"Love Story"

“Love Story” by Eric Segal

Review written by Diana Iozzia

 

God, this was a lovely story that I had the fortune of reading a few summers back. It was a beautiful quick read about a new romance, in which one characters has been diagnosed with cancer. The story follows Oliver Barrett and Jenny Cavilleri as they meet each other in college, and begin their love.

I believe that all young lovers can relate to the passion and sweet angelic feeling of brand new love. Oliver is a hunky athlete with a real beating heart underneath. Jenny is a sarcastic Daddy’s girl who likes to use her smart mouth.

I would recommend this for anyone who reads fiction and prose about cancer and romance. Doomed, star crossed love has always been a beloved fiction trope, especially with the surge of the Fault in Our Stars book by John Green and A Walk to Remember” by John Green. Well, this was the original cancer love book that would tear your heart out. I recommend this over the movie, although the movie was classic and just as enjoyable.

"The Day I Killed James"

"The Day I Killed James" by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Review written by Diana Iozzia 




It must be about five or six years since I read this novel. I picked it up in the library, because a boy I was "in love with" was named James. You know how 14 to 15 year old girls are. I also wanted to read this, because it was written by the same author who wrote "Pay It Forward", another favorite of mine.

The main character in this story is named Theresa. After a party Theresa brought her boyfriend, James to, he accidentally dies in a tragic motorcycle accident. The prose is a bit difficult to read, because it is written through a young adult's perspective. Honestly, Hyde's prose is written much more believable in her other novels, because in this one, it seems she tries very hard to sound like a young adult.

This book is very sad and soaked with guilt. It's an interesting story of learning to overcome tragedy and moving on with life. I think I'd like to give this a re-read, now that I'm twenty-one, and I think I have more life experience? Also, I am engaged, so I wonder if I have a different perspective on love.