The Two Lives of Lydia Bird (June 2020) Buddy Read Discussion - Mina & HeatherH & Laura ☾ & Guosa

[Aless, Discord/Readathon Procrastinator]

Welcome to The Two Lives of Lydia Bird Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on June 1st and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each week we will be reading by chapters. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week 6/1
June 1: Beginning - Asleep Sunday June 3
June 2: Awake Monday June 4 - Awake Friday May 17
June 3: Awake Friday June 15 - Awake Sunday July 21
June 4: Awake Monday July 22 - End
June 5: extra day

PARTICIPANTS
~ Mina
~ HeatherH
~ Laura ☾
~ Guosa

[HeatherH]

First section:

(view spoiler)[This starts off sad and doesn't let up at all. So far, the saddest scenes for me was the group in the bar sending her the shots and the scene with the mindful meditation group. Broke my heart so bad. I really am intrigued with her friendship with Jonah and hope to see them repair the gap between them - though I suspect they will end up together at the end of this. I did find it odd how she kept referring to Jonah as "Freddies' best friend" even though she talks repeatedly about how she was friends with him before she even knew Freddie..

What are your thoughts on these visits to this other life? Just very vivid dreams or something more? (hide spoiler)]

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I wanted to comment last night, but I was too tired, and my Monday...we'll it needed more hours 😅

I'm short two chapters, the June 3 ones, and I'll listen to them today with the today's chapters.

I read the synopsis a few months back so I didn't remember what the book was about so my heartbreaking moment was in the beginning. The first sentence in the first chapter, that did it for me. I started to tear up a bit.
My narrator is British which I usually don't like, but here it's so right, I love her voice.

The story so far is bittersweet for me. Like, I know she's suffering and having problems coping with her loss, but I really like how things are playing out. I don't know if I'm saying what I'm feeling 😅 I guess, I love how it feels real.

Hopefully, she'll fix her relationship with Jonah, at least enough not to ignore him and to talk to him normally. Her referring to him as "Freddie's best friend" wasn't odd too me, to be honest I haven't payed much attention to it, but I think that's her way to keep Jonah on a distance in her mind too. Plus he was with Freddie when the accident happened and he came out of it with only a scar, so she's also constantly reminding herself/blaming Jonah for the accident this way. Oh, and I REALLY hope they won't end up together, I think that would ruin it for me, cuz right now this is a 5*(yes, I know it's too soon, but *shrugs* I really enjoy it).


As for your questions. I think that's her coping mechanism. She's not ready to let go of Freddie, but also she needs to accept that this, the Awake chapters, are her new reality.

[HeatherH]

I get what you're saying on liking how it feels real. The grief is so palpable.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I'm not doing a great job at buddy reading this one. I had to catch up on a comic buddy read and I thought that would go faster so that I could check it of my to do list... the only thing that went faster was the time.

I don't know where I'm at. Like I said I love the audiobook, however the chapters are not that good because I can't remember where I'm at in the story. I just have two things to mention.

1. I really wanted her to adopt the adorable cat. I was sure she'll pick her... but then Turpin showed up.. I mean I get it, she sees herself in him.. but the cute cat 😢
2. I was pretty sure in my theory that she seeing Freddie is a coping mechanism, but now I'm not that sure. Like, he told her that she changed her mood/attitude in a short time.. and I'm wondering is this chick-lit or does it have some sci-fi.

‘You were fine on the way to the gym, and then once we were there you acted as if it was the last place you wanted to be. And now this.’ He gestures at the steering wheel.

[Laura ☾]

i know I'm late but do you mind if I jump in on this? I actually got this today - so could catch up!

[HeatherH]

Of course we don't mind! I just finished the second set of chapters!

[HeatherH]

June 2: Awake Monday June 4 - Awake Friday May 17

(view spoiler)[ I love how her and Jonah are rekindling their friendship and how she is healing enough to go long gaps without the sleep aides. I really adore her co workers and the bonds she has with them as well.

The speed dating scene was adorably awkward and I do hope she calls the guy! Also, her new cat cracks me up!!

It was heartbreaking that her sister lost the baby in the alternate world but I do love that she is seeing it isn't all happy there as that will help her more easily come to terms with real life. (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

mina wrote: "I'm not doing a great job at buddy reading this one. I had to catch up on a comic buddy read and I thought that would go faster so that I could check it of my to do list... the only thing that went..."

It's making me second guess as well.. we shall see!

[Laura ☾]

Yay! up to the second set of chapters

@ Heather @ mina I definitely thought it's her coping mechanism/vivid dreams rather than an actual alternate timeline at this point but now I'm not so sure either

@mina it definitely feels really real so far - I'd read the synopsis but I wasn't expecting it to be quite as sad as it is - but I'm actually really liking that! It is a very good portrayal of grief

And yes the cute cat!

(view spoiler)[ Omg the miscarriage gave me a mini heart attack - so some things happen in both timelines and some in one... it makes me lean more towards timelines than coping dreams because why would her coping mechanism include something so sad as well?

I feel like Jonah kind of fancies her? I don't know

I'm intrigued by this Kris character..

(hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

As someone still dealing with pretty fresh grief, it's hitting hard just how real it all feels. I wasn't prepared for it to be as sad as it is but I am still sucked in and loving it.

(view spoiler)[I do wonder if Jonah fancies her and I had suspected early on that was where this was going to go and was not so sure how I felt about that.. then enters this Kris character and I'm intrigued by him. (hide spoiler)]

[Laura ☾]

@Heather I'm so sorry to hear that! Grief is always difficult

Have you seen After Life (the Ricky Gervais show on Netflix)? I thought that was a pretty good portrayal of grief as well

(view spoiler)[ I definitely feel like he fancies her, but I doubt she would return the feeling if that makes sense?

(hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

I have not seen (or even heard of) that, but will be looking it up!

[Laura ☾]

HeatherH wrote: "I have not seen (or even heard of) that, but will be looking it up!"

My husband and I finished season 2 yesterday actually and really enjoyed it (and season 3 is already confirmed yay! they're short seasons, like 6-8 episodes each). It's simultaneously sad but also uplifting if that makes any sense?

So I'm up to today's chapters (third section)

(view spoiler)[ I actually liked where things were going with her and Kris! I hope he reappears later

I knew it Jonah fancies her!

(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

I burrowed into bed today and did not accomplish much reading. Our city here has gotten out of control and on top of personal issues I just needed a break. I'll be finishing the second two sections tomorrow morning!

[Laura ☾]

Oh no that's scary! My little (I say little he's 22) cousin is over here from the US at the moment, he was visiting his parents and got stuck here and

So I finished it!

Overall I really enjoyed it - although it was labelled as rom-com and I think it was neither really?

Will discuss further when you guys catch up!

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I'm behind a lot, and I'm trying to catch up now. I finished the Day 2 chapters we had. I don't have anything new to add, except to comment on you guys' comments.

I'm loving it too, the mending her friendship with Jonah part. And since we have a new guy in the picture, if there's going to be a romance involving Lydia... I think that guy could be the love interest... but we shall see. Because I really wouldn't want her to end up with Jonah, that's too cliche.

It's sad what happened to Asleep Ellie :( and yes, it's good that Lydia sees that the Asleep world isn't all that shiny. And that part does make the alternate universe a higher possibility.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Asleep 6 July (view spoiler)[ I wasn't getting Jonah liking Lydia vibes, but after the part where he talks about not having history with Dee and listing the things he didn't do for Dee, but did for Lydia.... well.. I'm getting the vibes now.

Oh boy.. I haven't read the talk that followed the history paragraph. Yeeeep (hide spoiler)]

Asleep 20 July (view spoiler)[Well if this is an alternative universe I have to say I'm not liking this. Like, I understand she wants to live something she didn't have the chance to experience in her world, but if she's randomly taking over the body of "Asleep" Lydia she is taking that Lydia's memory of her wedding day and I don't approve. (hide spoiler)]

Awake 20 July (view spoiler)[I was not expecting there to be a birth... I'm shocked. But on the other hand, I love that the book shows Lydia's relationship with her family.

Edit: I know basically nothing about birth and babies, but if the baby was early 3 weeks... shouldn't they like, go to the hospital? And she delivered at home, yes they said it was all okay, but again shouldn't they have gone to the hospital? (hide spoiler)]

Asleep 22 July(view spoiler)[I find it fascinating that as we see more of her Asleep life we see that not everything is/was perfect with Freddie. Although Asleep world Lydia is different than Awake world Lydia...

Now typing Asleep/Awake word Lydia I got an idea? maybe, I don't know if idea is the right word. Are the Asleep/Awake chapters named that solely because she's asleep and awake in those chapters? Or are they maybe--I'm going back on the coping mechanism track.. kinda--her state; like she said that she changed a lot because she lost him, she figured something about herself, she opened her eyes=she's awake, while in the asleep world she's dreaming of how things could've played out with Freddie. I don't know if anything that I wrote makes sense, I'm not sure if even I understood what I wanted to say 😅😂 (hide spoiler)]
This is also the last chapter I read. I'll finish the book tomorrow.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Awake 3 August(view spoiler)[Okay, she took the job as a waitress... if only foreigners are coming to that place okay, I understand, they probably speak English.. but what about the locals? (hide spoiler)]

I finished it.

[Laura ☾]

I know it's a lot

(view spoiler)[ yeah they definitely should have gone to the hospital!

And I kind of get what you mean? I do think it was kind of a coping mechanism somehow..

(hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Finished as well!

(view spoiler)[ I kinda like the idea of her and Jonah together. He obviously cared a lot for her all through the years and honestly? Freddie was kinda shit. Like who bails on their honeymoon for work and leaves their new bride alone in a foreign country?!

I loved her family dynamics though. And the grief aspect. Both felt very genuine for me. (hide spoiler)]

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I liked that they ended up together, in the beginning I was against it, but since a few years passed and they both had time to grow I absolutely loved it. And Asleep Freddie was a dick.

I haven't read many books that involve family and friends like this, and I think I should start reading more chick-lit cuz I'm loving it.

[HeatherH]

One of my favorites that I've read in recent months as far as family dynamics was 10 Blind Dates.. It's YA contemporary but the family bonds were perfection <3

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I have that on my tbr 😃 Thanks for telling me that, I'll try to read it sooner.