Member Reviews
I'm sorry but this book really wasn't for me .Just couldn't get on with reading all the emails,it was cleverly done and would probably appeal to younger readers but sadly not my genre at all
A moving, emotional book. It deals with the aftermath of a life cut short far too soon, and the confusion of grief that ensues. Rather lovely.
This was an emotional book for me but still made me smile and laugh. A good book for these autumnal nights
Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.
After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.
I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.
I was a little nervous to pick up this story as I thought it may be sad but I was so wrong. I loved it !
The story unfolded over a series of emails, texts and blog posts.This totally worked and I loved the format! I read a majority of this book in one sitting because I needed to keep turning the page.Would highly recommend!
I found this a very difficult and emotional book to read. Unfortunately, I could not finish it, in part because of the way it was written.
I found the format in which this was written really difficult. The bits where the emails, messages and blog posts just annoyed me more than anything but the humour and the message that the book is trying to get across made me continue to read.
After Iris Massey passes away from cancer at 33, her old boss Smith, discovers that she'd written a blog documenting the last six months of her life. Iris wanted it published after her death, but her sister - Jade - is not convinced.
The story is told in the format of blogs, messages, emails and documents, which allow the characters to speak for themselves and strip the novel of narration in it's traditional sense. For me, this worked - although as a couple of others have pointed out, there could have been stronger characterisation and differentiation between the different voices. Given the nature of the story, it is fitting that we only have the snapshots of Iris that she had chosen to leave behind - we, the readers, discover things in real time alongside Smith.
Generally, the topic of grief and being left behind and the endless wishing to have had one more conversation with someone before they died is handled sensitively. There are touching moments, but on the whole this is not a depressing book - partly down to Iris' optimism, partly down to the bit-character, Carl the Intern, who is provided for some comic relief, and partly because the story is so stripped down to these messages.
There are parts where some more narration and fleshing out could have helped the story. Narration could have been weaved in around all the messages to support what was being said a little, or fill in a couple of gaps to make the whole book feel a little more satisfactory and rounded.
However, on balance, it's a good (if quick) read and I would recommend.
Warm, funny, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting, I read it in one sitting and enjoyed every minute.
This is a beautiful story told through emails, blog entries and notes. It allows us to see how there can life after death and the death of a loved one can bring two strangers together. I loved reading this book and devoured it a lightning speed although I did not want it to end.
Great story! With protagonists that you can connect with! If you’re looking for a book to take you away at a weekend. This is the one!
Flew through this book in one day. It was so beautifully told and I loved the mixed media way of it being written. I loved the story and even thought all the supporting characters (including the annoying intern) really helped pull the story together and look at the way we all deal with grief and life.
Iris Massey is gone. But she's left something behind.
For four years, Iris Massey worked side by side with PR maven Smith Simonyi, helping clients perfect their brands. But Iris has died, taken by terminal illness at only thirty-three. Adrift without his friend and colleague, Smith is surprised to discover that in her last six months, Iris created a blog filled with sharp and often funny musings on the end of a life not quite fulfilled. She also made one final request: for Smith to get her posts published as a book. With the help of his charmingly eager, if overbearingly forthright, new intern Carl, Smith tackles the task of fulfilling Iris's last wish.
Before he can do so, though, he must get the approval of Iris's big sister Jade, an haute cuisine chef who's been knocked sideways by her loss. Each carrying their own baggage, Smith and Jade end up on a collision course with their own unresolved pasts and with each other.
The format of this book took some getting used to – it’s done in emails and text messages. I also got a bit confused with who was who. But once I got into how it was set out I enjoyed this book. 3.5*
Flew through this over the weekend. Made me laugh and cry (and the annoying intern made me want to punch my phone). Lovely.
I look forward to reading this book when I read the introduction, but found it did not quite hit the mark. For me, the short emails and text messages made it difficult to assimilate and I found the storyline didn’t flow so well. I understand that the content of the book was serious but I cannot say I enjoyed it.
I was really intrigued about this book when I read the description - Iris Massey has died and she was only 33. Unbeknown to her close friends, colleagues and family, she had been writing a blog throughout her illness, and her expressed wish is to have it published after her death. That task falls to her manager at work, Smith, and his rather annoying new intern, Carl. The story develops through emails and messages, which is an interesting device to use.
I quite enjoyed this book because it felt relatively short - the messages are often quick notes and it kept the story moving quickly. There is a little too much clumsy exposition at the beginning, but it's quite difficult to get the reader involved with the story if there's not a certain amount of over-explaining done.
The characters are well developed but there isn't a massive amount of variation in the different 'voices' through the messages - everyone seems to write in a similar style. It would have been nice if each character had their own distinctive way of writing.
It's a heavy topic but this is a surprisingly lightweight book - I read it in a few hours and I didn't feel like the constant talk of death and illness was too draining. This is mainly due to Iris' optimistic outlook and her unique way of looking at her situation.
This book grabbed my attention from the blurb and I was looking forward to reading it.
I found it difficult to get into as it’s written by way of emails and text messages and blogs. Some of the writing I really liked (mainly Iris and her sister Jade) and it wasn’t depressing at all. It was interesting and thought provoking.
I loved the idea
I just didn’t enjoy how it was written.
Sadly this book didn't quite hit the mark for me, it had just too many subplots and ridiculous (to me) characters. I'd have like fewer subplots and more about Smith, Iris and Jade.
That said I did have a lump in my throat at the end...
This was a light and breezy read despite the serious storyline- told through blog posts, texts and emails, I sped through this book and found it non taxing. The main storyline is Iris’ blog posts about her terminal cancer, this unites each character in turn, and their relationships as they come to terms with the loss of Iris.
This had been sitting on my TBR pile for a while, I wasn't sure if it was the book for me, I thought it might be a tough emotional read. Turns out it was an uplifting read, the story of Iris and the people she left behind when she passed away.
Once I got to grips with the email format of the novel, which did take me a bit - I raced through it and read it in two days. A very thought provoking story which leaves you rooting for all the characters, which in a world of black noir is refreshing.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy - this is my honest opinion.