GUEST BLOGGER: "I'm Still Here" by Clélie Avit

Note from the Thrifting Ginger: I'm so excited to have my sister, Lena, as our guest book blogger this week.  I often refer to her as "Super Cool Librarian Chick" in my posts because she is a librarian at the Public Library in Billings, MT. She is a regular contributor to their blog and this book was one that really resonated with her and me when she described it.  Many times she has a different taste in books than I do, so be sure to check out her latest post by clicking here.  Enjoy & happy reading, my geeky lovelies! -Raylynn

Most people (myself included) can attest that at least once at some point in their lives,
they’ve fallen in love with someone they couldn’t have. The agony of being so close to them, yet
so far at the same time is excruciating. I hope you’ll pardon my usage of an overworked cliché,
but I have valid reasoning for doing so, I assure you. In Clélie Avit’s debut novel, I’m Still Here,
we see just how unconventional, unexpected, miraculous, and transcendental love can be. More
importantly, we see this cliché questioned and exposed in an innovative light.

Immediately, we are introduced with the first of the novel’s two protagonists, Elsa.
Critically injured in a climbing accident, Elsa has been in a coma for the past five months with a
fragile thread of a chance to wake up. Seeing their daughter/sister so seemingly deteriorated and
vegetated beyond hope, her family is on the verge of giving up and pulling the plug.

Enter Thibault, our second protagonist. He is haunted by the mistakes of his brother and
the memories of his past relationship with his train wreck ex-girlfriend. Every week, he drives
his mother to the hospital to visit his brother. The bitter hatred Thibault harbors towards his
brother and the mistake that put him there prevents him from joining the actual visit. Instead, he
wanders the corridors aimlessly until one day, he happens to wander into Elsa’s room. Grateful
to have a place to be “alone,” he settles in to wait for his mother. Before too long, Thibault
begins to rant and unload his burdens to Elsa, feeling refreshed to be talking to an unbiased
individual, even though she is unable to respond, let alone hear him…or can she…?

Nobody, not even the doctors or their high-tech monitors, knows that Elsa has regained
just enough consciousness to hear the things within her surroundings. As time progresses, she
starts to fall in love with Thibault and looks forward to his weekly visits. Thibault starts to fall in
love with Elsa as he gets to know her through her family and friends, who have come to accept
and appreciate this new presence in Elsa’s, albeit in the most unusual of ways.

One day, Thibault comes to realize that Elsa can, in fact, hear him. Does she share his
affections? He understands the unlikelihood of Elsa’s awakening, but he hopes that with love,
she will harness every ounce of strength she has and defy the narrow odds. Does it work?
Spoilers. You’ll just have to read the book and find out.

This beautiful novel, translated to English from its original French, presents a
contemporary twist on the classic fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. Avit’s flawless prose and dialogue,
as well has her masterful utilization of alternating points-of-view exceeds all of the typical
expectations I would have for a debut novel. It was a riveting read to the very end, pushing all
sorts of boundaries on all sorts of levels. I couldn’t put it down. If you’re a sucker for tender
romance and a connoisseur of all things avant-garde like I am, this book will bolt to the top of
your list of favorites.

Little Shop of Happy-Ever-After: "The Bookshop on the Corner" by Jenny Colgan

Not many people know that my main reason for reading is to calm the crazy in my brain. Especially during the winter months, I really have to keep my brain waves moving or my bestie depression moves in for the season.  It sucks if she invites herself over any time of the year, but especially in the winter. Because of this, I go back and forth between books that are heavy and books that are happy, depending on my current mood.  No matter what, the book has to transport my mind into the plot in such a way that I feel like I'm watching a movie in my head.  When this phenomenon occurs, it's truly magical. I create my own little world and envision the characters and how they interact with each other.  That is why I read. When I purchased "The Bookshop on the Corner" I was drawn to the endearing synopsis, but I had NO idea how much this book would transport me in to my own little happily-ever-after world.  And did I mention it includes a dishy Scotsman? Be still my heart....especially when he looks and sounds like my boyfriend Gerard Butler....

"The Bookshop on the Corner" by Jenny Colgan takes place in Scotland.  The main character is named Nina Redmond. Nina is faced with some hard luck in her career and decides that she is going to move to the north country, buy a massive van and start a mobile book store.  That might sound like a relatively simple task, but Nina soon finds out it is not.  Nina is a bit of a hot mess when she starts her journey and gets herself in a situation with the local train. Every train must have a conductor and Nina becomes overnight-smitten with the young train conductor. She is convinced he is her forever, happily ever after and makes excuses to see him on a regular basis.  To pay homage to her "true love" she names her mobile shop the "Little Shop of Happy Ever After." The shop is a sweet success and Nina begins to learn powerful life lessons from the members of her new community.

As I mentioned earlier, this book included a dishy (but super grumpy) Scotsman that I fell head-over-heals for after a bit.  Yet again, the quiet, complicated male character is my favorite.  Lennox is Nina's newly-unattached landlord and a gruff, local farmer with a few of his own secrets.  Nina rents a high-society-style loft (inconveniently decorated by Lennox' newly ex-lover) over the barn of Lennox' farm so they are in very close proximity a LOT. Lennox lives a mysterious, quiet life and Nina is annoyed by his demeanor and blunt attitude toward her infatuation for the train conductor. He sees her sneaking out at night to go meet the train and calls her out on it and the tension just builds. I loved their interactions together and they have some really sweet scenes.  As Lennox starts to open up to Nina she starts to feel things in her heart that leave her confused and wondering if she might actually have feelings for this grumpy lad.

There were so many unexpected, yet happy elements of this story. As Nina starts to befriend locals she is also introduced to their children. She begins having story time and has a bond with two particular children that really struck a chord for me. She takes these two children under her wing and helps them feel loved and cared for in ways that they aren't getting at home. I loved the dialogue between Nina and these children because it reminds me of the amazing little humans I get to work with every day.  Nina has a way of bringing out the best in these children and it's really sweet to notice their progression throughout the story.

As it is in non-fiction world, Nina comes to a point when she has to face the reality of life not being perfect no matter how hard she tries. She will still have heartbreak even when she's doing what she loves. This was something I could relate to as well.  I've experienced some big life changes in the last 12 months that came with their own set of trauma and heartache, but I've also found so much peace with where I'm working and living currently.  There is so much power in knowing that you're in the right spot.  That's how Nina feels and she eventually finds solace in the right people and activities.

This book had the most delightful ending....like I may have hugged the book when I finished reading it. ...maybe. The author did such an amazing job at subtly leading up to the climactic event and I was so pleased when it finally happened.  Just plain magic. This book was 100% happiness for my brain and I was so grateful to have found it in a used book store in Helena, MT.  The cover was a little "meh" but the book was completely the opposite.

My recommended reading group would be age 16 and above.  It's a PG-13 read with adult relationships and their challenges.

The moral of the story: Happily ever after is what you make it and that will always include a LOT of work, but it's worth it!!

Happy reading, my amazing, geeky lovelies!
-R

Missed last week's book review? Click here to read it!

Other Books by Jenny Colgan

The Magic of Second Chances: "Lost Lake" by Sarah Addison Allen

I've never been one to go to Barnes & Noble just to window shop for books.  Why, you ask? Because as soon as I start swooning over all the beautiful book covers then I want to buy all the books. And, let's be perfectly honest, I am so not a fan of paying full price for anything unless I know it is a book I will love forever and ever.  However, once upon a time, while I lived in Utah, I did camp out and scope books and that is how I stumbled upon books by Sarah Addison Allen.  I can't tell you the specifics, but I remember seeing the cover for her book "Garden Spells" (P.S. - AMAZING!) and decided I should give her books a shot.  That was the best decision ever and today I'm sharing book #2 by her that I've reviewed for this blog.  "Lost Lake" by Sarah Addison Allen was such a sweet story and it really gave me a new hope in giving people the benefit of the doubt and letting those you once loved have a second chance.

The thrifting story behind this book is one of second chances as well! One of my last adventures in Helena, MT during my training was "dropping by" a massive thrift store in another part of town than my hotel.  At first glance it seemed I wouldn't have much luck finding good books until I turned the corner and saw a massive book corner. Two hours and $25 bucks later I walked out of the building with quite the collection of books.....again.....The second chance element was this-- I had almost paid nearly full price for this book a few days earlier at another used book store and decided not to buy it.  I was very glad I had made that choice because the second time around it was $2. It's safe to say I'd go back to Helena just for the thrift stores, mountains and Chili's, but I digress.

As is customary with Sarah Addison Allen's books, "Lost Lake" takes place in the Deep South.  We are introduced to Kate and Devin, a mother-daughter duo, living in Atlanta, Georgia, who have recently lost their husband and father in a tragic accident.  Kate is waking from a year-long haze of emotional grief and her overbearing mother-in-law, Cricket, is packing up their home so they can move in with her.  Kate realizes that the future holds nothing that she wants for herself and Devin, but she's not sure how they are going to escape the wrath of someone who has been their saving grace for the past year.  Devin and Kate end up in the attic together as they pack their belongings and find an old postcard from Kate's Aunt Eby sent over a decade earlier.  The postcard is sent from a magical place called Lost Lake, a vacation property owned by Eby and her husband George. The postcard is inscribed with a note that strikes Kate as odd and spurs her to pack up for a road trip.

The reader soon discovers that George & Eby's love story is one that tugs at the heart strings.  They were star-crossed lovers, but from two completely different backgrounds; one wealthy and one middle-class.  They can't face the pressure of their families quarreling and invest in a magical oasis in the mountains.  Lost Lake becomes a refuge for all ages and Kate's last happy memory of her childhood was spent at Lost Lake.  The author did a fantastic job weaving both stories together (she's very good at that in her books) and brought so much emotion to life on the pages.

When Kate and Devin arrive at Lost Lake completely unannounced they find a sad, rundown property on the brink of being sold.  Kate is still unsure why she's felt the pull to Lost Lake after so many years, but she soon starts to figure it out. Her personal second chance includes a sweet love story that reminded me of some personal events in my life. It was really cute.

The supporting characters in the book are all really deep and truly delightful to read about. One of my favorite characters is the cook at Lost Lake who is mute.  Her name is Lisette. She has known Eby for a very long time and only communicates by writing on a notepad that hangs around her neck on a piece of string.  In spite of her inability to speak audibly, Lisette, is a really powerful force at Lost Lake and she brings an element of second chances that was very moving.  She has a story hiding in her past that has paralyzed her in her present which means she can't think about her future.  It was really sweet to watch her move forward with her insecurities and gave me a lot of food for thought about the power of love and the heartache of loss.

As I talked about in my last review of a Sarah Addison Allen book (LINK HERE), there is always an element of magic in her plot lines.  This book is no different, however, the magic is more the magic of imagination and the magic of healing in their hearts.  I thought it was very endearing that the magical element of the plot was given to Devin because it was a very child-like perspective and so sweet.  Devin is a free spirit who lives life in her own, mismatched way and she eventually convinces the family that she does have the answers to a few mysteries of life.  She is also the person who reminds each of the characters that the future is, in fact, bright and shouldn't be taken for granted.

My recommended reading group would be age 16 and above.  It's a good PG read, but does address mental health, death and grieving which may be a bit much for the younger audience.

The moral of the story: Never lose hope in saying good bye to someone you love because it just might be a true "see you later". Second chances happen.

Happy reading, my amazing, geeky lovelies!
-R

Missed last week's book review? Click here to read it!


More Books by Sarah Addison Allen