908 books
—
2,887 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Two Lives of Lydia Bird” as Want to Read:
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
by
Lydia and Freddie. Freddie and Lydia. They'd been together for more than a decade, and Lydia thought their love was indestructible.
But she was wrong. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident.
So now it's just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide indoors and sob until her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to try to live fully, ...more
But she was wrong. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident.
So now it's just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide indoors and sob until her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to try to live fully, ...more
Get A Copy
Hardcover, 369 pages
Published
March 3rd 2020
by Ballantine Books
(first published January 30th 2020)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Josie Silver
I like this, but no! :) xx
Becky
Yes, a few times.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. It’s both clearly a romance but also distinctly not....? Idk
this is a complicated book for me to rate and review.
my immediate reaction is that i enjoyed it - hence the 4 stars. i must be a glutton for heartache, because ‘loss of a significant other’ is a romance trope i actually quite enjoy, even though it breaks my heart every single time. there is just something so comforting about seeing someone deal with unimaginable grief and become stronger because of it. the heart surely is a resilient thing.
that being said, if i took the time to dissect and nit ...more
my immediate reaction is that i enjoyed it - hence the 4 stars. i must be a glutton for heartache, because ‘loss of a significant other’ is a romance trope i actually quite enjoy, even though it breaks my heart every single time. there is just something so comforting about seeing someone deal with unimaginable grief and become stronger because of it. the heart surely is a resilient thing.
that being said, if i took the time to dissect and nit ...more
5 Lovely Lyrical Magical Stars
Do you believe in Magic? In the possibility of getting back the life you lost?
For Lydia Bird, that possibility becomes a reality when her best friend and fiancé Freddie Hunter passes away in a car crash and she discovers a magical way to “be” with him again.
Best Friends, the love of each other's lives, and hopeless romantics. Lydia and Freddie had it all, until one day, that love was taken away from them, leaving Lydia’s life in shambles. Her mother, her sister a ...more
Do you believe in Magic? In the possibility of getting back the life you lost?
For Lydia Bird, that possibility becomes a reality when her best friend and fiancé Freddie Hunter passes away in a car crash and she discovers a magical way to “be” with him again.
Best Friends, the love of each other's lives, and hopeless romantics. Lydia and Freddie had it all, until one day, that love was taken away from them, leaving Lydia’s life in shambles. Her mother, her sister a ...more
Perfection. That is the one word I would use to describe The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.
This novel has stolen my heart with it’s beautiful storyline, with the intensity of emotions it awoke in me.
I honestly can’t even remember when was the last time I fell in love with the book so hard…
If I’m not mistaken, it was back in 2018 when I read One Day in December, that was one of my favourite reads that year.
If nothing (but it’s not nothing, it’s everything) this book showed just how amazing Josie Silver ...more
This novel has stolen my heart with it’s beautiful storyline, with the intensity of emotions it awoke in me.
I honestly can’t even remember when was the last time I fell in love with the book so hard…
If I’m not mistaken, it was back in 2018 when I read One Day in December, that was one of my favourite reads that year.
If nothing (but it’s not nothing, it’s everything) this book showed just how amazing Josie Silver ...more
A beautiful, hypnotic love story!
Lucky Lydia! She has it all. Let’s start with her charming Fiancé Freddy, then there’s her best friend (and Freddies’) since they were school kids, Jonah. And let’s not forget her dear mom and sister. She’s positively over-the-moon happy with her picture-perfect life.
Today is Lydias’ Birthday. But there won’t be anything happy about this day. Life is about to take a serious turn for the worst after her Freddie is involved in a tragic accident
Lydia is in the gri ...more
Lucky Lydia! She has it all. Let’s start with her charming Fiancé Freddy, then there’s her best friend (and Freddies’) since they were school kids, Jonah. And let’s not forget her dear mom and sister. She’s positively over-the-moon happy with her picture-perfect life.
Today is Lydias’ Birthday. But there won’t be anything happy about this day. Life is about to take a serious turn for the worst after her Freddie is involved in a tragic accident
Lydia is in the gri ...more
Feb 28, 2020
JanB
marked it as dnf
I read to 53%, and was completely bored so I started skimming. I then read the last 5% and realized I could not care less what happened between 53% and the ending so I set it aside.
I enjoyed the authors last book but this one was not for me. I’m leaving it unrated.
I enjoyed the authors last book but this one was not for me. I’m leaving it unrated.
Josie Silver follows the fabulous One Day in December with this in depth study of the heartbreaking grief and loss experienced by Lydia Bird when on her 28th birthday, her fiance, Freddie Hunter dies in a car accident, whilst his best friend, Jonah Jones, whilst injured, lives to walk free. Lydia lived with Freddie in Shropshire, her whole life had revolved around him since they were fourteen years old at school and they were planning their wedding for the following year. To say that Lydia's lif
...more
This was pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be and it was (mostly) delightful! My only real complaint about this one is that it almost felt like it went on a little long for my personal tastes. I was completely gripped for the first half (seriously, I was crying like every other chapter), but I'd be lying if I didn't say that the last third of the book lost my attention at times because the story dragged on for a bit too long. Overall, this wasn't a perfect book, but it was a surpri
...more
3.5 stars
Lydia thought she and Freddie would be together forever. Happily, ever after was her goal. But life had other plans. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident. Initially, she shuts down and doesn't want to move on, doesn't want to go out. Her sister and Mother try everything. Finally, Lydia agrees to get some sleep in her room and NOT the couch. This is where things get interesting. In her dreams, Freddie is alive, and they continue living their lives together.
Soon, ...more
Lydia thought she and Freddie would be together forever. Happily, ever after was her goal. But life had other plans. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident. Initially, she shuts down and doesn't want to move on, doesn't want to go out. Her sister and Mother try everything. Finally, Lydia agrees to get some sleep in her room and NOT the couch. This is where things get interesting. In her dreams, Freddie is alive, and they continue living their lives together.
Soon, ...more
Gotta love a book that has you sobbing in the wee hours of the morning!! Such was the case with Josie Silver's new book,
The Two Lives of Lydia Silver
.
Life can change in a split second. One second Lydia was waiting for her fiancé, Freddie, to arrive at her birthday dinner; the next second she learns that he was killed in a car accident on the way.
"It's probably for the best if the last time you do something momentous passes you by unheralded: the last time my mother collected me at the schoo ...more
Life can change in a split second. One second Lydia was waiting for her fiancé, Freddie, to arrive at her birthday dinner; the next second she learns that he was killed in a car accident on the way.
"It's probably for the best if the last time you do something momentous passes you by unheralded: the last time my mother collected me at the schoo ...more
'The Two Lives of Lydia Bird' is the new novel by Josie Silver, the author of last year's women's fiction sensation 'One Day in December'. I enjoyed One Day in December but this book...
This book is on another level compared to that! It is thoroughly gripping and truly emotional.
The story follows the titular Lydia Bird as she struggles to deal with life in the aftermath of her fiancé Freddie's sudden and tragic death. In the waking world we see Lydia shut down and find herself listlessly moving ...more
This book is on another level compared to that! It is thoroughly gripping and truly emotional.
The story follows the titular Lydia Bird as she struggles to deal with life in the aftermath of her fiancé Freddie's sudden and tragic death. In the waking world we see Lydia shut down and find herself listlessly moving ...more
Well this was a hell of an emotional roller coaster! I spent much of the book confused and then BAM 💥 it clicked and it brought me to tears… anyone that has suffered a loss can relate. The ending is .... fabulous ❤️
This is a very emotionally charged read for me. Like I said, most of the book had me confused and a bit frustrated until I figured out what was really going on with Lydia Bird. Now nobody truly knows what is going on with a character, except the author themselves. So we all have a per ...more
This is a very emotionally charged read for me. Like I said, most of the book had me confused and a bit frustrated until I figured out what was really going on with Lydia Bird. Now nobody truly knows what is going on with a character, except the author themselves. So we all have a per ...more
Lydia is an interesting character. I loved her relationship with her sister and mom. ❤️ I imagine how lost I’d be, if the love of my life died. Obviously I’d be devastated. 💔 But I have too much tethering me to my reality (kids, family) to understand the ‘check out of life’ idea. In any case, this was an interesting theory of alternate reality versus mental break.
3 stars
After reading Josie Silver’s ‘One Day in December’ I couldn’t wait to get to her newest novel The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. I loved the synopsis of this one and it had so much potential, but unfortunately it was just alright for me. I liked it, but I didn’t love it like I did her other book.
Lydia and Freddie are the couple that’s been together forever. They’re engaged and meant to be. That is, until Freddie passes on Lydia’s 28th birthday. Lydia’s life is forever changed, as one could ...more
After reading Josie Silver’s ‘One Day in December’ I couldn’t wait to get to her newest novel The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. I loved the synopsis of this one and it had so much potential, but unfortunately it was just alright for me. I liked it, but I didn’t love it like I did her other book.
Lydia and Freddie are the couple that’s been together forever. They’re engaged and meant to be. That is, until Freddie passes on Lydia’s 28th birthday. Lydia’s life is forever changed, as one could ...more
This is a Women's Fiction/Chick-Lit/Magical Realism, but I do not feel this is a romance. I really loved this book. This is story of good-bye and letting someone go after they pass away. I love all the characters, and the magical realism part I really loved. I listen to the audiobook of this book, and I loved the audiobook. (*)
...more
After falling in love with One Day In December, I was thinking this next book couldn’t be as good, but I was thankfully wrong!!
Lydia and Freddie are engaged, their love should last a lifetime but how long is a lifetime? Sadly on Lydia’s birthday, Freddie and his best friend Jonah are involved in a car accident and Freddie dies.
Lydia is a great character, you can really feel her pain and despair at losing her true love. Lydia wants to hide away but with help from friend Jonah and sister Elle, the ...more
Lydia and Freddie are engaged, their love should last a lifetime but how long is a lifetime? Sadly on Lydia’s birthday, Freddie and his best friend Jonah are involved in a car accident and Freddie dies.
Lydia is a great character, you can really feel her pain and despair at losing her true love. Lydia wants to hide away but with help from friend Jonah and sister Elle, the ...more
❥ 5 / 5 stars
I didn’t expect much from this book but whoa, it turns out to be a lot better than her previous book and I’M BLOODY IMPRESSED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!
I didn’t expect much from this book but whoa, it turns out to be a lot better than her previous book and I’M BLOODY IMPRESSED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!
I have a file on goodreads entitled "I wish I had liked this book more" into which I am placing this story. While I loved this author's One Day in December, this new book just didn't give me all the thrills I was expecting.
First and foremost, I do think the author handles the very important topic of grief quite well. She managed to portray the very devastation that losing a loved one fosters on those who have experienced that loss. Certainly, her main character, Lydia, is overwhelmed by the trag ...more
First and foremost, I do think the author handles the very important topic of grief quite well. She managed to portray the very devastation that losing a loved one fosters on those who have experienced that loss. Certainly, her main character, Lydia, is overwhelmed by the trag ...more
yo I got this ARC and I am going to read the hell out of it
How do you continue living WITHOUT the person you have been in love with since you were fourteen years old-Your fiancée, who was killed in a car accident on your 27th birthday???
After losing Freddie, Lydia is barely functioning, until she is prescribed some pills, to help her to get some much needed sleep...
Once the pills are prescribed, two separate narratives begin…
🌙 ASLEEP: Lydia finds that if she takes her sleeping pill, she will DREAM
of Freddie… of the life they would have lived, the life ...more
After losing Freddie, Lydia is barely functioning, until she is prescribed some pills, to help her to get some much needed sleep...
Once the pills are prescribed, two separate narratives begin…
🌙 ASLEEP: Lydia finds that if she takes her sleeping pill, she will DREAM
of Freddie… of the life they would have lived, the life ...more
"The Two Lives of Lydia Bird" by Josie Silver is a story of loss, grief and finding hope for the future!
Lydia Bird is in love with her Fiancé Freddie Hunter! They've been together forever! Well, almost forever, since they were 14 years old.
Today is Lydia's twenty-eighth birthday and she's expecting Freddie any minute now to celebrate together. One problem though, Freddie dies in a tragic car accident and never arrives.
Now Lydia is without Freddie, all alone, crying her eyes out and hiding from ...more
Lydia Bird is in love with her Fiancé Freddie Hunter! They've been together forever! Well, almost forever, since they were 14 years old.
Today is Lydia's twenty-eighth birthday and she's expecting Freddie any minute now to celebrate together. One problem though, Freddie dies in a tragic car accident and never arrives.
Now Lydia is without Freddie, all alone, crying her eyes out and hiding from ...more
3.75 stars?
TW: death of a loved one
This book is so hard to rate and I may change the rating after some time passes. I thought this book was going to be 5 stars, and felt that way through most of the story. This is a raw depiction of someone processing their grief and all the missteps along the way. I was moved multiple times during this read. But also, the story got lost at times. Although I think that did work for the story, I do think some tweaks could have made this really shine. I thought I ...more
TW: death of a loved one
This book is so hard to rate and I may change the rating after some time passes. I thought this book was going to be 5 stars, and felt that way through most of the story. This is a raw depiction of someone processing their grief and all the missteps along the way. I was moved multiple times during this read. But also, the story got lost at times. Although I think that did work for the story, I do think some tweaks could have made this really shine. I thought I ...more
One Day In December was one of my top books of 2019. I absolutely devoured it! So, of course I was ecstatic to get my hands on Silver's new novel!
Well.... would it be any different for me to be the outlier on a book? Nope haha! I really struggled with this book and was a very very slow burn of a book.
I think the premise of the book was great.... Lydia adjusting to the love of her life Freddie dying in a car accident. The concept of grief and coping is heavy throughout this book and felt more of ...more
Well.... would it be any different for me to be the outlier on a book? Nope haha! I really struggled with this book and was a very very slow burn of a book.
I think the premise of the book was great.... Lydia adjusting to the love of her life Freddie dying in a car accident. The concept of grief and coping is heavy throughout this book and felt more of ...more
Okay, here we go!
Confessions :
I’m a chicken shit who never scares from horror movies but scares the hell of watching, reading tear jerker, heart wrenching movies and books! If I try to wear my big girl pants during my read or binge watch , I probably sh*t them!
Some people are adrenaline addict like me enjoy facing her fears but reject to face her inner emotional turmoil.
So I procrastinated to read this book so long as like I rejected to watch Love Story, P. S. I love you ( eventually I read b ...more
Confessions :
I’m a chicken shit who never scares from horror movies but scares the hell of watching, reading tear jerker, heart wrenching movies and books! If I try to wear my big girl pants during my read or binge watch , I probably sh*t them!
Some people are adrenaline addict like me enjoy facing her fears but reject to face her inner emotional turmoil.
So I procrastinated to read this book so long as like I rejected to watch Love Story, P. S. I love you ( eventually I read b ...more
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 and ALL THE FEELS!!!!!!
Lydia and Freddie have been together since they were practically kids. After over a decade together, they’re now engaged and happily planning their future together. On the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner, Freddie dies tragically in a car accident. His best friend Jonah is also in the car but he comes out with nothing but a scratch on his face and a shattered heart for the loss of his best friend.
Lydia’s grief is all consuming. Unable to handle every day life, una ...more
Lydia and Freddie have been together since they were practically kids. After over a decade together, they’re now engaged and happily planning their future together. On the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner, Freddie dies tragically in a car accident. His best friend Jonah is also in the car but he comes out with nothing but a scratch on his face and a shattered heart for the loss of his best friend.
Lydia’s grief is all consuming. Unable to handle every day life, una ...more
I'm a huge fan of the author's previous novel, One Day in December. Needless to say I was very much looking forward to reading this one. And while this one didn't turn out to be another 5 star read, I was left feeling in awe of the writer's talent for exploring a popular topic in a unique way. When you feel like you are getting something new and different from a subject that has been explored to death (pun intended) that's always a good thing to experience as a reader.
Lydia and Freddie have been ...more
Lydia and Freddie have been ...more
I made a mistake again finishing a Josie Silver book in a public place. meaning: sobbing like a ninny in front of strangers.
4 heartfelt story of love, loss and healing stars!
I loved One Day in December so I was excited to read this latest book by Josie Silver and it didn’t disappoint. It was a bit emotionally heavy at times but it was so heartfelt. I was completely invested in Lydia’s grief and her struggle to find her way back to living and loving.
This was a slow burn which I felt worked well with the story line of healing. Grief is real - it takes time to process through loss. There are ups and downs and mom ...more
I loved One Day in December so I was excited to read this latest book by Josie Silver and it didn’t disappoint. It was a bit emotionally heavy at times but it was so heartfelt. I was completely invested in Lydia’s grief and her struggle to find her way back to living and loving.
This was a slow burn which I felt worked well with the story line of healing. Grief is real - it takes time to process through loss. There are ups and downs and mom ...more
Mar 02, 2020
Book of the Month
added it
Why I love it
by Sara Hildreth
I shy away from sentimental reads. If an author is overtly manipulating my emotions, I have no problem rolling my eyes and setting the book aside. Luckily, I’m here to tell you that The Two Lives of Lydia Bird possesses not one moment of emotional fakery. This novel is as raw as it is charming, and one of the most earnestly heartfelt books I have read.
Freddie and Lydia have been together since they were 14, and Lydia can’t imagine her life without him. But a few mont ...more
by Sara Hildreth
I shy away from sentimental reads. If an author is overtly manipulating my emotions, I have no problem rolling my eyes and setting the book aside. Luckily, I’m here to tell you that The Two Lives of Lydia Bird possesses not one moment of emotional fakery. This novel is as raw as it is charming, and one of the most earnestly heartfelt books I have read.
Freddie and Lydia have been together since they were 14, and Lydia can’t imagine her life without him. But a few mont ...more
<3 4 stars <3
The two lives of Lydia was an emotional ,heartbreaking read but also sweet!My heart broke for Lydia and I was aching for her. The whole book is about Lydia trying to come to terms living without Freddie.
There were moments I find myself crying and others that I have a smile on my face.I loved the writing, it was fast paced and the characters were fantastic, not only Lydia but the rest too.
The ending was sweet I just wanted a little bit more of it!This is the reason it wasn't a five ...more
The two lives of Lydia was an emotional ,heartbreaking read but also sweet!My heart broke for Lydia and I was aching for her. The whole book is about Lydia trying to come to terms living without Freddie.
There were moments I find myself crying and others that I have a smile on my face.I loved the writing, it was fast paced and the characters were fantastic, not only Lydia but the rest too.
The ending was sweet I just wanted a little bit more of it!This is the reason it wasn't a five ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Procrastinato...:
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird (June 2020) Buddy Read Discussion - Mina & HeatherH & Laura ☾ & Guosa
|
24 | 47 | Jun 06, 2020 04:32AM | |
| Book of The Month: **Spoiler Discussion**The Two Lives of Lydia Bird | 3 | 92 | May 29, 2020 08:04PM |
Readers also enjoyed
Articles featuring this book
Ah yes, the allure of new love! Be prepared to be charmed, wooed, and—of course—seduced by these most popular romance novels of the past three...
289 likes · 93 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Billions of humans, all of us scurrying around the planet, falling in and out of love with each other for no reason explicable by logic or numbers or common sense. How unaccountably strange we are.”
—
16 likes
“I’ve learned not to question my own actions and thoughts too deeply though, sometimes you just have to go with whatever gets you through the day.”
—
15 likes
More quotes…
Mar 24, 2021 01:03PM
Apr 18, 2021 10:19AM