Kindle Unlimited: One Year After You, Shari Low

 

Definitely not as emotional as the first book, One Day with You, but still very good. First book was better.

4/5

Audiobook: Very Very Lucky, Amanda Prowse

 

Such a fan of Amanda Prowse, comfortabl, cosy family novel. Heartbreaking.

Meet Emma, she is married, two sons and a daughter. Youngest son is gifted and opportunity to go a private school. Oldest son has challenges with depression. Her Mom is a widow. Emma's best friend Roz, is very ill.

We also meet Thurston who is in his 80s and just lost his wife he was married to for 62 years.

Ag, so enjoyed this book.

Libby: Grief is for People, Sloane Crosley

 

Jimmy Fallon did a silent review of this book on TikTok, mimed that it was sad but brilliant.

The premise of the book is that Sloane has a break in where her family jewelry is stolen, and her emotions around it, and saying you can't grieve for inanimate objects. Shortly after the break in her very good friend committs suicide.

The book looks at grief and dealing with it. I got Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking vibes, who Sloane does quotes and refers to.

I am not a fan of present tense writing but totally get that that is how the author can cope with things right at that moment. So in this book, it works.

I found the book all over the place, which I get, when one grieves, you are all over the place. But I just didn't resonate, and just got too much towards the end, actually I think I clocked out for the second half of the book and read it just to finish it.

3/5

Kindle Audiobook: The Roses of May, Dot Hutchison

This was the follow up to The Butterfly Garden. Didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one. Also, the main character, Priya annoyed me a bit. Totally get her trauma of losing a sister, but just didn't responate with her. Did enjoy 'reconnecting' with the FBI agents. 

3/5

Kindle Audiobook: The Woman in the Strongbox, Maureen O'Hagan

 

Does a short story count as a book? Didn't realise it was a short story.

It was more of a Serial podcast vibe than an audiobook. 

No real conclusion.

My favourite character was the mother-in-law.

3/5

Libby Audiobook: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin

 

I saw on TikTok that @StephReadsalot hated this book, it was one of her first silent reviews that I saw and it stuck with me. Then, another friend said that she also did not enjoy it and it's one of the few books that she DNF'd. Not too long after that, another good friend absolutely raved about it. So, I decided, 'you know what, let me make up my own mind'. I borrowed it from Libby (bonus that it was an audiobook) and was on the waiting list for months.

I actually really enjoyed it. Audiobooking it, I went through it quite quickly. I think it might get a bit confusing and laborious if I read the physical book. 

We meet Sadie and Sam, and journey through their life of building computer / video games and their on/off relationship(s).

I enjoyed the different perspectives and voices/angles/stories that came through.

Quite sad in places.

I can understand that it won't be everyone's cup if tea, for me, 4/5.

Kindle: Black Bear Alibi, J.C.Fuller

 

Thoroughly enjoyed this 'whodunnit'. The bears only make an appearance right at the beginning, then Park Ranger, Philip, and newly appointed Sherriff Lane investigate the murder of Stacy.

So glad to see there are two more books in the series.

5/5

Kindle: The Courage To Be Happy

Ultimately it is about love. 

Interpersonal relationships and doing things for the geater good.

Kindle Audiobook: Silent Victim

Another good one. Did have an incling of who/what the twist would be, but a goood twist nonetheless!

Normally I don't like it when there are secrets kept, but in this instance I understood why.

Emma is groomed by her art teacher. He zooms in on all her insecurities, she is 15 and gets obsessed with him and just wants his attention and affection. She develops bulimia to gain control.

Her husband is in real estate and wants them to move to Leeds. 

4/5

Kindle Audiobook: The Butterfly Garden, Dot Huchison

Oe, this was a good one!

I binge listened to it. Some reviews that I saw said that the narration got a bit confusing, but I think having audiobooked it, helped to keep track with who was saying what. 

This guy and his son kidnaps girls when they are about 16 years old; then tattoos wings on their backs, and let's them live (is imprisoned) in the 'Garden'. When they reach 21 years, he embalms them in resin and hangs them on a wall. 

The story is told from that of 'Maya' and intertwined with her interview with the FBI. 

The ending was a bit weird, the twist unnecessarily complicated, not sure it was necessary. The book would have been just as good without it. 

Thoroughly enjoyed it, and have already down loaded the second in the series, The Roses of May;  (there are four books in the series). 

5/5