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Blue Sky Days
A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother - studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing - and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time.
When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.
Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.
When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.
Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.
207 pages, ebook
First published January 5, 2012
5 people are currently reading
1670 people want to read
About the author
Marie Landry
28 books908 followersMarie Landry lives and writes in a cozy apartment in Ontario, Canada, surrounded by books and Funko Pops. An avid reader from a young age, she loves getting lost in characters’ worlds, whether they’re of her own making or someone else’s. She particularly loves stories with as much of an emphasis on self-discovery and friendship as on romance...but don’t leave out the romance!
When not doing bookish things, you can often find her taking pictures, cooking, scrolling Instagram (find her at @marielandry.author), daydreaming about frolicking through the Scottish Highlands, or listening to the same music she's loved since the '90s. She's an unapologetic nerd and fangirl, and that, along with her mental health advocacy, is often woven into her books.
Stay up to date with new releases, sales, promos, and other news by signing up for Marie's newsletter and be sure to follow her on BookBub so you never miss a new release!
When not doing bookish things, you can often find her taking pictures, cooking, scrolling Instagram (find her at @marielandry.author), daydreaming about frolicking through the Scottish Highlands, or listening to the same music she's loved since the '90s. She's an unapologetic nerd and fangirl, and that, along with her mental health advocacy, is often woven into her books.
Stay up to date with new releases, sales, promos, and other news by signing up for Marie's newsletter and be sure to follow her on BookBub so you never miss a new release!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
December 11, 2012
Okay, I'm finally giving in and rating and reviewing my own book. I've seen other authors doing it for months, and I put it off, but here I am.
Blue Sky Days is my baby. I've written other novels, but I wanted this to be the first I published, because it's always had a special place in my heart. The characters, setting, and story are so real to me. They're a part of me and always will be. It took me seven years to complete this book, and it was definitely a labour of love.
I think Emma is a very relatable character, and I hope other people feel the same way. Anyone who's ever gone through an identity crisis, or had unforgiving parents, or were unsure of their future will probably see a bit of themselves in Emma. Anyone who's ever felt lost, or friendless, or been stuck in a rut will hopefully sympathize with Emma. We've all had obstacles in our lives, and we've all gone through transformations of some sort, and those obstacles and transformations are a large part of Emma's journey. So is finding love - and not just with Nicholas, but also with her family and new friends.
I hope you will love these characters as much as I do, and that this story will entertain you and touch your heart. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and encouraging on this journey - it means the world to me.
Blue Sky Days is my baby. I've written other novels, but I wanted this to be the first I published, because it's always had a special place in my heart. The characters, setting, and story are so real to me. They're a part of me and always will be. It took me seven years to complete this book, and it was definitely a labour of love.
I think Emma is a very relatable character, and I hope other people feel the same way. Anyone who's ever gone through an identity crisis, or had unforgiving parents, or were unsure of their future will probably see a bit of themselves in Emma. Anyone who's ever felt lost, or friendless, or been stuck in a rut will hopefully sympathize with Emma. We've all had obstacles in our lives, and we've all gone through transformations of some sort, and those obstacles and transformations are a large part of Emma's journey. So is finding love - and not just with Nicholas, but also with her family and new friends.
I hope you will love these characters as much as I do, and that this story will entertain you and touch your heart. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and encouraging on this journey - it means the world to me.
March 31, 2012
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I got excited when I read the summary of the novel, at first glance I thought it was such a fantastic premise. I really thought to myself that this sounded like a book I would really enjoy reading but the novel didn't live up to my expectations.
There were so many things that bugged me about this novel. I immensely disliked the character of Emma, who was the narrator of the novel. I found her to be dull, self-absorbed and incredibly whiny. The character whines constantly about how her mother doesn't love her, about how she regrets spending too much time studying in high school because it meant she never had time to enjoy being a teenager, about how she has no friends, etc. There are chapters and chapters of this. It's annoying and extremely off-putting! Note to the author: Emma hates her mother, we get it, we don't need to be told this a million times, enough already! The reader doesn't need to read 100+ pages of Emma moaning on and on about her hypercritical mother and her lack of a social life! This persistent whinging is quite draining to your readers and drives them crazy!
The romance storyline is revoltingly sickly sweet and corny. Emma and Nicholas's relationship is so perfect - it's boring! In fact, even the characters are too perfect. None of them (apart from Emma and her mother) have any flaws at all. They are all too unbelievable to be realistic. Every single one of them is perky, cheerful and easy-going ALL OF THE TIME. The characters are completely infallible and can do no wrong. The novel is chock-full of Mary-Sues. People aren't like this in reality. It makes all of Landry's characters, even Emma, seem one-dimensional. This made it impossible for me to connect with the characters. Landry spend a lot of time describing how her characters' LOOKED (especially Nicholas) but not enough time defining her characters personalities. All the characters need 'roughing up'.
The dialogue between Emma and Nicholas seemed false throughout the novel. The relationship between the characters was cheesy and unbelievable. Romantic moments, which I'm sure the author meant to be touching and heart-warming, turned out to be unintentionally hilarious as they were so far-fetched and nonsensical.
Absolutely nothing happens in the first 48% of the novel. Literally you could skip the first 150 pages and start reading from the middle and not miss a thing. There's virtually no exciting twists and turns to keep the reader interested in the first half of the book. I think the novel would have been much better if there were multiple narrators instead of one sole narrator. I think it would have been more interesting to see Emma and Nicholas through the eyes of the other characters. This might have made it easier for me to connect with the characters of Emma and Nicholas, as well as help the supporting characters (which were poorly developed) evolve.
The second half of the book was better but I thought it seemed a bit rushed. I think the author should have put more focus on the leukaemia storyline. I thought that Nicholas's illness should have been introduced a lot earlier in the novel. It would have made the story so much more compelling. The author padded out the first half of the novel with nonsense that really shouldn't have been there in the first place and then the most interesting part of the story was just squeezed in at the end. What was the point in that..?
I received no enjoyment what-so-ever from reading this novel. At times, it really was a chore to read which is why I'm only giving it one star. Blue Sky Days is a ridiculously bad romance novel but it may be an excellent cure for insomnia though. It's a total snooze-fest!
There were so many things that bugged me about this novel. I immensely disliked the character of Emma, who was the narrator of the novel. I found her to be dull, self-absorbed and incredibly whiny. The character whines constantly about how her mother doesn't love her, about how she regrets spending too much time studying in high school because it meant she never had time to enjoy being a teenager, about how she has no friends, etc. There are chapters and chapters of this. It's annoying and extremely off-putting! Note to the author: Emma hates her mother, we get it, we don't need to be told this a million times, enough already! The reader doesn't need to read 100+ pages of Emma moaning on and on about her hypercritical mother and her lack of a social life! This persistent whinging is quite draining to your readers and drives them crazy!
The romance storyline is revoltingly sickly sweet and corny. Emma and Nicholas's relationship is so perfect - it's boring! In fact, even the characters are too perfect. None of them (apart from Emma and her mother) have any flaws at all. They are all too unbelievable to be realistic. Every single one of them is perky, cheerful and easy-going ALL OF THE TIME. The characters are completely infallible and can do no wrong. The novel is chock-full of Mary-Sues. People aren't like this in reality. It makes all of Landry's characters, even Emma, seem one-dimensional. This made it impossible for me to connect with the characters. Landry spend a lot of time describing how her characters' LOOKED (especially Nicholas) but not enough time defining her characters personalities. All the characters need 'roughing up'.
The dialogue between Emma and Nicholas seemed false throughout the novel. The relationship between the characters was cheesy and unbelievable. Romantic moments, which I'm sure the author meant to be touching and heart-warming, turned out to be unintentionally hilarious as they were so far-fetched and nonsensical.
Absolutely nothing happens in the first 48% of the novel. Literally you could skip the first 150 pages and start reading from the middle and not miss a thing. There's virtually no exciting twists and turns to keep the reader interested in the first half of the book. I think the novel would have been much better if there were multiple narrators instead of one sole narrator. I think it would have been more interesting to see Emma and Nicholas through the eyes of the other characters. This might have made it easier for me to connect with the characters of Emma and Nicholas, as well as help the supporting characters (which were poorly developed) evolve.
The second half of the book was better but I thought it seemed a bit rushed. I think the author should have put more focus on the leukaemia storyline. I thought that Nicholas's illness should have been introduced a lot earlier in the novel. It would have made the story so much more compelling. The author padded out the first half of the novel with nonsense that really shouldn't have been there in the first place and then the most interesting part of the story was just squeezed in at the end. What was the point in that..?
I received no enjoyment what-so-ever from reading this novel. At times, it really was a chore to read which is why I'm only giving it one star. Blue Sky Days is a ridiculously bad romance novel but it may be an excellent cure for insomnia though. It's a total snooze-fest!
April 2, 2012
I really wanted to like this book. The summary sounded full of promise: young girl struggles to find herself after years of oppression from her mother, meets a young man and eventually has to help him through an extremely difficult situation. However, shortly into the story I knew it was going to be a struggle to finish.
Emma left her home to live with her aunt Daisy after realizing that she will never live up to her overbearing mother's expectations. Her goal was to find herself and figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She rarely made any effort to do so though, instead she relied on Daisy and Nicholas and his friends to lead her around and make many of her decisions for her. Additionally, other than Emma, who is whiny and appears very ignorant, all of the characters are so perfect that they are completely unrealistic. Even the town is perfect with it's drive-in theater, 50's style diner and meticulous homes. I found it very difficult to relate to the characters or setting and therefore had no connection with them or reason to care what happened.
Emma's relationship with Nicholas is also too corny and contrived to be believable. All the gazing into each other's eyes and holding hands and sharing their life stories for pages and pages and pages was very dull to read about. There was absolutely no conflict to keep me interested. As bad as it sounds, I was looking forward to Nicholas' cancer diagnosis just to bring something more substantial to the story line.
As I have been both a cancer patient and a caregiver for a family member battling the disease I am very particular about details when a book uses the illness as a plot point. I did not have high hopes for the author's ability to convey all the aspects of the disease and treatment accurately when they rest of the book had been written through such a rose-colored filter. However, I was mildly surprised at how the diagnosis and treatment was handled. Although it doesn't appear that the author did much research into treating leukemia at least there were actual side effects from the chemo, both physically and emotionally. The characters were allowed to be less than perfect and the story was more readable, at least for a while. Unfortunately, the plot "twist" was predictable and ruined by the cheesy way it was resolved. The story once again turned saccharine sweet and annoying and it was with great relief that I finally finished the book.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book because I admire anyone who has the courage to produce a story and put it out there for other people to read and hopefully be entertained.
Emma left her home to live with her aunt Daisy after realizing that she will never live up to her overbearing mother's expectations. Her goal was to find herself and figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She rarely made any effort to do so though, instead she relied on Daisy and Nicholas and his friends to lead her around and make many of her decisions for her. Additionally, other than Emma, who is whiny and appears very ignorant, all of the characters are so perfect that they are completely unrealistic. Even the town is perfect with it's drive-in theater, 50's style diner and meticulous homes. I found it very difficult to relate to the characters or setting and therefore had no connection with them or reason to care what happened.
Emma's relationship with Nicholas is also too corny and contrived to be believable. All the gazing into each other's eyes and holding hands and sharing their life stories for pages and pages and pages was very dull to read about. There was absolutely no conflict to keep me interested. As bad as it sounds, I was looking forward to Nicholas' cancer diagnosis just to bring something more substantial to the story line.
As I have been both a cancer patient and a caregiver for a family member battling the disease I am very particular about details when a book uses the illness as a plot point. I did not have high hopes for the author's ability to convey all the aspects of the disease and treatment accurately when they rest of the book had been written through such a rose-colored filter. However, I was mildly surprised at how the diagnosis and treatment was handled. Although it doesn't appear that the author did much research into treating leukemia at least there were actual side effects from the chemo, both physically and emotionally. The characters were allowed to be less than perfect and the story was more readable, at least for a while. Unfortunately, the plot "twist" was predictable and ruined by the cheesy way it was resolved. The story once again turned saccharine sweet and annoying and it was with great relief that I finally finished the book.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book because I admire anyone who has the courage to produce a story and put it out there for other people to read and hopefully be entertained.
March 16, 2012
I was sent this book via the Basically Books group in exchange for a review.
I was really looking forward to reading it, the synopsis was really long and I was soon to realise it actually told the whole story the rest in the book was padding!
The story was about a young girl, who escapes her over protective, not very nice Mother and goes to live with her Aunt, Daisy in a town 3 hours away. Emma, who previously had no social life and no friends, quickly falls in love and makes new friends. Emma is loving her new life and her new confidence, until Nicholas becomes ill with Cancer and they have a battle to fight together.
It was a little bit too padded out - I got to 45% through and realised that nothing had happened, apart from a lot of exchanges of feelings and cooking of family dinners. I just found this a little bit unrealistic and annoying. The book could have cut 100 pages and it wouldn't have lost any of the main elements of the story.
Thank you for the opportunity to read, unfortunately it wasn't for me.
I was really looking forward to reading it, the synopsis was really long and I was soon to realise it actually told the whole story the rest in the book was padding!
The story was about a young girl, who escapes her over protective, not very nice Mother and goes to live with her Aunt, Daisy in a town 3 hours away. Emma, who previously had no social life and no friends, quickly falls in love and makes new friends. Emma is loving her new life and her new confidence, until Nicholas becomes ill with Cancer and they have a battle to fight together.
It was a little bit too padded out - I got to 45% through and realised that nothing had happened, apart from a lot of exchanges of feelings and cooking of family dinners. I just found this a little bit unrealistic and annoying. The book could have cut 100 pages and it wouldn't have lost any of the main elements of the story.
Thank you for the opportunity to read, unfortunately it wasn't for me.
March 21, 2012
Full review can be found here.
I have to be honest as I start this review: I think that this is one of the most difficult reviews that I have ever written. Even in my own head I am very torn about this book. On the one hand, I did like the story and the message that it conveys, but on the other hand it was lacking something for me. But what, exactly, was it lacking? Well, I’m finding that I can’t quite put my finger on that. I’m going to try to figure it out for myself as I write this.
So what’s the book about? The synopsis covers that extensively. Emma, having always lived in her mother’s shadow as she strives for her approval, finally sets out to discover life and what she wants from it. So she goes to live with her aunt Daisy in the small town of Riverview and there she embarks on a voyage of self-discovery. She soon meets Nicholas and her voyage of self-discovery becomes the adventure of falling in love for the first time. But her summer happiness is doomed when Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer and Emma has to find new pillars of strength inside herself in order to be the rock that Nicholas needs to help him weather this storm.
I much preferred the second half of the story, but why? I think that the answer lies in the fact that in the first half of Blue Sky Days there is no threat in any form. There’s nothing hanging over their heads as the reader knows that the cancer problem is coming, but the characters don’t. It’s not even really the story of Emma and Nicholas falling in love as that happens right off the bat. It’s more a chronicle of what they did together that summer. There are two what I’m going to term “speeds”. Most of the time things were set on “play” and the reader would experience events as Emma lived them. Other times it was like things were on “fast forward” as Emma gave the lowdown on what they’d been doing until we’re caught up with her present again.
Because there was no threat to what was going on, to their happiness, I felt a bit like a voyeur standing at a window and looking in on these people, which in turn left me ill at ease. More than this, though, the physical interactions between the characters left me uncomfortable. Now, I consider myself to be a fairly touchy-feely person and I’m all about hugs and kisses (much to my boyfriend’s ever-lasting frustration!), but these characters took touchy-feely to a whole new level. They were constantly kissing each other on the cheek or forehead or hugging even when it was the first time they’d met. This may be a culture issue, I don’t know. Again, I just felt bordering on voyeuristic by the intimacy of it all.
I didn’t really feel the growing relationships between the characters at this point either. Daisy and Emma already had a close relationship before the events of the book even started; Maggie and Vince, Nicholas’s friends, didn’t really get much on-page time and the reader just had to take Emma’s word for it when she mentioned that they’d become friends during one of the fast forward passages; and I felt that the scenes between Emma and Nicholas were more a way of chronicling the events of the summer than really showing the evolution of their feelings as the feelings just seemed to be there as of the get go.
It was interesting to watch Emma come to find her own two feet with the help of these other characters but I found that my discomfort during this half of the story was often hard to overlook and the fact that for 50% of the book there was nothing to threaten their happiness meant that I felt that they had nothing to lose. Consequently, it was hard to stay interested at times.
The second half of the book really picked up. I know that some readers were reduced to tears when reading this half of the book as Nicholas has to fight leukaemia. Personally, I didn’t cry but I suspect that this stems from my difficulties connecting with the characters in the first half of the book.
Funnily enough this part of the story reflects events that took place in my boyfriend’s family just before I was drawn into the fold. We’re talking almost the exact same trials and tribulations as Emma and Nicholas and the same mentality on coming out the other side. It’s very true that such an experience leaves you with a very different outlook on life. There were a good number of quotes in this part of the book that really impacted me. The most important of these was something that Daisy says to Emma when Emma’s feeling close to breaking point as things go from bad to worse.
"You're going to give him all you have, just like you've been doing, and when you don't think you've got anything left to give you're going to dig deeper and somehow find more strength..." I loved this quote. It meant so much to me. I wish I knew how to add quotes to GoodReads so I could add that one to my favourites, alas I don’t.
This was a very poignant insight into the horror that people – friends and family of cancer sufferers – go through every day. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt, though my experience was diagnosed as terminal so there was never a point when raised hopes were dashed as they are in the book. I think the most striking scene for me was when Emma climbed into her car and just broke down, she felt so powerless and that translated really well.
In fact, the author’s ability to portray these feelings (as several of the characters end up feeling like ships without anchors) was really admirable. She’s got great talent for bringing such emotions to life for the reader. Had I connected with the characters better, I’m sure that I too would have been reduced to a blubbering mess.
Emma’s dad also makes his appearance in the second half after having been more or less absent for the first half of things. He’s supposedly breaking free from the chains that shackle him to his selfish, unfeeling wife but most of this goes on off-page so the reader doesn’t really get to observe his evolution. I would have liked to have seen more or it. As it was it felt like it was a little too much in the way of tying things up with that bow of perfection. It didn’t help that I found the mother’s character very hard to believe. I just feel that had she really been jealous that her only child chose to spend her time with her aunt instead of her mother, the mother would have gone to lengths to get her back rather than just keep pushing her farther and farther away at each point.
So I find that I’m torn about this book. I think really this is in part my own fault as the reader for not connecting very well with the book. When I look at it from a distance, I’m aware that this book is worth at least 4 stars, but it just didn’t work that well for me. I enjoyed it for the most part but I wasn’t invested in it.
The message, however, is perfect. May we all strive to make every day a blue sky day.
I have to be honest as I start this review: I think that this is one of the most difficult reviews that I have ever written. Even in my own head I am very torn about this book. On the one hand, I did like the story and the message that it conveys, but on the other hand it was lacking something for me. But what, exactly, was it lacking? Well, I’m finding that I can’t quite put my finger on that. I’m going to try to figure it out for myself as I write this.
So what’s the book about? The synopsis covers that extensively. Emma, having always lived in her mother’s shadow as she strives for her approval, finally sets out to discover life and what she wants from it. So she goes to live with her aunt Daisy in the small town of Riverview and there she embarks on a voyage of self-discovery. She soon meets Nicholas and her voyage of self-discovery becomes the adventure of falling in love for the first time. But her summer happiness is doomed when Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer and Emma has to find new pillars of strength inside herself in order to be the rock that Nicholas needs to help him weather this storm.
I much preferred the second half of the story, but why? I think that the answer lies in the fact that in the first half of Blue Sky Days there is no threat in any form. There’s nothing hanging over their heads as the reader knows that the cancer problem is coming, but the characters don’t. It’s not even really the story of Emma and Nicholas falling in love as that happens right off the bat. It’s more a chronicle of what they did together that summer. There are two what I’m going to term “speeds”. Most of the time things were set on “play” and the reader would experience events as Emma lived them. Other times it was like things were on “fast forward” as Emma gave the lowdown on what they’d been doing until we’re caught up with her present again.
Because there was no threat to what was going on, to their happiness, I felt a bit like a voyeur standing at a window and looking in on these people, which in turn left me ill at ease. More than this, though, the physical interactions between the characters left me uncomfortable. Now, I consider myself to be a fairly touchy-feely person and I’m all about hugs and kisses (much to my boyfriend’s ever-lasting frustration!), but these characters took touchy-feely to a whole new level. They were constantly kissing each other on the cheek or forehead or hugging even when it was the first time they’d met. This may be a culture issue, I don’t know. Again, I just felt bordering on voyeuristic by the intimacy of it all.
I didn’t really feel the growing relationships between the characters at this point either. Daisy and Emma already had a close relationship before the events of the book even started; Maggie and Vince, Nicholas’s friends, didn’t really get much on-page time and the reader just had to take Emma’s word for it when she mentioned that they’d become friends during one of the fast forward passages; and I felt that the scenes between Emma and Nicholas were more a way of chronicling the events of the summer than really showing the evolution of their feelings as the feelings just seemed to be there as of the get go.
It was interesting to watch Emma come to find her own two feet with the help of these other characters but I found that my discomfort during this half of the story was often hard to overlook and the fact that for 50% of the book there was nothing to threaten their happiness meant that I felt that they had nothing to lose. Consequently, it was hard to stay interested at times.
The second half of the book really picked up. I know that some readers were reduced to tears when reading this half of the book as Nicholas has to fight leukaemia. Personally, I didn’t cry but I suspect that this stems from my difficulties connecting with the characters in the first half of the book.
Funnily enough this part of the story reflects events that took place in my boyfriend’s family just before I was drawn into the fold. We’re talking almost the exact same trials and tribulations as Emma and Nicholas and the same mentality on coming out the other side. It’s very true that such an experience leaves you with a very different outlook on life. There were a good number of quotes in this part of the book that really impacted me. The most important of these was something that Daisy says to Emma when Emma’s feeling close to breaking point as things go from bad to worse.
"You're going to give him all you have, just like you've been doing, and when you don't think you've got anything left to give you're going to dig deeper and somehow find more strength..." I loved this quote. It meant so much to me. I wish I knew how to add quotes to GoodReads so I could add that one to my favourites, alas I don’t.
This was a very poignant insight into the horror that people – friends and family of cancer sufferers – go through every day. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt, though my experience was diagnosed as terminal so there was never a point when raised hopes were dashed as they are in the book. I think the most striking scene for me was when Emma climbed into her car and just broke down, she felt so powerless and that translated really well.
In fact, the author’s ability to portray these feelings (as several of the characters end up feeling like ships without anchors) was really admirable. She’s got great talent for bringing such emotions to life for the reader. Had I connected with the characters better, I’m sure that I too would have been reduced to a blubbering mess.
Emma’s dad also makes his appearance in the second half after having been more or less absent for the first half of things. He’s supposedly breaking free from the chains that shackle him to his selfish, unfeeling wife but most of this goes on off-page so the reader doesn’t really get to observe his evolution. I would have liked to have seen more or it. As it was it felt like it was a little too much in the way of tying things up with that bow of perfection. It didn’t help that I found the mother’s character very hard to believe. I just feel that had she really been jealous that her only child chose to spend her time with her aunt instead of her mother, the mother would have gone to lengths to get her back rather than just keep pushing her farther and farther away at each point.
So I find that I’m torn about this book. I think really this is in part my own fault as the reader for not connecting very well with the book. When I look at it from a distance, I’m aware that this book is worth at least 4 stars, but it just didn’t work that well for me. I enjoyed it for the most part but I wasn’t invested in it.
The message, however, is perfect. May we all strive to make every day a blue sky day.
January 19, 2012
I always love a happy ending.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book but happy ending was certainly not one of them. From the summary to the excerpt, it looks like a really emotional and sad story and I prepared myself for a heavy reading and heartbreaking one.
When I started the book, I had a strong feeling that I’m going to be one heck of a heart broken for the next couple of hours or days.
But the ending…
Marie Landry made it beautiful. She made it worthwhile.
I knew it didn't matter that I couldn't go back and change things. I was right where I was supposed to be at just the right time. – Emma
The story started when Emma decided to spend her summer with her Aunt Daisy and start her journey of self-discovery. Leaving her dad and her difficult and selfish mother, she went to Riverview and was overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery and friendly neighborhood. Living with her Aunt Daisy who is vibrant, always full of life, and a total opposite of her mom, Emma began to feel how much time she wasted trying to be a better person to please her mom but lost herself in the process.
Then she met Nicholas.
Kind, caring, thoughtful, and selfless Nicholas. The color of his eyes is the beautiful kind of blue and he always seems to radiate goodness and happiness and beauty. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a guy like Nicholas Shaw? From the moment Emma met him, she was attracted to him immediately and though their relationship happened so fast, it feels like they’ve been together for a lifetime. Even Emma couldn’t believe that a guy “to-good-to-be-true” like Nicholas exist in real life. I can’t help but smile whenever I imagine him and his blue eyes. He was so charming and beautiful and everybody loves him. He was the kind of man you would want to marry and spend your lifetime with. Maybe that’s the reason it was even more painful to see him dying. To see how little by little their blue sky days was taken away from them.
The journey I went through by reading this book was a mixture of happiness, hope, love, sadness and heartbreaking moments. The author wrote the book so well and her words were beautiful, the writing was detailed, the setting was wonderful and vivid that you would want to live in that place and experience the beauty in it. The characters are so real, there’s so much goodness in them, they’re not perfect but their presence will make you feel all the love and care you need to feel life… to live. Many times I wished that I have Aunt Daisy with me. You can’t even ask for more with friends like Vince and Maggie. It was a refreshing breath of air to be surrounded by amazing characters whom I want to pull out from the book and surrounded myself by their kindness and love. I can relate with Emma. I actually saw a bit of my old self in her from what she'd gone through—the uncertainty of the future, the obstacles of dealing with family crisis and finding love. Emma seems even more real to me than any characters in this book.
"And I promise that if I make it through this, I will be there for you for the rest of our lives. If you'll have me... If I beat this thing, I want you to marry me."
I buried my face in his chest, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. I wanted to jump and scream and dance around because I was in love and had found the man of my dreams, someone I didn't think even existed outside of fairytales. But at the same time, that dream man had just been diagnosed with cancer.
I couldn’t believe I cried too early over this book. I know it was expected that Nicholas would be diagnosed by cancer, but at that moment, I felt like I died with Emma. I experienced everything that Emma and Nicholas went through and as if I was with them in every step of the way. I was surrounded by emotions—from Emma and Nicholas, from their family and friends. It felt so real.
"You're going to give him all you have, just like you've been doing, and when you don't think you've got anything left to give you're going to dig deeper and somehow find more strength..." - Daisy
I know it won’t be enough for me to say that this book is really good. I really enjoyed it from the beginning up to the last page. Especially the last page. The sadness, the heartbreak, the sorrow of the possibility of losing someone you love—it will make you appreciate life, it will make you love more, and it will give you the strength to hold on. And miracles… I always believe in miracles. And from now on, whenever I look at the sky, no matter what the season is, I will always remember the blue sky days.
Note: Pardon me for adding too much quotes, they're just so beautiful and meaningful to share =) xoxo.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book but happy ending was certainly not one of them. From the summary to the excerpt, it looks like a really emotional and sad story and I prepared myself for a heavy reading and heartbreaking one.
When I started the book, I had a strong feeling that I’m going to be one heck of a heart broken for the next couple of hours or days.
But the ending…
Marie Landry made it beautiful. She made it worthwhile.
I knew it didn't matter that I couldn't go back and change things. I was right where I was supposed to be at just the right time. – Emma
The story started when Emma decided to spend her summer with her Aunt Daisy and start her journey of self-discovery. Leaving her dad and her difficult and selfish mother, she went to Riverview and was overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery and friendly neighborhood. Living with her Aunt Daisy who is vibrant, always full of life, and a total opposite of her mom, Emma began to feel how much time she wasted trying to be a better person to please her mom but lost herself in the process.
Then she met Nicholas.
Kind, caring, thoughtful, and selfless Nicholas. The color of his eyes is the beautiful kind of blue and he always seems to radiate goodness and happiness and beauty. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a guy like Nicholas Shaw? From the moment Emma met him, she was attracted to him immediately and though their relationship happened so fast, it feels like they’ve been together for a lifetime. Even Emma couldn’t believe that a guy “to-good-to-be-true” like Nicholas exist in real life. I can’t help but smile whenever I imagine him and his blue eyes. He was so charming and beautiful and everybody loves him. He was the kind of man you would want to marry and spend your lifetime with. Maybe that’s the reason it was even more painful to see him dying. To see how little by little their blue sky days was taken away from them.
The journey I went through by reading this book was a mixture of happiness, hope, love, sadness and heartbreaking moments. The author wrote the book so well and her words were beautiful, the writing was detailed, the setting was wonderful and vivid that you would want to live in that place and experience the beauty in it. The characters are so real, there’s so much goodness in them, they’re not perfect but their presence will make you feel all the love and care you need to feel life… to live. Many times I wished that I have Aunt Daisy with me. You can’t even ask for more with friends like Vince and Maggie. It was a refreshing breath of air to be surrounded by amazing characters whom I want to pull out from the book and surrounded myself by their kindness and love. I can relate with Emma. I actually saw a bit of my old self in her from what she'd gone through—the uncertainty of the future, the obstacles of dealing with family crisis and finding love. Emma seems even more real to me than any characters in this book.
"And I promise that if I make it through this, I will be there for you for the rest of our lives. If you'll have me... If I beat this thing, I want you to marry me."
I buried my face in his chest, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. I wanted to jump and scream and dance around because I was in love and had found the man of my dreams, someone I didn't think even existed outside of fairytales. But at the same time, that dream man had just been diagnosed with cancer.
I couldn’t believe I cried too early over this book. I know it was expected that Nicholas would be diagnosed by cancer, but at that moment, I felt like I died with Emma. I experienced everything that Emma and Nicholas went through and as if I was with them in every step of the way. I was surrounded by emotions—from Emma and Nicholas, from their family and friends. It felt so real.
"You're going to give him all you have, just like you've been doing, and when you don't think you've got anything left to give you're going to dig deeper and somehow find more strength..." - Daisy
I know it won’t be enough for me to say that this book is really good. I really enjoyed it from the beginning up to the last page. Especially the last page. The sadness, the heartbreak, the sorrow of the possibility of losing someone you love—it will make you appreciate life, it will make you love more, and it will give you the strength to hold on. And miracles… I always believe in miracles. And from now on, whenever I look at the sky, no matter what the season is, I will always remember the blue sky days.
Note: Pardon me for adding too much quotes, they're just so beautiful and meaningful to share =) xoxo.
December 6, 2011
Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry
First I want to thank Marie Landry for giving me the opportunity to read and review her amazing novel.
This novel is about a young woman becoming her own person, finding herself and finding true love.
Emma is a 19 year old woman, who has been raised by a very controlling mother she is demanding and critical; she has set impossible standards the no one including Emma could live up to. But Emma tried she worked hard all way through high school, yet her mother never recognized one of her accomplishments. Emma hoped one day her mother would at least show some pride in all Emma’s hard work but that day never came.
Emma realized that she has lived most of her life trying to get her mother’s approval and finally realizes she is never going to get it. With nothing to show for all her hard work Emma knows she has lost herself along the way.
With all her unanswered question Emma decides to go visits her Aunt Daisy for the summer, Aunt Daisy is an artist, she has a carefree soul, lives life to the fullest and Emma wishes she could be more like her. Emma travels to Riverview with plans of spending the summer with her aunt learning how to enjoy herself and hopefully figuring out whom she is and what she wants to do with her future.
The small town of Riverview is comforting and Emma feels at home for the first time in her life. Still not know what she is going to do with her life her aunt encourages her to just to relax and have fun.
Sitting in the park one afternoon Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, he is unlike any boy she has ever met. He is kind, respectful and very handsome; he enjoys life to the fullest he sees the small things around him and enjoys every moment. Nicholas asks Emma out on a date to show her around town. Emma is so nervous she has never gone out on a date; she hasn’t even had a first kiss. The romance that sparks between these two is amazing it is what us girls say what dreams are made from. Emma knows she is falling in love with Nicholas. The romance between these two is fresh, romantic and inspiring.
Life is wonderful and for the first time in her life Emma is happy. But things change, for two weeks Emma hasn’t seen Nicholas, deep down Emma knows something is wrong she finally goes to his house and confronts him.
Nicholas has been diagnosed with cancer. He offers her a way out but Emma knows she is in love with him and wants to be at his side every step of the way.
This story is about love, courage and strength and I will say it is one of the best books I have read this year.
Marie’s writing is fantastic; her words flowed so well you won’t put the book down, well maybe a couple times to wipe your eyes or blow your nose. I can honestly say I will be reading this book again and will be purchasing a hard copy of it when it is published.
I recommend this book to everyone. I know cancer is a deep subject but this isn’t about the cancer this is about the strength of love Emma and Nicholas have for each other and the love of their family and friends who stand by them to help them through the hardest times of their lives.
The question is can love really heal all things?
First I want to thank Marie Landry for giving me the opportunity to read and review her amazing novel.
This novel is about a young woman becoming her own person, finding herself and finding true love.
Emma is a 19 year old woman, who has been raised by a very controlling mother she is demanding and critical; she has set impossible standards the no one including Emma could live up to. But Emma tried she worked hard all way through high school, yet her mother never recognized one of her accomplishments. Emma hoped one day her mother would at least show some pride in all Emma’s hard work but that day never came.
Emma realized that she has lived most of her life trying to get her mother’s approval and finally realizes she is never going to get it. With nothing to show for all her hard work Emma knows she has lost herself along the way.
With all her unanswered question Emma decides to go visits her Aunt Daisy for the summer, Aunt Daisy is an artist, she has a carefree soul, lives life to the fullest and Emma wishes she could be more like her. Emma travels to Riverview with plans of spending the summer with her aunt learning how to enjoy herself and hopefully figuring out whom she is and what she wants to do with her future.
The small town of Riverview is comforting and Emma feels at home for the first time in her life. Still not know what she is going to do with her life her aunt encourages her to just to relax and have fun.
Sitting in the park one afternoon Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, he is unlike any boy she has ever met. He is kind, respectful and very handsome; he enjoys life to the fullest he sees the small things around him and enjoys every moment. Nicholas asks Emma out on a date to show her around town. Emma is so nervous she has never gone out on a date; she hasn’t even had a first kiss. The romance that sparks between these two is amazing it is what us girls say what dreams are made from. Emma knows she is falling in love with Nicholas. The romance between these two is fresh, romantic and inspiring.
Life is wonderful and for the first time in her life Emma is happy. But things change, for two weeks Emma hasn’t seen Nicholas, deep down Emma knows something is wrong she finally goes to his house and confronts him.
Nicholas has been diagnosed with cancer. He offers her a way out but Emma knows she is in love with him and wants to be at his side every step of the way.
This story is about love, courage and strength and I will say it is one of the best books I have read this year.
Marie’s writing is fantastic; her words flowed so well you won’t put the book down, well maybe a couple times to wipe your eyes or blow your nose. I can honestly say I will be reading this book again and will be purchasing a hard copy of it when it is published.
I recommend this book to everyone. I know cancer is a deep subject but this isn’t about the cancer this is about the strength of love Emma and Nicholas have for each other and the love of their family and friends who stand by them to help them through the hardest times of their lives.
The question is can love really heal all things?
August 11, 2016
The characters were so relatable in the beginning.As the story progressed it became too much of a good thing. Nicholas was way too good to be true. Basically all the characters were (Daisy, Sam, Maggie, Vince). I feel like I never really got to know anyone besides Emma. Furthermore, I thought that as the story progressed it got more and more unbelievable. Of course when Emma picks up a camera for the first time she finds out she's an amazing photographer. Of course the small town has magical healing powers. Of course she meets the man of her dreams her very first night in town. The only character that had any flaws was Emma's mother and she was almost cartoon evil. It was all very Lifetime movieesk. I even think the author could of done without the cancer storyline. It took what could of been a happy love story into maudlin territory for no real reason except to tell the readers how much they (Emma and Nicholas)loved each other. At that point their love for each other was already apparent. I guess that's my main problem with the story. The author seemed afraid to show the readers how the characters felt. Instead she had to tell it in about 98 different ways. In the beginning Nicholas was awesome and made me practically swoon. I just wish he had developed some flaws as the story progressed. I think it's a great book for the holiday season because people tend to be less cynical then and it has that sort of Hallmark Christmas movie feel.
January 31, 2012
3.5/5 wings
Part of the blog tour! www.faeryinkpress.com
WRITING: 3/5
So I’ve been pretty busy this month editing and writing about editing…and so when I crawl into bed at night and read something, it’s pretty hard to turn off my editor’s eye. While the sentence structure was fine and Landry could often paint lovely pictures of characters with a giant stroke of her magical writing paintbrush, I was laying there with a giant red pen crossing out the redundant paragraphs of description/telling that did not need to be there. We know that Emma is learning to live a fuller life, and that moving to Riverview was the best thing that ever happened to her. This is evident not just because you tell us it is so, but because of what she does and how she acts. There’s a point in the editing process where we have to remove the words that bog down the story so that it can really grow and shine.
PLOT: 4/5
While the first half dragged on, about 45% the way through, things started to get interesting. Nicholas was finally diagnosed with cancer–I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that, as it’s in the description–and the tension starts like a BANG. In my opinion, I think the disease should have been introduced earlier–or, he should have been diagnosed earlier, before the beginning of the book, and only reveal it to Emma half-way through. Having Nicholas know that he might die soon yet loving the life he is creating with Emma would have created a more interesting character dilemma that Emma could’ve sniffed out.
If you read Landry’s author bio/acknowledgements, you’ll see that fighting cancer is a subject that is personal to her, so, kudos for writing about a difficult subject and conveying the pain that one goes through when someone you love is suffering. Near the end, I actually had no idea what would happen to Nicholas, and I was concerned for his well-being. It really made me think what I would do if something happened to Dave–and I think that’s probably what makes this book special: its ability to allow the reader to place herself in the situation.
And, I loved the idea of the Blue Sky Days. I thought that was very real and did kind of tie the first half of the book to the second half.
CHARACTERS: 3/5
Like I said above, Landry often had the ability to paint people with one stroke, and give you an image of a character. The story was populated with several characters that loved each other very much and considered one another as family–this was endearing in the second half of the book when there was real hardship, but in the first half when nothing was wrong I found it a little cheesy.
In addition, everyone had a similar voice and it sometimes broke the illusion. They would talk about their inner feelings in a way that seemed forced–kind of like they were talking heads. The exception would probably be Nicholas; his dialogue seemed genuine, especially after his diagnosis.
I found Emma relateable to a certain point–again, the repetitious paragraphs about her learning how to live life to the fullest, etc, were a little much and I think got in the way of her character development. Yes, her character developed, but I felt like I was an observer rather than a participant in the growth.
OVERALL: 3.5/5
The writing was a little repetitious, but the story kept me going. Second half held my attention much more, and at times it was emotionally gripping. Recommended for those who want to read about a romantic relationship that is tested through hardship.
Part of the blog tour! www.faeryinkpress.com
WRITING: 3/5
So I’ve been pretty busy this month editing and writing about editing…and so when I crawl into bed at night and read something, it’s pretty hard to turn off my editor’s eye. While the sentence structure was fine and Landry could often paint lovely pictures of characters with a giant stroke of her magical writing paintbrush, I was laying there with a giant red pen crossing out the redundant paragraphs of description/telling that did not need to be there. We know that Emma is learning to live a fuller life, and that moving to Riverview was the best thing that ever happened to her. This is evident not just because you tell us it is so, but because of what she does and how she acts. There’s a point in the editing process where we have to remove the words that bog down the story so that it can really grow and shine.
PLOT: 4/5
While the first half dragged on, about 45% the way through, things started to get interesting. Nicholas was finally diagnosed with cancer–I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that, as it’s in the description–and the tension starts like a BANG. In my opinion, I think the disease should have been introduced earlier–or, he should have been diagnosed earlier, before the beginning of the book, and only reveal it to Emma half-way through. Having Nicholas know that he might die soon yet loving the life he is creating with Emma would have created a more interesting character dilemma that Emma could’ve sniffed out.
If you read Landry’s author bio/acknowledgements, you’ll see that fighting cancer is a subject that is personal to her, so, kudos for writing about a difficult subject and conveying the pain that one goes through when someone you love is suffering. Near the end, I actually had no idea what would happen to Nicholas, and I was concerned for his well-being. It really made me think what I would do if something happened to Dave–and I think that’s probably what makes this book special: its ability to allow the reader to place herself in the situation.
And, I loved the idea of the Blue Sky Days. I thought that was very real and did kind of tie the first half of the book to the second half.
CHARACTERS: 3/5
Like I said above, Landry often had the ability to paint people with one stroke, and give you an image of a character. The story was populated with several characters that loved each other very much and considered one another as family–this was endearing in the second half of the book when there was real hardship, but in the first half when nothing was wrong I found it a little cheesy.
In addition, everyone had a similar voice and it sometimes broke the illusion. They would talk about their inner feelings in a way that seemed forced–kind of like they were talking heads. The exception would probably be Nicholas; his dialogue seemed genuine, especially after his diagnosis.
I found Emma relateable to a certain point–again, the repetitious paragraphs about her learning how to live life to the fullest, etc, were a little much and I think got in the way of her character development. Yes, her character developed, but I felt like I was an observer rather than a participant in the growth.
OVERALL: 3.5/5
The writing was a little repetitious, but the story kept me going. Second half held my attention much more, and at times it was emotionally gripping. Recommended for those who want to read about a romantic relationship that is tested through hardship.
July 10, 2014
See more of my reviews on my blog Thoughts At One In The Morning.
My Thoughts:
Amazing.
That’s my review… just kidding! Seriously though, this novel was amazing. Purely and completely amazing. I used to wonder what made people say that someone had a remarkable debut, but with Marie Landry I wonder this no more. Believe me, I’m not just gushing because I’ve gotten to know Marie a little bit over these last few months. I am being truly honest--her work can speak for itself.
There is something about Emma that sincerely appeals to the side of me that wants to not only do more, but be more. The journey she has taken on is entirely new to her--a new place, new people, new life. She’s technically been an adult for a short time but it feels like much longer since she grew up fast. She missed out on so many of the little things, like a sunrise, and she learns to appreciate them.
Emma’s relationship with Nicholas is one of the most beautiful ones I have read. Even as I am typing up this review, I am tearing up thinking about it. Nicholas sees how amazing Emma is, despite the fact that she feels she has nothing amazing about her at first. He sees what she really is, the person she can be, the one that can break through the walls she built up over the years that hid that person. They fall head over heels in love, and can you blame either of them? No, you can see from the start they were destined for each other.
When the knowledge of Nicholas having cancer comes into play, the entire focus of the story remains. Emma is right by his side, and their love plays a role in how things progress. They face the ups and downs of the illness, hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel. Faint glimmers of hope appear and disappear. Through thick and thin, Emma and Nicholas pull through just as strong as they were over the summer.
The story isn’t just a love story between Emma and Nicholas. Emma’s aunt Daisy plays a huge role that impacts Emma’s very perspective. Nicholas introduces her to his friends Maggie and Vince, who are really cool people, and she meets his father Sam, too, who is just as sweet as Nicholas.
Along the way, Emma talks with her parents a little bit. Her mother is still attempting to control her in any way possible. Although her mother isn’t very nice, her father tries to stay in touch. The way things end up with her and her parents is a very accurate depiction of reality. Not everything can be tied up into neat and pretty little bows, some things come undone and can never be put back together again. It doesn’t matter what happens, but how you choose to react to these situations. Emma makes some brave choices that shape her into an incredible young woman.
Blue Sky Days is a journey beyond compare. A love story in every sense of the word, a larger than life lesson, a renewed sense of self. Marie Landry’s storytelling ability connects the reader to the story to the point where their eyes cannot stray from the page. Yes, you will cry (I did). Yes, you may even sob (oh boy, I certainly did). But, you will never regret reading this novel (and I mean never). I, for one, am anxiously awaiting what else Marie has in store.
My Rating:
Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM
My Thoughts:
Amazing.
That’s my review… just kidding! Seriously though, this novel was amazing. Purely and completely amazing. I used to wonder what made people say that someone had a remarkable debut, but with Marie Landry I wonder this no more. Believe me, I’m not just gushing because I’ve gotten to know Marie a little bit over these last few months. I am being truly honest--her work can speak for itself.
There is something about Emma that sincerely appeals to the side of me that wants to not only do more, but be more. The journey she has taken on is entirely new to her--a new place, new people, new life. She’s technically been an adult for a short time but it feels like much longer since she grew up fast. She missed out on so many of the little things, like a sunrise, and she learns to appreciate them.
Emma’s relationship with Nicholas is one of the most beautiful ones I have read. Even as I am typing up this review, I am tearing up thinking about it. Nicholas sees how amazing Emma is, despite the fact that she feels she has nothing amazing about her at first. He sees what she really is, the person she can be, the one that can break through the walls she built up over the years that hid that person. They fall head over heels in love, and can you blame either of them? No, you can see from the start they were destined for each other.
When the knowledge of Nicholas having cancer comes into play, the entire focus of the story remains. Emma is right by his side, and their love plays a role in how things progress. They face the ups and downs of the illness, hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel. Faint glimmers of hope appear and disappear. Through thick and thin, Emma and Nicholas pull through just as strong as they were over the summer.
The story isn’t just a love story between Emma and Nicholas. Emma’s aunt Daisy plays a huge role that impacts Emma’s very perspective. Nicholas introduces her to his friends Maggie and Vince, who are really cool people, and she meets his father Sam, too, who is just as sweet as Nicholas.
Along the way, Emma talks with her parents a little bit. Her mother is still attempting to control her in any way possible. Although her mother isn’t very nice, her father tries to stay in touch. The way things end up with her and her parents is a very accurate depiction of reality. Not everything can be tied up into neat and pretty little bows, some things come undone and can never be put back together again. It doesn’t matter what happens, but how you choose to react to these situations. Emma makes some brave choices that shape her into an incredible young woman.
Blue Sky Days is a journey beyond compare. A love story in every sense of the word, a larger than life lesson, a renewed sense of self. Marie Landry’s storytelling ability connects the reader to the story to the point where their eyes cannot stray from the page. Yes, you will cry (I did). Yes, you may even sob (oh boy, I certainly did). But, you will never regret reading this novel (and I mean never). I, for one, am anxiously awaiting what else Marie has in store.
My Rating:
Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM
March 5, 2012
Too perfect. Those are the best two words I can muster to summarize the whole experience. And, unfortunately, that did set me back some. The lack of true conflict in the characters, the almost cliche character growth, and the instalove romance, while adorable, the chemistry basically believable, has a giant absence of real turbulence in the relationship, which morphed this story into a mostly surface read, a cute romance to warm the heart that missed the mark in being genuinely, unquestionably profound. And that struck me as Blue Sky Days' biggest issue. Although, Blue Sky Days has select scenes that properly evoked emotion (I mean, I cried), there isn't a natural flow that creeps into the heart and grants a full-on picture of raw and true emotion. Landry had the pieces, but I kept feeling as if they didn't quite fit in that beautifully, just-right sort of perfect way that makes a novel a grand addition to our bookshelves.
We sense emotions whipping and tumbling under the surface of the main character, Emma, and through her inner turmoil, it's easy to become sympathetic to her plight. However much we've been exposed to it in other main characters we've run across before. But from the moment Emma walks through her Aunt Daisy's door, there never seems to be that required authenticity to make every character entirely believable. We have a difficult time buying into everyone's endless easygoing nature, because, let's face it, we all have bad days. That's what makes us human. Instead, we are merely given simple characters that don't quite leap off the page. Mild interest is sparked when we meet the remaining cast members of the book, as we know that we're not going to receive any reactions and encounters and emotions true to human nature. And while we may fall in love with Noah, the romantic lead, he too never strikes us as anything other than imaginable. A product of pure fiction too perfect to ever really exist. Where are his flaws?
The conflict of cancer is a scary leap in the story. Though, the characters handle the ensuing events with equally scary grace that doesn't feel very genuine or completely suitable to the situation. Even as we pour tears for Nicholas' fate, we wish to feel a deeper pain, one that rips us of our hearts and shatters us as powerfully as the other novels who've tackled the same plot dilemma. And with a sweet, however predictable ending, Blue Sky Days is another novel that perfectly depicts the true meaning of its Guilty Pleasure rating. A novel that needs much more substance, Marie Landry's Blue Sky Days is a better start to a writing career than most, but failed to incite spectacular emotion and a memorable aftertaste.
Full Review on My Blog »
We sense emotions whipping and tumbling under the surface of the main character, Emma, and through her inner turmoil, it's easy to become sympathetic to her plight. However much we've been exposed to it in other main characters we've run across before. But from the moment Emma walks through her Aunt Daisy's door, there never seems to be that required authenticity to make every character entirely believable. We have a difficult time buying into everyone's endless easygoing nature, because, let's face it, we all have bad days. That's what makes us human. Instead, we are merely given simple characters that don't quite leap off the page. Mild interest is sparked when we meet the remaining cast members of the book, as we know that we're not going to receive any reactions and encounters and emotions true to human nature. And while we may fall in love with Noah, the romantic lead, he too never strikes us as anything other than imaginable. A product of pure fiction too perfect to ever really exist. Where are his flaws?
The conflict of cancer is a scary leap in the story. Though, the characters handle the ensuing events with equally scary grace that doesn't feel very genuine or completely suitable to the situation. Even as we pour tears for Nicholas' fate, we wish to feel a deeper pain, one that rips us of our hearts and shatters us as powerfully as the other novels who've tackled the same plot dilemma. And with a sweet, however predictable ending, Blue Sky Days is another novel that perfectly depicts the true meaning of its Guilty Pleasure rating. A novel that needs much more substance, Marie Landry's Blue Sky Days is a better start to a writing career than most, but failed to incite spectacular emotion and a memorable aftertaste.
Full Review on My Blog »
April 6, 2012
In many ways I really enjoyed 'Blue Sky Days.' I found the writing style straightforward and it flowed well and confidently through the story and the seasons. I really felt that I got to know the little town of Riverview where Emma moves for the summer and ends up staying. I could easily visualise Daisy's house and the park and the diner where Emma spends time with her boyfriend, Nicholas. I felt that the author must know this place extremely well in her mind and I wondered if it was modelled on an actual place.
For me, it was more difficult to fully relate to the characters because they were maybe just a little too nice (except Emma's mum who is too horrible). The author is tackling a difficult subject (a serious illness in a young person). I had a similar, personal experience myself, though I was nearer Daisy's age than Emma and Nicholas and I know that a strong family will pull together at such a time. However I would have liked a little conflict within those loving relationships and that, for me would have been a more believable scenario.
Still, I was rooting for the family and was happy to be there with them to the end of the story.
* I received a free copy of this ebook for review *
For me, it was more difficult to fully relate to the characters because they were maybe just a little too nice (except Emma's mum who is too horrible). The author is tackling a difficult subject (a serious illness in a young person). I had a similar, personal experience myself, though I was nearer Daisy's age than Emma and Nicholas and I know that a strong family will pull together at such a time. However I would have liked a little conflict within those loving relationships and that, for me would have been a more believable scenario.
Still, I was rooting for the family and was happy to be there with them to the end of the story.
* I received a free copy of this ebook for review *
March 17, 2012
First off, I need to mention that this is the first ebook I've read using my kindle app on my phone so it was a little weird at first to get used to. And thank you for giving me a chance to read this lovely book!
I knew from reading the description that I would instantly love this book! And I was right! It had me hooked right off! At times (and there was many!) I was literally in tears! Emma is an interesting character that left her overly critical mother to stay with her aunt in Riverview. There she meets Nicholas who captivates her and they are soon falling in love! Things change when Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer.
I absolutely loved the relationship between all the characters, especially Nicholas and Emma! I felt as if i knew them all personally!
Marie uses a vast choice of words to describe the scenery, it made me actually feel like I was there!
The ending was gripping! I was so pleased with the ending, I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone but it was great and not so predictable!
I definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone! You won't be disappointed!
I knew from reading the description that I would instantly love this book! And I was right! It had me hooked right off! At times (and there was many!) I was literally in tears! Emma is an interesting character that left her overly critical mother to stay with her aunt in Riverview. There she meets Nicholas who captivates her and they are soon falling in love! Things change when Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer.
I absolutely loved the relationship between all the characters, especially Nicholas and Emma! I felt as if i knew them all personally!
Marie uses a vast choice of words to describe the scenery, it made me actually feel like I was there!
The ending was gripping! I was so pleased with the ending, I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone but it was great and not so predictable!
I definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone! You won't be disappointed!
January 4, 2012
Emma and Nicholas fall in love at first sight and so begins a life altering romance.
I couldn't help feeling like I stepped into the movie Pleasantville. This is a YA contemporary but I felt at any moment there would be a secret reveal that we were in fact in a time warp. Everyone is so sweet, supportive and kind in that small home town kind of way.
That's a good thing because Emma and Nicolas face a heartbreaking test to their love and commitment to each other when he is diagnosed with Leukemia.
This book radiates goodness and hope which could come off as corny but it feels real. Blue Sky Days is a good book for readers looking for a heartwarming story about second chances, faith and the power of love.
I couldn't help feeling like I stepped into the movie Pleasantville. This is a YA contemporary but I felt at any moment there would be a secret reveal that we were in fact in a time warp. Everyone is so sweet, supportive and kind in that small home town kind of way.
That's a good thing because Emma and Nicolas face a heartbreaking test to their love and commitment to each other when he is diagnosed with Leukemia.
This book radiates goodness and hope which could come off as corny but it feels real. Blue Sky Days is a good book for readers looking for a heartwarming story about second chances, faith and the power of love.
January 31, 2012
I got about 30% in on Kindle and I just couldnt finish it. The lead male role is so very unrealistic. And its almost like the main character is in love with Daisy- the way she keep nattering on and on about Daisy this and Daisy that.
Not my thing at all... I might have enjoyed it if i kept reading but I felt like there was something much better our there to enjoy reading.
Not my thing at all... I might have enjoyed it if i kept reading but I felt like there was something much better our there to enjoy reading.
March 17, 2012
This was a very cute book that tried to be serious. It talked about some hard subjects in a nice way, waking people aware of the fickleness of life. BUT it still had the overall ‘la-la-land’ feel that made it unrealistic to the bone.
June 16, 2014
Original review, shortly after finishing: this was one of the most satisfying, emotional books I've read in a long time. (Read my full review at Books and Whimsy.
Updated review 06/16/2014.
One thing I wish for quite often is to read my favorite books again for the first time. I got my wish with BLUE SKY DAYS when Marie decided to re-publish it. This time, BLUE SKY DAYS is firmly entrenched in the New Adult category, and this was a wonderful change from its former Young Adult roots. Emma's story feels just as moving and genuine as before, but in a more grown-up way now. I swooned so hard over Nicholas Shaw, and loved watching Emma come out of her shell and navigate the adult world opening up in front of her. And, as with all of Marie's books, I laughed AND cried. BLUE SKY DAYS is swoon-worthy, laugh-worthy, and worth the tears and the feels, with amazing characters and relationships.
Updated review 06/16/2014.
One thing I wish for quite often is to read my favorite books again for the first time. I got my wish with BLUE SKY DAYS when Marie decided to re-publish it. This time, BLUE SKY DAYS is firmly entrenched in the New Adult category, and this was a wonderful change from its former Young Adult roots. Emma's story feels just as moving and genuine as before, but in a more grown-up way now. I swooned so hard over Nicholas Shaw, and loved watching Emma come out of her shell and navigate the adult world opening up in front of her. And, as with all of Marie's books, I laughed AND cried. BLUE SKY DAYS is swoon-worthy, laugh-worthy, and worth the tears and the feels, with amazing characters and relationships.
January 17, 2012
Blue Sky Days was a very sweet coming of age kind of story. There’s first love, first heartache (although not for reasons most people go through), deciding what to do with one’s life and standing up for one’s self. The romance is cute and sweet but not without struggles and hurdles to overcome.
I have to admit, this isn’t the type of story that I normally go for. I tend to like my romances a little more…intense, but this was a nice change of pace and it was certainly enjoyable. I think it will appeal to a very large crowd, especially those who enjoy a good love story but don’t want to blush while reading it.
I have to admit, this isn’t the type of story that I normally go for. I tend to like my romances a little more…intense, but this was a nice change of pace and it was certainly enjoyable. I think it will appeal to a very large crowd, especially those who enjoy a good love story but don’t want to blush while reading it.
January 18, 2012
Review to come..
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Marie Landry is a wonderful blogger friend and I was so excited for her when she announced the release of Blue Sky Days and even more excited when she offered me a copy prior to release, there's always that fear though of What if I don't like it? But I'm so happy that wasn't the case for this book which I absolutely loved.
19 year-old Emma Ward has made the decision to spend her summer with fun-loving and carefree Aunt Daisy in the small town of Riverview, a move which would enable her to assert her own independence and not be ruled by her mother whom she had always tried to please.
Emma had planned her entire life out from the time she was in grade school but things hadn’t gone as she expected and after being out of school for a year, she was still indecisive about what she wanted to do. She needed a plan and focus.
On arrival in Riverview Emma meets Nicholas Shaw who was an absolute dream of a guy - good-looking, understanding and so sweet! But Nicholas has a personal struggle of his own and it really saddened me to read about his journey with a very real and very serious disease, it was heartbreaking, believable and emotional what he was having to endure.
From the very start I loved Emma; she reminded me of me for some reason right down to her love of U2 who I know Marie also loves. She was believable and her emotions and thought process was true to what was happening.
Blue Sky Days has a wonderful cast of compelling characters, each were well thought out with very real emotions which they were having to work through daily to overcome their personal struggles. From the amazing Aunt Daisy who was everything Emma’s cold and distant mother was not to best friends Vince and Maggie and even Emma’s father who really came through in the end.
The emotions evoked in Blue Sky Days were strong from beginning to end and ranged from complete happiness to utter grief, it was a journey of self-discovery for Emma and Nicholas and showed the love, respect and devotion they shared for one another, it is a beautiful and touching romance.
Ms Landry pulls you into the creative and unique story she has created and you are able to truly experience the exciting story she is telling. Her writing is absolutely amazing, it flows beautifully and you are literally immersed in all of the glorious details. I was completely engrossed from the start to finish; the details and imagery were vivid as were each of the characters.
Blue Sky Days is a wonderful, mesmerizing debut from Marie Landry. I’ve fallen completely for this story and the amazing characters and I really hope to be able to read more by this wonderful author in the not too distant future.
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Marie Landry is a wonderful blogger friend and I was so excited for her when she announced the release of Blue Sky Days and even more excited when she offered me a copy prior to release, there's always that fear though of What if I don't like it? But I'm so happy that wasn't the case for this book which I absolutely loved.
19 year-old Emma Ward has made the decision to spend her summer with fun-loving and carefree Aunt Daisy in the small town of Riverview, a move which would enable her to assert her own independence and not be ruled by her mother whom she had always tried to please.
Emma had planned her entire life out from the time she was in grade school but things hadn’t gone as she expected and after being out of school for a year, she was still indecisive about what she wanted to do. She needed a plan and focus.
On arrival in Riverview Emma meets Nicholas Shaw who was an absolute dream of a guy - good-looking, understanding and so sweet! But Nicholas has a personal struggle of his own and it really saddened me to read about his journey with a very real and very serious disease, it was heartbreaking, believable and emotional what he was having to endure.
From the very start I loved Emma; she reminded me of me for some reason right down to her love of U2 who I know Marie also loves. She was believable and her emotions and thought process was true to what was happening.
Blue Sky Days has a wonderful cast of compelling characters, each were well thought out with very real emotions which they were having to work through daily to overcome their personal struggles. From the amazing Aunt Daisy who was everything Emma’s cold and distant mother was not to best friends Vince and Maggie and even Emma’s father who really came through in the end.
The emotions evoked in Blue Sky Days were strong from beginning to end and ranged from complete happiness to utter grief, it was a journey of self-discovery for Emma and Nicholas and showed the love, respect and devotion they shared for one another, it is a beautiful and touching romance.
Ms Landry pulls you into the creative and unique story she has created and you are able to truly experience the exciting story she is telling. Her writing is absolutely amazing, it flows beautifully and you are literally immersed in all of the glorious details. I was completely engrossed from the start to finish; the details and imagery were vivid as were each of the characters.
Blue Sky Days is a wonderful, mesmerizing debut from Marie Landry. I’ve fallen completely for this story and the amazing characters and I really hope to be able to read more by this wonderful author in the not too distant future.
January 27, 2012
Emma Ward has spent the last year after graduating from high school trying to make ends meet in hopes of making it into college. While her parents are able to help with such costs, she's intent on going it alone in hopes of showing them she can truly make it on her own. When she comes to the realization that her future is still undecided, she makes the decision to spend sometime in Riverview with her Aunt Daisy.
This decision, unfortunately, does not sit well with her mother. Regardless of that fact, she continues with her plans and looks forward to what the future has to bring. Upon arriving on her Aunt's doorstep, Emma feels optimistic. With a new place and a new beginning, she's sure that something good is just around the corner.
When her aunt welcomes her with open arms, Emma looks forward to their time together. Old memories are soon remembered as the two reminisce about the past. Slowly letting go of her fears, she makes herself at home and sets out to explore her new home. While out one day, she comes across Nicholas Shaw, a boy who stirs her senses and makes her want to get to know him that much better.
Intrigued by him completely, she allows herself to befriend him, never once imagining he'd change her world completely. As the days go by, their relationship deepens and she finds herself falling in love with Nicholas as the minutes pass. Her world is everything she'd ever imagined and more until the moment Nicholas becomes ill.
Her entire world comes crashing down when Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer. Unwilling to take the easy way out, she's determined to show him that she'll be there for him no matter what. She does her best not to lose control as their relationship and faith is tested at every turn. Despite the bleak outlook, Emma knows she doesn't have to face Nicholas' ordeal alone. With the help of her friends and family, she realizes that miracles are always around the corner, only if you believe in them.
This was such a heart-felt and endearing story. I enjoyed every minute of it and cried when I learned Nicholas had fallen ill. Having lost several family members to cancer, I can very well understand Emma's feelings and the hopelessness that ensues when we think we're about to lose someone we love.
The love, pain, heartache, and despair are felt so clearly throughout the story. Marie is able to draw the reader into the world she's created for her characters in such a way that it leaves you wanting to know more with every turn of the page. Marie's writing flows quite beautifully and keeps us completely riveted. It's that vivid! Totally recommend the book for reading.
This decision, unfortunately, does not sit well with her mother. Regardless of that fact, she continues with her plans and looks forward to what the future has to bring. Upon arriving on her Aunt's doorstep, Emma feels optimistic. With a new place and a new beginning, she's sure that something good is just around the corner.
When her aunt welcomes her with open arms, Emma looks forward to their time together. Old memories are soon remembered as the two reminisce about the past. Slowly letting go of her fears, she makes herself at home and sets out to explore her new home. While out one day, she comes across Nicholas Shaw, a boy who stirs her senses and makes her want to get to know him that much better.
Intrigued by him completely, she allows herself to befriend him, never once imagining he'd change her world completely. As the days go by, their relationship deepens and she finds herself falling in love with Nicholas as the minutes pass. Her world is everything she'd ever imagined and more until the moment Nicholas becomes ill.
Her entire world comes crashing down when Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer. Unwilling to take the easy way out, she's determined to show him that she'll be there for him no matter what. She does her best not to lose control as their relationship and faith is tested at every turn. Despite the bleak outlook, Emma knows she doesn't have to face Nicholas' ordeal alone. With the help of her friends and family, she realizes that miracles are always around the corner, only if you believe in them.
This was such a heart-felt and endearing story. I enjoyed every minute of it and cried when I learned Nicholas had fallen ill. Having lost several family members to cancer, I can very well understand Emma's feelings and the hopelessness that ensues when we think we're about to lose someone we love.
The love, pain, heartache, and despair are felt so clearly throughout the story. Marie is able to draw the reader into the world she's created for her characters in such a way that it leaves you wanting to know more with every turn of the page. Marie's writing flows quite beautifully and keeps us completely riveted. It's that vivid! Totally recommend the book for reading.
June 3, 2015
Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
eBook provided by author for review.
Emma had her life planned out in meticulous fashion. She spent her entire high school career working hard and earning stellar grades, grades intended to land a spot in college that would lead to a successful career. But she decided to take a year off, to earn her way through college, and discovered she had lost herself along the way. Realizing she should do something about it, Emma decided to spend the summer in Riverview, with her aunt Daisy. That decision changed her life, forever.
It's hard to be nineteen, and even harder to discover yourself after years of striving to meet someone else's idea of perfection. But with the help of free-spirited Daisy, Emma starts to learn that life is about more than perfect grades and isolating yourself from the world. When she meets Nicholas, Emma realizes that so many of her ideas and perceptions of life were so wrong - but that changing them is so very easy. Nicholas introduces her to his friends - Vince and Maggie - and the three give Emma her first taste of what it means to be young and free. And loved. As summer winds down, Emma is faced with another decision: stay in Riverview, or go back to her old life. She stays, and digs her roots deeply into the foundation of love and support she's found. And she needs every bit of that loving support a short time later, when Nicholas is diagnosed with leukemia. The next months are a struggle, but Emma, Nicholas, and their "family" of Daisy and Sam (Nicholas's dad), Vince and Maggie, rely on each other and the fierce power of love to get through the valley and back into the sun.
Blue Sky Days is a beautiful story, but was a difficult read at times. The first half is fun, and I loved watching Emma grow. I remember being nineteen, and how hard it is to see who you really are in the world, trying to find your place. Emma and all the characters are drawn neatly, fleshed out with a life and spark that made me wish they were true. Once the fight for Nicholas's life began, it got harder for me to read - leukemia, and cancer in general, has ravaged so many near and dear to my heart. Landry does a wonderful job making it real, not glossing over the hell of it all, but emphasizing the importance of family - of togetherness - of Love. (And, thankfully, she doesn't totally break my reader's heart either!). A well-written, moving story about growing into yourself, and finding out first-hand the amazing power of love.
eBook provided by author for review.
Emma had her life planned out in meticulous fashion. She spent her entire high school career working hard and earning stellar grades, grades intended to land a spot in college that would lead to a successful career. But she decided to take a year off, to earn her way through college, and discovered she had lost herself along the way. Realizing she should do something about it, Emma decided to spend the summer in Riverview, with her aunt Daisy. That decision changed her life, forever.
It's hard to be nineteen, and even harder to discover yourself after years of striving to meet someone else's idea of perfection. But with the help of free-spirited Daisy, Emma starts to learn that life is about more than perfect grades and isolating yourself from the world. When she meets Nicholas, Emma realizes that so many of her ideas and perceptions of life were so wrong - but that changing them is so very easy. Nicholas introduces her to his friends - Vince and Maggie - and the three give Emma her first taste of what it means to be young and free. And loved. As summer winds down, Emma is faced with another decision: stay in Riverview, or go back to her old life. She stays, and digs her roots deeply into the foundation of love and support she's found. And she needs every bit of that loving support a short time later, when Nicholas is diagnosed with leukemia. The next months are a struggle, but Emma, Nicholas, and their "family" of Daisy and Sam (Nicholas's dad), Vince and Maggie, rely on each other and the fierce power of love to get through the valley and back into the sun.
Blue Sky Days is a beautiful story, but was a difficult read at times. The first half is fun, and I loved watching Emma grow. I remember being nineteen, and how hard it is to see who you really are in the world, trying to find your place. Emma and all the characters are drawn neatly, fleshed out with a life and spark that made me wish they were true. Once the fight for Nicholas's life began, it got harder for me to read - leukemia, and cancer in general, has ravaged so many near and dear to my heart. Landry does a wonderful job making it real, not glossing over the hell of it all, but emphasizing the importance of family - of togetherness - of Love. (And, thankfully, she doesn't totally break my reader's heart either!). A well-written, moving story about growing into yourself, and finding out first-hand the amazing power of love.
March 22, 2012
Working so hard to get somewhere in life, Emma doesn't have a clue about what she is going to do next. College is where she's been wanting to go to, but shes still doesn't know which one. Working at a diner has really payed off so she can decide what to do with her life. Without having her parents decide for her. It was either the diner or working as an insurance agent with her dad. Emma has been planning everything since she was little, trying her hardest to make her mother proud but nothing helps. Planning out her life hasn't really helped, its made things worse now she has no idea what she is going to do anymore. So she has decided to pack up and move to Riverview to spend time with her aunt Daisy, who is probably the only person she can think of who will hopefully help her figure out what to do next. Moving to Riverview was the best decision she had ever made. Now she has met Nicholas someone who can be her rock and her best friend all at the same time, someone who can also love her and be there for her.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this it was such a fantastic book, all the detailing and descriptions blew my mind. I really felt like I was in the book seeing through Emma's eyes. I just loved her character. I never once got bored of this book i just kept reading it, I completely indulged it in one sitting. Emma was so sweet, smart and loveable even though she had been through so much because of her mother. And Nicholas was a great addition to the book I also enjoyed his character, he showed Emma how it felt to be loved and wanted something that her parents never really expressed at all. I thought that Daisy was amazing she was in a way a mom/sister/friend to Emma which was what Emma needed. I enjoyed this book so much it was such a page turner, its not fantasy at all cause things like this do happen in real life and it makes it so much more believable. I never really read books like this but now I am starting to which is out of my comfort zone when it comes to books but this was another exception. This story was really well written and fast paced, you fall more in love with it each time you turn the page. I was not disappointed at all. So please read this book I highly recommend it.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this it was such a fantastic book, all the detailing and descriptions blew my mind. I really felt like I was in the book seeing through Emma's eyes. I just loved her character. I never once got bored of this book i just kept reading it, I completely indulged it in one sitting. Emma was so sweet, smart and loveable even though she had been through so much because of her mother. And Nicholas was a great addition to the book I also enjoyed his character, he showed Emma how it felt to be loved and wanted something that her parents never really expressed at all. I thought that Daisy was amazing she was in a way a mom/sister/friend to Emma which was what Emma needed. I enjoyed this book so much it was such a page turner, its not fantasy at all cause things like this do happen in real life and it makes it so much more believable. I never really read books like this but now I am starting to which is out of my comfort zone when it comes to books but this was another exception. This story was really well written and fast paced, you fall more in love with it each time you turn the page. I was not disappointed at all. So please read this book I highly recommend it.
October 1, 2012
Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry
Asin B006U97B20
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Emma Ward just graduated from high school. She has worked hard all her life, trying to please a mother who is rarely satisfied. Now, she’s at a crossroads and feels the need to take time off to decide on what she would like to study in college—or even figure if she wants to attend.
An only child, with no friends, and a father still deep under his wife’s spell, the loneliness begins to have her realize how much she has missed doing the usual every day stuff that kids do when they grow up. Even the year off she takes to do menial jobs to save money to go to college, does not fulfill her. She decides to go spend the summer with her aunt, Daisy, the much younger sister her mother has never liked. Too many years difference between them, and complete opposites character wise.
Emma hopes to discover who she really is and what she wants out of life, somewhere, three hours North of Toronto.
Marie Landry has a good eye for details and renders this story in the perfect tradition of a YA genre, with lots of candid introspection from our heroine, and many rewarding episodes that literally transform Emma before our eyes. Landry’s portrayal of Emma’s naiveté, blossoming into a wonderful young woman, leaves us in turn smiling with hope, biting our fingernails with worry, and rooting for her newfound love to be the real deal.
This wonderful character every young woman is dying to meet is called, Nicholas Shaw. And the story portrays him as a hero from the beginning, leaving us to question his motives, his loyalty, and whether or not his devotion to Emma will endure.
The normalcy of everyday conflicts, lined with some extraordinary events roots us there, tied to day-to-day living among Emma’s friends, in a small village called Riverview—when it becomes more and more difficult to put the book down.
This is Marie Landry’s first novel, something she says she had put away many years ago, and then decided to finish; and I’m so glad she did. She has been a freelance writer since 2009 and to find out more about her, you can visit her website: http://www.marielandry.blogspot.com and see what else she has cooking.
Asin B006U97B20
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Emma Ward just graduated from high school. She has worked hard all her life, trying to please a mother who is rarely satisfied. Now, she’s at a crossroads and feels the need to take time off to decide on what she would like to study in college—or even figure if she wants to attend.
An only child, with no friends, and a father still deep under his wife’s spell, the loneliness begins to have her realize how much she has missed doing the usual every day stuff that kids do when they grow up. Even the year off she takes to do menial jobs to save money to go to college, does not fulfill her. She decides to go spend the summer with her aunt, Daisy, the much younger sister her mother has never liked. Too many years difference between them, and complete opposites character wise.
Emma hopes to discover who she really is and what she wants out of life, somewhere, three hours North of Toronto.
Marie Landry has a good eye for details and renders this story in the perfect tradition of a YA genre, with lots of candid introspection from our heroine, and many rewarding episodes that literally transform Emma before our eyes. Landry’s portrayal of Emma’s naiveté, blossoming into a wonderful young woman, leaves us in turn smiling with hope, biting our fingernails with worry, and rooting for her newfound love to be the real deal.
This wonderful character every young woman is dying to meet is called, Nicholas Shaw. And the story portrays him as a hero from the beginning, leaving us to question his motives, his loyalty, and whether or not his devotion to Emma will endure.
The normalcy of everyday conflicts, lined with some extraordinary events roots us there, tied to day-to-day living among Emma’s friends, in a small village called Riverview—when it becomes more and more difficult to put the book down.
This is Marie Landry’s first novel, something she says she had put away many years ago, and then decided to finish; and I’m so glad she did. She has been a freelance writer since 2009 and to find out more about her, you can visit her website: http://www.marielandry.blogspot.com and see what else she has cooking.
December 19, 2011
Blue Sky Days should come with a warning attached: THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU FEEL!!!! Love, anger, pain, grief, sadness, joy... You will FEEL and experience them all!!
I was in love with this story from the very first page. It pulled me in and made me a part of it and I knew it was going to be special!! I think I may have even shed a tear in the prologue.... Yes, only two pages in and I was teary!! You see, I had read the book description and was a bit more clued in than Emma and Nicholas. So I knew the huge struggles they were going to face.
Emma has lived a life trying to live up to her controlling mothers expectations. But whatever she has achieved in her 19 years has never been good enough for her mother. So Emma decides to move in with her free spirited Aunt Daisy and so begins her journey of self discovery. On this journey Emma discovers what it feels to be a part of something. A part of a loving family. A part of a loving friendship and a part of a loving couple!! And in the process she finds herself!! And her growth is such a wonderful thing to see.
And then we have Nicholas. He is just so charming. You can't help but fall in love with him along with Emma. Goodness just radiates from him and so when he gets Cancer it knocks you for six, even though you know it's coming!! You will take the journey with Nicholas, Emma and their family and friends in the battle to beat it!! But at no stage is it predictable as to how that battle will end. Because I found myself at different stages convinced that he wasn't going to make it, then sure that he was, then back again!!
I cannot recommend this book enough!! Marie Landry paints a picture with her words. Blue Sky Days is a book you must all add to your list of must reads for 2012!!
I was in love with this story from the very first page. It pulled me in and made me a part of it and I knew it was going to be special!! I think I may have even shed a tear in the prologue.... Yes, only two pages in and I was teary!! You see, I had read the book description and was a bit more clued in than Emma and Nicholas. So I knew the huge struggles they were going to face.
Emma has lived a life trying to live up to her controlling mothers expectations. But whatever she has achieved in her 19 years has never been good enough for her mother. So Emma decides to move in with her free spirited Aunt Daisy and so begins her journey of self discovery. On this journey Emma discovers what it feels to be a part of something. A part of a loving family. A part of a loving friendship and a part of a loving couple!! And in the process she finds herself!! And her growth is such a wonderful thing to see.
And then we have Nicholas. He is just so charming. You can't help but fall in love with him along with Emma. Goodness just radiates from him and so when he gets Cancer it knocks you for six, even though you know it's coming!! You will take the journey with Nicholas, Emma and their family and friends in the battle to beat it!! But at no stage is it predictable as to how that battle will end. Because I found myself at different stages convinced that he wasn't going to make it, then sure that he was, then back again!!
I cannot recommend this book enough!! Marie Landry paints a picture with her words. Blue Sky Days is a book you must all add to your list of must reads for 2012!!
December 6, 2011
I requested Blue Sky Days a while ago from Marie because could relate to what was going on in the book through a similar experience and I am so glad I did or I would have missed out on a great read.
Marie has wrote a book that makes the emotions and feelings so real its hard not to get drawn in and start to feel a part of it all. You want to keep reading to find out what happens next, will they survive the next hurdle thrown at them, will it be good news or bad.
I loved the description of not only the town and the characters, but even the littlest detail of the weather, or what the characters see. It was so easy to imagine it all that it made me wish I lived there.
I really disliked Emma's Mum for her attitude towards Emma and what she wanted to do with her own life and future and for a while didn't think much of her Father for going along with it, but when he finally comes to his senses I was happy to see him take a more active part in Emma's new life she had built for herself.
The raw emotion behind the story had me crying a lot, even more so when it came to Nicholas going into hospital, the worry and emotion behind it all brought back my own memories of having the same feelings. Once I started I could not put Blue Sky Days down and finished it the next day.
Marie is a debut author and Blue Sky Days is an amazing offering for all the readers out there. She is an author to keep an eye on and hopefully Marie is busy thinking of more stories to write.
Everyone should pick up a copy of her book and hopefully you will all have a "Blue Sky Day" everyday.
Marie has wrote a book that makes the emotions and feelings so real its hard not to get drawn in and start to feel a part of it all. You want to keep reading to find out what happens next, will they survive the next hurdle thrown at them, will it be good news or bad.
I loved the description of not only the town and the characters, but even the littlest detail of the weather, or what the characters see. It was so easy to imagine it all that it made me wish I lived there.
I really disliked Emma's Mum for her attitude towards Emma and what she wanted to do with her own life and future and for a while didn't think much of her Father for going along with it, but when he finally comes to his senses I was happy to see him take a more active part in Emma's new life she had built for herself.
The raw emotion behind the story had me crying a lot, even more so when it came to Nicholas going into hospital, the worry and emotion behind it all brought back my own memories of having the same feelings. Once I started I could not put Blue Sky Days down and finished it the next day.
Marie is a debut author and Blue Sky Days is an amazing offering for all the readers out there. She is an author to keep an eye on and hopefully Marie is busy thinking of more stories to write.
Everyone should pick up a copy of her book and hopefully you will all have a "Blue Sky Day" everyday.
January 22, 2012
Vlog review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUcA6o...
Blue sky days is a wonderfully written, deeply emotional journey. I loved all the characters and felt very close to them as I got to know them, so much so I could feel their emotions, I felt Emmas despair, at her mother and later at Nicholas' illness, obviously I was praying for a happy ending and I was biting my lip, on the brim of tears, waiting to find out if there was one. It's definitely one I'd recommend and I cannot wait to see what else Marie comes up with in the future.
Favourite quotes
'All these thoughts and more ran through my head as he made his way up the hill. I couldn't really believe that he was coming to talk to me, and in the minute it took him to reach me. I had created a million different reasons why he could be climbing this hill. As he got closer and I got a good look at those beautiful blue eyes, I forgot all the reasons I had created and hoped he was coming to talk to me'
'His smile was so beautiful, transforming his already handsome face with that flash of dimples, and the way his eyes crinkled in the corners. But when he smiled at me, it took my breath away. Everything else faded away for a few seconds.'
Blue sky days is a wonderfully written, deeply emotional journey. I loved all the characters and felt very close to them as I got to know them, so much so I could feel their emotions, I felt Emmas despair, at her mother and later at Nicholas' illness, obviously I was praying for a happy ending and I was biting my lip, on the brim of tears, waiting to find out if there was one. It's definitely one I'd recommend and I cannot wait to see what else Marie comes up with in the future.
Favourite quotes
'All these thoughts and more ran through my head as he made his way up the hill. I couldn't really believe that he was coming to talk to me, and in the minute it took him to reach me. I had created a million different reasons why he could be climbing this hill. As he got closer and I got a good look at those beautiful blue eyes, I forgot all the reasons I had created and hoped he was coming to talk to me'
'His smile was so beautiful, transforming his already handsome face with that flash of dimples, and the way his eyes crinkled in the corners. But when he smiled at me, it took my breath away. Everything else faded away for a few seconds.'
May 9, 2016
READING
It reads like a 'blue sky holiday'. Wonderful and light and somewhat simplistic and idealistic.
No wonder I keep expecting the other shoe to drop.
POST-READ
How should I put it?
Too... Perfect? Fast? Detached from reality?
I kept reading and feeling like someone slipped me a drug, the LSD kind. Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole kind of feeling. So surreal it makes my teeth ache.
Too picture perfect in the end. Too picture perfect all way through.
Not my thing.
Better books out there, believe me.
EDIT 2013/07/22
Saw its cover in the list YA Contemporaries and couldn't suppress a shudder. My instinctive mental flinch-away is a most vivid and colourful representation of my opinion on this book.
It makes it a rare specimen indeed, seeing how I am actually contemplating a second attempt at reading 1984 which was off-putting on my first attempt (didn't finish it).
It reads like a 'blue sky holiday'. Wonderful and light and somewhat simplistic and idealistic.
No wonder I keep expecting the other shoe to drop.
POST-READ
How should I put it?
Too... Perfect? Fast? Detached from reality?
I kept reading and feeling like someone slipped me a drug, the LSD kind. Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole kind of feeling. So surreal it makes my teeth ache.
Too picture perfect in the end. Too picture perfect all way through.
Not my thing.
Better books out there, believe me.
EDIT 2013/07/22
Saw its cover in the list YA Contemporaries and couldn't suppress a shudder. My instinctive mental flinch-away is a most vivid and colourful representation of my opinion on this book.
It makes it a rare specimen indeed, seeing how I am actually contemplating a second attempt at reading 1984 which was off-putting on my first attempt (didn't finish it).
March 25, 2012
Really good book, I am very impressed. I loved the story it is so inspiring, I have had several people in my life who have battled with cancer, so the struggle is very real and scary. That was portrayed very well. The whole story , not just the beating cancer part was touching and very real. Being lost and confused as a young adult is very prominent among today's youth. Reading this book I learned a few things about myself and my life that I want to change, it has been an eye opener. I find that for the most time you can predict what is going to happen throughout the story but there were so many twists and turns I was unable to even think about what was going to happen all I could think about was "what is happening". Thank you for a truly inspirational read!!
January 19, 2012
OMG!Can I say that this debut book was freaking awesome! Marie Landry wrote this intricate story tha just had me hooked from beginning to end. Every word written was Sooooo descriptive. I sat at my desk boo-hooing, when a book makes me cry, then u know that this was no ordinary book. I loved the Emma and Nickolas oh to have that type of instant love and connect was just beautiful and to see that conveyed in words it was beautifully written.I don't do reviews just my thoughts and if my thoughts will lead you to read this awesomeness then please go forth because this debut was awesome and Ms. Marie Landry should be proud of what she did with this book.This is a must read for 2012!
July 2, 2012
Taken from my Blog Le' Book Squirrel
What a wonderful story about finding love and finding yourself.Emma Ward has no idea what she wants to do with her life so she decides to visit her Aunt Daisy.While There she meets Nicholas who she falls in love with.However,They have more trials then the normal couple.
I could not put the kindle down!I was enthralled in the lives of Emma and Nicholas.The love they have for each other is hard to find and they found it.It was refreshing to have a book jump out and grab me as this one did.I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Blue Sky Days. I look forward to reading more by Marie Landry.Highly suggest this book.Have tissues handy!
What a wonderful story about finding love and finding yourself.Emma Ward has no idea what she wants to do with her life so she decides to visit her Aunt Daisy.While There she meets Nicholas who she falls in love with.However,They have more trials then the normal couple.
I could not put the kindle down!I was enthralled in the lives of Emma and Nicholas.The love they have for each other is hard to find and they found it.It was refreshing to have a book jump out and grab me as this one did.I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Blue Sky Days. I look forward to reading more by Marie Landry.Highly suggest this book.Have tissues handy!
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