Member Reviews

Beware that once you start reading this book you won't put it down. It'll engage you from the first page. Keep the Kleenex near by because you'll need it. One of the best books I have read so far this year. It deserves a prominent spot on your keeper shelf. Happy reading!

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This was pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be and it was (mostly) delightful! My only real complaint about this one is that it almost felt like it went on a little long for my personal tastes. I was completely gripped for the first half (seriously, I was crying like every other chapter), but I'd be lying if I didn't say that the last third of the book lost my attention at times because the story had dragged on for a bit too long. Overall, this wasn't a perfect book, but it was a surprisingly fun read given the subject matter and I do recommend if you're into romance and journeys of self discovery.

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The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was a highly anticipated book for me as I very much delighted in Josie Silver's 2018 novel One Day in December. Not only did I end up enjoying The Two Lives of Lydia Bird but I ended up connecting with it even more than my first book by Silver.

I can appreciate a good contemporary romance but I definitely am drawn to plotlines that are a bit more realistic and relatable so this was a great fit for me. Silver shines at sharing stories that are heartwarming while also feeling like they are rooted in reality.

This book was heavy at times and I appreciated the look at the process of grief, especially for a young woman who was still finding herself when she lost the love of her life. The plotline isn't seamless and I got a lot out of seeing the main character Lydia move through the different stages of loss.

While there was a romantic storyline, I appreciated that this new guy didn't just sweep Lydia off her feet and make her forget about her grief. The overwhelming and persistent feelings of loss felt real and the tumultuous road to her healing made this book feel heartbreaking and powerful at the same time. If you are looking for an engaging and emotional read, I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for the gifted advanced copy and galley.

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My heart... I started reading this during class and I lost it crying. I could connect with the characters so well. Grief was set with so well, I definitely recommend you read this if you are looking for a heartfelt story.

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The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a story of grief and forgiveness. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Lydia Bird’s life is rocked by tragedy when her fiancé Freddie is killed in a car accident. Unable to cope with his loss, her doctor prescribes her some sleeping pills to help. But a magical thing happens when she takes the sleeping pill, she wakes up in a parallel universe where Freddie never died. Thrilled with this discovery, Lydia dives into this new life as often as she can. But the more time she spends in her alternate life, the harder it is to come back to her real one. Sooner or later Lydia has to decide whether to continue taking the plunge or say goodbye to Freddie forever.

I loved this story. I loved watching Lydia grow as a person in the wake of her husband’s death. I loved watching her come to terms with her life and really ask for what she needed. I did find that it dragged at points, especially as Lydia is in the middle of her grief, but it did pick up as it got closer to the end.

If you are picking this story up thinking it’s a romance similar to Josie Silver’s last book, One Day In December, this may not be the story for you. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was more like After You by Jojo Moyes but with a bit of sci-fi mixed in. It is first and foremost a story of grief, personal growth, and family.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for my review copy!

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The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Wow. I wasn’t expecting this book to be such a serious look at life after the loss of a loved one. It was moving in multiple places and I was full-on SOBBING at the end. The concept is fascinating. Lydia’s fiance dies in the first chapter but when she goes to sleep, she is able to live her alternate life by his side. We see her try to adjust to life without Freddie in one life, and her trying to find her new self, the one that remembers that he isn’t alive, trying to remain who she used to be in her dream life. Don’t go in expecting a romance. It’s a raw look at grief and how it changes us. 4 stars.

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Lydia has someone in her life who has passed away, abruptly and shockingly. Then she starts her life in two phases: asleep and awake. She dreams of this person, their interactions, and upon waking up, is filled with the grief of knowing this person is gone. I feel like we've all experienced great loss like this. And for myself, I've often wanted to dream of my mom, because that's the only time I get to see her. I think this story is beautiful and told so well. Knowing your heart is going to break again every single day is so hard. But Silver tells it in a way that doesn't rip your heart out. It's such an impact and lovely.


5/5 Stars

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"There isn't a handy grief blueprint. You don't get over losing someone you love in six months or two years or twenty, but you do have to find a way to carry on living without feeling as if everything that comes afterward is second best."

It has been a while since I have binge read a book in one sitting until I sat down for this read. Josie Silver has written a wonderful story that entwines loss, grief, friendship, and the question of "what if" in a beautiful story.

Lydia Bird and Freddie Hunter have been in love since they were 15. Lydia is happily planning their wedding and preparing to celebrate her 28th birthday when tragedy strikes. Freddie dies in a car accident while driving his best friend, Jonah Jones, home. Unable to sleep, Lydia visits a doctor who prescribes her new pink sleeping pills. It is with these pills that Lydia discovers an alternative universe in which Freddie is still alive. Now Lydia is left with the question of how much time she wants to spend in her dream world versus her real world where the grief she has feels insurmountable at times. Can Lydia Bird really live two lives at once?

This book is about grief long before it is about romance. It is filled sometimes with such intense heartache that I just wanted to reach through the pages and hug Lydia. I loved the cast of characters that support Lydia as well as the new ones she meets a long the way. I also enjoyed how in her immense grief Lydia finds her new identity without Freddie (who, while dynamic, sometimes annoyed me) and discovers what that means for her life moving forward. There were so many aspects of this book and its depiction of loss that were profound and meaningful and I will absolutely be recommending this to all my bookish friends.

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This was a very emotional and heartbreaking book.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird starts out on Lydia's 28th birthday. She is so happy and content in her life with her fiance Freddie. Unfortunately, that night on the way to pick her up for her birthday dinner, Freddie dies in a car accident. The next couple of months gives you a look into Lydia's life without Freddie. Her mother gets her some pills to help her sleep & in her dreams she lives this sort of "alternate life" with Freddie, it doesn't even seem like he's been gone.

Maybe I would have liked this more if I was in a better state of mind for it. It's definitely one those "it's not you, it's me" things. I related too much with the characters (My husband and I have been together since we were preteens). So, of course I cried my eyes out. I thought that this was going to be a more lighthearted book, even though I knew beforehand that Freddie was going to die. I didn't expect the author to get into depth with the grief that accompanies death. I thought she would just kind of skim over it.

This gets a solid 3 stars because it was very well written and it drew the emotions out of me. I just didn't absolutely love this book and that's all on me. I knew beforehand that I don't usually like to read a romance novel that includes death. My bad.

Huge thank you to Netgalley, Josie Silver and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Ballantine Books for a copy of this to read in exchange for an honest review!

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I read Josie's previous book "One Day in December" and really enjoyed her style of writing... so when NetGalley offered this book to be read and reviewed I jumped at the chance. And I am so glad I did!

It is hard to write a review of this book without giving away the storyline or letting any spoilers slip. Suffice it to say, I found the plot intriguing and a bit unusual and I found it hard to put down. The end was satisfying and tied the story together very well.

I do not hesitate to give this book 5 stars and to recommend it. Grab a cup of tea, a scone and this book and settle in.

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I’m probably one of the last people on the planet who still hasn’t read One Day in December, (I’ll get to it one day, especially after reading this gem) so I had no clue what to expect when I started this one. From the description I knew it would be emotional, but I had no idea just how poignant and beautiful it would truly be. It made me laugh, it gave me hope and even though I didn’t cry (cold black heart, remember?) it did make me melancholy and definitely tugged on my heartstrings.

Grief is a bitch, and mourning the loss of the love of your life in your twenties is just about the most heartbreaking scenario I can imagine. I thought the author did a fantastic job of exploring grief and loss in an authentic way and while I was skeptical about the whole idea of Lydia living in a “dream world” it was done incredibly well. This was a unique love story with so much heart and a touch of magic, a really beautiful book that touched me and I adored Lydia by the end.

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Oh I loved this book. I loved Lydia. I enjoyed being in her world and feeling her feelings. What a gorgeous and poignant book.

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Josie Silver has done it again! She’s written another heart-warming story that resonates. At the start I thought it was just sad, but as Lydia tries to get on with her life, I appreciate her more. She grows and changes and comes into her own. It’s truly a story that while tugging at your heart strings, is realistic but hopeful and endearing.

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The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver is a great romantic read that delves also into the grief process after acutely losing the love of your life.

In this story, we find Lydia at a total loss after losing her fiancé, Freddie, in an MVC. He died, his passenger and friend, Jonah did. This is the story of acceptance and learning to live the life given despite being dealt a huge blow.

The pace of this book is more of a slow burn. I truly enjoyed the concept of alternating chapters of “Awake” and “Asleep”, and some of the alternating universes associated. Without giving more away, because really the concept to me is ingenious, it was amazing to read the what ifs and the surreal-ness that Lydia experiences in trying to surround herself with the past she wants, but also with the future that she truly needs.
It was very emotional, and made me teary- eyed more then one time (but in a good way). I truly enjoyed the journey I took with Lydia and I am so glad that she had the ending that she needed and deserved.

All of this heavy subject matter in a beautiful and lyrical prose that was surprisingly easy and light to read and that truly touched me and will be something that I will read again and again.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books for this excellent ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

(B&N second posting on 3/3 under Rachel_Denise01)

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I think the premise of the book is great. Focusing on the aftermath of what happens when you lose someone you love. Our main character, Lydia is trying to learn how to navigate life and move on without the love of her life, Freddie who ends up dying in a car accident. She goes through the motions— blaming others around her, shutting people out and isolating herself, wallowing in self-pity.

She soon winds up living two separate lives— one of which she finds herself in a parallel universe of sorts. This is where the book falls short for me as the parallel universe aspect just didn’t work for me whatsoever. I didn’t feel as invested towards Lydia and Freddie and found myself disinterested in where the story was going very early on. The emotion was there but the execution just didn’t come through for me which was unfortunate because the book definitely ticked off certain themes that I enjoy reading in books.

Don’t come into this book with the expectation that it’s a swoon worthy romance because it’s not. It reads more as a contemporary fiction book with a romantic plot that really dives in on grief and loss and growing from it. You have to be prepared to suspend your beliefs while reading this. Otherwise, you might find yourself having a difficult time connecting with the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I adored this story. It offers a special and unique storyline with the main character visiting a fictitious dream world, while also living her very real life. The emotions felt by all the characters, even though they were shown through the main character's eyes, radiated off of the pages. While I thoroughly enjoy Silver's debut novel, One Day in December, I enjoyed this one even more. It felt more grown up and raw than the other, while still maintaining the cozy and comfortable feeling that Silver's writing brings to the table.

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I had to DNF this one at 50%. I really tried, but I just couldn't get into it. I don't know if it was just because it was so sad and heavy, but I found myself forcing it and I don't want to do that. I think that its beautifully written, just not for me at this time.

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This book has been on my radar since it was first announced. One Day in December was one my favorite books of 2018/2019 (I read it over the holidays). I was excited for Silver's sophomore book, if not a bit nervous. Silver did an amazing job with a holiday contemporary and I wasn't sure if her books would hold the same magic if they were written, well, not during the most magical time of the year. But I had no reason to worry, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was just as magical and as good of a read as her debut (and even had some Christmas scenes thrown in!).

Lydia is a great main character and her growth throughout the story is something to be admired. I enjoyed following her along, in both words, as well as her coworkers, family, and friends as she navigated her life. The characters are really something in this book, everyone is so distinct and add something to the book.

If you are worried this book will be too sad for you, fret not. Silver balances things well. The book may have a very sad topic, but life isn't always so and I think Silver captures that. I have so many lines highlighted in my kindle, whether they are heartfelt quotes, funny lines, there are many parts of the book I want to be able to flip back too quickly.

Overall, its a really good contemporary and cements Silver as one of my auto-read authors. I can't say I like this more than I love One Day in December but it is a very close call.

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Wow, this was such an emotional story. It kept hitting me at unexpected times and I had a knot in my throat the entire time. I can't wait to read more from Josie Silver. I think she'll be a new favorite.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC!

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Not to sound too basic, but I love a love story that is as much about loving someone else as it is about loving yourself. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird had me hooked from the premise. Lydia loses her fiance Freddie, and a magic sleeping pill gives her the ability to experience the life with him that she would have had and still live her current life. On the surface, it would be the ultimate sliding door setup, but I loved that the book did not sidestep that you can't run from your own grief (magic sleeping aid or not). It took me awhile to warm up to this book because the premise is so heart-heavy, but I really enjoyed the back half and can't wait to read the author's next book. This is sad, romantic, and it felt like a Sunday Afternoon movie. What a hopeful book.

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