The Best Reader + weekend

Titanic: The Long Night — Diane Hoh

"It's worth it to read two equally fantastic love stories that will have you gasping for surprise and blushing with excitement" — Miss Remmers

Release Date: March 27th, 2012
Publisher: Open Road Media
Challenges: NetGalley, 75+, eBook

"Elizabeth Farr never wanted to return to America. During her family’s vacation abroad, she has fallen in love with England, and is despondent when her father refuses to let her stay. Returning to New York means having her debut into society, and that means a swiftly arranged marriage. Elizabeth will never go to college, never learn to be a reporter—as she sees it, her life is over as soon as the Titanic reaches port. Of course, if she’s unlucky, her life will be over far sooner than that.

As Elizabeth and her family settle into their first-class cabins, Katie Hanrahan, a young Irish girl with dreams of finding fortune in America, makes her way to a steerage berth. Both girls have plans for the future, but love and death are about to intervene."

Two Diane Hoh books in one week; last week I reviewed Hoh's "The Invitation" and alluded to my favorite book — well folks, this is it! "The Long Night" was the first book that kept me up all night under the covers with a flash light.

On Friday (Recreational Reading day) I was all prepared to read "Kill Me Softly" — except when I started up my Nook it wasn't there! Rather than waste a good day of reading by, oh I don't know, grading, I decided to read the galley of "Titanic: The Long Night." Folks, it's literally been forever since I've reread a book — probably since I started blogging! I was wary of dipping back into these pages after all of these years because I didn't want to lose the magic. I was afraid that while reading this novel as an adult I'd pick up on the shallow characters/plot where I didn't as a young reader. I'm happy to say that that didn't happen. As an adult I'm still in love with Elizabeth and Max and (more importantly) I was able to fall in love again with Katie and Paddy. Yes, somehow throughout the years I forgot about this parallel story line (which, actually, happens to be JUST as good as the first — how often does that happen?). When I got to the first switch in narrative it all came back to me and I was immediately excited.

While much of the narration and description came back to me as if I had just read it a week ago, the feelings of excitement, embarrassment (for the characters), surprise, hurt, and love were still there as if I were reading this book for the very first time. Even though I knew what was coming, I found myself anticipating my reaction but each time the feelings somehow felt new and unexperienced. It was amazing.

Overall, this book was just as great as an adult as it was when I was a child. Really, folks — I had my mom (a librarian) make my book a hardcover (via laminating and somehow taking it apart — I don't know, she's apparently a genius) so that it would never "go bad." I loved it that much!

I know this is more of a review of my feelings and experiences rather than the book itself, but I definitely recommend taking advantage of the rerelease and getting your hands on a copy of this book. It's worth it to read two equally fantastic love stories that will have you gasping for surprise and blushing with excitement (no, not that kind of excitement!).

Below is the 1998 cover that I fell in love with and definitely still prefer. Even though Elizabeth is animated — I like her look more than the newer cover. But perhaps that's because of my emotional stake in the novel.:)

PS: This would be a great read for the Titanic Challenge (starting this weekend!).

-Connect with the author: Goodreads
-BUY THE BOOK: Kindle | Barnes and Noble

To the FTC, with love: Galley received from NetGalley (and personal owned copy from 1998)

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Titanic: The Long Night — Diane Hoh + weekend