenities.

After her father's death, Tamara and her mother move in show more with her uncle, Arthur, and his wife, Rosaleen. It was easy to step into Tamara's shoes and feel the absolute confinement of living with them. Not only is she leaving behind the home and the routines that she's used to, but Rosaleen practically breathes down her neck at every moment and tries to shut her off from her mom. I felt every frustration that Tamara did, as well as relished in any bit of freedom she had.

The supporting cast was very fleshed out and it was interesting to see how Tamara interacted with each of them. Sister Ignatius was especially a pleasant surprise! Having gone to Catholic school for most of my education, I became familiar with a few nuns and I liked the fact that Sister Ignatius was similar to them; she didn't follow any kind of stereotypes. Instead, she was multi-dimensional and shared a very enjoyable rapport with Tamara.

The conclusion of the story packs a punch! Somewhere along the way, the story turned its attention to its mystery and it all unfolded in an unexpected way, completely taking me by surprise. It was a very satisfying conclusion, though, and gives Tamara a larger sense of identity.

The Book of Tomorrow was a very enchanting read with the right amount of humor, mystery, magic, and a little bit of romance thrown in. It was a nice change of pace from my usual reads! show less

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern. Saying she is one of my favorite authors is an understatement. She has the awesome ability to write for the heart and she definitely delivered in this novel. Ms. Ahern captivated my attention from the very beginning. She also completely surprised me.

For starters, I wasn’t expecting to like Tamara as much as I did. She starts off as a self-proclaimed spoiled brat and yes, she totally acted like one. But after a tragedy she could never imagined takes place, she is forced to look at her selfish ways and change. Everything. With the help of a fascinating cast of characters and a magic diary, Tamara goes on the adventure of her life without leaving the show more tiny village with its very own decrepit castle. Right away Tamara finds a kindred soul in this castle, it’s as beat up and broken as she is.

I really enjoyed all the characters, especially Arthur, Tamara’s uncle. You can tell how much he loved Tamara, how his silence was there to protect her more than anything else. I loved her creepy Aunt Rosaleen and the way she was like a ghost, always watching. And that’s what started my wheels turning. I can’t remember the last time I was genuinely surprised at an ending in a novel. I didn’t see it coming at all. Ms. Ahern didn’t give anything away, all things were discovered to us along with Tamara.

The other character that I wholly loved (pun intended) was Sister Ignatius. I have this odd fascination with nuns. My favorite calendar is my Nuns Having Fun calendar. On my desk at work I have Nun-chucks and Nun Bowling. I have a newspaper clipping of a sneaker wearing nun playing softball hanging in my closet. Yes, I’m odd and I’ll admit, maybe it’s more of an addiction than a fascination. Sister Ignatius is exactly the kind of nun I would be if I ever was a nun. She’s an artistic, funny, smut novel reading awesome creation. She was the perfect friend for Tamara in her new life.

I loved this novel so much because it made me think of my own book of tomorrow. I made me wonder what I would do. Actually I wouldn’t have to wonder at all, I know I would open that thing in a heartbeat. I would want to know what was going to happen to me. I’d rather have regrets for things I did than things I didn’t do. Plus, it’s a great way to stay out of trouble.

I loved the idea of Tamara knowing what her future held. It’s like receiving a cheat sheet on life. I loved that she had the ability to either keep it that way or change it. I loved that what I thought was going to happen, didn’t, that it was better than I could ever imagine. Most of all, I loved watching Tamara change, watching her mature. Ms. Ahern did a wonderful job of maturing Tamara without changing the core of who she is.

Now go. Go on and get your very own copy of The Book of Tomorrow. You can’t borrow mine. show less

THE BOOK OF TOMORROW, by Cecelia Ahearn, is an unexpected surprise in this book about a book that tells the future of one sixteen year old girl who has recently moved with her mother into her aunt and uncle's home. Tamara Goodwin is a selfish and snotty teen who is forced to leave her lap of luxury and friends behind when her father commits suicide. She fills her summer with exploring the area around her aunt's home and the castle that resides there. She comes across a book in a traveling library that is blank until one day she finds the pages filled with her writing, dated the next day. She uses the diary to alter her future while uncovering a massive secret that turns her world upside down.

This was an AMAZING novel. I wasn't sure show more where it was going from the start but once I got into it I found myself not being able to put it down for one second. Days later this book is still on my mind. Tamara was a brat but I liked getting into her head. She knew a lot of things she said and did were wrong but she did them anyway. She was not used to dealing with consequences until she read her own thoughts from the future, realizing how she actually sounded (which was regretful most of the time).

The relationships in this book seemed one-dimentional until you got to the root of the characters. Stunned....is a word that I can't help but repeat when I think about this book. All of the characters are wrapped up in a lie that spanned over a decade and the reveal is just incredible and jaw-dropping. Ahearn has definitely done it again and re-solidified my love for her writing.

This book is relevant to those in their teens and higher, taking you on a journey that will leave you utterly stunned. You think this is just a book about a journal...think again...this is so much more than the diary entries, I highly suggest you read it! show less

When Tamara’s father commits suicide it renders her mother incapable of much. He also rendered their accounts in the red and the bank took the house in debt payment. They must break down their treasures and move from Dublin to the miniscule house owned by Arthur and Rosaleen, Jennifer’s relations in the country.
Things are odd and become odder as the novel reveals that there is much to be learned in the hills of Ireland. Tamara, a spoiled brat who is NOT happy with her current situation sets out to try to find things to do and to especially annoy Rosaleen who couldn’t be nice if she was given a million dollars. Arthur seems well meaning but basically has not clue as to the depths of Rosaleen’s thoughts.
Then comes a traveling show more library and Tamara notices a huge book, locked in fact and she must check it out. After getting it open she is amazed to see blank pages! But she doesn’t really want to write her thoughts down as it’s too depressing. She needn’t worry – in the morning when she opens the book the day’s activities are already accounted for. Before they happen.
I didn’t like this story at first, I wanted to pop Tamara and tell her to get a grip but, after putting it aside for a couple of days - Oh my! I fell in love with this book and did not want to put it down (alas, work intervened!). Excellent writing, above excellent plot and a cast of characters to love, hate and like. What could be better? show less

Tamara Goodwin has it all…or rather had before her life took an unexpected detour to “I-wish-I-wasn’t-here”-ville. Living the life with family and friends, her days were spent in school, but her nights and weekends were for partying, jet setting, and living it up on the town until one day all the glitz and the glamour fell away to reveal a frightening truth that would shake her world to its core. It seems that while everything on the surface looked ordinary, trouble was brewing dark and deep, in this case…money trouble. Her father did his best to take care of it all but when things finally got the best of him; he sought the only exit he could see before it all came tumbling down around them.

His rash actions did not leave show more behind the intended results as his widow and child were now forced from their (non) humble abode and into the waiting arms of Arthur and Rosaleen Byrne…her mother’s brother and his wife. But things are not always what they seem, my dear friends as Tamara is soon to discover. Though the grounds are majestic, the house quaint, and the hospitality welcoming, she can sense an undercurrent of secrets and lies….just what or whom they are about though is anyone’s guess or at least it was until a certain book came into her life. This wasn’t just any book though; this was a journal and it held a special magic all its own. The question is will Tamara discover the secrets it truly holds before it’s too late?

What to say about this one without giving away the story! To put it simply...it was AWESOME. When I saw this title being promoted, I was immediately taken aback by the cover art. It’s not that there is something dramatic going on or a dizzying amount of patterns to contend with; it’s the simple beauty that speaks to the ever curious soul. Toted as Fiction but would be just as at home on the Young Adult shelf (and with readers of the genre) seeing as how our lead character is a young lady of sixteen years.

Aside from the beautiful descriptions of time and place that draw forth images AND emotion in one sweep of the eyes, the characters are completely tangible. Tamara was the snarky little sixteen year old feeling like a duck out of water due to her family’s quick move and change in lifestyle…not to mention the death of her father...always looking for something more. Her mother, though seemingly lost in her own mind, has her moments of lucidity but instead of them being reassuring, they just add to the already heightened sense you have that something is not quite right. Arthur and Rosaleen mean well though their stability is questionable and both of our young male love interests are written as half delinquent, half prince (Marcus and Weseley). Together they make an unusual family portrait to be certain but a family of sorts nonetheless based on their connections to each other through blood and acquaintance.

For as much beauty as there is though, there’s also plenty of mystery, secrets dark and buried deep, and...humor. No really...in the strangest of places you’ll happen upon a passage that you just can’t help but smile, laugh, or downright guffaw at. I could literally quote at least one passage from each chapter and it would never get old…though I won’t to save you the trouble of reading it here and then once again in the actual book.

In the end, I believe it’s clear...I LOVED this book. It was surprising and beautiful in all the right ways and I can’t recommend it enough. There is one warning that I will pass on to you readers, the last chapters are a DOOZY. There is so much to absorb you may find yourself rereading a section or two, but don’t worry...it ties everything together quite nicely. Trust me. Happy reading! show less

This review and others can be seen on my blog: http://bookworm-meags222.blogspot.com

I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley but then I realized I had actually already purchased this at the bookstore. I guess this book was released in Canada the same time as it was released overseas and it is now being released in America in January. To be honest I have mixed feelings about Ahern. I first started reading her books because I saw P.S. I Love You in the theatre and loved it. I didn't read that book because I have a thing about reading books after you've seen the movie. I know that the majority of the time the book is better than the film but I just feel like after you've seen the movie that you already know the main plot points and it's show more difficult to stay interested in the book. Anyhow, that's a different thing altogether and what I'm really getting at is that I enjoy some Ahern books while I really dislike others. I wasn't a huge fan of Where Rainbows end but I did really like Thanks for the Memories so when I saw The Book of Tomorrow I thought I'd try another Ahern novel. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this book. The novel is told in the point of view of a teenage girl, Tamara, who lived a privileged life but when her father commits suicide due to financial stress things begin to fall apart. Tamara is forced to move to the country with her aunt and uncle and her mother seems almost catatonic in a depressive state. Tamara meets many people along the way and she also comes across a diary that writes entries about her life a few days before they happen. Through the diary Tamara begins to change from a spoiled, rude teen to a more understanding, compassionate young woman. I have to admit that Ahern's writing style really drew me into the book and that has not always been the case when I have read her novels. During the first few chapters of the book I came across a few lines that made me laugh out loud. They are as follows:

"I think there should be the Real Life Oscars. And Best Actress goes to Alison Flanaghan! For walking down the main aisle of the supermarket just last Monday, face in full make-up, hair freshly blow-dried, despite feeling like wanting to die, smiling brightly to Sarah and Deirdre from the Parents' Association and behaving as if her husband hadn't just left her and her three children. Come up and get your award, Alison!"

This continues for a bit but you get point. The character has a lot of spunk and while she can be downright rude and at times I found myself wanting to yell at her,I also found that I couldn't help but feel bad for her. She had no outlet to display or talk about her grief and mourning. She has also been completely uprooted and placed in a place so unlike home. I have to say that I was really shocked with the ending of this novel. While you know that Tamara's aunt Rosalie is acting suspiciously I would never have guessed the ending of this book. I finished reading this book this evening and I couldn't put it down. I love reading in the bath and by the time I got out tonight, the water was freezing cold but the book was finished. Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5. I usually don't publish these reviews this far in advance of the publishing date but as I stated earlier this book is already out in Canada and so I am publishing this post tonight. show less

What would you do if you found a book that, in your own writing, told you what tomorrow held? Would you change it? Would you just muddle on to see if the book was right?

Cecelia Ahern explores this idea in a YA novel that combines magic with mystery, and a lot of growing up. Tamara Goodwin goes from riches to rags, and along the way finds some humanity. I picked this up getting Ahern confused with another writer, but ended up being pleasantly not disappointed in reading the tale. I particularly liked the last chapter's title "what we have learned today." Sometimes, a summary like that would be helpful for me, in my life, I think.