Me and Dizzy have re discovered our love for reading this year 🙂 (partly due to joining the wonderful Surviving Life Book Club), and we’ve decided to do a little review on the books we have read so far. 🙂
All the donkeys have been getting involved too! 🙂
So far this year me and Dizzy have read 5 books. 🙂
Dizzy’s very pleased with herself about this, keeps saying shes a highly educated donkey. 🙂
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
What is it about? This story follows the life of Eleanor Oliphant, a 30 year old living alone in Glasgow, who lives a very simple life. Becoming friends with a colleague at work, falling in love with a musician, and meeting an elderly man after he collapses on the street sets Eleanor on a path of discovery and transformation.
What did we think of it? Me and Dizzy really liked this book! Eleanor’s character shines through the pages and you can’t help but relate to her at times. It’s also one of those books that really does make you want to laugh and cry. We couldn’t put it down. 🙂
Dizzy’s Diamonds: 4.5/5
2. A Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
What is it about? Cecillia, mother of three and wife to John-Paul, discovers a letter from her husband hidden in the attic, marked: ‘to be opened only in the event of my death’. Cecillia opens the letter which reveals a terrible secret about her husband.
What did we think of it? This book is really clever. It follows three people whose lives are all carefully intertwined. This really isn’t our typical type of book, but it surprised us and kept us hooked! I doubt we will read it again but it is a really good one off read. 🙂
Dizzy’s Diamonds: 3.5/5
3. Alan the Christmas Donkey by Tracy Garton
What is it about? This tells the story of Tracy, the adventures that led up to her opening the Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary, and the story of Alan the little Christmas donkey (one of the donkeys she rescues). 🙂
What did we think of it? It’s a story about a lady who opens a donkey sanctuary. And the whole book is about donkeys. Of course we loved it! (Even though now Dizzy doesn’t understand why there isn’t a book like this about her… 🙂 )
Dizzy’s Diamonds: 5/5 (obviously 🙂 )
4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
What is it about? A mysterious circus arrives without warning, creating a magical world for all. This book takes you on an adventure of how the circus came to be, and follows the story of two people tied into a challenge for which the circus becomes their arena.
What did we think of it? We felt we should have loved this book, but we just didn’t. It took us a while to get into (I had the strangest feeling of deja vue during most of it, when I’m sure I’ve never read it before :/ ), and even though the descriptions were amazing, we just found them too much. We did get into it more towards the end, 300 hundred pages in…and poor Dizzy just couldn’t cope with all the changes in times and characters.
Dizzy’s Diamonds: 2.5/5
5. The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
What is it about? This tells the story of a young girl called Faith, whose father dies in suspicious circumstances. Shortly afterwards Faith discovers that he had been hiding a strange tree, a tree that when you feed it lies will bear fruit, which when consumed will reveal a truth. The bigger the lie, the bigger the truth it will reveal. With the tree now in her possession Faith sets out on a mission to discover the truth around her fathers death.
What did we think of it? We actually love this book! Unfortunately no donkeys, but for a no donkeys book it’s amazing. The way it’s written makes you want to keep reading (me and Dizzy could hardly put it down), and for us the ending was just perfect. 🙂
Dizzy’s Diamonds: 5/5
What books have you read so far this year? We’d love any recommendations that you may have. 🙂 And if you’ve read any of these books, we’d love to know how many Dizzy Diamonds you would give them. 🙂 xxx
Ooo I’m quite tempted by The Lie Tree! Hadn’t come across that one. I quite enjoyed The Husband’s Secret for the SLH’s book club too and probably would have rated it similarly. Will make a note of Frances Hardinge, thanks! Just reading All The Little Pieces by Jilliane Hoffman at the moment & really liking it so far as it’s excellently written 🙂
Happy reading!
Caz x
Definitely give The Lie Tree a go, it’s one of the few books I’ve read that I can’t wait to read again! 🙂 What’s All The Little Pieces about? xxx
It’s an American crime thriller (which I’m still addicted to…) about a woman who witnesses a girl in distress in the middle of a night in the middle of nowhere, then discovers that girl has become the victim of a serial killer. Can’t say too much on the premise without giving it away, but so far it’s very well written as it feels engaging, which is important when your brain is foggy and finds it hard to focus. I have high hopes for The Lie Tree now, it’s on my list! 🙂
xx
I shall have to give it a try! Especially if it’s good for reading with a foggy brain. 🙂 I really hope you like The Lie Tree as much as I did. 🙂 xxx
Eleanor Oliphant has been on my to be read list for a while, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet! I hear so many good things about it though 🙂
It is definitely worth reading. 🙂 Are you reading anything else at the moment? 🙂 xxx
I just finished In Order to Live about a girl’s escape from North Korea. I really recommend it! It was such a powerful read 🙂
I haven’t heard of that one. I will have to give it a try. xx Thank you. 🙂 xxx
Sandy and I love to read. So many good books, my list grows faster than I can read or listen to them. These all look interesting, and the list grows again.
What are you currently reading? I’ve got a pile of books next to my bed at the moment to work through. 🙂 xxx
I am currently reading a cozy mystery, Death by Coffee. Sandy is farther along in the series. I have a group on my Kindle that would amount to quite a stack of real books. I like the Kindle because I can travel with it and also control print size and lighting.
I have a kindle too. They are great, I use mine all the time! But I still love getting into bed with an actual book. 🙂 xxx
I am glad to hear y’all have rediscovered your love for reading. I love to read a good book, you know the type you can not put down?! I discovered a fantastic author from Australia, Kelly Rimmer. Her latest book is “Before I let you go”. I would never tell her this, but it is better than her other books. I mean don’t get me wrong her other books are amazing, but this one is the BEST ever!!! I am glad you shared the books you have read, I am going to have to check into them! I hope you and Dizzy have a great evening! Much love to y’all!
I love books like that too and ones you can just get completely lost in. I love imagining I’m off in different worlds and lands. 🙂 What’s ‘Before I Let You Go’ about? I haven’t come across it before, or the author. xx Hope you have a wonderful weekend Alyssa. 🙂 xxx
Thank you Dizzy for your literary reviews…I look forward to more in the future.
🙂
Thank you Laura. xx I think we might do a round up once every 3/4 months. 🙂 Hope you’re having a lovely week. 🙂 xxx
In my book club, one of our members had us read the Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander Smith McCall. We read the first one in the series. I so enjoyed the first one, I’ve read seven more. I am not sure how many are in the series. But they’re not real long, and they are easy to read. Very entertaining! It is about a traditionally built Botswana lady who receives an inheritance from her father. And she opens up the Number 1 Ladies, Detective Agency. There is love and lost, laughs and tears. I have very much enjoyed them!
I’ve never read them but they made a series out of them, which was very good. I might give the books a try. The series was ages ago and I can’t remember it that well now. xx Thank you for the suggestion Jo. 🙂 xxx
You bet! Blessings!
I have invited you to join me in the 3 Day Quote Challenge 🙂
I love this idea, and love quotes! 🙂 Thank you so much for inviting me. I shall start this today or tomorrow. 🙂 xxx
Your welcome 🙂
The Lie Tree sounds ace! Thanks for the recommendation 🙂 I’ve also read Eleanor Olifant, which I really enjoyed and am currently in the middle of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which is great, a bit like Angela’s Ashes, if you’ve read that, but written way before that came out. Xxx
I loved it! I hope everyone else likes it as much as I did. For me it was just one of those odd books that really caught my imagination. 🙂 I will have a look at A Tree Grows, I haven’t come across it before but love the title. 🙂 xxx
I want to read that donkey sanctuary book now – thanks for the recommendation!
If you love donkeys, you will love this book! It’s just such a lovely story, and lots of donkey adventures are mentioned in it. 🙂 xxx
I agree with your irritation when reading plots that move backwards and forward in time continuously. They are very confusing and I am a teacher of literature!!
It just gets too confusing, especially as I mostly read just before going to sleep, so I need something not too complicated. 🙂 xxx
Its nothing to do with our MS, just rotten writing!!
I think Alan The Christmas Donkey looks like my no 1 choice. There are just so many great books to read. I just finished Chelsea Concerto about life in London during the blitz. It was such a great read and was free on Kindle. 🌼
Alan the Christmas Donkey is a lovely read. Just such a sweet and charming book. 🙂 xx I shall have a look at Chelsea Concerto. xxx
Thank you for the heads up. I’ll have to pick one of these up. I hadn’t been able to finish a book in a while due to cognitive issues. But I do believe writing(blogging) is helping a bit with this. Thanks for the list
Let us know which one you decide to try. 🙂 I prefer ones that are easy to follow as I get all brain foggy. xx I definitely agree that writing helps abit with it though. 🙂 xxx
Will do. I get foggy as well. It’s been forever since I’ve read a book in its entirety. I used to devour them in a couple of days to a week. I’m ready to get back to it.
Let us know how you get on and what book you try first. 🙂 xxx
I look forward to reading more of your blog!
Thank you Diane. 🙂 xxx
I am in the book club and have been enjoying it, too! I skipped The Night Circus as I forgot to get it from the library until it was too late, but it sounds like I didn’t miss much. Great reviews – thanks for sharing!
Lol, I think maybe The Night Circus is a love or hate kind of book. But just not for me. And usually I love books that involve anything magical! xxx
The Lie Tree is one I’m going to track down through our library system…I was recently without a book after reading The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, it’s part of a planned trilogy and I can hardly wait for the next one, thank you for the excellent review! And I’m glad there was a book for Dizzy to enjoy, too!
The Cruel Prince sounds interesting. What sort of book is it? I might have a look! Let me know what you think of The Lie Tree. I really hope you like it as much as I did. xxx
The Cruel Prince is a story about the Fae, Jude is the main character, one of three human sisters who are taken as young children into their world…Jude finds a way to become a powerful player in their politics despite her humanness especially when a new king is going to be crowned…it’s dark fantasy that just pulled me in!
That sounds a great book! I love dark fantasies. Will definitely be giving it a try. Thank you. 🙂 xxx
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