{book report} the geography of you and me & paris letters

I’m changing the format of my book reports. The once-a-month book reports were getting too long  and by the time I sit down and write about the books, I’ve forgotten my review already.  I’ll be posting the book reports in real time, so that they will be fresh in my mind.  I’ll post as soon as I read a couple of books.

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The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith (4 stars)

– This author was recommended to me and this is the first book I’ve read from her. This is a YA novel. A blackout in New York City brings together two teenagers in this romantic novel. They spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. They both move away and their relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, and emails. The story takes place in different cities/countries, loved how each place was described very well and I can imagine each place very well. It left me with a feeling of wanderlust and I hope to visit the places mentioned in the book.

I wished the story continued a little bit more so I can read about the characters after the book ended. I read this while I was on a cruise and it was a light and fun read. I kept chugging along hoping to find out what happens next. I’ll be looking for more books from this author. The characters were believable and I loved the idea of old school communication of writing a postcard.

Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod (4 stars)

Unfulfilled at her job and unsuccessful in her dating life, Janice doodled this question “How much money does it take to change your life?” at her desk. Then she decided to make it a challenge. In a span of a year, with a little math and a lot of determination, she saved up enough to buy two years of freedom in Europe. But she had only been in Paris for a few days when she met a handsome butcher and never went home again.

I enjoyed the “find yourself in a foreign country” part of the story in this book. It’s not too serious, lots of helpful tips about saving and also enjoyed the story of romance and realistic take on having a foreign boyfriend in a foreign land. Some parts didn’t feel realistic to me but it was a fun read. I love reading about these kind of journey, about taking a scary leap in making your dreams come true. Stories like these are so motivating, not because I want to do it myself, but because I commend people/characters who are passionate about something and doing things to make that passion happen.

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What are you currently reading? How’s your summer book list coming along?