Book thoughts: The Proctor Hall Horror by Bill Thompson.

     Dr Julian Girard, likes to put his students to the test, and each year he assigns them a project, on which they must work as a team, to research and evaluate  something from South Louisiana history.

    This year he is certain that he has picked the perfect team of four, to tackle his favourite topic, The Proctor Hall Horror. 

    In 1963, at a plantation house, in South Louisiana,  a teenage boy was found, sitting on the stairs of his home, covered in blood. 

    On further investigation, his parents and sister were found dead, but propped up on the sofa as if they were waiting for someone, however, it was instantly apparent, that they were no longer living, as their heads, were no longer attached to their bodies, but instead, sat upon the mantle, like ghoulish ornaments.  

    There son, Noah,  a mute was believed to be the culprit, but was never convicted, nor did he go to trial as he was deemed insane and unfit for trial. Instead he was lucked up in an asylum, until years later when he was deemed to be no fret to himself or others, released and returned to his old home, to live with the caretakers, who now resided there and had known him all his life. 

    but the Mystery didn't end there. Years later a young girl vanishes in a storm, her boat found docked in front of Proctor hall, and an item that belonged to her, found discarded by it's door. Again Noah is accused, but when no other evidence is found, he walks yet again. 

    Determined to succeed in their project and win the notoriously difficult to get A, from their professor, Marisol, April, Micheal and Andy have no idea what they are getting themselves into, and their not alone in wanting to learn the truth about Proctor Hall, a whole host of other interesting characters are about to enter their lives and the Bayou's of Louisiana and not all of them will escape with their lives. 

    There are a lot of great twists and turns in this book, and plenty of surprises. It's tense and interesting and I won't lie it had me pretty hooked. However, as with a lot of horror books there are a few things that are a little far fetch, that April, suddenly happens to be clairvoyant and never bothered to mention it before, was one of them. I'll admit, that had me rolling my eyes. That things were able to occur with everyone so close and them not hear it, again doubtful, especially when you discover what actually caused those things to happen. You also don't get to really bond with the characters and connect with any of them, but it's not the longest novel in the world and their are an awful lot of characters, and that didn't really effect my enjoyment of the book, as there was so much going on to keep me engrossed and sucked in. And realistically this is a horror, it's job isn't to give you characters that you bond with, it's to keep you on the edge of your seat, get your hairs standing on edge and maybe have you freaked out about going to the bathroom on your own. And this one did a pretty good job of that, I wasn't at any point really scared but I was hooked and intrigued and desperate to find out more and that's good enough for me. So despite the odd unbelievable moments I think I am still gonna give this a pretty decent 4 out of 5. Because I did enjoy it and I'd definitely be interested in reading more by this author in the future.  

    A big thanks to NetGalley, Bill Thompson and his publishers, for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review. 

    If you'd like to check out the blurb or by your own copy you can do so by clicking here. It's already been released and is available in paperback and kindle format, and if your lucky enough to have kindle unlimited, you can read it for free too. (Please bare in mind this information was correct when the blog was published but may have changed since.)

    Well love and hugs all and if you read it, please let me know what you thought in the comments. Because sharing is caring and when it comes to books, sharing is also super fun. 

Book thoughts: The Burning Girls C.J Tudor

 

    Jack Brook, is a city based vicar who is forced to move to the countryside with her Daughter, for her job. As soon as she arrives at her new home strange things start to occur, including a young girl running into the church yard covered in blood. 

    This one just all felt a bit too far fetched for me, I didn't related to the characters and found I had to force myself to pick it up and keep going. 

    It's also very graphic, more so than I felt it needed to be. I mean a one point you have a man in very graphic detail, trying to force another to give him head. It made my stomach turn, I won't lie. Maybe it's more to do with abuse I suffered as a child, but I don't feel books need to be this graphic there are ways to say it without having to be so detailed. 

    I know a lot of people love C.J. Tudor books, and so I can't say don't read it, it was terrible, I wouldn't say that about any book, because after all we are all different. But this one definitely wasn't for me. 

    As always thank you to NetGalley, the author and her publisher for allowing me to read this one ahead of its released. Apologies for not enjoying it. 

    But if you would like to read the blurb, or give it ago, you can do so by clicking here. The Burning Girls released on the 21st of January 2021 and is available in all formats, including audio. 

Week in review.

 

    First of all let me apologise for missing last weeks, week in review. I am attempting to make up for it by posting this one a little earlier. Not that there is a whole lot to report, due to lockdown. But of course I did have the new higher dose of infliximab in full. That was interesting! 

   

 Now when you have infliximab two nurses have to be present as they read out the medication you are having so they say your name, followed by the drug and then I guess the serial number or something on the box. Most people were having 2 to 4 bottles of infliximab infused. But when they came to read out mine, there were 18!! Even though they have said I was on a high dose from the start and then a really high dose when they doubled that, before doubling it a second time, I don't think I fully realised how high until that moment as I sat there cringing at every new bottle they read out. And saw more and more heads turning in my direction. My fellow Crohnnies, shocked by the seemingly never ending number of bottles, about to be pumped into my veins. 

    Dan try's to make light of it, and says that I am winning the Chemo top trumps, but it doesn't feel like the sort of thing you want to win at. 

    Oh and how rough did I look after! I was so tired and my brain was like mush, it just didn't want to function and both Dan and Sam kept telling me to speak up, even though I didn't realise I was speaking that quietly. 

    And then what felt like the walk of shame, and with a bloody audience too. My weak kneed wobbly shuffle between car and house, clinging to a zimmer frame, desperate to get out of sight as quickly as possible, while across the street, our neighbours watched on, along with a pack of window fitters, there to replace their windows and god knows what else. I was mortified. And in my rush to get out of sight, I forget the simple instructions on the use of said zimmer frame. And instead of moving the frame, getting it set steady on the floor and taking my step, I tried to move the frame and step at the same time, which meant the frame wasn't doing much to steady me, and I was making things harder, instead of easier, but I just couldn't think what I was doing wrong, why it wasn't working, why I was finding it so hard, all I could think was I need to get in that door and out of sight as quickly as possible. 

    Things didn't get any better once I got inside and tried to make my way to the toilet either. I just seemed stuck in panic mode, and I was burning out fast. By some miracle I made it to the bathroom adn then to the living room, but I was done in. 

    It's stupid, I know, to feel ashamed of something you have no control over, but I do! I hate that this drug can make me so weak and wobbly and that I need to use a walking frame to get around after having an infusion, but I do. 

    Thankfully, I did eventually remember how to use the frame properly and once I did it did help, but I won't lie, I was relieved when by the next day I was feeling steady enough on my feet to ditch it. 

    And that is the plus point in all of this, the more of these infusions I have the quicker I seem to recover. Although whether it is actually working now, this higher dose, I don't know and won't know until my course of steroids comes to and end. 

    Tomorrow, I get the joy of a pip assessment, I hate pip assessments, I wish they would go back to the old system, but it is what it is. 

    Most of the week again has been spent minecrafting. We've build some interesting little mushroom houses, and some fantasy style treehouses. And Dan has just started working on the chateau from escape to the chateau, we love that program. Do you watch it? With Dick and Angel. 

    I changed my profile picture on a lot of my different sites too. To one of my wearing my new wig, I think it actually looks quite nice now. What do you think? 

    And I have been trying to think what I can do for Crohn's and colitis awareness week, which I believe is the first week of December but I am drawing a blank!

    Kye is still being difficult on and off at the moment, I've been trying to get him doing his schoolwork again to try and bring a bit of structure back to him days, but it can be a bit hit and miss. And I've been letting him spend more time on minecraft than I probably should, simply because it's easier, because he tends to behave when he gets to be on there. And with all that's been going on especially these agonising stress migraines I keep getting, I'm way to keen for anything that means I get a peaceful life. 

    Well that's pretty much it for now. All that remains is to ask, how are you coping with lockdown? What do you think of this new tier system, and do you have any nice plans, for the end of lockdown? 

love and hugs all 

Joss xx 

Book thoughts: Girl in the walls, by A.J. Gnuse.

    When Elise's parents die, she suddenly find herself all alone in the world. Transported by officers to a foster home far away from all she knows and loves, but closer to some family members, she barely knows, she decides to take matters into her own hands and flee. 

    Lost and alone she heads for the only place that ever felt like home, somewhere that holds the most memories of those she loved most. The home she grew up in. 

    But a new family lives there now, the ones who brought it after he family sold it, for somewhere smaller. But Elise doesn't care, she has to be their and she knows it better than anyone else, all it's hidden spaces, secret nooks and the gaps between the walls. 

    

    Girl in the walls is an enthralling tale, heart breaking, yet charming. The characters are well developed and interesting and Elise's character is explored so deeply, her emotions, her thoughts and it's wonderful. 

    

    The only thing I didn't like with this book is that it would suddenly ramble of topic, into a lot of description intended to set the scene and help you place yourself there, and at times that was great, at others I found it just rambled a bit too much and I would become distracted and start to lose the flow and my absorption in the book and grow bored. 

 That said, it is just a minor irritant and the story itself is lovely and definitely worth a read. There are lots of tense moments, that keep you locked to your seat, desperately needing to know what's going to happen next. 

    And you really feel for Elise and the boys of the house too. A lovely book and something a bit different, which is always nice. 

    Again thank you to NetGalley, A.J. Gnuse and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I've really enjoyed it and think I might need to grab myself a physical copy for my bookshelves. 

If you'd like to read the blurb or pre-order your own copy you can do so by clicking here. It's currently available for Pre-order  as a hardbook, or ebook. And will officially release on March 18th 2021. Happy reading. 

Book thought's: What my husband did, by Kerry Wilkinson

 

    Maddie's life is idyllic, she lives on the outskirts of a beautiful village with her husband Richard, in a comfortable home, has a daughter, Kylie off at collage, and a quiet peaceful life. 

    But that all changes when a her friends husband knocks on her door, late one night, with his dog by his side and tell her he's found a body in the river, not far from her door, and he needs her to call the police. 

    The body, is that of twelve year old Alice, and the last person known to have seen her that night, turns out to be Maddie's husband Richard, who never returned home from a trip out to visit a friend. 

    When Richards car is found abandoned and tucked away, as if purposefully hidden, with Alice's headband dropped beside it's wheel, Maddie is left reeling. Did her husband have a part in all this? Soon the man she thought she knew so well, begins to unravel before her eyes. 

    This is a gripping well written book, that keeps you guessing and is easy to lose yourself in. I know I spent half the night absorbed by it, fighting to keep my eye's open so I could read, just one more chapter, and then grabbed it up again as soon as I woke. 

    The characters are well developed and believable and the small village dynamics are eerily accurate, and I should know, I live in a village just like it. 

    I loved Maddie and really felt for her as her whole life unravels around her, and the village she had once been so involved with begins to turn its back on her. 

    You can feel her heartbreak and anguish radiating from the page and I longed to dive in and hug her close and give her the support she was so seriously lacking. 

    Kerry is a master with words and writes in a simple style that is easy to sink into and lose yourself within the story, I love it when a writer can do this. 

    I am so grateful to NetGalley, Kerry Wilkinson and his publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review and I will definitely be reading more books by this author.  

    If you would like to know more about this book you can check out the blurb and get yourself a copy by clicking here.

    The book, is currently available in the following formats: Kindle, paperback and Audio. 

News in review.

    A news in review, with a difference, for you this time. Instead of something recent we are going back in time to a new report from March 2009, because it's something I think you'll find interesting. 

    So this is the story of  the mysterious serial killer know as "The woman without a face." Now, what's so interesting about this woman is that she had police all across Europe looking for her, for 15 years, in connection with at least 6 brutal murders and a string of break ins. 

    Her DNA was found in connection with over 40 different cases, but that was the only clue to her involvement, that she ever left behind. 

    The first DNA found, connect to "the woman without a face" was in May 1993, on a teacup, at the home of a 62 year old German woman who had been strangled with a length of wire, that had originally been used to hold together a bunch of flowers. 

    And from that day on the same female DNA kept recurring at different crimes scenes all over Germany and Europe. 

    The police were baffled and started to DNA test over 3,000 homeless women, who were drug users and had a record of serious crime. But they were never able to find a DNA match. 

    When in 2007, a German police woman was shot dead in her BMW patrol car, and again, the DNA of "the woman without a face" was found to be present at the scene, they must have become even more infuriated at their inability to locate her. 

    They even put up a 3 million Euro reward, for anyone who could give them information that might lead to her arrest. Along with this they claimed that the reason the woman left no other traces of her presence beyond her DNA, was that she wore gloves. 

    But then after 15 years of searching, with her DNA continuing to turn up at a multitude of crime scenes, something very odd happened. 

    Police in France, on taking a swab from the charred remains of a male asylum seeker in an attempt to determine his identification, again found the DNA of "the woman without a face." 

    This instantly raised the suspicion, that the DNA that had been being found all over Europe at multiple crime scenes, was not DNA at the scene but DNA that had already been present on the swab. 

    German police who had been leading the hunt said "They had probably been involved in one of the longest and most perplexing wild goose chases in criminal history." With police spokesman Josef Schneider  admitting "This is a very embarrassing story."

    Now police investigators have established that the DNA had probably not been left by their quarry but by a German woman working for the German medical company, supply the swabs, who had inadvertently contaminated them. 

    Police have now launched an investigation into the methods used to produce the cotton swabs, in an attempt to establish, exactly how they became contaminated. 

    Can you imagine the frustration the police must have felt, who were involved in this case. All these years trying to catch "the woman with out a face" only to discover she was nothing more than a German factory working, just going about her job. 

    Having to revisit all those cases too. To try and uncover new evidence, after most of it has no doubt been destroyed or contaminated, over time. 

    We can laugh about their blunder, but the reality is, this blunter probably left to a lot of bad people continuing to roam freely and able to repeat their crimes again and again while the police were sent on a wild goose chase. 

    What do you think about this blunder? Are you as shocked as I was at how long it took for them to realise their mistake? feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below. 

love and hugs all 

Joss xx

 

Book review: Seven Perfect Things by Catherine Ryan Hyde

    When Abby see's a man, heaving a squirming sack into a river, she doesn't even hesitate and jumps straight in after it. Inside are seven perfect pups, and they are about to change her whole life. 

    Elliot, having just lost his wife, decides to head to his cabin, where he hopes to hide from his grief, instead he finds that his cabin has been broken into, and the robbers seem to have left behind seven little pups. 

    Mary, is tired of her life, and of having to sneak around and lie, just to meet her friend. When her daughter Guides her to Elliot, she realises something needs to change, but just when she is getting ready to make that change, Stan, her emotionally and verbally abusive husbands steps in and messes everything up. 

    

    This heartwarming tale, deals with love, loss, abusive relationships and happiness in a well written and thoughtful way. I grew attached to Abby, Elliot and Mary very quickly as well as all the puppies, of course and found the dialogue to be well written and believable 

    

    It's a book that gets you thinking too and has you longing to read more. 

    

    Elliot was my favourite character, he was so thoughtful and well rounded. And I could see why both Abby and Mary found him easy to talk to. I really enjoyed it when he sat talking with Abby, or Mary, he just had such a wonderful way of looking at things and explaining them. 

    This is one of those books that makes you think about life, about people and personalities as well as the choices we make, and I really developed a strong attachment to the main characters and wanted things to work out for them. 

    The only thing I disliked about the book, was that it ended. I would have loved to have been able to follow the characters throughout the rest of their lives and their families lives and well you get the picture. 

    This book was a pleasure to read and I am so grateful to NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Hyde and her publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. 

    If you'd like to know more about the book you can read the blub and pre-order your copy by clicking here. It's available for pre-order in the following formats: Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audio. And will release on the 4th of May 2021. 

    I've already pre-ordered my paperback! Hay, if I love a book I need a copy for my physical shelfs as well as my kindle shelf. 

 

Book thoughts: The Haunting of Beatrix Green episode 1, by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, & Vicky Alvear Schecter

     Beatrix is a spiritual medium without all the flare, so when James comes along in search of the real deal, he believes Beatrix is it and persuades her to come to a manner to test her skills. But Beatrix doesn't trust James, he has a reputation for discrediting mediums and proving them to be frauds and Beatrix is no different, she doesn't even believe in ghosts. 

    But none the less Beatrix goes along, and both James and Beatrix, along with some friends they roped in to join them, get more than they bargained for. 

    At the start of this book I felt the premise was good. And the plot clever, but sadly the writing was not. I struggled to stay focused on the story and got tired of having to use my kindle to look up the meanings of words along the way. Which was disappointing as it started well. Maybe it is the jumble of so many authors, I don't know, but there was no real flow to it. And it had a habit of rambling on a fair bit. 

I don't like how it is laid out in episodes, or how it jumps between characters, retelling part of what you had already read but from the new characters point of view,  I felt that Beatrix admitted to her lack of abilities way to easily too. 

overall I just couldn't get on with this one and so it gets 1 start and even that is being generous to be honest. 

Thank you to Netgalley, the 3 authors and Publisher for allowing me a free copy, this book really just wasn't for me, but good luck with this and your future releases. 

Book thoughts: The Titanic sisters, by Patricia Falvey

 

    Set between Donegal, Ireland and America, The Titanic sisters, is the story of two very different girls, Nora and Delia Sweeney.  

    Raised on a farm, Nora was adored by her mother and spoiled beyond belief, while Delia was shunned, and accused of being a changeling, of whom no good would come.  

      So when the opportunity to head for America arises, Delia is convinced that she'll  be left behind, while her sister heads out for adventure, but her father has other ideas, and steps in, securing Delia a place alongside her sister on the ill fated Titanic. 

    When the Titanic sinks beneath the waves, Delia is left alone and afraid. Certain that her sister is dead, she stumbles into her shoes, taking her name, in order to escape the life of drudgery as a maid, that her father had arrange for her, and instead taking up the position of governess, for the now motherless Lily. 

    There's just one problem, Nora isn't dead, but when she comes around after her ordeal, her memory is a blank and she has no idea who she is, or where she came from. 

    I was drawn into this book by the Titanic, but held there by the intriguing story, captivating writing style and wonderful characters. 

    Patricia Falvey has a talent for creating captivating storylines and believable characters, that are easy to relate to and grow attached too. 

    Her descriptions, or the places and experiences the girls encounter, make you feel as if you can step through the pages and actually be their alongside them, seeing it all first hand. 

    I laughed, cried and exclaimed over the girls plights, successes and adventures and longed for everything to come good, for them both. 

    This is a story that will captivate you and keep you turning the pages, and longing for it never to end. 

    The only thing I did not like about this book, was that it ended. I wanted to stay a part of their world forever. 

    Thank you to Netgalley, Patricia Falvey and her publisher for allowing me to read this wonderful book for free. I'll certainly be looking for more books by this author in the future. 

If you would like to know more about The Titanic sisters, or get a copy for yourself, you can find by clicking here. When this blog was written it was avaliable in paperback, ebook and audiobook formats. And the current Kindle price was just 99p. 

Here is the official Blurb: One journey will change their lives forever

__________________________________

To follow her dreams, she must sacrifice everything...

Sisters Nora and Delia have been given the chance of a lifetime - to escape their poor Irish farm and travel on the Titanic to a new life in America. Nora is to become a treasured governess for a rich family, while Delia has only a lowly maid's position.

But when disaster strikes, and Nora dies, a small misunderstanding leads to Delia taking Nora's place as governess. As Delia grows closer to her charge, and the girl's father, will she be able to reveal the truth to find a chance at happiness? And what will happen when she finds out that Nora is actually alive, and coming to take what is rightfully hers...?

My week in review.

 

    Another week in lockdown and this one has ended with a few less than pleasant surprises, but I'll get to them in a little while. 

    Kye and I have spent most of the week Minecrafting, after he begged me to see if Minecraft would run on my new laptop and we discovered that not only did it work, but it worked even better than it used to on my old laptop. 

    We just started a new world as I hadn't transferred our big town we've been creating since 2015 across to the new laptop yet. Although I did do that today and carried on building some of the little statics, in the little elderly community I started on there a little while back. 

    His behaviour had improved a lot too, although it seems to have started spiralling again, over the last few days. 

    We also started a new course together, Kye likes it when we do courses together and are learning at the same time, this one is a forensic psychology course and is proving quite interesting so far. 

    We get to solve a real life crime, using only forensic psychology. Which Kye was really excited about. 

    Friday I got a text from the doctors telling me they had appointments for Saturday available for the Flu jab. The hospital had told me that I should get it, but a lot of people with Crohn's and who are on the biologicals say they haven't and have been fine so I was kind of thinking I would give it a miss. I mean I have been stuck with so many needles since getting diagnosed, I figured I could do without another, especially as a lot of people felt it wasn't even necessary.  

    Sadly, Dan, Sam and my mum disagreed and talked me into booking an appointment and so Saturday I went to the local sugary on got stabbed. It was fine though, didn't hurt and bonus I was able to walk in, stand for the jab, and walk out again with no back pain. The infliximab has definitely been helping my back. 

    Okay, so it's still not perfect and I still can't stay up for too long, but I'm managing to do so for much longer now that I have been able to do in a long time and it was so nice to get to feel a little more normal for a change and not have to have someone push me around in my wheelchair. 

    Then today we received some bad news, someone that Dan works with has tested positive for covid. It's gotten so bad in our area, Bude, the town closest too us now has the highest rates in Cornwall. 

    Anywho, Dan rung the testing people but they said he couldn't have a test unless he was showing symptoms, which seems a bit odd, surely by then you might have passed it on to lots of other people. And of course I have my infusion Tuesday. Am I still safe to go? Well I tried ringing the IBD team and my head nurse but none of them work weekends and the hospital and testing people didn't see too know either. I left a message with My head nurse though, so hopefully she'll get back to me tomorrow. 

    Dan has now been furloughed from work for a week, whether that will be extended later on I honestly don't know, as no one seems to be really sure what to do at the moment. 

    so watch this space. 

    I hope you are all well and staying safe, in this strange times. Let me know what you've been up to in the comments. 

    Love and hugs all

    Joss xxx 

Book thoughts:: The stranger in my bed by Karen King

  

     Freya thought she had found the man of her dreams, romantic, kind. But as soon as they were married everything changed and Phil showed his true colours, lashing out at her violently on multiple occasion. But just as Freya is at her breaking point, and ready to leave, Phil has a terrible car accident, and when he comes around can not remember the last to years of their life together, conveniently everything since the honeymoon. 

    This writer can clearly write, her words flow well but this genre doesn't seem like her natural stomping ground. within about five minutes of starting to read I pretty much had the whole story sussed out, and spent most of my time reading waiting for the twist that said, oh no your wrong, duped you. But it never came. 

    Instead it rambles on, very slowly and very repetitively.  And I failed to connect with any of the characters. All I wanted was for it to end. 

    Best I can give this one is 2 stars. It's so frustrating though, because I feel like this person can write, just not a Thriller, she seems more like a chick lit type of writer, or a romance at a push perhaps a cosy mystery. 

    As always thank you to NetGalley, Karen King and her publisher for allowing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

    If you'd like to know more about the book, or to pre-order a copy, you can do so by clicking here. It's available in Paperback, ebook and audio book formats. And releases on the 23rd of November 2020.

book thoughts: Staying home by Joshua Burleson

 

A sweet story aimed at helping children understand the current pandemic and the importance of staying home and social distancing. 

Told in a fun way, that shows an opportunity for children to be hero's too. The story is beautifully illustrated, I especially loved the naughty bear with his trolley full of toilet roll. 

A definite 5 star, great for young children, who are feeling a little confused by all the new rules. 

A big thank you to Netgalley, Joshua Burleson and his publisher for allowing me to read this sweet book for free. 

If you would like to know more about this book and be able to get a copy for a child in your life. Continue reading. 

The blurb: When a virus sweeps the land, a family of magical deer must use social distancing to combat the dangerous invader. Are they up to the task?

Enter the magical world of Heartwood, where children's book animals meet medieval, high fantasy. Willow, the eldest daughter, wants to prove she's ready to be a guardian like her parents but is still too young to start her training. When a pandemic strikes the kingdom, the family must come together and find a way to fight back against the virus. Can Willow take on the responsibility of social distancing and prove she's ready to take her place as a guardian?

• Introduces children ages 6-10 to the joys of high fantasy and an open invitation to their imagination.
• Promotes families to work together during difficult times.
• Inspires children to take on personal responsibility and take pride in helping their community.
• Provides a constructive place to discuss fears and concerns about social distancing and the effects of a virus on our community.
• Makes an ideal gift for children who are stuck inside while social distancing.

To get your copy, in either paperback or ebook click here!

Book thought's: Shelter by Catherine Jinks

 

    Meg knows what it is like to have a difficult partner. Keith may not have been physically violent, but his mind games and manipulation were just as damaging to Meg's mental wellbeing. 

    Leaving him had been hard, especially with her daughter Emily to consider. But she'd done it, and stayed strong, even though Keith continued to play his mind games, but it was to little to late, and her daughter, as soon as she was grown, took off to England, in an attempt to get as far away from both her parents as possible. 

    Regretting not getting her child away from Keith sooner, Meg decides to help another women to escape her abusive husband, getting involved in an organisation, that helps women to escape, when the courts fail them. 

    With her isolated home, aptly named "The bolt hole" she's in the perfect location to hide away a mother and her children. But her attempts to help, don't go quite how she imagined.

    Nerine and her two children, Analiese and Collette are naturally anxious and afraid, but nothing Meg does or says, can convince Nerine that she's safe, and that no one can find her here. 

    But when strange things start to happen around her home, like strange footprints in the dirt, and tunes being played on her windchimes, Meg is left feeling confused, is Nerine correct, has her husband found her, or is it Meg's old husband, up to his tricks again? 

    This was an interesting read, with well developed characters and a surprising plot. I adored Meg, who was kind, thoughtful and surprisingly strong, given the mental abuse she had suffered from her husband. 

    Analiese, the older of Nerine's children, broke my heart, and Collette the younger was adorable, and although decidedly oblivious to most of what was going on around her, as most young children are, still showed cleverly crafted signs, that her past had left scars. 

    But this is not a straightforward story, there are some incredibly twists, and turns. And quite a few heart stopping moments, that keep you glued to the pages. 

    The only thing I wasn't overly keen on with this book, was the cover. The little shack and spooky atmosphere, did draw me in, but I just felt that it could have been done a little bit better, and that it's unpolished look might put some people off. 

    That doesn't effect the rating though and I'd give this book a solid 5 out of  5, as Catherine's writing style is lovely and flows well. Which means you can really lose yourself in the story. She also seems to have a good grasp of human emotions and this really shone through. 

    I'd definitely be interested in reading more by this Author, in the future. And am grateful to NetGalley, Catherine Jinks and her publisher, for allowing me to read, Shelter for free, in exchange for an honest review. 

    If you would like to know more about Shelter,  or pre-order your copy, here's the official blurb followed to a link for purchase: 

Meg lives alone: a little place in the bush outside town. A perfect place to hide. That’s one of the reasons she offers to shelter Nerine, who’s escaping a violent ex. The other is that Meg knows what it’s like to live with an abusive partner.

Nerine is jumpy and her two little girls are frightened. It tells Meg all she needs to know where they’ve come from, and she’s not all that surprised when Nerine asks her to get hold of a gun. But she knows it’s unnecessary. They’re safe now.

Then she starts to wonder about some little things. A disturbed flyscreen. A tune playing on her windchimes. Has Nerine’s ex tracked them down? Has Meg’s husband turned up to torment her some more?

By the time she finds out, it’ll be too late to do anything but run for her life. 

To pre-order a copy of Shelter, click here. It's release day is the 5th of January 2021 and at the time of writing this review, it seems to only be available as an ebook. 

love and hugs all

Joss xx

    

Book thoughts: her sister’s child by Alison James

Blurb: She rolls over and reaches for her instinctively: her baby. Her hand hits air and flaps redundantly. She stumbles out of bed and switches on the light. But this only confirms it. The baby is gone. Someone has taken her.

Sixteen years ago, Lizzie Armitage woke to find her newborn baby gone. Just days later, Lizzie was dead.

Her sister Paula swore she would do everything she could to find the child. If she hadn’t promised to keep Lizzie's pregnancy secret, maybe the baby wouldn’t have disappeared. And maybe Lizzie would still be alive. But, in nearly a decade, Paula’s never found any trace. Until now…

When Paula bumps into an old friend from the past, she realises she wasn’t the only one who knew about her sister’s child. Someone knows what happened that day. Someone knows where Lizzie’s baby went.

But can Paula find out the truth before another family is ripped apart?

A twisty, unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you hooked until the last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Friend Request and The Girl on the Train will love Her Sister’s Child.

My thoughts: what a great book. The characters are well developed and you really feel for them. I even found myself feeling for Marian. It's a sad story that at times has your heart in your throat, the plot is great, although I never did quite figure out why Johnny was quite so keen to help. I may have missed something though, I'm good at that.  I mean I suppose it could just be his nature as he does pop up a lot in Paula's younger years to offer her assistance. 

It's a clever plot though with some good twists and turns, and this is definitely an author that I'll be looking out for in the future. 

Big thanks to NetGalley, Alison James and her publisher for allowing me to read and advanced copy in return for an honest review. 

My week in review

It's that time again. But with lockdown there is not a whole lot to talk about. I got my new laptop, it was very nice but I quickly noticed there was an issue with where the wire connects to the laptop so had to contact the man I got it from. He was so good he came out that night to collect it, saw the issue and as he had another of the same make, spec and design swapped them over and delivered the new one back then next day. So I've been setting two laptops up, since Friday. lol there was no point him transferring everything over as I backed it all up and didn't have much on their yet anyway. 

I'm really happy with it though, types nice, is in good nick and looks nice. I am so glad I went to him for help because trying to find one myself online was a nightmare, I had no idea what I was looking for or if any of the ones I was looking for would do what I wanted. 

Why don't they say, this will run basic programs, let you watch netflix blah blah blah, or this will play games such as blah blah blah, instead of all the spec shit that us mere mortals cannot understand. 

Any who, all sorted now and Martin's in Bude / Redsmart computers are a wonderful company that go above and beyond for their customers. 

What else happened? I got a new penpal, she seems really nice and I'm excited to get to know her better. 

My crohn's awareness masks finally came, and so did my woollen winter headband, with buttons for you to hook your face mask too. This is really riveting stuff isn't it. 

I mean it's lockdown so there isn't a whole lot going on. I've played a bit of minecraft, read and generally been bored and fed up lol. 

I hope things have been a little more interesting for you. 

love and hugs all Joss xx

 

News in review

So I’ve been seeing this lady all over Facebook for the last couple of days. Essentially, bitching that she was forced to cover up by an airline hostess on her flight. And expressing how embarrassed and offended she was by this. 

Which to be honest I don't buy. First of all their was a similar case to this not that long ago. And like this one it was all over social media. Secondly this lady was trying really hard to make sure she mentioned her Instagram account as much as possible. 

And finally, she went to the papers, with it. I'm sorry if you were that horrified by the situation, the last thing you would want to do is relive it again, so that it can be spread all over the news and social media. 

But, what I found most shocking about the whole thing, is that this woman had her child with her. Why would anyone subject their kid to this? Because lets face it, what she was wearing, really wasn't appropriate. 

When I was a kid I would have been mortified to see my mother dressed like this. Especially when the way she is dressed, is drawing a lot of negative attention. This kid is going to be picked on mercilessly for this at school. And all for the sake of his mother getting a few more followers on Instagram. 

What happened to self respect ladies? leaving something to the imagination? flaunting what you've got in a more classy way? I don't get this need to mutilate your bodies and then bare all, for a few extra likes. 

And what message is it sending to young girls? We're essentially making them feel as if they are not good enough in their natural bodies. Making them believe they have to get boob jobs and butt implants and god knows what else, in order to be seen as beautiful. 

I think it's devastating and completely unrealistic. Have you seen the shape of some of these women, and they didn't achieve that naturally. Big butts rarely come with thin waists and big boobs, naturally. 

Oh and the claim this woman made too. It's not my fault I have big boobs. Well if you hadn't had a boob job it wouldn't be, but she's clearly had one and as someone who has naturally big boobs, which I don't see as a blessing but a curse, I can honestly say that I have never had a problem getting clothes that cover them up. Thank god! because no one needs to be seeing that shit, they'd be traumatised for life. 

And am I alone in thinking that she just looks trashy? Why would anyone want to do that to themselves? I just don't get it. 

If she wants to wear something like that at the beach, I mean I still don't get it, but fine, whatever, but it’s not flight attire and she knows it. 

And at no point do you see her, actually, wearing her face mask correctly either. Which just shows her lack of intelligence. If all her other choices hadn't already made that clear. 

I think we really have to ask ourselves, what the world is coming to, when we are making people like this famous, even if it is just Instagram famous. Surely, there are better people that we can promote, and encourage our kids to look at as worthy role models. 

Fire fighters, doctors, nurses, care workers, people doing something good for humanity, regular people and not a load of superficial, plastic people, who are about as far from real as it is possible to get. 

I don't have any daughters and women like this sometimes makes me glad of that, but for those of you who do, surely you want better for your kids than this. 

I have so much respect for young girls, when faced with all this managed to love themselves for who they are and not buy into it. It can't be easy in this day and age. 

What do you  think? feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Love and hugs all 

Joss xx 

Book thoughts: The girl she wanted by K.L. Slater

 

Blurb: What was my sister doing standing over Florence’s cot in the middle of the night?

I trust my sister Carrie with my daughter’s life.

But then she’s accused of a terrible crime.

Carrie lives under our roof, she pushes my daughter on the swings, she takes her out for ice cream.

She swears she’s innocent, but can I believe her?

I must put my darling Florence first. But I can’t just throw my sister out.

She knows something about me that nobody else does.

A completely gripping rollercoaster of a read about the darkness families hide behind closed doors. Fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be hooked on The Girl She Wanted.

My thoughts: As psychological thrillers go, this one is a nice easy read. Some, can be very fast paced, but this one gently eases you into the story, slowly unfurling, in a tantalizing way, that keeps you absorbed. The characters are well developed and believable, and I really liked Alexa, even if, at first she does come across as timid and a little nieve, she developed well through the story, slowly growing in strength, in a way that was easy to relate too. And K.L Slater keeps you guessing with some clever twists and crafty plotting.  

A great read and a big thank you to NetGalley, K.L. Slater and her publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this wonderful book for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Author Sam Hepburn

 A little something different for you today. Now a couple of weeks ago, I read a book complements of NetGalley that I absolutely loved. Called, Gone before, by Sam Hepburn. Sam was an unknown to me at that time, I had never read anything by here before, but this book was amazing. 

Now, I am normally pretty good at guessing what's coming, but with Gone before, I honestly had no idea. And it had me hooked from start to finish because of thing. 

As soon as I finished it, I knew I needed more, so I rushed out and brought another two book by Sam Hepburn. Her perfect life and If you were me. Both of which I have now read and let me tell you, they were amazing too. 

Sam has a really amazing talent. She writes books that suck you in and leave you praying for peace, so you can just sit and devour them all in one shot. 

Sadly, we rarely get to do that, especially in this house, but still, I was able to get through them pretty quick. 

Her characters are not only believable but you care about them, you're rooting for them and her style of writing just sucks you right in and keeps you reading on. So because of this, and because she is now one of my fav authors I wanted to share her with you guys, so that you can enjoy her books too. 

So below, I will share some of her books, along with there blubs, and if they sound like your sort of thing, why not hop over to Amazon or where ever it is you like to buy your books and give her a try. I believes she also writes children's under another name, it's Sam something, but if you visit her website, you should be able to find out. 

Blub: A brilliantly twisty psychological thriller for fans of I LET YOU GO and BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

How far would you go to create the perfect life?

Gracie Dwyer has it all: the handsome husband, the adorable child, the beautiful home and the glittering career. The perfect life.

Her new friend Juliet doesn't exactly fit in. She's a down-on-her-luck single parent with no money and not much hope.

So just what is it that draws Gracie and Juliet together? And when the cracks start to appear in Gracie's perfect life, can both of them survive?

Blurb: Joe's mum is dead. Killed in a hit-and-run car crash, along with someone he's never heard of. Angry and alone, Joe takes his dog for a late night walk. He finds himself at the gates of an empty mansion: a house of glass belonging to an old movie star. And it's here that Joe unlocks the dangerous mystery of what happened that night...

blurb: Not long after Aliya's family escapes Afghanistan for Britain, her brother is accused of a bomb attack. Aliya is sure of his innocence, but when plumber's son Dan finds a gun in their bathroom, what's she to think? Dan has his own reasons for staying silent: he's worried the gun might have something to do with his dad. Thrown together by chance, they set out to uncover a tangled and twisted truth.

Blurb: My name is Phoebe Locklear. I think I’m your daughter.’

I rehearse the words as I walk up the path, clutching a faded old photograph of a little girl with thick dark hair.

When I knock, the door opens, and there she is: the woman I believe is my mother. The woman whose five-year-old daughter disappeared fifteen years ago.

Had I known what would happen next, would I have knocked on that door? Would I take back the lives I’ve destroyed?

But now that I’ve started, there’s no going back. I can’t stop until I find out who I really am.

Even if the truth could kill me.

Addictive, nail-biting and utterly unputdownable, Gone Before asks what happens when your whole life turns out to be a lie. Perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, Gone Girl and The Silent Patient.

Book thoughts: Mother by Laura Jarratt

Blurb: Two Girls. One Chance.

When Lizzie's car crashes with her two daughters inside, she faces a terrible choice. And when she recovers from her injuries, she has to deal with the impact of that tragedy as well as the police investigation into it.

As Lizzie and her family struggle to come to terms with the events of that night, things take an even darker turn. Just what did happen on that remote country road? Who is responsible? And can the family get through this together...Or will the truth finally tear them apart?

my thoughts:  So this is the Story of Lizzie and her family. Lizzie goes away with her children, alone, as her husband Dan has to work.

On the return journey,  as her two daughters sleep, she spots strange lights that look as if they are in the trees, but she can’t be sure, as the road in her location is very twisty. 

Suddenly bright white lights are coming right for her and she tries to swerve out of the way. And in the process her windscreen is smashed out and she finds herself bumping down through the woods and the trees at a frightening pace, unable to get her breaks to work.

She hears her eldest daughter scream, feels the car flip, and then the car, with them inside, crashes down into the water and rabidly begins to sink. 

Suddenly Lizzie is faced with a terrible choice, freeing herself from her seatbelt and swimming into the back of the car which is already underwater, she is forced to make a choice, or which daughter to save. They are both unconscious, neither able to free themselves and she has just second to choose, or she will lose them both. 

Can you imagine how awful that would be? The agony of that moment, of making a choice like that? She makes her choice, get the daughter she choose to the shore and preforms CPR. Once her daughter is breathing, she hurry’s back to the water, knowing it is hopeless,  knowing it is too late but having to try.

Laura, writes this difficult scene beautifully and has you on the edge of your seat as you wait to see the outcome. 

Who will she choose? Will she be able to get back to the other child? While worrying to about the child she has left on shore. Cold and alone. Might she still loose them both? Or will she die trying to save them? 

This is a heartbreaking look at grief and family. Laura shows, how we all deal with grief differently, in this accurate and at times devastating plot.

She builds characters that are perfectly in-perfect, and full of depth. That pull you into the story and make you bleed with them. 

There are plenty of twist too, to keep you hooked.

An amazing author with an amazing talent and I will definitely be reading more by her in the future. 

A big thank you to NetGalley, Laura Jarratt and her publishers for allowing me to read this book for free, in exchange for an honest review. It has been an absolutely pleasure.