My 2024 Reading Round-up: Life Discovery

The Bookshop On The Corner by Jenny Colgan – Audiobook

Having worked in a library for many years, Nina has a knack for matching a reader to their perfect book. When her beloved library closes, she’s forced to make a new life for herself and decides to move to a small Scottish village far away from bustling London to start fresh. Determined to do what she loves, she ventures to open a mobile bookshop in a large van – and discovers a lot of unexpected adventure along the way.

Spice level: a couple of slightly descriptive scenes

Content warnings: occasional strong language

I loved the adventure of this book. Determined, joyful reinvention makes for a great story that causes me to reflect on my own life and how willing I am to take risks! I never quite knew what was going to happen to Nina next, and I loved the “follow the wind” attitude she has despite her usual shy nature.

The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons – Audiobook

Eudora is very old and very tired of living. With no family or friends to hold on to, she starts to consider the possibility of assisted suicide overseas. As she starts the evaluation process for the program, she develops two unexpected relationships that bring new light to her life – the little girl next door, and a friendly widower in her neighborhood. Is her life worth living again, or are the sorrows of old age too great to overcome?

Spice level: none

Content warnings: discussion of assisted suicide, dealing with grief

This book was beyond heartwarming and full of so much depth. The character dynamics are beautiful, and seeing the growth in Eudora over the course of the story is inspiring. I laughed, I cried, and I loved it!

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh – Audiobook

University researcher Isadora is a single woman who has a very small life – no friends, hobbies, or fun – and is convinced that this is as good as her life will ever get. On her thirtieth birthday, she comes across a magazine with a list of 31 ways to be more happy and decides to run a personal experiment on her own life to prove the author wrong. Surely these silly little things can’t actually work…?

Spice level: closed door

Content warnings: none that I can remember…?

This book is an absolutely PERFECT example of this genre I’ve coined. The main character gains a renewed interest in life, implements helpful habits, and creates unexpected relationships along the way – what could be better! I loved this book so much that I purchased a physical copy to add to my collection and reread at a later date. Such an uplifting read!

The Lost Bookshop by Stephanie Butland – Audiobook

In the present, an Irish housekeeper running from her abusive husband is enlisted by a researching scholar to help him find a bookshop that seems to vanish into thin air. In the past, a young girl escapes from her older brother to Paris where she starts to work in a bookstore.

Spice level: closed door (mention of sex near the end but pretty benign)

Content warnings: spousal abuse, death, working through personal trauma

This book was so pleasant. This was my first exposure to the world of “magical realism” and I absolutely loved it! The author didn’t lean too far into the magical things, which actually made it much more consumable for me as someone who has a harder time with fantasy. The storyline evolved in ways I didn’t expect, and the dual timeline was well done! Made me want to read more from this author.

The Lost For Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland – Audiobook

Loveday works in a bookshop and prefers the company of books over people any day. When faced with shadows of her secret past, she navigates dealing with her old wounds and learns to let love into her life again.

Spice level: closed door

Content warnings: family trauma, domestic violence, mental illness

This book has much more depth to it than I expected. There are strong themes of healing from trauma and dealing with grief, and the concluding restoration is lovely. Interesting main characters and not completely predictable to me!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – Audiobook

Tova has been keeping busy as the night janitor at the local aquarium to continue coping with the disappearance of her teenage son over thirty years ago. In the course of her work, she develops an unexpected friendship with Marcellus, the extremely intelligent giant octopus that lives there – and he helps her to unearth truth about her son’s disappearance.

Spice level: closed door

Content warnings: dealing with grief, language

This book was so unexpected and complex! I loved the multiple POVs (including the POV of the octopus himself, so interesting) and could not see where the story was going as it unfolded. The main reason I docked a star is because of the other human POV – he was just kind of annoying, and I didn’t feel like his growth over the plot made up for that. Otherwise, it was a heartwarming and unique story!

The Little Bookshop By The Sea by Eliza J. Scott – Audiobook

Florrie’s quiet life is turned upside down when her boss (and surrogate grandpa) at her beloved bookshop unexpectedly dies. His handsome grandson from out of town is left in charge – will he and Florrie learn to work together to put things right?

Spice level: closed door

Content warnings: death

This had all the makings of my favorite kind of book – quaint small town, bookish main character, quiet life. I loved most of it, but found myself a little annoyed by the story being dragged out by the characters’ hasty and faulty assumptions. I don’t have much patience for drawn-out miscommunication, to be honest!

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – Audiobook

Stuck in isolation on their family cherry farm during the pandemic, a mother reminisces to her three adult daughters about an old flame who went on to become famous.

Spice level: discussion of sex, mostly in vague terms and I don’t think there was anything overly explicit

Content warnings: frequent use of strong language, mention of abortion, struggles with addiction

The overall experience of this book made me feel like I was floating on air. Despite some of the heavy topics being discussed, the setting of an idyllic summer on a cherry farm mixed with the nostalgia of reflecting on the past was lovely to say the least. There was quite a bit of language, which I didn’t love, and the way the author made a point to “subtly” reveal her pro-choice view on abortion felt misplaced and forced. These were the reasons it was docked to 4 stars.

When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin – Audiobook

A man with a shadowed past, living in isolation outside of town, forms an unlikely friendship with a little girl in need of a new heart. After saving her from an accident in the street, the two go on a journey of healing together – physically for her and spiritually for him.

Spice level: none

Content warnings: death of a loved one, dealing with grief

This book was heartwarming and sweet. There were clear themes of faith throughout it, and although the trajectory of the story was fairly predictable it was still well done! I do think the only reason I was able to get through to the end, though, was because I was listening to it – it is very detail-heavy which I suspect would have been difficult to get through had I been reading it physically.

Beach Read by Emily Henry – Physical Book

Two writers, each in a rut and hoping a stay at the beach will inspire them, discover they’re next-door neighbors for the summer. They strike up a little genre swap competition to help them overcome writer’s block.

Spice level: graphic sex scenes (at least one)

Content warnings: toxic family relationships, unhealthy drinking habits

Honestly, this book disappointed me because I was expecting something a lot more light-hearted. The title “Beach Read” (and even the description) are a little misleading in my opinion. The writing was well done, but I just couldn’t shake the moody overcast and the pervasive bad habits that the characters make no efforts to grow from. Well-written, but not for me.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – Physical Book

Eleanor has no problem doing her own thing – carefully structuring her schedule, loyally showing up to work, and avoiding other people as much as possible. Her life is turned on end when she unexpectedly teams up with the a bumbling coworker to save an old man who falls in the street – and the three of them strike up unlikely friendships.

Spice level: discussion of sex

Content warnings: toxic family situation, parental abuse, grief and unhealthy coping

This is an example of a book that was hard to get through but won me over in the end. The main character (whose perspective the story is from) isn’t super likeable from the start – but her character growth through the narrative is applaudable, and the side characters bring out the best in her. I was glad that I finished it, but still didn’t come out loving it.

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh – Audiobook

Hardworking Lane, tied to her job and laptop, is forced to come back home when her brother gets in an accident. She reunites with her childhood friend (who has secretly loved her all these years) and he works to bring out who she used to be.

Spice level: closed door

Content warnings: car accident, toxic family

I love this author, but this book was a bit of a miss for me. The storyline felt very Hallmark to me – which I don’t always mind, as long as the writing style and character dynamics make up for it… which, in this case, they didn’t. I made it all the way through, but didn’t feel inclined to read the next book in the series.

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand – Physical Book

Three adult siblings find themselves back home – their father’s Nantucket inn – for Christmas after their stepmom’s affair is discovered. Even their mother (divorced from their father for years) takes a pause from her high-powered career to join them as they all work through their various struggles under one roof.

Spice level: closed door

Content warnings: heavy drinking, cheating, dysfunctional family dynamics

This book was a lot different than I was expecting. I saw it on a random online list of “cozy Christmas reads”, so I thought I’d give it a shot – but it definitely didn’t have the intended affect. Had I been prepared for the dysfunctional family stuff I might have enjoyed it a bit more, but as it stands it did not at all match the mood I was hoping for. Definitely chaotic and slightly unhinged, with no solid resolution at the end.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple – Physical Book

After her mother, on the verge of a mental breakdown, unexpectedly disappears, Bee attempts to pick up the pieces by collecting and documenting what she can about the days leading up. Will the secrets she unveils help her find her mother?

Spice level: none (that I can remember)

Content warnings: maternal abandonment, mental health issues

I finished this book in a rush because I was so sucked in to finding where Bernadette went… and I was mad when I finished it. I was hoping for some serious character redemption (mother abandons her family without warning after lying to them for months), but that was sorely lacking and I felt the ending was disappointing at best. Overall, if I had known how the book would end I probably wouldn’t have bothered finishing it. The one thing it had going for it was the unique writing style – a conglomeration of emails, “handwritten” notes, and documents to piece the story together. Beyond that, I was sorely disappointed.