Book Review :The Last Bookshop in London

Let me begin this book review by saying I know my last book review was last April of the year. But from those months apart, I can say this book I am about to share is beyond worthy for everyone to read. From beginning to end, the novel is pure escapism. No matter what age you are in life or where you are in the world ;each time the book was opened , the world around would disappeared and I was in London during World War Two hearing that world come alive.

I never read any book by Madeline Martin before I am glad I picked up The Last Bookshop in London to start with. Her way of writing historical fiction is nothing I have read before or have anything to compare it to . Her creative way of writing this novel feels as if you are physically in the shoes of the world between the pages. From the moment Grace Bennet and her best friend Viv made it to Farringdon station the novel took off. I wish Viv was my best friend, her vibe seemed just fun to be around.

She saved Mr. Evans when he didn't want her help in the slightest. She saved her mother's bestfriend, Mrs.Weatherford. Grace fell in love with George Anderson the moment he turned her a book lover with The Count of Monte Cristo. And during the darkest days and the distance between them making a relationship work despite the world. And all I am going to say there should be more George Andersons in the world, that's all you are getting romantics. Also we can't forget Colin Mrs.Weatherford son, he was that type of character that has the gentle soul with animals and would bring them home. We can all admit we all had that friend that did that or have done that to. I have know to that and my defense the animals tend to find me not the other way around.

Each time I sat down with the novel, in any chair ,couch or bed I was transported to the world before Grace Bennet. The time of prosperity at her fingertips change as quickly as the Second World War brewing to begin. The beauty of Grace bennet changed ,saved so many lives by just being herself through think and thin. Losing certainly of the world, losing people, experience love another level in her life. Lifting up a city by hearing her own words and protecting what she could of other lives from air raids in the morning or dragging on through the night the next day.

I loved reading how Grace was falling in love the with books she read along the way like Jane Eyre. I can appreciate how she fell in love with each story. And going from not reading a single book in her life to read every book in a bookshop. She built a community of people without setting out to make one happen. Naturally making one in a tube station or from the footsteps of Primrose Hill. I do also think Grace was meant to be a ARP warden, it was perfect for not only her character to do but the Title suited her because she is helpful person. And it only made her stronger inside and out and taught her many lessons for life beyond the war.

I have a few favorite moments from the novel but each one I want to pick gives away to much information about the story. I can say that Mr. Evans carried more Grace then he ever thought and he thought he couldn't be saved by anyone or anything until Grace. And same for Grace Mr. Evans, Primrose Hill was more important to Grace then any recommendation she needed in the first place. Once you get into the novel you will understand Mr. Evans has a tough exterior but inside he is a teddy bear with excellent taste in novels. And the caretaker of the most important novels in world when they were taken by Germans to be destroyed.

Okay I can't help it one of my favorite moments is when people gathered in the Tube station listening to the novel being read to comfort them. Its one of the most beautiful parts of the novel through all the darkness. And to think before television and the radios they did have at the time Books and newspapers were the talk of the town, worldwide. Books were and are fundamental of life at least in my opinion. To add my favorite chapter of the whole novel was twenty-one of the most powerful chapter and I love every word of it.

I didn't want to read this book to fast , it deserved to be a slow burned read. Not actually burning it to clarity. That would be against rule of law in my book. This Book deserves to read many times over, it feels just timeless. Every character in the novel that was either in there briefly or stayed till the end is relatable to the time of 1939 to 2021 and further beyond that timeframe. Once you have a copy in your hands you will understand why it feels timeless and relatable in any age.

I do hope you all have great day and enjoy the fall season fast approaching upon us. I do have a new monthly post coming up after this one goes up in a few days. I do hope you buy this book in a physical copy or in digital format. I secretly hope you buy the physical copy, I can't help it I love books and I never full love books digitally; never felt right.

Anyway.

Best regards ,

Misread

The link for the book is down below:

August Huh How 2021?

We are in that phase where we try to figure out how are we are already in august ? At least I am wondering how in the world that happened but at the same time I am happy about the fall season around the corner. If you are thinking the same thing in your mind as me then you are thinking one of the two things I am .One there is so much I want or need to get done before Christmas. And two, I can wear all those fall things in my closet very soon... Candle season! One is a making me feel a little stressed and the other makes me excited , guess which one I prefer the most. Happy birthday to all you Leo's and Virgos out there! P.s I am in my kitchen smells like fall already , I made brownie's , they may or may not be all for me. OKAY, I will be honest they were eighty percent for me. I did share the other twenty percent, in my defense.

Enough of those yummy brownie's that kept me distracted, like I said before fall is around the corner and I know summer would be coming into a close soon. Each year I used to think summer seasons seem to way to short. But this year I couldn't be happier that summer is coming to a close soon then again we have one more month to go for summer to end. And all this heat would cool down a bit at the same time I could work on finishing completing my uneven summer tan then fry like bacon on a beach towel. Speaking of the beach , my last trip out by the sea wasn't the best of best driving wise with the convertible but the weather was on point. I got to dive into a new book on the sandy shores, called The last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin. Which before I say anything else , this book is just pure escapism ! And yes, this book will be my next book review! Keep an lookout for that!

Back to the beach trip ate amazing food while I was there. Sacks on the Beach is one my favorite places to grab a bite from and go watch the waves. I personally love Breakfast on a bagel, it's yummy , warm to the touch and even comes with a cup of fresh fruit. Another favorite place of mine which was new to me called Rocks & Brews. I highly recommend getting the street nachos to start with. It would be worth every single bite you take, trust me on that. Even thinking about those nachos alone , I wish I could get them delivered to me right now... I can taste the lime and the corn chips..

Okay ,I am back from my slight daydream about those nachos. One of my favorite parts of the trip to what I would call my childhood ; getting dressed early one morning with a coffee in hand, walking to an empty pier. Only seeing maintenance workers and little truck deliveries, listening to an old school album, smelling the fresh sea air in the wind. Finding my favorite bench on the pier to be empty and watching the tide roll back forth, that I removed the music playing in my ears. And just got lost in the time I was in, counted my blessings and the memories I had by the sea. I concluded the rest of that morning laying on the sand and watching the waves get bigger with a book in hand. Funny note I might of made myself a fool while taking off my flat shoes in front of the lifeguard station but there isn't any real photographic evidence of this said act mentioned but lets say we were both laughing and one shoe was found across the other side of the sidewalk. ( I blame the coffee didn't take full effect yet )

And the rest of the trip went unexpected chain events and lots of driving to other beaches, eating hummus , prosciutto roll in the car. Like I mention before car navigation can not be trusted when they say , "Rerouting to faster destination route". When there hasn't been cell service for two hours and windy winey roads that have cliffs every couple of miles, turn around. Which we didn't but we made back in one piece and didn't run out of gas. The best way I can describe it as, the worst roller-coaster ride on the ground and none of us never knew where it was taking us through exactly. Yes, I have a video of part of the journey because no one would ever believe us about the drive. It was indeed shorter drive back to town but very sketchy. And when a big fake monkey is hanging from a tree with nothing in sight ,it's sketchy.

That was one Beach trip that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. Back to being in August, how are we here but I am glad we are. I know the next few months we are in the unknown phase looking ahead and what's currently still happening in the world. Questioning are we ever going back to normal ? And back to school season just started a few days ago to add. Like I said I honestly don't know how it's August, I am mentally still February of this year. We might repeat everything last year again but I hope not. But I can't predict the future, I haven't mastered that one yet.

What I can say is at least the fall season would slow us down a bit than rushing too fast to have normal can be good thing. Enjoyable weather, cozy weather to be together to look forward to. Staring a new season, starting something new can be good for all of us. And if there is that something we want to complete by the year's end is still achievable even right now. Enjoy time we have right now the transition even if it's your hardest season at the moment. We can't get time back , no matter how much we want to, we don't have the power but we can flow with time to where we don't feel like we are fighting with it . We have so much to look forward to , the future is bright and towards Christmas I think we all will be spending the holidays with everyone we couldn't last year. Yes, we are in August but the next few months would be our most precious ones in our lives.

While Finishing up this monthly post , I am listening to Billy Corrington's brand new album which is amazing. Give it a listen, it's a calming vibe like a love story album. My point to wrapping up this post ; is that I think in the next few posts, new pieces will be the best one yet. I might have a few ideas for pieces alone from this album and share a few stories that I never finished with anyone. I am ready to this next chapter and next season.

Always,

Misread

May Book Review

Let's Get into it...Its long overdue

I know I haven't done book review in a long time and equally for long time escaping into any novel wasn't relaxing or was my form of escaping reality. Saying that and taking a slip of coffee, fully knowing that I have tons to books to catch up to read and review before summer begins. And yes my friends who sent me books to review, I promise to get yours next. But I am not going to lie , I might have a book problem on my hands, I say this every year but it seems I require more books and more books than I read but I wouldn't change it either way to have giant library one day. Enough of my babbling on, I could talk for hours on books alone.

Virgin River, we all know is a popular Netflix series and if you are like me , you fell in love with it within a few short minutes into episode one. And I know why I love it each page , each episode. And that's right down to each character, each character is strong and each person is a leading role no one outstands another.

I promise not to give to much away.. I will try at least but just thinking about this series makes me want to share everything !

Virgin River :Shelter Mountain

Shelter Mountain is the second novel in the series. And once you are in the novel, you are full of roller-coaster emotions and be sure to have a tissues on hand and maybe a snack of something as well. Because you are going to want to finish this novel before dusk sets. This story is about Paige coming to Virgin River to hide out from her abusive husband with their son Christopher. What Paige didn't plan is staying in the little town for as long as she did. And Peacher didn't expect to fall in love at the same time besides to help Paige. Who would of thought that Peacher to turn into Teddy bear. Watching and reading the whole town to protect Paige , a woman they didn't know much about and yet protected her as just one of their own. That's the way life of people in Virgin River , they step up for everyone without a second thought.

Ricky and Liz the young in love birds , I call them . They both fall in love unexpectedly and held each other through the toughest moment in their lives. This novel is definitely a story of the unexpected to happen and trust me by saying that would be a understatement and yet very True. I would say refer to Jack and Mel on the subject. And to refence that, once you get to pages 333 to 337; one could truly understand . Side note those pages is my favorite part in the novel. The underlining theme of this novel is ; Everyone deserves a place to call home, a place to feel safe and to escape to. Virgin River seems to the home to the unexpected ones who need it the most then never leaves the tiny town and end up calling it Home forever. And before I forget to mention Mike , the ex-marine, ex cop his story coming to the little couldn't have fitted more perfectly for his recovery and for his next chapter in this life. One more thing to note, who would thought Dan would be such a rescuer.

Virgin River : Whispering Rock

Whispering Rock is the third in the series. And by the time you are through this novel. You will be thinking the same thing I thought , "There is definitely in that water at virgin water. And when can I drink some ". My first thoughts after finishing this novel was that , Carr out did herself again. A novel full of tragic events, mistakes but in the end turned into the most beautiful story. Whispering Rock hit me in away that I could only understand why . It makes you think about things in your life and the relations from your life to the novel. Whispering Rock did have the same thing has shelter mountain did but it build on it. This one is not a book you want to miss picking up. And there is lots exciting news in-between the crazy chapters.

In this novel, I fell in love with Brie and Mike's story. So many layers between them , teaching each other to love, to trust and their passion is undeniable. They were both broken in their own situation and yet from their individual tragedy brought them together not knowing they were meant to be all along as fate would have it. Brie is one strong , brilliant lawyer that you want as a best friend. By the end of the novel , she was built even stronger through all her struggles; you will feel her emotions coming off the pages. I loved the parts about Peacher and Paige, Who knew Peacher would be like this a relationship ; being a marine. I can't wait to read more about Paul, The General; Vanessa and Tom; so much more depth to explore between them.

All in the end

You need the Virgin River book series in your life and it's better than the show. But again I am one of those book nerds that will prefer the novels over the shows, movies etc. And you know that I am going to report on my progress in completing the whole series and hopefully by the end of the year. I hope you all take my recommendation and dive right into the series with me as well.

Each book seems to get better page by page; each character that get introduced. Let me say when character that comes through the story and you think you understood them. There is a curve ball and more of their own story comes out , each one of them is full of much more depth and we has readers just scratch the surface. Carr seems to write with such grace and effortless each time. As if we are right in the center of the novel and not in our own world. I never loved a whole group of characters more then Virgin River.

I did try my very best not to share every detail from the novels and believe me I still want to .... But then you all won't read them. If you only saw my hand written notes in my book review journal , the secrets they contain from the hours reading out the sun. These stories are worth reading and the feels you will feel while reading will feel like you are hearing them around a group of best friends. I am already ordering the next two as soon as this live!

P.S: This Book review would of gone up sooner but life had a different plan in my mind and the unexpected happened ! And I might of fried my keybored with my favorite coffee to add but that's in the past. I will be adding a few more book reviews this month, be on a look out for them! And A brand New Blog post will be going up after this as well. I hope you are all doing well and get your hands on Virgin River ASAP !

See you soon!

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