DiaryofaBookLover

I started reading Ellie and The Harpmaker last night, and I already know it will be one of my favourite books of 2021! I’ve had several lumps in my throat already, after reading only a few chapters. The lonely desolation of the lead characters is really affecting me. The writing is so beautifully simple and touching that it lulls one into a false sense of security until the lingering words catch one a few sentences later. These are the novels that make reading so worthwhile. Novels like:

• Eleanor Olyphant is Completely Fine
• The Light between Oceans
• The Notebook
• The Midnight Library
• Away with the Penguins
• Me before You
• Olive Kitteridge

And so many others that I will share in another blog post. I love crime novels and psychological thrillers, but the novels of the so-called ordinary life are spellbinding. These novels connect us. I read an article in the newspaper this morning about a man who lost his wife a year ago. He said he never realised how much they chatted. That sentence broke my heart a little because it’s so true; we never know when that last conversation will be. All our lives are heartbreaking in so many ways, and therein lies our humanity and the truest connections. I think that’s why I love the honesty of these heartbreaking novels so much. Sometimes I look at my man friend and I wish he’d just shut up for five minutes. He likes to talk A LOT! Often in great detail and at even greater length about what to me is utterly mundane, such as the details of a new woodworking tool or how horrified he is at shipping prices or the endless French bureaucracy. But then I remember how sad and lonely I would be if he wasn’t here; how much I’d miss him if he were gone. I think of all the people who have lost their nearest and dearest, and I remember to cherish these moments because none of us knows when they will be snatched away from us.

One of the highlights of every New Year for me is discovering new books. Today, I would like to share with you my best books of 2020. I need to share this post because most of today has been spent lolling around in my pyjamas, cleaning the house, and day dreaming, which is perfectly acceptable because no one can be expected to start New Year Resolutions on a Saturday, can they?? Monday will be the official start to my Perfect Life... We shall see...

Back to business. Without further ado, here are my Best Books of 2020:

1.) Away with the Penguins, by Hazel Prior A lovely, feel good, life affirming novel that shows it’s never too late to find love or adventure.

2.) The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle A calming book that teaches us how to live in the moment.

3.) Claim Your Power, by Mastin Kipp A step by step method to truly finding your life purpose; and it’s not what you think it is.

4.) The Wisdom of Sundays, by Oprah Winfrey Inspirational life lessons from Oprah’s interviews with world leaders and thinkers.

5.) What I Know for Sure, by Oprah Winfrey Oprah shares what brings most meaning to her life in this gem.

6.) Life in Pieces, by Dawn O’ Porter A refreshingly honest, hilarious, heartbreaking account of Dawn O’ Porter’s journey through the COVID 19 pandemic.

7.) Quite, by Claudia Winkleman Life lessons from the wonderfully irreverent, lovable, eponymous UK television presenter.

8.) The Cows, by Dawn O’ Porter Three very different women connected by one shocking moment. An hilarious, life affirming novel from Dawn O’ Porter

9.) So Lucky, by Dawn O’ Porter Another poignantly hilarious novel from Dawn O’ Porter about three different women who are each on their own journey of self-discovery. I fell in love with Dawn’s writing during 2020. Her books kept me company on many a sleepless night. Love her! Check out her Instagram @hotpatooties. She also has a blog on Patreon which will keep you updated on her life and writing. Her blog is like a continuation of Life in Pieces. Love ❤️

10.) The Secrets of Strangers, by Charity Norman Another Richard and Judy Book club pick. A heartbreaking, intriguing, multi-faceted story that opens in a coffee shop under siege. I particularly liked how the author showed us the human side of the so called antagonist. I felt I really knew the characters and didn’t want the book to end. Another new favourite writer for me.

11.) Escape to the French Farmhouse, by Jo Thomas A lovely, feelgood novel about a woman who starts a new life in France solo after breaking up with her fiancé. A pleasantly light read, perfect entertainment for those times when one feels a little fragile.

12.) The Mothers, by Sarah J Naughton Five very different women, brought together by their weekly book club, united by a deadly secret. Gripping psychological crime thriller that will keep you up into the night.

13.) Big Magic: Creative Living beyond Fear, by Elizabeth Gilbert A wonderful, encouraging, joyful, honest book about Elizabeth Gilbert’s writerly journey and the courage it takes to put yourself out there creatively. Perfect for any professional creative.

14.) Blood Orange, by Harriet Tyce Brilliant debut novel from former London barrister, Harriet Tyce. I tend to avoid debut novels because I find the writing stilted and characters underdeveloped and cliched usually. But this novel was gripping. Up and coming lawyer, Alison, seems to have it all: devoted husband, rising career, lovely daughter but someone knows the truth about her alcoholism and secret affair. Someone who is determined to make her pay the price.

There are several more books I could list here, but I think I’ll save them for my favourite books of all time. This should be enough to keep you going for now. January 2nd already. My man friend greeted me this morning with “This year is flying by!” Day 2... we shall see. To be honest, I’m already exhausted. Roll on Spring time.

Happy New Year one and all!!! Here’s hoping 2021 will be kinder to us. I’m not a big fan of the early days of the new year; there’s such a sense of anti climax after Christmas and panic about New Year Resolutions. For the first time this year, I won’t be making my usual overwhelming list of resolutions. Instead, I’ve decided to focus on three: make a decent living from my art; get fitter and healthier; speak kindly to myself. I’ve also chosen a word of the year: Trust. Trust myself, trust the journey, trust others. And listen to my intuition. The older I get, the more I realise the importance of living from my heart more than my head, which brings me to “The Power of Now”, by Eckhart Tolle. Oprah recommended the book a few months ago on her Instagram page. It’s been on my radar for a while, but during a bit of a down period, I decided to give it a go. Oprah said it’s the book she always returns to whenever she’s going through a difficult time. 2020 anyone?! I am enjoying the book. It’s comforting and enlightening. The basic premise is that we need to get out of our heads and focus on being still, because it is in the stillness that we discover who we truly are. Our minds are incessantly busy and are ego based. But the mind’s only reference is agonising over the past and worrying about the future. True peace and real joy reside in the precise moment we are in right here, right now. We can centre ourselves in the now by focusing on our breath and becoming the observer of our thoughts. This takes practice. I am about half way through the book. I only read a few pages at most per day because there is a lot to take in, but I’m finding that it really helps with racing thoughts and the nagging anxiety many of us feel during our lives, especially at this moment in time. So, I shall be easing my way gently into this New Year. It’s a beautiful frosty morning here in central France. A cold mist hangs heavy over the trees. Today will be spent reading a few pages from Nigel Slater’s “The Christmas Chronicles”. It is such a lovely, comforting book, which is divided into daily diaries beginning on November 1st and ending on Candlemas Day, February 2nd, so I still have a few weeks left of the Christmas season. I contemplated putting away the Christmas decorations today, but after some Google searching, I have convinced myself that Twelfth Night, January 5th, is the official day to put them away. After some reading, I shall go for a walk in the frosty forest, and perhaps later do a little painting by the fire. Bliss.

I have always been an avid reader, but every now and then I’ll find myself in a bit of a reading slump. This slump is usually caused by reading too many books consecutively in the same genre. I’ve realised the importance of changing up my reading genres regularly. So I’ll read a crime thriller, then maybe a psychological thriller, followed by a police procedural, a self help book, then a feel good book. This mix up stops me getting stuck in a rut. Because no matter how well written a book is, I find that if I continuously read in the same genre, I burn out. However, I have stuck to mostly feel good, light reading throughout 2020 because I just wasn’t mentally or emotionally able for anything too taxing. I have just finished “Away with the Penguins,” by Hazel Prior. Before that, I read “Shopaholic Christmas,” by Sophie Kinsella. And before that again, I read “Claim Your Power,” by Mastin Kipp, which I HIGHLY recommend. Mastin is a real breath of fresh air in the self help genre. The book comes with a free 40 day tutorial from Mastin, guiding you throughout each page of the book. I had so many breakthroughs reading “Claim Your Power.” I think it is my number one book of 2020! More on that in an upcoming post. So, what books do I specifically recommend to get yourself out of a reading slump? Firstly, I would recommend something lighthearted and feel good. My top recommendations are “Away with the Penguins”, by Hazel Prior. Or “Eleanor Olyphant is Completely Fine”. Also, one of my all time favourite books, “The Light Between Oceans” or “The Notebook”. I know, get your hankies out. But these books will carry you away and get you back into reading. If you are interested in something more self help, I highly recommend Mastin Kipp’s “Claim Your Power” or Oprah’s “ What I know for Sure” or “The Path Made Clear”. Sometimes, what we most need when in a reading slump is to take a complete break from reading. Watch television. Indulge our other hobbies. Watch some ASMR videos on YouTube which are particularly good at helping with sleep. Give yourself a break. Because as a wise person once said, “A break is as good as a rest.”

Last night, I finished the absolutely delightful book “Away with the the Penguins”, by Hazel Prior. This marvellous book kept me company in the small hours, as I read by the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree. “Away with the Penguins” was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. I have enjoyed most of their recommendations throughout the years, so I was looking forward to the story. The book opens with Veronica, a grumpy, elderly woman barking orders at her care assistant, Eileen. Veronica is a rich lady who lives in a rambling big house in the windswept Scottish Highlands. She is in her mid eighties and thinking about what to do with her millions when she dies. She hires an agency to track any living relatives, and is surprised to find she has a grandson, Patrick. Grandmother and grandson’s first meeting is less than inspiring, so Veronica decides, after watching a nature programme, that she will leave all her money to the Amelie penguins of Antartica! But first, she embarks on a wild adventure to see the penguins for herself! What happens in Antartica changes her forever. The story is mostly told in alternating chapters and viewpoints between Veronica and her grandson, Patrick. In a surprise gift from the past, Patrick discovers the loves and losses of his grandmother’s tumultuous life. He learns that she is much more than the grumpy old lady she pretends to be. The story has a similar tone to the wonderful “Eleanor Olyphant is Completely Fine”, by Gail Honeyman, which is another book I loved. “Away with the Penguins” is a touching, poignant, funny, uplifting story of love, loss, and finally redemption. It shows that we should never judge a book by its cover—pun/ cliche intended. And that it is never too late, nor are we ever too old to let love in and embark on an adventure. I adored this book. I cried and laughed and cheered the characters on. I am delighted to have discovered a new author in Hazel Prior, and I look forward to reading “Ellie and the Harpmaker”, which shall no doubt be keeping me company tonight, on this most peculiar of New Year’s Eves.

How rude! I forgot to introduce myself in my first post. My name is Joy. I’m an artist; not a con artist as my man-friend likes to joke. (We have been together for almost two decades. Boyfriend is cute in one’s twenties and thirties, but it’s man-friend from age forty, in my opinion). Born in London, England, raised by Irish parents, currently living in the beautiful French countryside. I will turn 43 next month. I am a typical Aquarius: mildly eccentric (some would say very), artistic, and a borderline genius 🤣 (joking, although apparently quite a few geniuses (genii??) have been Aquarian. I am a cancer survivor, a cat mom, and an ostomate. My passions in life are good books, good food, good wine, and good company—in that order. This blog will focus on the books of my life or the loves of my life as I like to think of them. First and foremost this blog will be a diary of my life through the eyes of the books I read. 2020 passed in a blur, so I would like to have something tangible to reflect on next New Year’s Eve by reading my blog. Maybe I will connect with people along the way, which would be lovely, but it’s ok if it’s just for me. Right, enough about me, let’s get on with the books, glorious books!

New Year’s Eve, December 31st 2020...What. A. Year. Last night, I tumbled into bed in a wine haze at 9.30pm, after struggling to keep my eyes open during episode 1 of new Netflix drama, Bridgerton. No offense to Bridgerton; I blame the wine! Alcohol has become somewhat of a crutch for me during 2020, and something I’ll be looking to rectify during 2021. Anyway, I digress...so I hit the hay at 9.30pm and passed out asleep within minutes. I awoke with a start at 2am, wide awake of course, which is another unhelpful habit I’ve developed during 2020. But I rather welcome these moonlight hours, when the world is quiet, and I can READ my beloved books for hours, uninterrupted. 2020 has rekindled my love of reading. With nowhere to go during endless lockdowns, and not seeing family or friends since the middle of February — because I can’t bear social-distanced meetings with loved ones; it makes me feel sad and lonely, books have become my new best friends. I especially love my guilt-free, middle of the night reading sessions. There is nowhere else I “should” be or nothing else I “should” be doing. Those glorious hours from 2 to 5am are all deliciously mine for reading. The inspiration to start this blog arrived last night at around 5am, just as I was beginning to nod off, Kindle slipping from my hand. The Christmas tree lights were glowing in the background. The last embers of the fire were flickering in the fireplace. I was wrapped up in blankets on the couch, finishing the absolutely marvellous “Away with the Penguins”, by Hazel Prior. (More on the book later) I felt so peaceful and content as I finished the final few pages, and I started thinking about how books have been my constant companions throughout all the ups and downs of my life. Every year, I read amazing books: books that inspire, enlighten, and befriend me. I want somewhere to keep track of my favourite books, somewhere I can reflect, like a memory book of the books that have meant the most to me, and the books I am yet to read, somewhere I can share with others. I had considered keeping a simple notebook of my thoughts, but as a usually intensely private person, 2020 has taught me the power of connection and sharing, which is what I would like this blog to be. So welcome, won’t you join me? 😊