Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

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We as friends decided this year to try our hands at some classic reads, and of course, this came up. and how happy am I that I finally read this? Sure you can watch the adaptions, but they definitely don't do this any justice. 

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Thandie Newton and she brought it to life, I loved the accents and the pace she set for the book. 

To me the surprise was that even though this book was written in the 1800s, Jane still felt relevant, I could still relate to her. To me, she is a well-rounded character, who although she experienced so much she still held her head high and made the best of a bad situation. Mr. Rochester was the kind of character that you would either hate or love, I just happen to really like him a lot. 

Sure if you want a love story, you might feel a little disappointed, but to read how a young woman became a strong independent woman who stood up for herself, who didn't lie down when the world was against her, then this is definitely the story for you. 

A Life made of Lava – Lissa Del

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Looking for characters that are instantly likeable? This book is for you. 

A story that will draw you in from the very beginning? This book is for you. 

One that will make you face your worse fears? Jip, you guessed it, this one is for you.

Evie Danvers has three beautiful, if slightly out of control, children; a stray cat named Dr. Moxley and a best friend who drinks unapologetically at 9 a.m. Evie also has stage four bone cancer and a gallows sense of humour that drives her husband, Nick, demented.

I adored Evie’s sense of humour, from making jokes about her own demise to pranking her mother-in-law. Evie hires a nanny, who she ensures will be perfect for the family, especially after she is gone.

As always Lissa Del knows how to spin a story in such a way that it draws you in from the first page, right through to the last, this one is no exception. You are guaranteed to laugh and cry with the characters. 

It is beautifully written and when dealing with a difficult subject such as cancer, I think the author did a wonderful job. 

A special mention also to this cover that is beautiful and just grabs your attention immediately

Sticky Fingers 2: Another 12 Short Stories – JT Lawrence

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I thoroughly enjoyed the first collection of short stories, craving more the whole time. When I heard that there is a new collection I placed my order and kept willing Lawrence to finish quickly. 

I was not disappointed.

It is fully loaded with stories that are beautifully written and even some that left me thirsting for a full novel.

There is a little of everything, stories that will creep you out, that will make you laugh and even some that will make you doubt your reality.

Of course, no reader can say that when reading these collections, that they can’t pick a favourite. There are some of these stories that will stay with me and I will reread them. 

If you read the previous collection of short stories there is even an old favourite that will make a reappearance and leave you with a stitch in your side from laughing.  

84, Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff

♥♥♥♥ Those who know me well, know that I love letters, and was introduced to the magic that is books published telling stories through letters.  This charming classic love story, first published in 1970, brings together twenty years of correspondence between Helene Hanff, at the time, a freelance writer living in New York City, and a used-book dealer in London at 84, Charing Cross Road. Through the years, though never meeting and separated both geographically and culturally, they share a winsome, sentimental friendship based on their common love for books. Their relationship, captured so acutely in these letters, is one that has touched the hearts of thousands of readers around the world This does not disappoint, you get to know the people through their correspondence with each other. It started off as a woman, Helene Hanff, buying books from a bookshop in London, gradually you get to know all the people who work in the shop and she tells more about her life as a writer in New York. This is a great compilation of letters and I’m glad I also got the audiobook. That was narrated by Juliet Stevenson and John Nettles. The two narrators brought a different dimension to these letters, they blew life back into them

Bridge to Haven - Francine Rivers

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What can you say, it’s a Francine Rivers book. As expected the characters go through hell, to come together in perfect unison. Rivers has a way of describing situations that pull you in and make you fall in love with the characters. 

To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she’s paid to finally feel like she’s somebody. To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven.

The characters are well written, with personal growth throughout the book. Abra and Joshua are some of those characters that crawl into your heart and stays with you long after you have closed the book.

I even love it when an author can write the “bad guy” in such a way that when he is a part of the story it makes your hackles rise.

The cover design is also gorgeous and I bought it before I even looked at the summary at the back

In perfect Francine Rivers style, knows how to take a Bible story and turn it into this perfectly recreated scenario that both makes you look at it in a different light and also teaches you a valuable lesson. 

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

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It’s been a while since a book has knocked me out of the field. What a remarkable book.

I read this book with friends, and let me tell you I wish I read it sooner. We were enthralled from the first page right through to the end, speculating late into the night, coming up with theories, getting frustrated but enjoying every single minute of it.

It does read a little like Australian desperate housewives but do you know what, I loved it. The characters crept into my heart, I wanted to fight for Celeste, I wanted to shake Jane out of her funk, and Madeline was probably my favourite, although I think that in real life she would’ve irritated me.

The plot had me guessing until the big reveal, it was frustrating but at the same time, I couldn’t put the book down, and that is what a great book is to me, I want to be so engrossed in a book that I forget about my life and what I have to actually be doing otherwise. Personally, I appreciate the way the author handled the big issues in this book, tackling domestic abuse, divorce and it’s aftermath and many more.

When an author can write characters like this, that crawls into your life you can’t help falling in love. I can’t wait to read more by Liane Moriarty.

Suddenly Royal - Nichole Chase

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This book is definitely for people who loved the Princess Diaries, but of course with the little twist of being for grownups – YES that’s right, get ready for some steamy scenes.

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation to the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

The writing is beautiful and draws you in from the opening sentence. The characters also had a way of crawling into my heart and making me want to get to know them better. It made me laugh and cry and that to me is the signs of a good book. Can’t wait to get my hands on the next in the series.  

It was a very enjoyable read/listen, I had the audiobook that I got on Audible and when I couldn’t listen I read the ebook. The narrator did different voices and accents for the characters that added to the experience.