Dear Mrs Bird
A gripping and heart wrenching story of love and loss during dark and uncertain times. I really enjoyed the factual aspect of the story, learning about what daily life looked like in London during the Blitz. The characters and places are very well described and I could feel every single emotion so vividly all the way through. I am looking forward to the sequel coming out later this year.
The 24h Café
I loved the very detailed descriptions throughout the story, especially as they all built on all 5 senses. Nonetheless, I felt like it could have been more plot- driven as I would have enjoyed more connexions between the different (and intriguing) characters we meet. Some sections such as the many flashbacks are unnecessary long and not as stimulating as others, and do not add anything substantial to the story. However, I must say that this book certainly filled the gap left by so many missed coffee shop outings over the past year.
Animal Farm
Nothing much to add to this absolute classic, but I would recommend it to everyone as very easy and quick to read. Like many classics, Animal Farm is the kind of book that you should read and explore over and over as your perception of it will most certainly change depending on what stage of life you are at at the time of reading. I have so far read it aged 15 and 23, and both times have been completely different experiences, as expected.
The Keeper of Lost Things
An interesting read as two story lines end up merging into one in the last few pages. The plot was challenging as rather unexpected, I couldn't understand where it was taking me as it sometimes edged towards a romcom, with a few mystery/crime hints thrown in here and there. I loved the deeper life lessons we learn with mental illness and health being a substantial part of the story. I also enjoyed the collection of short stories that punctuated the text and how they intertwined with the plot at various levels.