You've Got Mail--but with lovable Teens!

His family's small bookstore chain is flourishing, Her family's bookstore is closing at the end of August. Both stores are on the same block. I don't recall how this book ended up on my library hold list, but since I was notified that my hold was available, it's clear at some point I heard about this book and added it to my holds!

I started reading it and for the first few pages, I was not particularly intrigued.  I gave it a few more pages and I found myself getting more and more drawn into Madeline's world.  This YA romance is an enemies-to-lovers tale and is a retelling of the movie You've Got Mail (starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks). The main characters are just out of high school and so this book is about endings and beginnings, worries and hopes for what the future will bring. 

Madeline has body-esteem issues, and in other books I would have been turned off. However in this book, she is only 17 so it's more understandable.  Plus and most importantly, you see her working on reframing her negative thoughts, and this to me seemed very authentic.  The writing style and Madeline's interior dialogue were just the right amounts of funny, self-deprecating, and sweet. 

 4 stars for a delightful summer before college tale! 

 

Looking For Answers to Life's Big Questions?

The answer is usually to drink more water.  No, really it's true.  Stressed out?  Have a glass of water?  Want better-looking skin or hair?  Drink more water.  Tired?  Drink a cold glass of water.  Hot flash? Drink a cold glass of water.  Mad at your spouse?  Have you considered...a nice tall drink of water?

It's true though, water cures many ills and prevents even more. 

Today was treatment #1 of 25 and guess what I did?  Oh yes, I made sure to drink extra water before the treatment and more water after it was done. Hydration, a healthy diet, and regular exercise are the name of the game during radiation therapy--and pretty much all the time really!

How was radiation? You can't tell when the actual radiation is going into your body, so obviously it doesn't hurt.  I think that the machine should have sound effect options. I would have liked it to make the sound of a Tie-Fighter laser-blasting as the radiation was beamed into me. 

That would make the whole radiation experience more exciting.  Alas, it's pretty quiet and kinda boring just laying their all alone, on a table waiting for voices to come in over the intercom letting me know when to breathe and when to hold my breath. Boring does beat painful, so I will take it and I will hope that the next 24 treatments are as uneventful as the first. 

Happy Monday!