Today, I’m giving my top 4 of novels that will get you heart ! These are life novels that’ll make you live fully and feel inspired after reading them, that’s a promise !
A beautiful life – Virginie Grimaldi
Emma and Agathe Delorme are sisters. They grew up close to each other, but are nevertheless very different. Agathe, the youngest, messy and fiery, has always taken up all the space in the bath, in the room, and in Emma’s heart. After five years of unexplained silence, Emma arranges to meet Agathe at the vacation home : Mima, their beloved grandmother, is gone, and the place needs to be emptied and memories sorted through. The Delorme sisters have a week to say everything and make up for lost time. Will they manage to mend the past ? In the beauty of this summer in the Basque Country, where their childhood knocks at the door, the strength of their story resonates. Between laughter and tears, a moving and irresistible novel.
Virginie Grimaldi is a French author from Bordeaux who knows how to play with words and touch you right in the heart with the humanity that emanates from her characters. Her writing allows us to glimpse the depth and sensitivity of the human being hiding behind her fictional characters whose lives she anchors on paper. From what I remember, I must have discovered her in a bookstore; one of her books spoke to me, precisely because of the depth of life that she seemed to address easily and accurately. So, I went home with her first book, « The First Day of the Rest of my Life, » released in 2015. And spoiler alert : her entire bibliography is excellent ; each story will make you cry and laugh equally ; you will be transported and brought back to your life like a mirror. And this one is the last book that was published in 2023 and is 377 pages long.
As you may have read, it’s about two sisters who reunite after the death of their beloved Mima. Two sisters yes, but completely different, with years that separate them and unspoken words carried over time. I loved this story ! Context (which I recommend for an optimal experience): I read it on a float in a pool, and I must say it was immersive because the story takes place in the summer, in the Basque Country (the cover of the book doesn’t lie). We are taken on a journey through the personal stories of each of the sisters, in the present and the past ; their unique experiences of past events and how to cope with this tragic death that brings back many memories. I laughed as much as I cried. And I was shocked by the ending. It’s a novel that captured my heart and that I still think about from time to time.
The Sirens of Malibu – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Malibu, August 27, 1983. Nina Riva’s annual party is the most anticipated event of the year in Malibu. Whether you’re a showbiz star, a politician, or a waitress at the local drugstore, everyone dreams of being invited, because it’s not just the most notoriously decadent party on the entire West Coast, it’s also an opportunity to get close to the Rivas. Nina, Hud, Jay, and Kit, not content with being the children of the singer who thrills America, are themselves a model of success. They are young, they are beautiful, they are talented, and they have the world at their feet. But beneath the surface of appearances lie many secrets. If at midnight the party is in full swing, in the morning, the past will have come knocking on the Rivas’ door, and their glass mansion at the top of the cliff will be on fire.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is an American author who regularly appears on the New York Times Bestsellers list. A successful author, recognized and buzzing on social media for two books in particular: The Sirens of Malibu (this one) and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (which I’ll talk about right after).
It was The Sirens of Malibu (364 pages) that introduced me to Taylor Jenkins Reid. And what a find ! I can only support her growing success because I was hooked on the story from the first page ! We become attached so quickly and strongly to each member of this family, each with their personality, their quirks. I was transported, I traveled, I felt like I was on the beaches of Malibu surfing alongside Nina, Hud, Jay, and Kit. Once again : a life novel that feels good. We identify with the story, with the characters, and we project ourselves into this extraordinary life of American celebrity ! If you want to know what it’s like to be in the shoes of a famous person responsible for THE party of the year, go ahead and read this book ; it’s a 5/5.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
This confession is for you, and you alone… At the dawn of her eightieth year, Evelyn Hugo, a legend of cinema, is finally ready to tell the truth about her life, as glamorous as it is scandalous. But when this aging and lonely actress decides that she will reveal her story to Monique Grant, a journalist for an obscure magazine, no one understands her choice. The journalist decides to seize this opportunity to launch her career. She listens with fascination to the story of this actress married seven times. A story of ambition, friendship, and forbidden love. As she gathers Evelyn’s confidences, the journalist understands that their destinies are closely linked…
Yes, this author is worth a detour. To the point of including two of her books in this post because she is more than qualified to meet the expectations of : it will capture your heart. I’m trying to
hold back because I could write pages about this masterpiece, so I’ll try to be concise. On all platforms, it reaches 4.5/5 stars, for me it’s a perfect 5. Throughout 404 pages, you will embody the folkloric character of Evelyn Hugo, the multiple lives she lived during decades of worldwide fame. Do you want to get close to the world of icons, stars, celebrities ? To know what it’s like to walk the red carpets ? To mingle with the biggest movie stars ? How do we handle our relationships with such a status of recognition ? You just have to open the book and let yourself be absorbed by Evelyn Hugo’s poignant, terrible, and fascinating story. You will love it for sure.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E Schwab
A life no one will remember… A story you will never forget… One night in 1714, in a moment of despair, a young woman hungry for freedom makes a pact with the devil. But if she is granted the right to live forever, in exchange, no one will ever remember her name or her face. She is condemned to wander through the ages like a ghost, unable to tell her story, immediately erased from the memory of all who cross her path.
Victoria V.E Schwab is an American author of New York Times bestsellers, known for fiction and fantasy. And with this historical fiction, she simply offers us a masterpiece. A masterpiece of 589 pages, indeed, but an absolute must-read, trust me. This book was my first encounter with Schwab’s prosodic pen. What a gem. Few people can write like she does. It’s one of the rare times that someone’s writing has nourished my soul.
Addie LaRue sealed her fate with a pact. She is forgotten by everyone. Impossible for her to remain in anyone’s memory. And yet, hers is a memorable story. Will she find someone, after three centuries, who will remember her ? Will she thwart fate and the yoke of the darkness to which she is bound ? Aren’t we tired of living like ghosts for hundreds of years… You will read not just one life, but many, which will immerse you in the skin of an immortal forgotten…
If you want to read the full review of this book, you can click here. 😉
Where to find all these must-read ?
Don’t worry I got you !
‣ To read A good life from Virginie Grimaldi in paperback click here, and for the hardcover here
‣ For Malibu Rising, you’ll find the hardcover here and the paperback version here.
‣ The Seven Husbands of Evelyne Hugo : paperback and harcover.
‣ You’ll find the paperback version of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue here ; and the hardcover here.
So, does these stories tempt you ? Let me know in the comments !
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Previously published in ChapterEater…
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue – V.E Schwabb
A life no one will remember… A story you’ll never forget… One night in 1714, in a moment of despair, a young woman longing for freedom makes a pact with the devil. But if she gains the right to live forever, in exchange, no one will ever remember her name or her face. She is condemned to wander through the ages like a ghost, unable to tell her story, instantly erased from the memory of all who cross her path.
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