Joint Audio Discussion: Still me - Jojo Moyes

Hello all! Carole and I will be discussing "Still Me" by Jojo Moyes. I am in black and Carole in purple/

Author: Jojo Moyes

Narrator: Anna Acton

Title: Still Me (Me Before You #3)

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Pages: Audiobook

Published: January 30th 2018 

Where I Got It: library

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She steps into the world of the superrich, working for Leonard Gopnik and his much younger second wife, Agnes. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her new job and New York life. 

As she begins to mix in New York high society, Lou meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. Before long, Lou finds herself torn between Fifth Avenue where she works and the treasure-filled vintage clothing store where she actually feels at home. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself: Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?

Funny, romantic, and poignant, Still Me follows Lou as she navigates how to stay true to herself, while pushing to live boldly in her brave new world.

This was my favorite Moyes so far, and that is saying much since I got so pissed at it too ;) But the previous book was just soooo dreadful. And I did like that this was audio for me, book 2 was print and book 1 was movie. Pretty cool.

Yesss the 2nd book was so bad. This was my 2nd favorite of the series. Book 1 will always hold a special place in my heart. It was so sad. This one was good but I did not cry. I did feel for Lou. I feel like she always gets bad luck!

It is starting to feel like MOyes is milking this too much, and I do hope this was the end...wait no I don’t. Cos of that thing you know. But I liked this one because it felt more relaxed. Just a girl in the city.

I am curious to see if there is another one. She left it a little open-ended. What is next? Or will she leave it to us to decide. And I know what I want to happen. Not THAT. I am so angry that Lou just let him come back. No. 

She gave us a happy little ending, with more that could come. Making it in the city. But yes, I was pissed. Sam is not right for Lou. I hated it. F grand gestures. No, why did Moyes have to go and do that. It did ruin the book for me.

I adored Sam in book 2 and the beginning of book 3. But he F’ed up and I loathe him. Lou deserves better. He needed to really do more than that. He needed to really do a lot and sure that “grand gesture” is a nice beginning, but I would make him earn me. And I would still probably tell him no after all of that. LOL

Some things can not be forgiven. And her other guy, sigh, Josh was so nice in the beginning, but then suddenly he was a jerk. Like I said to you I did feel the author changed that too quickly. We should have seen something from the start and not make him into an arsehole all the sudden. So that she could get her other man

It was all of a sudden. I can see if it had been a few months and then he starts having enough of Lou’s weirdo-ness. I am bummed but we should’ve known better. He looked like Will but he is not Will whatsoever. Will would’ve kicked his butt. 

I am finding it hard to discuss this book. It was really good one, I enjoyed it, but other than the men and Agnes, fu Agnes! I do not have a lot to say. As for the Agnes thing, I would not have been that nice, I would have taken her down with me.

It is SOOOOOO hard to not give away spoilers. So mannnyyyy of them. And yes F Agnes too. I felt bad for her at the beginning, but she just used Lou. I would’ve easily tossed her under the bus. No, I will not take that graciously. But maybe that makes Lou better than us. I am glad it happened though, because I am glad we got to learn more about the old lady. I actually ended up loving her and that little Pug. Super cute!

Haha, the pug with the shifty eyes, yes he was a darling...after a while,and the old lady too. Agnes, I got her, but at the same time as she was so supposedly in love she did that. But I guess all is forgiven in love in this book.

I do wish that the author gave us more of a conclusion with that whole story. Because that is a huge thing to lie about. I am curious. 

I do want to know. And I do not know why he did not just sent Elaria to work for his wife. She kept calling Agnes a whore, i mean that is not cool. The household would sure have been happier.

He was just blind to it all. I would not be cool with a person working for me calling my BF names. And that daughter? No….she needed a slap in the face. A little snot, but realistic. That happens all the time. It is more common for a step child to hate the new, young bride/husband. Especially if they were older when the parents break up. 

Still, you are 24. Get a job and shut up. I get being resentful, but I do feel these two could have been happy if everyone hadn’t been a dick about it.

Right??? I am glad that she was finally put in her place. She was a little beyotch. Like I said...I felt bad for Agnus...but then she did what she did and I was pissed. Not cool. Sure things worked out, but I can’t imagine doing that to one of my friends. 

Right! Not cool Agnes.

Ok so the narrator whose name I do not remember did a great job. I really felt like I liked the story more cos of her.

I adored the narrator. I loved all of her accents. So fun!

Would I have liked the print as much...doubtful. A good narrator makes everything so much better :)

Mhmmm I am not sure. I think I would’ve liked the story, but the narrator for sure added more to it so it made me like it better. She was the perfect Lou. 

SO even with that THING, I felt the book was really good. I wanted to know what would happen to Lou and I liked the narrator. I call that a success, hehe ;)

I am glad we decided to read this. I know we were both unsure because of how BAD book 2 was. I’m happy with this choice. The story was really good even though Sam and Agnus were aholes. But it does give us a reminder that life is not fair and Lou has bad luck. I miss Will D: 

A good solid choice. Yay. That means the next one will probably suck. Is it your turn?

It is your turn m’am. ;) But yes, I am pleasantly surprised with this pick. I was worried because the last book was good too. Two good, solid picks??????? Makes me worried for December’s choice!

I kind of want to go xmsssy but that is doomed to fail

That sounds like a good plan, but knowing our luck it will fail. Hahahaha

The end! I need to take in S and wake her.

Okay! I am helping Gma move today. Ugh. It is soooo cold out there. 

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Discussion: After you - Jojo Moyes

Happy end of October everyone! This week Carole and I are discussing, "After You" by Jojo Moyes. 

Author: Jojo Moyes

Title: After You (Me Before You #2)

Genre: Fiction and Romance

Pages: 353

First Published: September 2015

Where I Got It: My Shelf (Bought from Grocery store - totally on sale)

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings.

**FOREWARNING - THERE MAYBE A COUPLE WEE SPOILERS ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST ONE**

B: I need to rant first. See, someone was holding on to the English version and I had to borrow the Swedish translation. God! Blergh. Translation rant!

When you translate a book you can’t just directly translate things, well at least not in literature, and this book was badly done. Of course I could be wrong and the book itself could be really bad, but the thing here was language. First it sounded like a 80 year old tried to be cool, when everyone spoke! One word I yelled out to bf and he laughed, it sure was not a word anyone has used in ages. So many sentences and words made me cringe, and conversations that are totally normal should not make you cringe. One word I even had to check the definition of! I have never ever heard anyone use it in rl, tv, books, never! There were other normal definitions of that word that people would use 100% of the time. I mean honestly!

But that was not all. All conversations sounded like the same person spoke. The language was stilted, the nuances lost. I am not saying I am a translator (sure I did take classes in uni, but not in literary translation). But I know literature, I have read amazing English books translated from other languages, books whose language sang. Here it was grey and lifeless. The whole book lost its meaning cos all I thought of was the language. And that is why as soon as I knew enough English I started to read in English. Because I have read too many books like this. Especially fantasy books, those all sounded like they were made for 10 year olds. I could write pages about this, but let’s talk about the story and see what Carole thought. It might just be that the book sucked ass.

C: Holy rant! I’m sorry the translation sucked!!! But the story wasn’t too bad. It was a little rough at the beginning...it felt like the author hadn’t written in a while and was getting back on her feet. But after a while she found her baring and I was hooked.

B: Oh, I was never hooked :/ I just could not get over the language and nitpicked everything. I would def have dnfed this stupid translation, but read it to the end.

C: Oh no! I thought the story was decent. Nothing compared to the first one, but it was interesting. I’m really upset about the road Lou took. Sure...nothing is ever perfect, but she really fell off the wagon of what Will wanted for her. :(

B: The feel of the movie was gone for me, here I just wondered how she could have been in love that fast. Also she really went, not crazy, but honestly girl! You effed up your life. Bohoo, you are sad, but think of Will! She was a mess.

C: Yes and that pissed me off. AT the end of the last book she was happy and ready to take the world by storm in honor of Will. But no - this was annoying. I wanted to punch her. I felt like everything was stripped away and she was nothing. The character was destroyed….she didn’t wear her funky outfits until near the end. Ugh...and I hated Lily. Like - the character was okay - but I freakin’ hated her role in the story and who she was to Will. Like...why? Ugh.

B: It felt like the author wanted some easy cash and wrote a book and just made her sad again so she would have a book. And yes Lily felt unnecessary. Also if her mother had told her, why not check them out sooner, why on earth go for Lou? Also Lou, you are not a social worker, that kid needed help.

C: Completely agree. I think it would have been more entertaining if the author kept Lou happy and then Lily came out of nowhere. However, I did like the story with Sam. Sam was a sweetie.

B: Sam was ok, I did not feel any sparks, but hey that could have been the translation and everyone having the same voice

C: Maybe, but I didn’t feel any sparks for the vast majority of the book, because Lou was sooooooooooooo miserable all of the time. Why would Sam stay? She treated him like dirt! I felt so bad. He was legit so nice to her and did all that for her. But Lou is still obsessed with Will (which whatever) and how could Sam want to stay? I just don’t get and I don’t think it’s realistic at all. The vast majority of this book was not realistic and it frustrated me. However, I was hooked, because it was like a car accident….you can’t help but move forward and watch in curiosity!

B: Lol, well those wrecks are fun to watch, and maybe I could have felt like that too. Sigh. But yes, honestly Sam, you should have run way. Also I so did not get the end….oh and the whole Lily thing, you know, the thing, helllo! Call real people, if you get what I mean

C: Oh! Don’t forget the slutty red-head secretary that Will’s dad left the mom for. Big check there. This was SUCH a soap opera. I feel it really went off track from the first one. This...was a wreck.

B: LOL yeah. No...the whole Lily thing should have been dealt with differently. Her mom and stepdad should have child services called on them, because they are TERRIBLE parents. The mom was a total beeeee-word. With that parenting style and the way they treated her, DUH she was going to grow up to be a mess and want nothing to do with them.

B: What else could we talk about, hmmm, miserable Lou, strange Lily, not coping and moving on. Check. Bad parents, check. Nice guy being all nice, check…

B: I hope they do not make a movie. What a depressing mess that would be.

C: 100% agree. If they do make it, I’ll probably watch it because I am one for self-torture. I think we should put a “possible spoiler” at the beginning ;) I’m so bummed that this not nearly as good as the first one. That one was awesome, this? Wreck.

B: I do not even know how to rate it, dang, I wish I had read it in English :/

C: I think the story would’ve been better in English and the characters’ convos better, but the whole plot and layout would not have changed I think.

B: Thanks, but no thanks, I do not want to take the risk.

B: True, but at least I could have enjoyed the story, and thought if it as a train wreck then ;) C: Hahaha, maybe track down an English version or I can send you mine because I will not be re-reading it. xD C: Alriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight whatever you say ;). Anything you want to add??

C: May the Book Gods be with you!

B: I am good, translations suck! ;) Whose turn next? C: Yours? IDK honestly. LOL XD B: Omg, I will TRY AND PICK SOMETHING GOOD!

Joint Discussion of book and movie: Me Before You

This month we are shaking it up a bit! It is a battle of BOOK VS MOVIE! *cue the dundundaaa music* We decided to check out 'Me Before You'. I watched the movie and Carole read the book. 

Author: Jojo Moyes 

Title: Me Before You (Me Before You #1)

Genre: Romance & Fiction

Pages: ebook

First Published: January 5th 2012

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Length: 1h 50 min

Released:  June 2016

Genre: Romance

Rating: PG-13

Where I Got It: Seen at the Theaters

A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of.

TRAILER:

C: So...the movie. What did you think about the cast they had? 

B: Well, the guy in the wheelchair did not do much really. GoT blondie was superhappy all the time, hey even I can play superhappy ;) Neville Longbottom was HAWT. Damn. Oh wait...yes it worked, good cast.

C: Mhmmmm he did grow up hot. I was worried about him, but he did do a turn around. He played the boyfriend, Pat, right? Was he an ahole like he was in the book?

B: I would not say he was an ahole in the movie. He was just reeeeeeally focused on his running.

C: What about Lou? How was she portrayed? Was she awkward and have a crazy wardrobe? 

B: Such a crazy wardrobe, though some things were cute, some things were sooooo ugly. But she was awkward, happy and clumsy.

C: Now...Will. What about him? While reading I had a very distinct picture in my head. Was he sarcastic and brunette? I honestly pictures James Franco as him. LOLLL I’m not sure who they even casted as the actor. 

B: Sam Caflin? He was sad, stared out his window, he did not want her there, but hey I got that. He is stuck in that thing and can’t even lift a finger. He was depressed. I just felt sorry for him. Also...I remember him as blond? Now I have to check that.

C: Honestly...you can’t blame him for being depressed! I would be absolutely miserable. So, in the film, he was completely unable to move? In the book he could move his head and neck a bit. One arm he could move his fingers and wrist. 

B: Oh he was a brunette, my bad ;) But his head a little yes, but that was it…

C: Interesting that they made that change! In the book he just couldn’t move the forearm, arm part, so he had to be fed still. I wonder why they did that? Easier in away instead of trying to explain it. Make it sadder? Mhmm. Even though it didn’t need to be sadder. >__>

B: I guess it was easier that he could not move anything, and never would be able to. Sad, depressing, and a movie that made me cry. Sigh, I hate crying movies. How was the book with the crying bit? Gods, it hit me hard in the movie.

C: I was fine until the last part of the last chapter and the epilogue. The rest of the book I had hope. DAMMIT HOPE! But there was until the end and then I cried like a baby. I do have an essential question…..did they include the scene with the tattoos??????? I feel that was essential even  though it was like 4 pages. 

B: I do not really have an idea what you are talking about...so no.

C: Gah. :/ Maybe it’s going to be a deleted scene. Sighssssss. 

B: Now I want to know! But yes I guess they cut a lot.

C: In book exclusive. ;D It was depressingly funny. That is all I will say. But yes, the book was in the POV of Lou. There were a couple of chapters where they branched off and did a few pages of Will’s dad’s and then Lou’s sister. OH! They did a couple of pages of Nathan’s too, which I liked. 

B: Just here POV here, I would have liked his but I am sure that would have been painfully depressing. His dad and mum had as much screen time, and her sister was only there for Lou to talk with.

C: Seems about right. Will’s parents had some good “book time” too. Especially the mom. Will’s sister made a couple of appearances, but she was nonessential in my opinion. She was a pain and not very helpful in ANYTHING. Selfish brode. Same with Lou’s sister. I didn’t like her. She was selfish and she was helpful once in a while to Lou, but she was a brat overall. 

B: I am sorry...he had a sister? Not here, that is why it was so sad. Their only child paralysed and depressed. This really was Lou’s movie, her pain, which was kind of bad, others were sad too.

C: Yes, yes. In the book he had a sister Georgiana (spell?). However, he might as well had been a single child. Woman moved to Australia and was “too busy” to visit. She came like twice to see him. But yes, the same in book, it was Lou’s book. At first I was annoyed with her, but I did end up liking her and feeling bad. She liked him alot and she really wanted to help. 

B: I felt she was not that smart, she got really surprised to hear that he would never walk again (or at least be better in some areas). Omg, that is what the name means. Silly woman.

C: Yeaaaaa Lou wasn’t the brightest of the bright. However, I think that was part of her charm. She was probably book smart in school, but she is naive. I’m glad she had some flaws. Made me like her. I think that is why Will liked her too in the end. He had the “perfect” girlfriend and see how that ended up???? Poor Will. 

B: In the movie I saw it another way, he had clearly chased her away, and I could understand her leaving. Who would want to stay with someone who does not want to talk to you. It must have been heartbreaking for her too. But yes he was sad about it, but I also think he did it cos he knew they could have no future. It was wrong towards her.

C: Maybe in the movie the ex tried harder. But from what it sounded like in the book, she tried for a couple of months and then booked it. LIKE LADY! He JUST became this way….he needs time. And then she found comfort with his ex bestie. Way to add salt to the wound. There wasn’t another dude you could have been with? Why the bestie? >_< 

B: Here I just assumed they find comfort with each other. It was never said how they broke up. I just got the feeling cos that is how he was towards everyone else.

C: He was an arse to everyone in the book too. But the ex left only after a couple of months. I would have stuck around and told him to shut up. LOL But now….the ending. Without spoilers...was it what you expected?

B: Sort of yes...that is all I am saying. I just did not expect such a sad ending. A heartbreaking ending. I really do not know what I hoped for.

C: Same. I had hope, but a part of me knew there was little to zero hope. It did not end how I thought. Poor Lou. I do want to see if she does push forward and do what Will asked her to do. 

B: She brought it on herself, she was awfully naive about everything. But I can not blame her.

C: You can’t help who you fall for. Honestly, Will helped her become a stronger and more bold young lady. Helped her realize dreams and all that. The title fits and now I understand it. 

B: It does fit...sad sad sad. Who would not cry watching this movie or reading the book.

C: Heartless creatures would not! At least a single tear is required! I do want to watch the movie pretty badly. The book was AMAZING! The beginning was a wee slow, but after she meets Will it became addicting. I had to read forward. I’m honestly giving the book a 5. What about the movie??

B: Eh, a 3. It was good, but it was not amazing or anything. A 3 is good :) You know me. I would not read the book, I can not go back. But if I read a book I can watch the movie but not the other way around.

C: I’m the same sometimes. However, I do recommend the book. The book was really good. LOL. 

B: I do wonder...damn library for only having one copy. That is evil. I wonder how the audio is since none of us did that.

C: I listened to some of the audio….but it wasn’t moving fast enough for me, so I shut it off and read the book. LOL No patience, that is why it is rare for me to listen to the audio. xD

B: Aha, interesting. Good to know.

C: :D So...any more questions, thoughts, concerns, or mentions? I’m out of coffee D:

B: Not really. It was a good movie. But be prepared to cry, so have tissues nearby.

C: Same with the book. Tissues and a long night...you will not stop reading x_x

B: What next then? I believe it is my turn. No crying book this time ;)

C: LOL yes. No sad book. It is your turn. I do apologize for making you cry ;D Maybe a comedy….or romance or actiony. LOL All you girl!

B: At least I have seen it now, since everyone have been talking about it.

C: Yup! I read it...now I have to see it. The end?

B: Omg, wait, there is a book 2?!

C: Maybe it is a continuation of Lou’s story?????!!!!! *looking it up*

B: It is called After you. Her story continues......

C: Right. Yes. I knew about it. But I didn’t know, know. LOL Yes. It continues on with Lou and her life after. I need to read it. 

B: Interesting...the library does have one English copy….maybe we should do this for next month?

C: I’m fine with it. :D Or do we want to do a different book for Sept and save that October? Maybe give you time to read the first one. Hehehehe

B: Sure, i will keep an eye out for it (someone had it). The end :D