Hi everyone! Exploring My Bookshelves is a weekly meme that is co-hosted by Shannon over @ For the Love of Words and Victoria over @ Addlepates and Book Nerds. It’s a lot of fun and every week we get to showcase a different book on our shelves. Anyone can join so be sure to head over to the official pages and see the link up to check out everyone else’s posts!
This week’s theme is:
A Romance Novel
Because of course it’s Valentine’s Day this Sunday! Not that I really like to celebrate it and let’s be honest, books are far better company than boyfriends. I’ve gone a-hunting through my shelves for you to find the best romance novel and I think I’ve found just the one!
But first! The obligatory shelfie!
The romance novel:
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
“We do not choose whom we love…We can only choose how well.”
Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy (magical realism)
Author: Martha Brockenbrough
Published: April 2015
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Pages: 352 {paperback}
The Game of Love and Death is a tragic and beautiful story that everyone should read. I stumbled across this during my adventures in Waterstones whilst in Ireland last year and went I NEED THIS. For starters, let’s all appreciate that cover – it is BEAUTIFUL. I love the way the hands are playing with the plane and it’s all scary looking.
The book follows the love story of two characters, Henry Bishop is your typical white male from the 1930s (when this book is set) – he’s adopted and not living the greatest of lives as he’s not overly fond of the people he lives with. Flora Saudade is an African American girl who works hard but never gets the opportunities she wants because of her skin colour. The entire concept of this book is that Love and Death are personified in two characters and throughout eternity they have played a game. Love has chosen Henry as his player, and Death has chosen Flora as hers. Love tries to get the pair to fall in love whilst Death tries to keep them apart and kill them. The game takes place over many years of the players’ lives and Love’s player is always nice and loved whilst Death’s player has misfortune fall upon them all the time. Love has never won. IF YOU’RE NOT INTERESTED YET THEN WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.
This book was incredible and broke my heart in all the right places. You’re welcome.
I rated this 4/5 stars (although I think a reread could result in 5/5)
See my review
What’s you favourite love story?
Is it happy? Or sad?
Let me know in the comments below!
Upside-Down Books 