4.5 rounding up to 5. When I read One Day in December, I could see a spark of great writing talent that was unfortunately overshadowed by a plot that couldn't match up. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird chooses to showcase the author's talent and imagination front and center and shows off writing skills that are just beautiful.

This book was one that I highly suggest the reader sits on for a bit in order to delve into everything going on in both of Lydia's lives. If you rush this book, you may miss out on the emotional bond that it has the ability to form with the reader. This book does an incredible job at addressing a realistic grief process in Lydia's waking world and how much that could get stalled out if one chooses to live in the past and hope for the impossible. It shows that, from the outside looking in, one may finally see themselves and their loved ones with clearer eyes and a new point of view. It cements the fact that there are many definitions of happy and fulfilled and, just because things may not work out the way you hope, does not mean those two emotions are rendered unachievable.

My only two small qualms with this book is Lydia at times becomes super irresponsible with her waking life and is given "get out of jail free cards" that I don't necessarily support and also, the romantic relationship the book ends on isn't necessarily needed. The hope of that relationship is comforting enough for the reader without the confirmation that Lydia is diving into it.

This book has surely cemented Silver's talent in my mind and I am truly looking forward to what she comes up with next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird follows Lydia, a woman who seemingly has everything: a great job, a great family, and a gorgeous fiancé. That is, until her fiancé Freddie dies in a car crash and suddenly, everything Lydia had hoped and dreamed for the future is gone. Faced with the inability to sleep without crying, Lydia gets recommended some sleeping pills and the unimaginable happens: when Lydia takes the pills, she wanders off into a world in which Freddie is still alive and well, and the both of them are happier than ever. Suddenly, Lydia is caught between two worlds: the one where she can still have everything she ever wanted and the real one where everyone is grieving with her. One thing is for sure, though: at some point, Lydia will have to decide: does she want to move on or not?

With a premise like this, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird certainly will catch a lot of attention. It sounds like a story that will resonate with people who have loved and lost, who want to reclaim the past that made them happy and forget the struggles that seem insurmountable. Unfortunately, the story didn’t resonate with me like that personally. For some reason, I kept waiting for something more to happen. A conflict, some plot twist, anything that would propel the story forward. Instead, we keep watching Lydia repetitively live her life in the “awake” and the “asleep” world.

The idea in itself is great; we get to see Lydia live out what could have been her and Freddie’s epic love story if it wasn’t cut short when he died. But after the fifth or sixth time she visits this dreamland that is never quite explained and has no rules to it, the book falls into a repetitive two-step: Lydia wants to be asleep so she can be with Freddie, and the awake world is keeping her from it. The story had a lot of potential for exploration of morality and the afterlife in general but it never really addressed the issue of why Lydia could “live on” while she was sleeping or the moral dilemma she is facing by taking these sleeping pills even when she doesn’t need them anymore just so she can see Freddie. In general, every issue that could have led to a conflict or a bit of food for thought was kicked under the rug. Even the ‘plot twist’ that you can probably see a mile coming was just – resolved? There seemed to be no tension, no anticipation, just a quick inner monologue and everything was sorted.

The writing style could also use some work. There was a lot of telling rather than showing and the dialogue felt sometimes very unnatural to the point of ridiculous. Not to mention the few instances of fake feminism when it came to clothing and drinking. Additionally, there was a lot of explanatory writing. Good when it helps you understand the characters better, bad when said character cannot even drink a glass of orange juice without that action being followed by the narrator delving deeper.

All in all, this was a quick read and for fans of afterlife tales and fluffy slowburns definitely worth looking into!

This book gave me the same feeling I get when I pick up a Taylor Jenkins Reid book and it's like coming home. I can't sing the praises of this book enough. The characterization of this book was breathtaking and each character had their own unique diction, hopes, dreams, and motivations. Each character, whether a main or a side character, goes on their own journey to be a better version of themselves but the main journey we see is Lydia. We see her grapple with the loss of her fiance and how to live her life without him, and whether she wants to at all. This is a beautiful look at grief and how it changes all the people affected, whether they knew the deceased or not. Grief changes every aspect of our lives and we can see that painfully clear in the difference between Lydia's waking and sleeping lives. We see how taking care of yourself can harm those around you, even if you need that change more than anything. Pick yourself up this breathtaking story and curl up with a good blanket and be ready to feel everything under the sun.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to receive this ARC from the publisher. It was as if Christmas had come early this year. Thank you so much Penguin Random House / Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.

My rating is truly floating between 4 and 4 ½ Stars. There was a lot to love about this book.

The Concept- The concept of this book was creative but reminiscent of something I read and loved earlier in the year. That book was The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people compare books and I am not doing that. Lydia Bird and The Life Intended are not the same book- I'm just saying if you enjoyed one you may also enjoy the other =)

The Characters- I loved Lydia and I loved her family. They were close knit and supported each other. The love these women had for each other really warmed my heart.
I loved Lydia and Freddie as a couple. It's one of those relationships /romances you read in a book and you're like I want that- #RelationshipGoals.

The Emotions- From the very beginning Josie Silver put me on that Roller Coaster of Emotion. I'd be reading one page and on the verge of tears, then on the next laughing out loud. For a book that deals heavily with grief I was not once depressed. I have read books in the past where I'm like oh gosh this is just too much. Not the case with Lydia Bird. The author made me feel genuinely for what Lydia and her family were going through.

The Writing- As with Silvers previous novel One Day in December- this book was hard to put down. The writing was almost addictive. I had to keep reading and when I couldn't : I was thinking about the book and when I could pick it up again.

Why this wasn't 5 stars-

I felt like a lot happened in this book. Some of it a little too far fetched and that's ok to a point. There were scenes or instances in this book where I just wanted more.

Without spoiling the book- There is one character that I could have just went without. He really didn't add anything to the story for me. I honestly don't remember his name- It could be Kris?

In the end this book was really enjoyable. Josie Silver has become an author that I will continue to read and love and recommend to everyone. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

One Day in December was in my top 5 books for 2019 so I had very high hopes for this one. It had a lot to live up to and I feel that it fell short. The story had such potential but I feel that Ms. Silver might have lost her voice along the way. This author can write the hell out of a story, but it felt disjointed and confusing in certain parts. I would still recommend.

I read 20% of this book and really enjoyed the story and writing and I loved Josie Silver's last book but the main character's reliance on sleeping pills is too much for me at this point in my life. I have faith that her heavy reliance and need for the pills will be resolved in the end and I do hope to finish this book one day, but it will not be anytime soon. This is definitely a case of "it's not you, it's me" and I truly believe readers who are not sensitive to substance abuse will love this book!

Lydia Bird loses her Fiancée in a car accident while he was driving with their best friend. Beyond devastated she is not coping and without the support of her mom and sister she wouldn’t be functioning at all.. Not sleeping, Lydia is given sleeping pills and when she uses them she’s transported to a world where Freddie is still alive, They're planning their wedding, and life is going on almost but not exactly like the one they’d have if Freddie were still alive. Lydia starts to be dependent on this sleeping world where the love of her life is alive, but realizes it’s not entirely a good thing.
I loved this plot and Silvers’s writing, her spot on portrayal of grief, her true to life situations and dialogue. I loved the build up to the ending, and the ending itself. But I think the book is too long, I got tired of reading the day in and out tedium, so started skipping ahead while speed reading because it was no longer holding my interest. It could be shorter and the integrity of the book would not be changed.

This was a lovely read about loss, grief and finding the power to move forward. Told in two different timelines (which was not confusing) this story shows the main character, Lydia, how her life could have been if her fiance did not suddenly die. The story also is one of Lydia as she deals with the grief and pain of a sudden loss and how she faces moving forward. I enjoyed the story and all the emotions it involved. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh My God! What a book. I cried! I loved One Day in December and couldn't wait to dive into this one. It was so poignant! At times it was so hard to read for all the feelings it evoked. I am tearing up now thinking about it! So, so good! Can't wait to read what Silver comes up with next.

When Lydia's fiancee dies she does not know how to go on. Eventually she thinks she finds a way, but she begins to lose her grasp on what is real and her connection to life as she holds tight to the past and what might have been. Will she be able to regain her life and find a way to survive?

This is not the kind of book I usually read. But I felt that I needed a change of pace and this book called my name. I'm really happy I went with this- it was beautiful. From start to finish, I connect with it deeply. The plot and characters, the writing style and the themes of loss, grief and growth. I found myself teary-eyed often while reading and it was in such a gentle way. I really, really needed that. I think this is a novel that many walks of life could enjoy. But I would strongly recommend it if you've suffered a huge loss or are in a period of growth. I liken it to Eat, Pray, Love for similar reasons, although these books have little in common. I am really looking forward to reading more from Josie Silver.

Josie Silver has clinched her role as a “must read” author for me with The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. This is a book about grief and love and second chances. With a dash of magical realism, Silver explores the love Lydia had with her childhood sweetheart Freddie and what loving again could look like. The time-shifting narration did take me a bit to settle into at first, but I was captivated once I did.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I didn't make it very far into this one before setting it aside. The writing was too cliched for my tastes.