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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
An unusual story.
For most part, the two lives of Lydia Bird is a romance novel yet there are so many different emotions that running through the book. It's also about coping with grief and family and friendship. It remins us why we need to keep moving on even when life knocks us down.
What would you do if you get a chance to spend time with the person you lost due to death? Will you be happy living in a fantasy world or choose reality that reminds you how someone you deeply care about is no longer there.
I will not call it the best book I've ever read. It was mildly interesting and the writing is laidback. The story does drag at one point and this would have earned my approval if it was a tad shorter.
For most part, the two lives of Lydia Bird is a romance novel yet there are so many different emotions that running through the book. It's also about coping with grief and family and friendship. It remins us why we need to keep moving on even when life knocks us down.
What would you do if you get a chance to spend time with the person you lost due to death? Will you be happy living in a fantasy world or choose reality that reminds you how someone you deeply care about is no longer there.
I will not call it the best book I've ever read. It was mildly interesting and the writing is laidback. The story does drag at one point and this would have earned my approval if it was a tad shorter.
WHY IS THIS BRANDED A ROMANCE? so sad but so good
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Sentimental 5* for me ♥ I'm a sucker for these parallel lives, "what if" possibilities. This was a total random find for me, one I hadn't heard of, but came across in a Little Free Library. It was someone's nice hardcover BOTM pick, and the cover illustration, title, blurb all called to me. I was glad to see it had a decent rating on GR (as that can dissuade me). I was able to get the audio/kindle copy from the library easily.
Just a random thing I noted here ~ the book starts May 2018, it ends January 2020 ... before Covid was mainstream. I wonder if author's will stay in this timeframe more than they might have otherwise (just not wanting to deal with including Covid in storylines/or pretending it didn't happen. Recent read [book:Sandwich|200028726] went ahead and covered Covid. It wasn't integral to the story at all, but had to be addressed if the timeframe extends over 2020/2021 and some forward. I remember [book:Horse|59109077] went ahead and mentioned it at the end, again, nothing to do with the story).
While I had the physical book, I went primarily with audio. I know if I'd been reading myself in the Kindle edition there would have been statements and sections I would have highlighted. Little moments, when Lydia realizes that life in her other "fairy tale" world isn't all perfect. That living in the world where Freddy died, and letting him go, he actually WILL (would have) stayed more perfect in her eyes/memory.
The "asleep" when she finds herself at the gym totally made me laugh! Her thoughts of "if I was dreaming this up on my own I would NEVER put myself here!" ... she mentioned 'miles' for measurement, which I had thought was more American (this is VERY British) but I found out that miles are indeed used in England. I honestly thought they were kilometers only there.
The Kindle and Audio had a good Table of Contents - no chronological chapters, but the year, followed by the day and Awake or Asleep. I can't help but think the physical copy is not as complete without a TOC. Much harder to find your place, required a lot of page flipping.
The Kindle copy had Book Club discussion questions - a trend which I very much appreciate! I love that little nudge after reading to ponder things, perhaps delving deeper into something I hadn't considered on my own. The Audio had an interview with the author, which was fun to listen to.
I really, really liked this! ProFanity x10, slight sex/closed door.
Just a random thing I noted here ~ the book starts May 2018, it ends January 2020 ... before Covid was mainstream. I wonder if author's will stay in this timeframe more than they might have otherwise (just not wanting to deal with including Covid in storylines/or pretending it didn't happen. Recent read [book:Sandwich|200028726] went ahead and covered Covid. It wasn't integral to the story at all, but had to be addressed if the timeframe extends over 2020/2021 and some forward. I remember [book:Horse|59109077] went ahead and mentioned it at the end, again, nothing to do with the story).
While I had the physical book, I went primarily with audio. I know if I'd been reading myself in the Kindle edition there would have been statements and sections I would have highlighted. Little moments, when Lydia realizes that life in her other "fairy tale" world isn't all perfect. That living in the world where Freddy died, and letting him go, he actually WILL (would have) stayed more perfect in her eyes/memory.
The "asleep" when she finds herself at the gym totally made me laugh! Her thoughts of "if I was dreaming this up on my own I would NEVER put myself here!" ... she mentioned 'miles' for measurement, which I had thought was more American (this is VERY British) but I found out that miles are indeed used in England. I honestly thought they were kilometers only there.
The Kindle and Audio had a good Table of Contents - no chronological chapters, but the year, followed by the day and Awake or Asleep. I can't help but think the physical copy is not as complete without a TOC. Much harder to find your place, required a lot of page flipping.
The Kindle copy had Book Club discussion questions - a trend which I very much appreciate! I love that little nudge after reading to ponder things, perhaps delving deeper into something I hadn't considered on my own. The Audio had an interview with the author, which was fun to listen to.
I really, really liked this! ProFanity x10, slight sex/closed door.
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A sweet love story.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I loved this - it definitely made me cry once or twice. I was left wanting more from the ending or an epilogue at least.
I found this to be an easy read even though the plot was kind of emotionally heavy. I felt Lydia's grief about Freddie dying. But her eventually ending up with Jonah even though the author tried throwing another man in there and her having an "eat pray love" moment was so obvious. Also, how did she have that many sleeping pills for it to last so long???