Since I started writing/editing this post, I have been singing Goyte’s hit… “Now you’re just somebody that I used to know… SOMEBODY (I used to know).” I’m not sure if that’s exactly how the lyrics go, but in my head, it makes perfect sense. This would be why I write blogs and not song lyrics.
Stick to what you think you are good at, right?
Book Read: The Girl He Used to Know
Author: Tracey Garvis Graves
2020 Book Count: 3
Annika Rose has always felt like she was different. She is always anxious in social situations, and doesn’t understand most people’s behaviors. Annika prefers books and chess to people, which is the only reason she joined the chess club at the insistence of her roommate.
At chess club, she meets Jonathan Hoffman, who immediately feels drawn to Annika and seems to get her, like no one else ever has. He admires her quirks, and takes on the challenges of being in a relationship with her. So begins the Annika and Jonathan love story. But fate has another plan, and when a tragedy occurs, their future plans are shattered, and each must face the potential of a future on their own.
Flash forward ten years. It is now 2001, and fate yet again intervenes. After meeting again at a grocery store in Chicago, Annika is determined to prove to Jonathan how she has improved, and how she is not the same girl he knew before. Jonathan is hesitant, but has never forgotten Annika and their story.
That begins the Annika and Jonathan story, part two. But fear has a way of crawling it’s way back in, and until confronted, it threatens to end a second chance before it has really begun. What will fate have in store for Annika and Jonathan this time?
After reading two autobiographies/memoirs, each which took over two weeks to read, I was tired. My brain was tired. This book was the cure.
To sum it up, I couldn’t put it down. I think, at one point, I read 160 pages in one night, because I did nothing but read. It was great.
This story has a serious side, yet is still heart warming and entertaining. You’ll become attached to the characters and will be invested in their story. You’ll be rooting for Jonathan and Annika for all 292 pages. Together, Annika and Jonathan will overcome a major obstacle you may or may not have seen coming (I did not). That just added more depth to an already great novel.
My favorite part of the book was that no character seemed wasted. Some books seem to have so many side characters and they often don’t add much to the story. It was not the case in this book. From Annika’s roommate/best friend to her brother to Jonathan’s douche of a boss to a complete stranger, each character had a purpose and a role in the Annika and Jonathan story. It was refreshing.
The Girl He Used to Know is a book full of substance, charm, and a story that will keep you reading, even when it is 11 PM on a work night and you need to go to bed. Three traits that make a book worth your time.
Next Read: The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
