This is the second book in this very funny series by the author. It is very touching and emotional as we read of life in an Amsterdam care home, filed with amusing tales which made me laugh out loud. A real feel good, amusing read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I absolutely loved the first book. Witty, fun but with a stark realism to life as you get older in a care home. I didn’t feel as invested in this book and slowly lost interest.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

I love Hendrik Groen - he is a character for the ages. I hope there will be another book to continue his adventures.

Hendrik, or Henk to his friends, has done it again. This is a gripping insight into the life of a group of people in their eighties. If death is just around the corner they determine to live every minute until then,
His curmudgeonly friend has some rather worrying news for the Old but not Dead Club members. but it doesn't prevent him working to improve Henk. He is a retired headteacher, who is also retiring, and they both strive to relieve him of some of his polite inhibitions and let the witty inner man surface from time to time.

It is fascinating to find how like us in the UK these Netherlanders are., From fears of terrorism of a near uprising when the home discontinues a chocolate treat they usually serve on the monarch's birthday. Those who feel compassion towards refugees and those who, whilst remembering their own wartime travails and hardships are too concerned with clinging to their own good fortune to show compassion.

An establishment comprising near death residents and those who also have dementia should not be such an enjoyable romp, but as with the first book it is. The author ends his diary with a suggestion for a novel, I just jope it materialises.

I am a big fan of 'The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old' and so when I heard that the lovable diarist, Hendrik Groen, was returning with his next diary I was eager to read it and I was definitely not disappointed.

Hendrik Groen returns and is determined that there is life outside of the care home in which he lives and he wants to be part of it. Joining up with the fellow members of the Old-But-Not-Dead Club they hatch a plan. Reading their exploits left me in fits of giggles and it is like reading about a group of rebellious teenagers. However, as with life, there are also times of sadness and those tug on the heart strings.

The book is set in 2015 and there are nods to actual events from those time and also issues which affected the general public both then and now including the threatened closure of the care home and I really enjoy reading books that remind me of years gone by and significant events.

This is the second diary of Hendrik Groen and although it could be read as a stand alone read I think that I enjoyed it more having read the first book as characters from the previous book are mentioned and it is like catching up with old friends again.

A great book to curl up with on long winter nights.

Thank you to the publishers, Michael Joseph, for sending me the book in return for an honest review.

I just loved the first book of Hendrik's Diary and this is every bit as good - touching, funny and sad - I went through the whole gamut of emotions. It's laugh out loud funny and tearfully sad. I hope I'm like Hendrik and his friends in the Old but not Dead Club when I reach that age. Loved it and highly recommend it.

I adored the first book in this series, so hoped that ‘On the Bright Side’ would be able to live up to it. And I’m very happy to say that this sequel is every bit as good as its predecessor! With the warmth and humour we have come to expect, the continuing story of the now 85 year old Hendrik Groen and his friends is both funny and moving, making me laugh one minute and then cry the next.

A laugh out loud and touching 4 star read that I highly recommend.

On the Bright Side - The new Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 85 years old, is the follow up to the super funny first diary of Hendrik Groen aged 83 1/4 years old.
Readers of the first book will be relieved to hear that a second book means the sweet and funny Hendrik is still around.
We also get to find out what the other loveable characters are up to, and whether life has changed for the residents of the care home.

Although this is the second book in the series, I don't think it's imperative that you need to read the first book to read the second. Hendrik starts his diary with a catch up of the characters from the first book, which brings old readers up to date and brings new readers into the loop.

It's really difficult to say too much about the story without giving much away; it's written in a funny, yet touching and moving way. It is insightful into the life of many elderly people, and although I am quite a long way off retirement, it does make you ponder slightly about your future care and of your parents/grandparents.

There are funny anecdotes galore; from pieces of fruit turning up in peculiar locations; a mysterious apple in the aquarium, a tangerine in the lift, a pineapple in the "gym", to Mrs Schansleh's creative proverbs.

Hendrik is such a warm and genuine character - you do really feel for him. I can only hope there is a third diary; you do begin to care for Hendrik and hope he has many more tales to tell and adventures to go on.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin U.K - Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

More of the same from the author of the original Diary of Hendrik Groen, and that is a very good thing! The same warmth, the same humour, the same poignancy, the same philosophical musings, and many of the same characters, as we catch up with the members of the Old-But-Not-Dead club and the daily goings on at their care home in the Netherlands. It made me laugh and it made me cry, and now I have finished it I am sorry to leave the company of Hendrik and friends and hope they continue to make the most of being older and not-so-much wiser.

On The Bright Side is book two of the Hendrik Groen series, and our eponymous hero and his friends may not be in great health but they're spirit is certainly in fine fettle. The Old But Not Dead Club is going strong, all of them delighting in putting two fingers up to people's normal opinions about how older people should act. But time is everyone's enemy and no one, not even this gang, can out run it forever.

This is as whimsically humorous as the first novel, but there's definitely a sadder tone as Hendrik comes to terms with a recent losses, not only to death but to dementia as well and faces further trials as the year unfolds. And actually although I didn't laugh out loud as much as I did in the first I felt this was a better book for it.As much as it amused me it also tugged at the heartstrings. Hopefully there's more Hendrik to come in the future, he's definitely a character I want to see lots more of.

A revisit to the care home where Hendrik lives was like calling in on an old friend. Everything was familiar. Life carried on with its ups and downs, pathos and humour, the rough and the smooth. Seeing the world from the perspective of an older person is something everyone should consider. Keeping going is everything, but not letting it get you down is the key to keeping going.. Long live the 'Old but Not Dead Yet Club'!

So Hendrik is back and still continuing to show that spirit can defy the aging process that in time, comes to us all.

There are moments of humour mixed with pathos and I enjoyed hearing of Hendrik's adventures but missed the laugh out loud moments that made the first diary so memorable and made me recommend it to friends and family.

Yes I'd still recommend this but only if you read the previous book.

I have become rather fond of Hendrik Groen and his friends in the Old But Not Dead Club. have read his two books and On The Bright Side continues to explore Hendrik's life in a care home as aging continues to throw its challenges against the desire for a life well lived. The friends organise regular outings and adventures to spice up their lives and to escape into the outside world. There is a lot of fun, some adjustments to be made and some sadness and loss, too.

There is so much food for thought within these pages, although I know that some of my older friends have found the original book a difficult read, saying it was a bit close to home. What passes for care in the social welfare system does not not always seem very caring, especially when financial budgets are cut. There is some consideration of whether a life is always worth continuing or whether there is a place for euthanasia. I think that these issues are too often swept under the carpet and we should consider them.

Hendrik Groen may tend to the curmudgeonly but he is wryly humorous, humane, thought-provoking and thoughtful, a worthy commentator on life as an octogenarian. I hope he has more to say in the future.

The first Hendrik Groen book was a joy, but this one felt like it would never end. It’s way too long, by at least a third. Did we really need an entry for every single day of 2015? The format means that readers hear about the planning for an event, the immediate preparations for it, and then how it went – so instead of one entry every occasion gets three. With that sort of pattern, the content is bound to start feeling repetitive. Hendrik and his Old-But-Not-Dead club of Amsterdam nursing home buddies keep up a regular schedule of visits to ethnic restaurants and even manage a trip to Belgium, but one member’s terminal illness inevitably puts a damper on the fun. They’re also worried by their home’s change in management and the increasing number of empty rooms – could there be a secret plan to close the place?

Once again there are some amusing little incidents involving the other residents, such as the designation of one cafeteria table as an “ailment-free zone” for conversations, but these seemed like feeble attempts to rehash the original. I don’t remember laughing much, if at all. Despite Hendrik’s attempts at dark humor (e.g. “Stoically waiting for death whilst enjoying a nice cup of tea”), this is a bleak picture of old age. Perhaps if I hadn’t read the first book and wasn’t constantly comparing this one to it in my mind, it wouldn’t have felt like a letdown.

The follow on to Hendrik Groen 83 ¼ does not disappoint.

This time we find 85-year-old Hendrik Groen still going strong, having fun with his friends while facing the inevitable slow decline old age brings, but not going out without a fight.

After forming the Old-But-Not-Dead Club in the last book, and loosing 2 of it’s founding members, this story continues with their antics and outingings. Determined to have new experiences in their 80’s, and fed up of the usual bingo and gossip that passes for entertainment in their Care Home they decide to organise a Residents Committee to inject a little more life into the home, and broaden the horizons of their fellow “inmates” wether the like it or not...

After hearing rumours that the care home may be closing, the committee suddenly have more important issues to deal with and are determined to find out the facts from the director Mrs Stelwagen who’s motto has always been ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ when it comes to her residents.

This was another excellent book, easy to read, poignant, funny, sad and heartwarming. An absolute gem of a book.

This is the authors second book about Hendrick and the “old but not dead club” I absolutely adored the first book and couldn’t wait for the second one!

I wasn’t disappointed, God I love Hendrick he’s such a character and he has me literally laughing out loud with all his stories and shenanigans, it’s sad too in places as he reminisces about his younger years and the people who have “gone” but in general it’s just bloody funny!!!

I truly hope I’m just like him when I get old he’s an absolute legend!

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen was one of the first books that I reviewed from Netgalley and I gave it a rousing 5 stars out of 5.  Obviously I had often wondered what had happened to Mr Groen after his diary ran out and was delighted to hear that after a 2 year hiatus, Hendrik is back, pen in hand and brand new 2016 diary open.
 
Now you might not think that a journal written by an octogenarian would be a barrel of laughs, and indeed, Hendrik and his pals experience sad and depressing times as would anyone rapidly approaching 90. But Hendrik is a revelation. Founder member of the Old But Not Dead club, who dedicate themselves to having as much fun as possible before the big sleep ensues,  he and his partner in crime, the bad boy of the group, Evert, spend all of their time causing having and growing old disgracefully. The incident with an apple and a fish tank very early sets the scene for these two old boys perfectly. They've had enough of overcooked care-home food and rules and regulation and go off trying new foods, new places, and new experiences, proving you're never to old to do something new.
 
This is the perfect sequel to Hendricks first diary. There's a hint of romance, a lot of friendship, some tears and a whole lot of OAP naughtiness.

On The Bright Side: The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 85 Years Old by Hendrik Groen is the brilliant sequel to The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen: 83 ¼ years old.

On The Bright Side was by turns heart-breaking, hilarious and poignant. The book begins on the 31st December 2014 with Hendrik beginning a new diary. He begins by quoting a statistic stating that a man of 85 has an approximately 80% chance of still being alive in a years’ time so readers shouldn’t complain if it ends suddenly.

Once again, the diary is primarily focused on daily life in a care home, but potential readers should definitely not be put off by this. The diary is brilliantly funny.

“The most salient hallmark of life in an old age home may well be in the lack of duties or responsibilities. Everything is taken care of for you. There is no need for reflection. Life goes down as easily as custard without any lumps…

There are plenty of residents who are quite satisfied with this permanent all-inclusive holiday, but for myself and a number of my friends, the idleness of the care home existence does nothing for our day-to-day contentment.”

Hendrik and his friends have formed ‘The Old-But-Not-Dead Club’ to help alleviate the boredom of their daily life. The club consists of his best friend Evert who likes to speak his mind but always has Hendrik’s back, Antoine, Ria, Edward, Graeme and two new members.

Gaert has his own electric scooter and likes to join Hendrik for trips out. He is a man of few words. The other new member is Leonie who likes to talk and has taken a shine to Evert.

Grietje has been moved to the locked ward due to her rapidly progressing dementia but Hendrik still visits her because she remains happy and carefree. He observes that, Nobody would mind having dementia if they could be like her.

The club plans trips together and decide to regularly dine in restaurants featuring different cuisines from around the world.

One other thing they do is to continue their subtle rebellions against the director of the care home, particularly when rumours start to circulate that it might shut down.

The club members help each other to see that life can still be beautiful but when one of the members becomes terminally ill the reality of their age and the time they have left starts to sink in again.

“One of your life’s greatest challenges, Groen: to do everything in your power to give a beautiful friendship a suitably upbeat ending.”

On The Bright Side is sad and uplifting all at once. It is primarily a story about powerful friendships.

“We are close, without being overly nosy. Interested, warm, affectionate people with humour and compassion. At times sentimental, and at times a bit mad. Each one of us as old as the hills, but we try to ignore that fact as much as we can.”

Make this your next read you won’t regret it.

The Old-But-Not-Dead Club return, in the sequel to the INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 ¼ Years Old, bringing with them some life-affirming lawlessness.

Chaos will ensue as 85-year-old Hendrik Groen is determined to grow old with dignity: to rise up against the care home director. NO more bingo. NO more over-boiled vegetables. NO more health and safety.

85-year-old Hendrik Groen is fed up to his false teeth with coffee mornings and bingo. He dreams of escaping the confines of his care home and practising hairpin turns on his mobility scooter. Inspired by his fellow members of the recently formed Old-But-Not-Dead Club, he vows to put down his custard cream and commit to a spot of octogenarian anarchy.

But the care home's Director will not stand for drunken bar crawls, illicit fireworks and geriatric romance on her watch. The Old-But-Not-Dead Club must stick together if they're not to go gently into that good night.

Things turn more serious, however, when rumours surface that the home is set for demolition. It's up to Hendrik and the gang to stop it - or drop dead trying . . . He may be the wrong side of 85, but Hendrik Groen has no intention of slowing up - or going down without a fight.

I like Hendrik Groen. I like him very much. He and his companions may be old, but they still want to enjoy themselves. I hope to be like that when I’m 85! 4.5*