Review: The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

Title: The Book of Tomorrow
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publish Date: December 3, 2009
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

• You're a fiction fan.
• You like a little bit of magic with your story.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "The magical new novel from number one bestseller Cecelia Ahern. Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she's ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and all that a girl could ever wish for. She's always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow. But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gatehouse is a world away from Tamara's childhood. With her mother shut away with grief, and her aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin.When a travelling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its core."

My Two Cents:

This book started out a little slowly for me but I ended up really liking it. Cecelia Ahern definitely knows how to tell a good story. I've read a few books by her, including "P.S. I Love You," which I just learned from the back of "The Book of Tomorrow" that she wrote it when she was in her very early 20s. How cool is that?

Tamara is a great character with a really good transition. She's a teen who has just had her life uprooted after she loses her father. She starts out as sort of a spoiled brat but definitely grows throughout the book. I love character transitions in books. It's awesome when you really get to see someone change and become a much better person. I think those transitions can be hard to write and to make believable but Ahern does it well in this case.

I also liked the little bit of magic in the book. It almost verges on magical realism, one of my favorite genres. I would have liked to know more about the origins of the magic but not having that really didn't seem to take away from the book.

With summer pretty much being here, this would be the perfect book to get lost in by the beach or on a long car trip. It's definitely a fun read! I also think that this book would be a good adult crossover read for young adult fiction lovers. There is a little, tiny bit of content that may not be great for young adults but it really is just a tiny little bit.