Review: The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

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

 I read P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern a few years ago and really enjoyed it. If I remember right it made me bawl like a big baby. So, when I found out I won another of her books through Goodreads First Reads, I was pretty happy about it.

This book was a bit different than I had anticipated. Instead of a sweet love story, I got a little mystery and suspense but that's ok. Tamara is a bit of a spoiled snot in the beginning and I had a hard time connecting to her but she does learn and grow through the book and she becomes a much more sympathetic character.

As the story progressed I knew something was up with Tamara's relatives. Aunt Rosaleen was too creepy to not be hiding anything. I actually suspected it was going to go all Flowers in the Attic on me so I was quite pleased when it didn't go down that route. However, the closer we got to the end the more apparent the big secret was and I was not terribly surprised when all was revealed. Of course, the story was told from Tamara's point of view and she herself was a little slow on the uptake. So it could be that we, as readers, were supposed to know at that point and wait for Tamara to catch up. I found myself several times wanting to shake her and scream 'why is this so difficult to understand!' But, I suppose that denial is a powerful thing. Powerful enough to make you deny what is so plainly clear.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book. It was a fun, pleasant read. I stayed up pretty late last night to finish it and that says a lot. Sleep is a big deal for me, so I don't sacrifice it unless I just can't stop reading. I recommend it for anyone looking for a good, light read with a little mystery to it.