The Art of Letting Go
Summary (via Goodreads):
One year. One woman. One Diary. One question: can you ever stop history from repeating itself and if you could what would you do to stop it?
When Lilah McCannon realises at the age of twenty-five that history is going to repeat itself and she is going to become her mother—bored, drunk and wearing a twinset—there is only one thing to do: take drastic action.
Turning her back on her old life, Lilah’s plan is to enrol at university, get a degree and prove she is a grown-up.
As plans go, it is a good one. There are rules to follow: no alcohol, no cigarettes, no boys and no going home. But when Lilah meets the lead singer of a local band and finds herself unexpectedly falling in love, she realises her rules are not going to be the only things hard to keep.
With the academic year slipping by too quickly, Lilah faces a barrage of new challenges: will she ever make it up the Library stairs without having a heart attack? Can she handle a day on campus without drinking vodka? Will she ever manage to read a history book without falling asleep? And most importantly, can she become the grown-up that she desperately wants to be.
With her head and her heart pulling her in different directions can Lilah learn the hardest lesson that her first year of university has to teach her: The Art of Letting Go?
About AnnaAnna Bloom is a contemporary romance writer who writes about life as it happens. Combining a busy schedule of looking after two small children whilst working in a local school and completing The Uni Files series she also spends a lot of time imagining kissing hot guys – all in the name of her art.
Interview with Anna Bloom:
What is one silly fact about you?
I own a dog with beard.
Describe your book in three words.
Fun, Unique and Different
Who are your biggest supporters? Mentor?
Definitely my family, my husband and sister especially. I have made some very supportive friends over the last few months especially in the writing/blogging community and I rely on them for everything.
What inspired you to write The Uni Files: The Art of Letting Go?
I was intrigued by the idea of re-writing history and the thought great in my mind. If I could do something again, what would I do? So I dreamt it all up.
What are some of your favorite books/authors?
Carlos Ruiz Zafon is probably one of my current favourites. The Shadow of the Wind completely stole my heart. When I was growing up I was into the classics so the likes of Wilkie Collins, Jane Austen and The Bronte’s had a huge impact on me. The Go Between, The Tennant of Wildfell Hall, The Moonstone, Wuthering Heights, The Way We Live Now and so many more shaped my understanding of the written word.
How did you get in to writing?
It was a natural progression from daydreaming to writing. I had far too much make-believe in my head and in the end I decided to write it down and see where it took me. Two and a half novels later it is still taking me and hopefully other people places.
What do you like to do other than write?
I listen to music obsessively. I read like a crazy person, but I have to cut back these days – I get too involved in books and tend to lose sleep and reality over them. I’ve been ann insomniac my entire life and I am beginning to realise that reading before bed may not be the most conducive way to relax – not with an over active imagination like mine.
Other than the above I like to hang out with my husband and kids, walk the dog, cook, drink wine and watch goofy movies.
Did you listen to music when you wrote The Uni Files: The Art of Letting Go, and if so, who were some of the artists?
I listened to a lot of music when writing. Sadly I have lost the playlist but I know The Killers were on there along with The Stereophonics, Ed Sheeran, Three Doors Down, Emile Sande, Florence and the Machine, The Civil Wars and Death Cab for Cutie. My playlist was very random because I would repeat specific songs that I felt helped me access a character for certain scenes. I wrote a massive scene one night and only played ‘Here Without You’ by Three Doors Down and Taylor Swifts ‘Breathe’ over and over again.
Oh yes….there was a lot of Taylor Swift as well.
How long did it take to write The Uni Files: The Art of Letting Go?
Two years all in including a lot of daydreaming time) only about four months in totalonce I started on the final version.
If you could sum your main character into five words, what would they be?
Crazy, spontaneous, determined, loveable and strong
Review:
I fell in love with Lilah from the very beginning, her voice is so good and well developed. I fully agree with Anna when she said in her interview that her characters are crazy and loveable.
She’s older than your average NA protagonaist, at 25. But she sounds younger than she really is. Impulsive at times, she is a fun, humorous person and you’ll love every second of the narration.
Now, for the plot; I loved the fact that Lilah decided to enroll in a university because she wanted to turn her life around and be all grown up than she already is. The twists and turns of college life are so beautifully explained that it had almost had me going, “OMG, this is so me.” at numerous points in the story. And then there are the friends, Meredith and Jayne. I absolutely adored Meredith, Jayne however makes few appearances and doesn’t really get much development time.
And then there are the boys. John is Lilah’s ex-fiance is a guy you’d love to hate, at least I did. But I wish there were more scenes between him and Lilah. And then there is Ben, and boy oh boy, what a man. He’s everything you’d want a boy to be.
All in all, The Art of Letting Go is a fun read that might become this year’s best read for me. I enjoy Brit-lit and have fun reading the slang and British humor. If you do too, this is the book for you.
