Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman

Hey Everyone!
Once again, it's been a while, but I guess that is what happens when you've got four jobs, plus school, plus relationships and a social life to uphold :).  But anyway, FINALLY finished Gayle Forman's latest release Just One Year, the sequel to earlier this year's release Just One Day.

From Goodreads:



Just One Day. Just One Year. Just One Read.

Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began....


When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.


My Thoughts:

I don't know how she does it, but Gayle Forman has once again made another great young adult novel with that realistic feeling of heart break in it!  Willem is back!  This time it's his story to tell, but it starts the day after him and Lulu separated.

This book is the story of Willem's journey over the course of one year, after he met Lulu, the girl that changed everything in his life.

Willem does a lot of growing up, you learn a lot about him and his personal life; something that Lulu never truly got to see over that one amazing day they spent together.

While about 99% of the time I would say it is impossible to have these strong feelings for someone after only spending one day with someone, and still not knowing their real name, plus not knowing truly anything personal about the person; Gayle Forman has produced a novel that makes it feel authentic and possible for love at first appearance...or possibly love at first meet?

Anyway...overall rating:


While I absolutely adored this one, I will admit I enjoyed Just One Day, just a tad more.  Possibly because Willem and Lulu have this amazing adventure over the course of less than 36 hours.  While Just One Day, had a lot of serious elements to it, Just One Year took that even further.  Learning about Willem and getting into his head was really interesting and I truly enjoyed that.
I loved it, but something about it just didn't keep floored while reading it.  I took breaks in between from reading, maybe because I've been very busy, but somehow I think because I was hoping for just a little more.
I still give it Four Bookies, because it truly was a beautiful read, containing different cultures, a picture of Europe through a traveler and natives eyes, and that raw realistic feeling that sometimes is just needed to tell a truly beautiful story.

I highly recommend this one and the first companion to the series.  It's a great read, and will keep you on your toes wanting to know more and more...especially the question all us Gayle Forman fans have been waiting to have answered..."Will Willem and Lulu find their happily ever after?"

Find out!

If you haven't read Just One Day, you can get your copy either on Amazon or Barnes and Noble! Or if you have and still need to get your hands on the sequel, then you can get Just One Year either on Amazon or Barnes and Noble! :)

The Romance Bookie :)

Comments

  1. I haven't read either, but I love her books! Hoping to read them sometime soon. I just finished a book called The Theory of Opposites that I loved, though, going to give it 5/5 stars. :)

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