I really enjoyed reading this book during lockdown. Already in a place where I was able to reassess my values and begin to rest my life, Kate's writing gave ma a warm and comforting feel. Some parts reminded me of growing up in the countryside in post-war Britain, others chimed with fantasies I have had, and some envy (buying a cabin on a lake in France, for example, or building eco-friendly house).
I have read some reviews by readers of the book who were disappointed by it, but as I came with no expectations – other than a general idea of who the author is – for me it was a pleasant read fuelled partly by nostalgia and partly by reassurance that a simpler life is possible.

Wanted to like this book, but it became clear this was not a realistic return to simplicity manual that anyone could follow. The author does write from a position of privilege and money, plus she is childless and has a nomadic lifestyle. Good as a memoir, but not imparting much in terms of how to live simply because her reality is very far from that of other people. Also found the writing clunky (not helped by the formatting which had chunky paragraphs) and the topic jumped throughout, making it hard to follow

Absolutely adored this book and it made me instantly want to leave the very nice life i have in the city surburbs, go and buy a patch of land to live and grow on and walk around in bare feet!
Kate describes the life she lives and wants to live in such a lovely way, how could you not want to live more simply. As Kate states, striving for a simpler life is not a life without its hardships or toil. She describes her experiences in many places across the world and those people she has come across who life live "off grid" and describe it as being tough at time but not without its pleasure!
At many times throughout the book, i felt like i was in the wild outdoors with Kate and loved the way she spoke with such love and affection for the things she not only loved but also disliked.

Everyone needs to get lost in this book and look towards living a greener, more sustainable life....Would 100% recommend this book

2.5 - Warm and engaging, like the lady herself but living simply, no not really! To me that would mean staying at home not flying all over the place to see that building or those people. You would also do every job you could, whether you liked it or not or felt competent enough or not, such as the garden at the very least. Some chapters were more interesting than others. There’s no doubt the author lives in a lovely place and her love for it shone out each time it was mentioned. There was lots about how other people lived their simple lives when I’d expected the book to be much more focused on hers.

Unless you have been living on another planet for the last few years and missed all the other stuff that's out there about living a more simple, more environmentally friendly life, you probably won't learnt anything particularly new from this book. However, that doesn't stop it from being a beautiful and inspiring read. I love the tone that Kate Humble adopts in this - it's really like chatting with a friend. It's the kind of book you want to snuggle up with on a cold day and enjoy with your morning cuppa. Comfort reading.
I particularly like the way Kate introduces other people and how we learn a little bit about their life journeys too.

A beautiful, gentle, inspiring read. Certainly makes you appreciate the simpler things in life. Well written and a pleasure to relax with.

I loved this book, having never read any of Kate Humble's books before I wasn't sure if I would like her writing style but I couldn't put it down. I found it so informative and not all " live off the grid" it shares practical ways to live simpler and made me more aware of the impact our actions have on the environment around us. It's something I am very interested in and I now have a list of things to try and websites to visit to further my knowledge. I would love to open a repair cafe in my local area after reading this book. For any one who wants to make changes to their lives this is a great read.

Get a new perspective on how to live more simply.

Make small or large changes to become more at one with yourself to ease back and learn to live in a more relaxed way.

The concept of this book was interesting but I did not feel that the author really d I d live so simply.

Kate Humble on television never fails to lift my spirits. Her wide smile, buoyant curls, infectious enthusiasm - I was delighted to read her latest book and thank Net Galley for enabling me to do so. The title, ‘A Year of Living Simply’ and the subtitle, ‘The Joys of a Life Less Complicated’ are enough in themselves to pique my interest. I was already well-placed to love this book. I did like it. But I didn’t love it. And it didn’t deliver what I’d expected.

In her ‘note before we start’ Kate warns us that this is not a book about paucity and survival skills but, she says, “If you want still want to find a way to live more simply that is, perhaps, a bit more attainable, then you could pick up this book again.” This was my problem. There is a lot of interesting content in this book but Kate’s version of living more simply seems to assume an affluent standard of living which is not attainable for most of us. I certainly don’t begrudge Kate her lifestyle and I don’t doubt that they have both worked hard to acquire it. But a lifestyle that has provided her and her husband with a Waldenesque bolt hole in rural France; that has enabled her to sink significant sums into her efforts to establish a flourishing vegetable garden; a lifestyle which allowed her to enrol on an intern course learning how to build an earthship and fly to New Mexico to participate in it is not a lifestyle attainable by the majority of readers.

I admire Kate’s determination to explore ways of living more simply. And perhaps she is all the more authentic for being open in her access to a wide circle of helpful and learned mentors and to a lifestyle which enables her to finance her exploration of new ideas. I enjoyed her writing and the narrative. In many ways, I enjoyed the book. I just struggled to get past the notion that she is writing from a position of privilege which makes me sound uncomfortably pompous and politically correct. I’m sure Kate would take me to task, but there is an incongruity in a book about living more simply and jetting off to New Mexico and elsewhere in order to achieve it. Sorry, Kate!

Posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones. See links below

I've enjoyed reading "A year of living simply" by Kate Humble. I'm quite the minimalist and frugal where I can be myself and I love Kate's outlook on life and the experiences she herself has gone through to find a life living simply. An easy read, and would recommend for anyone wanting to know more and looking to live a more simpler life themselves.

The present conditions around the world have made us all step back, think of what makes us happy and try to achieve this state of mind. I enjoyed this book immensely! It was an easy read, full of information and thoughts. It was not a diary as the title suggests. I would recommend it to anyone, Kate’s writing style is very enjoyable.
Thank you to Netgalley, Octopus publishing and Kate for letting me read this book, in exchange for an honest review

In a world where we have a pandemic we have all had to think about what we want compared to what we need. This is an inspiring and uplifting read, perfect for the moment. The author’s quest for happiness and enjoyment on the environment around us is both beautiful and uplifting. I found the pace quite slow, in a good way, in that it was calming and got me to think about my own surroundings. A timely, restful read that gently encouraged me to refocus. It was something different and I loved it.

I enjoyed reading this book, however, I felt the name & the blurb were both very misleading.
What I expected was not what I got. The author enjoyed a break in a remote area of France, so much so, she bought a place there herself.
She wants to learn more about eco houses, so jets off to Mexico and Amsterdam.
Growing vegetables is a wonderful way to become self-sufficient, so hire someone to plant them for you.
This was not a year of living simply for Kate Humble, it was a year of spending lots to see how other people are living. While there is nothing wrong with doing this (though others may argue that) I feel that the message should be made clear before someone who wants to learn how live simply and save money buys the book under false expectation,

At the beginning of the book Kate recounts her favourite holiday in the South of France some years previous. In which she stayed in a log cabin with very basic facilities and no technology. Totally isolated, with time to walk, swim in the lake, read, sleep and eat delicious food collected from the local market. Kate begins to wonder what, if anything, she can do to make life simpler.

Kate raises several thought-provoking questions and challenges us to think about what are the simple things in life? There were a number of good quotes that I liked that I have highlighted to keep. This isn't the book for you if you're looking for a diary format of 'A year of Living Simply' that you can apply to your own life. It's not, as I was expecting, a week by week account of Kate's life in which she de-clutters her home, her job and her life.

If you're a fan of Kate Humble then buy this book as you will enjoy it. Kate's writing is open, honest and easy to read. You will learn more about Kate's 'off screen' country life. As a dog owner myself, I enjoyed reading Kate's country walks with her dogs. I totally identified with the simple pleasure of dog walking. Getting out in the fresh air, enjoying nature and giving yourself some space and a chance to unwind a busy mind. Now that's simple living.

Bliss I adore Kate Humble and would happily darn my socks do so my bit to con serve more of the beautiful world we inhabit. Can’t wait to see her record something to show us her garden and all the beautiful flowers and veg they have planted.

I gobbled this book up in just a couple of sittings. It was a wonderful mix of life stories, practical tips and inspiration and I lapped up every page.
I've vaguely followed Kate Humble over the years as I think that secretly I dream of upping sticks and moving to the country and having a smallholding. I value her honesty of not having got everything right and admitting when she hasn't been successful at something (breadmaking, for example!). I like her determination to give something a go.
I enjoyed hearing about projects that are ongoing both here in the UK as well as overseas.
The list of contacts and websites at the back is welcome as I was invisaging having to go back through the book to research further into things that caught my attention. This isn't that easy in an ebook, I find.
I'm thankful to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC to review.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A well written and soothing book that one can almost feel the narrating speaking to you personally.
A good read.

This was an easy read and very calming but it lacked substance for me.
I needed more and to be more impressed and interested for length of
Book.
For me it was like a nice quick read but just a bit too long

Read a few people being negative about this book, don't know why. It's a lovely book, very easy to read and such a warm loving message. Thank You.