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diversifyyourreading's reviews
282 reviews
Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson
4.0
The love story of Alison Connor and Daniel Lawrence is a story of the one that got away, but never truly left your heart. The novel bounces back and forth between the late 1970s, when Daniel and Alison first started dating, and 2012, when they are living very different lives on opposite sides of the world - Dan in Edinburgh, Ali in Adelaide, Australia. They haven't spoken for years, until Dan comes across Ali's Twitter account...
What I loved most about this book was it's focus on music. Both Ali and Dan are music lovers, yes, but the way they communicate through music makes for a very unique plot and a beautiful writing style. It was a bit slow going at times, but had some really satisfying character progression and was ultimately a really enjoyable read. I definitely recommend - and make a playlist as you go
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for providing me a review copy via NetGalley!
What I loved most about this book was it's focus on music. Both Ali and Dan are music lovers, yes, but the way they communicate through music makes for a very unique plot and a beautiful writing style. It was a bit slow going at times, but had some really satisfying character progression and was ultimately a really enjoyable read. I definitely recommend - and make a playlist as you go
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for providing me a review copy via NetGalley!
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
4.0
Thanks to the publisher and author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley!
3.5 STARS. Lydia and Freddie have been together for what feels like forever. However, on Lydia's 28th birthday (and just over a year before their wedding), Freddie is tragically killed in a car accident. Lydia's world is flipped upside down and she is completely overcome by the grief. She simply doesn't understand how she can go on without Freddie. And then she finds a way to be with him, even though he's gone. Lydia learns to navigate two worlds - one with Freddie in it and one without - but is that sustainable?
I absolutely adored One Day in December, so was very much looking forward to The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. As someone who is grieving from the recent loss of a family member, I wanted to see how Josie Silver explored the concept of grief and whether Lydia would start to move on.
I really struggled through the first half of this book. It felt a lot like the same thing over and over again. However, once I hit 50%, I couldn't put it down. There were some absolutely brilliant (and comprehendible) excerpts on grief and I enjoyed watching Lydia grow as a character. But, at the same time, it was a bit predictable.
3.5 STARS. Lydia and Freddie have been together for what feels like forever. However, on Lydia's 28th birthday (and just over a year before their wedding), Freddie is tragically killed in a car accident. Lydia's world is flipped upside down and she is completely overcome by the grief. She simply doesn't understand how she can go on without Freddie. And then she finds a way to be with him, even though he's gone. Lydia learns to navigate two worlds - one with Freddie in it and one without - but is that sustainable?
I absolutely adored One Day in December, so was very much looking forward to The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. As someone who is grieving from the recent loss of a family member, I wanted to see how Josie Silver explored the concept of grief and whether Lydia would start to move on.
I really struggled through the first half of this book. It felt a lot like the same thing over and over again. However, once I hit 50%, I couldn't put it down. There were some absolutely brilliant (and comprehendible) excerpts on grief and I enjoyed watching Lydia grow as a character. But, at the same time, it was a bit predictable.