Recommendations

Hi everyone, it seems so long ago since I posted my first blog post but it was only 14 days ago. First of all I want to say I hope your all staying safe and well.

I admit I was not prepared in the slightest for this weeks blog post. I have planned enough posts for every other week from now until January 2021 but this week never had a topic. The last few days have been a bit crap. I feel like if I lie down and go to sleep I wouldn’t wake up until lockdown is over, I’m exhausted for no good reason. Anyway, I have been writing and reading but there aren’t any massive things to update you on (those will come later with more information on my poetry book and what fiction projects I’m currently writing). I thought I’d use this blog post for some recommendations. I know a lot of people have said they want to read more during this time. I’m also going to recommend some podcasts as well as books because I’ve found three that I love listening to. They are all similar in their audiences in that they are very spiritually themed.

Enough of me chatting lets get into the recommendations, starting with the books;

(Please note I’m mainly a reader of contemporary romance/women’s fiction. I’ll try to cover a wider range so hopefully there will be something for everyone)

1st book – ‘The Wish List’ by Jane Costello (also writing under Catherine Issac) I loved this book, it follows Emma Reiss’s 6 months leading up to her 30th birthday. She along with her two friends and sister, find a list they made when they were 15 years old. This list was everything they wanted to do by the time they were 30. Emma having only 6 months left of being 29 decided she was going to cross every single one off (even though som of them are a little out there) I won’t spoil any of the book or tell you what the list is. The book was fast paced (making 99 chapters not too daunting) there were lots of laugh out loud moments, the characters were relatable and likeable and by the time I put the book down I found myself missing them. Definitely high up on my recommended read list. It also encouraged me to write my own list however mine will be 31 because this pandemic has meant this year is basically a write off.

2nd- ‘The Longest Holiday’ by Paige Toon. (Or any book written by Paige Toon for that matter) This was lovely feel good book, also a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Again very relatable and characters I fell in love with from page 1. Laura finds out her husband of only 7 months made a terrible mistake before their wedding. She now needs to get away so goes on a trip with her two friends to Key West, Florida where she meets Leo. I think he’s wonderful. Definitely another character that has raised my already “probably a bit too high expectations of normal men”. More than anything this book made me desperate to travel, to America in particular. Check it out (there was a 99p deal on all ebook versions of paiges books, please don’t shoot me if its no longer running!)

3rd – The Lie by C L Taylor. Its been a couple of years since I read this but I really enjoyed it, it kept me guessing the whole time and I’m not a big reader of thrillers but I genuinely did really enjoy this book.

4th- Lily And The Octopus by Steven Rowley. Get your tissues out for this one! It is a beautiful story about Ted, his dachshund, Lily and the adventures they go on together. Its such a beautifully written story about how our four legged friends will always and forever stay with us. I ugly cried during this book and when it was over I wanted to go and sleep with my own dog in her bed.

I may have to do another updated version of this again later in the year because there as just so many wonderful books too good not to share.

I don’t want to make this blog too long, but I will list just a few more books you can go check out because I loved them and times like this we all need an escape.

• Copycat by C S Barnes
• Summer At Buttercup Beach by Holy Martin
• Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage by Teresa F Morgan (I want to write more about this because its the book I read first when I got back into reading 4 years ago.
• The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
• Some Kind Of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher

Now for the podcasts;

• Adventures In Happiness by Jessica Ortner (also part of the ortner family that use and teach EFT, go read up more on that!)
• That smart hustle by Kristen Martin an author and creative entrepreneur who’s taking a spiritual turn. Ive followed her for a while now she’s great!
• And finally, Spiritual Queens Badass Podcast by Emma Mumford which is another great one!

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Anyway you lovely people I will leave it there for this post. If any of you have any reading recommendations, or podcast recommendations then please leave a comment on here or over on my social media post.

Keep staying safe and sane!

Much love

Jess x