5 stars – Book Dust Magic

Simply amazing: Book Lovers by Emily Henry @PRHGlobal #partner #BookLovers #romance

Book Lovers by Emily Henry book cover US edition

GIFTED / It is my pleasure to talk about one book I adored and would LOVE to see made into a movie: Book Lovers by Emily Henry. This novel was so good and although it is filled with cliches it is also somewhat different from your typical romance. It seems like this book is loved not only by romance readers, but readers who like different genres as well. I guess we can say Emily Henry really succeeded to make a masterpiece with this one!

Book Lovers was released on May 3rd 2022 and it has 384 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

Review:

If Emily Henry wasn’t on my favourite-authors-list yet, Book Lovers placed her there on the top.
I loved this book so much and I think this is her best work yet.
Her previous novels, Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation I adored, but this one raised the bar and now I now my expectations for Henry’s future books will be so high that I kind of feel little sorry for her.

The story follows Nora who says herself that she is the bitch guys leave to have their happily ever after with a small town girl.
Nora is a shark when it comes to business, loves her career and life in the city, but when her younger sister asks her to visit a small town called Sunshine Falls together, she couldn’t say no, although she knows small town romance isn’t a book of her life.

I loved Nora as a narrator.
The novel is written in first person and following Nora’s perspective was everything.
All the Hallmark references and making fun of cliches was amazing. I laughed so many times while reading.

Charlie, who is love interest in the story, was such a good person. I do think he was believable but I also think guys like him are very rare in this world.
If I was still into having book boyfriends I would probably have announced him as mine.

The best part of the story (and if my memory serves me well it is the case in all of the books written by Henry that I have read so far) are conversations between the characters.
They were realistic, entertaining and what made the story shine.

I also want to say that I appreciate that the conflict between the characters was realistic and how it was uncertain how characters would get through it.
I also want to note that I am happy about Nora not going through that cliche character development one would expect from a small town romance, but how the author decided to hug her career orientated persona and gave her a different way to find happiness.

This was a buddy red with my friend Amanda. Reading Book Lovers we had so much fun together.
As I loved this story so much, I am sure I will reread it again at some point. Honestly, I can’t wait for it!

Amazing thriller I’d like to see on a big screen: The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware #Thriller #Halloween #Blogtober

Today I decided to post my review for a book I buddy read with my friend Amanda recently. I wanted to read The Turn of the Key ever since it came out and I am so glad I shared this experience with my lovely friend. We both ended up loving it, me little bit more then her.

Turn of the Key was published on August 6th 2019 by Scout Press and it has 337 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

Review:

The Turn of the Key was on my tbr ever since it came out. It seems to me that this novel is the most popular out of Ruth Ware’s work (at least in the bookish community) and now, after I read it, I can see why.

This book as a whole was picture perfect to me. The plot was chilly and thrilling, the writing style was unusual and hypnotizing, characters were interesting and the end was everything.

The story is written in second person, following Rowan‘s letters to a lawyer that she wants to represent her in the core.
I don’t usually read books written in second person. Not because I don’t like them, but because I find them to be rare.
I enjoyed this way of writing and as the author did such a brilliant job to pull me in into her words, I often forgot that I read the letter.

This book was so tense and interesting, with some characters I couldn’t help but suspect and some, and I am little ashamed to admit this, to judge.

There were some plot twist and big revelations, as they often happened in the thrillers. Few of them really surprised me.

The end and the mysterious atmosphere that smelled of unknown were my favourite part of this book.
Ruth Ware did amazing job with this idea that she got, and now I hope someone will recognize it and decide to make a movie based on this novel, because I am sure this story would work even better on the screen.

5 stars from me and one big recommendation to all of you!

This one is popular for a reason: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood @PRHGlobal #partner #BookLovers #romance

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I will talk about a book I read some time ago, and you have probably heard about it by now. It is a romance with scientists for characters and it took the reading world by the storm, and it’s for a good reason. I loved the book and I hope this will be turned into a movie.

The Love Hypothesis was published on September 14th 2021 and it has 356 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding… six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Review:

Ok, now I get why all the hype!
It feels like ever since The Love Hypothesis came out the world went mad about it. And I don’t talk only about bookish online community. I literally talk about the world.
Even in my country, where books are really just a side hoby for only few people who enjoy reading, this book is all over the media and in every bookstore window.

Ever since I got the book for review I knew it would probably be my jam, and I will confess that I gave it a try as an audiobook back in December, but for some reason I couldn’t understand half of things characters were talking about. At time I blamed my English skills, but now when I read an ebook I think it was the lack of concentration (and, once again, I will call my post covid card).

Fast forward to July, I read The Love Hypothesis, had no problems with understanding the story whatsoever, loved it and now I understand why everyone and their mothers recommend this novel.
I am now one of them (and their mothers) too.

In my entire life I read only two fan fictions. The Royals Next Door (which was my favorite romance of 2021) and this one. I know it is way too few of them, but I feel like fan fictions are amazing.
Will I go to wattpad and subscribe to some of them? Well, now when Ezra Miller turned out to be a bad (but still very hot) guy probably not.
However, if I see that a traditionally published romance was previously written as a fan fiction, I will 100% grab it.

The Love Hypothesis was originally inspired by the actor Adam Driver. Even though I never wet my panties thinking about him, I can see why women would find him hot and tbh, if he was anything like Adam from this story then I am not sure my panties wouldn’t stay dry for long if I stumbled upon him in real life (yes, words written by a married woman, don’t judge me (or do)).

Anyway, joke on a side, let’s talk about the book now.
It was well written in third person following Olive’s perspective.

I like how it touched important subject of women trying their best in a men’s world and still having to prove themselves more then men, sometimes even robed for their ideas and work, or how men want to take advantage of them just because they think they can.
I loved the message and even if it was raw, I never felt like it was pushed on me.

The story had so many funny scenes where I smiled or laughed. Friendships were written well and characters were believable, while the chemistry between Adam and Olive felt real and hot.

The only thing I didn’t like was that scene where Olive has inner monologue about the size of Adam’s thing. When she touched the subject of birth giving the author lost me, but after some time, as everything else was well written, I decided to pretend that scene was erased, just like it should have been (but obviously I didn’t forget it when I decided to mention it in my review).

Once I heard there was a subgenre called “smart romance”. I don’t know if The Love Hypothesis would be considered to belong to it, but I can imagine that it would.

Nevertheless, if you are a romance reader, you have probably heard about this book by now, and there’s a big chance you added it to your tbr or you’ve maybe finished it already, I will still take this opportunity to recommend you The Love Hypothesis because it is hyped for a reason and, rating wise, it deserves all the stars in the world.

A book that stands out: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens #WhereTheCrawdadsSing #BookLovers #Books

Where the Crawdads Sing by Dalie Owns Book Cover US edition

Recently I have read a book that completely blew my mind with it’s brilliance and I want to talk about it. Where the Crawdads Sing first published in 2018, on August 14th. I purchased my own copy, Croatian edition. It was the first time that I have read something in my first language after years of reading exclusively in English.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her.

But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life’s lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.

Review:

As a reader, you come across good and bad books, some of them stand out, some of them touch you irreversibly, some even change your life in a way, and few you dare to call a masterpiece. And there are only few books you read in your life that stand out from others with it’s brilliance, quality and the feeling they gave you. You know you read a book that will stay with you forever, has find it’s place on your “favourite shelf” before you even finish, and you can’t find anything that can be compared to it.
For me, Where the Crawdads Sing was that book.

This novel was on my tbr list for what feels like years now, and although I expected to like it, with so many amazing reviews it also intimidated me.
With the movie coming out in theaters, I decided that it was finally a time to give it a shot, and I also called my friend Amanda to join me on this reading journey.

And what a journey it was! The one, if it was happening in real life, Ben Fogle wouldn’t miss a chance to witness.

The story follows Kya who, ever since she was a little girl, survives on her own, surrounded with nature near the marsh.

Observing the nature, she also compares it to life and people she is familiar with.
I learned so many new things from this book, and I am very grateful for it.

The beautiful writing style is astonishing and incomparable to anything I’ve read before.
The writer captured nature in all it’s rawness and beauty and she also managed to show the beauty and the ugliness of people.
This book touched me dearly, made me care for some characters and hate some too, and what I appreciate the most, it opened my mind to new things and also made me laugh out loud while I was reading a science article about frogs.

One of my friends said this is maybe the best book she has read in her life. Now, when I also read it, I umderstand her statement and couldn’t agree more.

A book that melted my heart: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting #romance #BookLovers @StMartinsPress @HelenaHunting

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting book cover 2021 US edition

GIFTED / I am so happy to bring you my review for ~~one of the best romances~~ the best romance I’ve read this year. When Sparks Fly won my heart and everytime I think about it, it’s like I visit a happy place, if just for a short period of time. It has been weeks since I finished this book, but my heart is still warm when I think about it.

I want to thank publicist Sara from St. Martin’s Griffin for inviting me to read and review this book via Netgalley.

When Sparks Fly comes out tomorrow, september 21st, and it has 320 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Spark’s lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she’s happy.

But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she’d dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.

Review:

How do you know the book you read was 5 stars worth?
Well, one of the signs is if it warmed your heart to the point you feel like you’re melting of pleasure.
Obviously, this is me figuratively speaking, but I am not far away from the truth, because this book really brought me so much joy. In other words, it reminded me why I fell in love with books in the first place.

The writing style was so addictive, I understand why Helena Hunting is popular in romance community.
She knows how to start a book to grab your attention, and she surely knows how to finish it.

The characters of the story were both likeable and relatable.
The story is written in first person, following Avery’s and Daclain’s POVs. If I am being completely honest, they did kind of sound the same, but I didn’t mind it.

This story is somewhat personal to me as I was in a car accident myself and I was also at one point in my life a carrier, so I could understand both of the characters to some point.
Of course, this being a romance fiction it was sugar coated to a certain degree.

My favourite part was the last fourth of the book, when the writer (or I should say characters) approached to problems in realistic and mature way. It is what made this book special and of course, when it sums with the end, it made perfect friends to lovers story.

Compelling thriller to read in one sitting: Ask No Questions by Claire Allan #Thriller #BookLovers #BookBloggers @AvonBooksUK

Ask No Questions by Claire Allan book cover UK edition 2021

GIFTED / Today I want to talk about a book I read in 5 days when I was extremly busy, and I honestly think that, if I had more free time, I would finish it in a day. It was just that compelling and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Ask No Questions was published on January 21st 2021 and it has 336 pages. I want to thank Ellie Pilcher from Avon for sending me an invitation to read and review this book via Netgalley.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

The new crime thriller from the bestselling author of Her Name Was Rose

Twenty-five years ago, on Halloween night, eight-year-old Kelly Doherty went missing while out trick or treating with friends.
Her body was found three days later, floating face down, on the banks of the Creggan Reservoir by two of her young classmates.
It was a crime that rocked Derry to the core. Journalist Ingrid Devlin is investigating – but someone doesn’t want her to know the truth. As she digs further, Ingrid starts to realise that the Doherty family are not as they seem. But will she expose what really happened that night before it’s too late?

A twisty psychological thriller from bestselling author Claire Allan.

Review:

I just finished this novel, and I still need to comprehend everything that’s been going on in the story, but I couldn’t resist and I had to write my review right away, while the story is still fresh in my mind.

Last year I read (and enjoyed) Allan’s novel The Liar’s Daughter. What I liked the most in that book was the small town atmosphere the author created.

This time, it was the characters.
I applause the writer for creating so interesting and believable characters that made me feel like I do know them, do see them and pay attention to everyone.
Often in books, especially in thrillers/crimes, there are often characters that just show themselves few times and we don’t pay attention to them, but in this story everyone was under spotlight for at least some time.
It was similar like watching a tv show, where you do get to see characters and remember them, connect with them on a different level.

As for the story itself, it had a good plot.
It was hard for me to predict where the story would go, and who’d be the bad guy, as I really didn’t have anyone to suspect more than others.

The writing style is good. The book is written in first person following Ingrid’s POV (who is a reporter, investing the story) and in third person following twins that are side characters of the story.

As a readers who’s English is not the first language, I thought that the book is written in Scottish English, but I guess the author is Irish.
Anyway, there were words that were new to me and I was so happy to expanse my vocabulary thanks to this book.

The end was pretty satisfying and I think I would read this book in only 2 days if I had more time to read, bc I finished it in only three sittings (keep in mind that I am a slow reader).

If you’re looking for a quick thriller to read, look no further!

Perfect to spend your vacation with: You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry @PenguinUKBooks #BookLovers #Romance

you and me on Vacation by Emily Henry book cover UK edition

GIFTED / I am so happy to finally tell you all about a book I enjoyed so much this summer, You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry, also published by name People We Meet on Vacation in US, and at the same time, I am sorry I haven’t posted this review sooner. But better late then never, right?

You and Me on Vacation was published on July 22nd 2021, and it has 368 pages. I want to say thank you to Georgia Taylor from Penguin Random House UK for sending me a Netgalley widget and inviting me to read and review this novel.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

TWO FRIENDS
TEN SUMMER TRIPS
THEIR LAST CHANCE TO FALL IN LOVE

12 SUMMERS AGO: Poppy and Alex meet. They hate each other, and are pretty confident they’ll never speak again.

11 SUMMERS AGO: They’re forced to share a ride home from college and by the end of it a friendship is formed. And a pact: every year, one vacation together.

10 SUMMERS AGO: Alex discovers his fear of flying on the way to Vancouver.
Poppy holds his hand the whole way.

7 SUMMERS AGO: They get far too drunk and narrowly avoid getting matching tattoos in New Orleans.

2 SUMMERS AGO: It all goes wrong.

THIS SUMMER: Poppy asks Alex to join her on one last trip. A trip that will determine the rest of their lives.

You and Me on Vacation is a love story for fans of When Harry Met Sally and One Day. Get ready to travel the world, snort with laughter and – most of all – lose your heart to Poppy and Alex.

Review:

I was lucky enough to get an invitation to read You and Me on Vacation before it’s release.
Because life had other plans, I wasn’t able to get into it earlier, but I am so glad I enjoyed this story before it officially hits the shalves.

Last year I read Henry’s Beach Read and fell in love with it.
It is one of the best books I read in 2020 and I couldn’t wait to read her newest adult novel.

After finishing You and Me on Vacation (published in US with a title People you Meet on Vacation) I can say that Henry’s writing style really speaks to me (you see what I did here? 😉 ).
Jokes aside, I came to realization that I really enjoy her way of telling stories. I still haven’t check her ya books, and I plan to read them all at some point. I feel like she has potential to become one of my favourite authors.

The book talks about two friends who every summer go to vacation together. We follow present day and see previous 10 years in their own chapters.
The story is told from Poppy’s POV, first person, and it’s perfect best friends to lovers story.
The author mentioned in her note that it was inspired by When Harry met Sally.

Even though this books talks about our main characters visiting places, including my home country Croatia which is so rarely featured in American novels), it is character driven story.
In my honest opinion, it lacks descriptions of places, and if I told you I felt like I was there with our characters, exploring countries, I would lie.
I felt their personal emotions though, and that is what really matters.

One other thing this book accomplished was to make me want to travel somewhere.
I know we are in time when traveling comes with obstacles a is not recommended (damn you Covid! 😡 ), but it was nice to daydream and reminisce).

I know this book is considered as romance. In my opinion it is somewhere between that and women’s fiction.
Chick lit would be perfect genre.

I highly recommend You and Me on Vacation and suggest you to read it on a sunny day.

The one to fall in love with (on the beach): Beach Read by Emily Henry #BeachRead #Romance #BookLovers #Summer

GIFTED / I am happy to bring you my review for Beach Read, a book I fell in love with, that took by the storm bookish community, well deserved.

I was lucky enough to be invited to be one of early readers of this novel. Thank you to Penguin Random House for giving me this chance.

Beach Read will be published in UK on July 9th 2020 and it is already published in US. It is 384 pages long.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS / He doesn’t believe in happy endings.
She’s lost her faith that they exist.
But could they find one together?

January is a hopeless romantic who likes narrating her life as if she’s the heroine in a blockbuster movie.
Augustus is a serious literary type who thinks true love is a fairy-tale.
January and Augustus are not going to get on.

But they actually have more in common than you’d think:

They’re both broke.
They’ve got crippling writer’s block.
They need to write bestsellers before the end of the summer.

The result? A bet to see who can get their book published first.
The catch? They have to swap genres.
The risk? In telling each other’s stories, their worlds might be changed entirely…

Review:

I can not even find the words to tell you how happy, honoured I feel to have received an invitation to read and review Beach Read so early before it’s publication.
I already know that this book will be on my “best of 2020” list.

It is a perfect, relaxing beach read even though it can be devoured in any time, in every possible corner of the world, not only on beach. (😜😎)(I mean, I read it during winter and still enjoyed it the most!)

The story is written in first person, following January (the name of our main character) who after loss of her father and revelation of his secret has hard time believing in happily ever afters, and suffers from the writing block, when she should finish her next romance novel.
Placing herself in the new house in a small town, she comes across her rival from Uni days, who is well respected, published author of literary fiction now.

They start spending more and more time together and January starts to develop feelings for him.

I enjoyed every page of this book.
Do you know that feeling when you read a good story and don’t want it to end, so you start to read it at slower pace only to have more time with it?
That’s what my experience was with Beach Read. I didn’t want it to end.

My favourite part of the story was the chemistry between Gus and January, and her own self aware of her feelings for him, and the complication of their situation.
I loved watching their relationship growth.

Beside that, I loved reading about their writing process and journeys.

Since I read an ARC, I am not sure if my copy was messed up or if it had two different ends to the story, and that is why I can’t give it full 5 stars. I guess I’ll have to wait for the finished copies to see what the case is.
If it is the case of two different endings, then I think the one with only January and Gus is the better one.

Overall, Beach Read was an amazing story and I would recommend it to romance, general fiction and women’s fiction lovers who are looking for a new, light hearted and relaxing read.

The best book I read this year so far: It Sounded Better in my Head by Nina Kentwood #booklovers #romance #teens #anxiety

GIFTED / Today I want to talk about one special book I read few days ago and fell in love with it completely. I loved it so much that it’s now my favourite read of 2020.

It Sounded Better in my Head has 272 pages and is already out.

I received this novel via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. I want to thank to Text Publishing.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS / From debut author Nina Kenwood comes a tender, funny, and compulsively readable novel about first love and its confusions, and all of the awkwardness of teen romance.

When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset. Then Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, hook up, leaving her feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward. She’d always imagined she would end up with Zach one day―in the version of her life that played out like a TV show, with just the right amount of banter, pining, and meaningful looks. Now everything has changed, and nothing is quite making sense. Until an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even further.

It Sounded Better in My Head is a compulsively readable love letter to teenage romance in all of its awkward glory, perfect for fans To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Emergency Contact.

Review:

This book was AH-MAZING!!

I mean it, everything about it was just right! Almost perfect.
From the writing style to the story itself, and it’s characters.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel!
Sign me up for next Nina Kentwood’s novels, because I want to read all of them!
Her writing style is amazing, and from her acknowledgments where she thanked to authors who’s books she read in her lifetime, is obvious she reads and loves books a lot.

The story was great. Entertaining and realistic, and just what I craved at time.
I was hungry for good ya contemporary and It Sounded Better in my Head is just what I needed.

The characters were likeable and they felt real.
Even though I am older then Natalie, I could relate to her.
I also don’t like to be seen (but it has nothing to do with my look) and I feel like my mind works similar to hers. However, she did go on my nerves sometimes.
With lifelike friends and good family dynamics, plus “not so perfect for each other” love interesting, this book has the best cast.

I love how believable It Sounded Better in my Head turned out to be, and the was it wrapped up.

I know I said it many times this year, but I think this is my favourite read of 2020.

Because I loved it so much, I now want to read as many ya contemporaries as I can.

I recommend this novel to everyone who’s looking for something quick, easy, and entertaining.

The most beautiful book about love and loss: The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silber (BookReview) #BookLovers #WomensFiction #LoveStory

GIFTED / Today I want to talk about the book the I read in 2019, the one that has stolen my heart. When I read it in November it was my absolutely favourite read of 2019 and I hope my words will make you give this beautiful novel a try.
The Two Lives of Lydia Brid should be published as an e-book today, on January 30th 2020, and the paperback comes out on March 5th 2020. It is published by Penguin and it has 432 pages.
I want to say thank you to lovely people from Penguin for sending me an invitation to read this book via Netgalley.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Lydia and Freddie. Freddie and Lydia. They’ve been together for almost a decade, and Lydia thinks their love is indestructible.

But she’s wrong. Because on her 27th birthday, Freddie dies in a car accident.

So now it’s just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide indoors and sob ’til her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to live her life well. So, enlisting the help of his best friend and her sister Elle, she takes her first tentative steps into the world and starts to live – perhaps even to love – again.

But then something inexplicable happens, which gives her another chance at her old life with Freddie. A life where none of the tragic events of the past few months have happened. But what if there’s someone in in her new life who wants her to stay?

Review:

Perfection. That is the one word I would use to describe The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.

This novel has stolen my heart with it’s beautiful storyline, with the intensity of emotions it awoke in me.
I honestly can’t even remember when was the last time I fell in love with the book so hard…

If I’m not mistaken, it was back in 2018 when I read One Day in December, that was one of my favourite reads that year.

If nothing (but it’s not nothing, it’s everything) this book showed just how amazing Josie Silver of a writer is.
She wrote two novels, and they both were stunningly written with emotional, heart shaking but beautiful plots, and characters one can’t help but get attached to.
I now am sure I don’t want to ever miss a piece of work written by this incredible author! I want to support her as long as my eyes can see, as long as my brain can recognize the sentences…

I loved the magical element that is the foundation of the story, but also how it affected the main character and the way the story developed.

The story is written in first person, with Lydia as a narrator.
It is beautifully written and even though the book has more than 400 pages it didn’t feel like it.
I wished it was longer, so I could spend more time in this world, with these wonderful characters.

I rarely cry while reading, but this book made me shed some tears.
That one scene, with lighting up candles, was especially emotional. It was my favourite scene in the whole story.

The story wrapped up in the most satisfying way. I hoped it would end up that way, and when it did, I was overwhelmed in a good way. I approve it 100%.

I will mention only one more thing: I want to praise Josie Silver for mentioning my county, Croatia. I was in Makarska many times in my life and I loved reading about it in one of the most beautiful books.

In the end, if I could make you want to read one book from my recommendations list, I would chose this one, because I am sure it will touch many hearts and I hope it will move yours too.
I am so thankful I had an opportunity to read this wonderful novel and I truly believe I will carry it in that part of my heart reserved only for favourite stories, for the rest of my life.