Book Review: One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern

One Hundred Names

By Cecelia Ahern

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Source: Publisher

Summary: The new novel from the bestselling author. Journalist Kitty Logan's career is being destroyed by scandal - and now she faces losing the woman who guided and taught her everything she knew. At her terminally ill friend's bedside, Kitty asks - what is the one story she always wanted to write? The answer lies in a file buried in Constance's office: a list of one hundred names. There is no synopsis, nothing to explain what the story is or who these people are. The list is simply a mystery. But before Kitty can talk to her friend, it is too late. With everything to prove, Kitty is assigned the most important task of her life: to write the story her mentor never had the opportunity to. Kitty not only has to track down and meet the people on the list, but find out what connects them. And, in the process of hearing ordinary people's stories, she starts to understand her own.

Review: I don't how how I've gone this long without reading a Cecelia Ahern novel. As much as I love the movie PS I Love You and bought a bunch of her books, this is actually the first time I've sat down and read one. And I'm so happy was I far from disappointed!

After Kitty Logan made the biggest mistake of her journalistic life, her career and reputation have gone up in flames. Now, Kitty's friend and boss Constance has cancer and it looks like time is running out. Kitty asks Constance what was the story she's always wanted to write but never has, all Constance tells her is to look at the file at her home. Kitty gets the file, but Constance dies before she has the chance to explain. Inside contains the list of one hundred names. Nothing more, nothing less. Kitty is determined to write Constance's final story and with each person she meets, Kitty slowly turns back into the person she used to be and learns so much more from these ordinary people than she ever thought possible. 

I shouldn't be surprised seeing as it's a Cecilia Ahern book, but this book was just so gosh darn touching. Everything starts off in a bad place with Kitty's reputation ruined and her best friend dying. But things start turning up as Kitty is determined to find the missing link between the 100 names that Constance had left behind. I absolutely loved Kitty's character and how she acted like a real person with all of the trials she had to face. She wasn't always strong and didn't know how to solve all of her problems, which made me like her that much more. She really had to lean on other people, which tested her friendships and showed how important the relationships in her life really were. Kitty had to dig deep within herself and remember what she really loves about reporting when going on this journey. 

Within those 100 names, Kitty meets around six of them and they are truly unique people. I loved every single one of their stories and how vastly different they were. While it took some digging, all of them let Kitty into their lives and changed as they opened up their personal thoughts and feelings to a stranger. Ambrose was probably my favorite because she seemed like the most damaged in the beginning and the most inspiring by the end. All of their stories were inspiring and formed one incredibly sweet novel. 

While it's not the most exciting novel ever, I still enjoyed Kitty's fight to write Constance's story and figure out why those 100 names were so important to her. There were so many relationships and emotions and I loved how the stories all wove together at the end. If you want a sweet story that leaves you feeling warm and happy, I'd definitely check out One Hundred Names!