Book thoughts: Say goodbye for now, by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

     It's the first day of the school holidays and Pete is off to the local lake to go fishing with his friend, when they come across an injured dog at the side of the road. Pete instantly feels compelled to help, but his friend does not, and so begins a journey that is about to change the lives of many. 

    Dr Lucy is a recluse, she keeps to herself, and has transferred her skills, into helping animals as well as people. She survives on an allowance from her ex, a little ingenuity and the odd, I'll ask no questions, so you tell no lies, patch up job, for those who've hurt themselves, doing the kind of Job, you don't want their to be records of. 

    Justin and Calvin are new to the neighbourhood. Calvin is working at the local plant in order to support his son, but this means, Justin has to keep himself occupied. When he see a boy pulling a little mini trailer with a rather large dog inside, his curiosity gets the better of him and they strike up a friendship in which the colour of Justin skin, becomes the catalyst for disaster. 

    On finishing this book, I just sat there for a moment, trying to process not only what I had read, but all the emotions that were flying around inside me. 

    The sadness and heartache faced by each of these characters, is devastating and I was so angry at a world that had made them have to suffer this way. 

    But of course we never learn. We continue to discriminate in different ways, never learning from the past, and atrocious crimes have been carried out all over the world, due simply to peoples differences. 

    In this book Catherine captures the horror and emotions behind these types of events perfectly and shows how much worse things were back in the 50's and 60's in America, compared with today. 

    Her characters are incredibly well developed and believable and as a result, I found myself deeply absorbed in their story and longing for everything to work out alright for all of them. 

   She takes you into a world of pain, hate, anger, fear and reminds us that no matter how much hatred  there is in the world, there are always pockets of kindness too.

    I loved this book from the very first page to the very last. And few books are able to effect me as deeply as this one did.  I would definitely be interested in reading more by this author in the future. 

    If you would like to check out the blurb or grab a copy for yourself, you can do so by clicking here, It's available in a whole host of formats, and if you have kindle unlimited, you can read this one for free. (Note this was the case at the posting of this blog post and may have change since) 

Book thoughts: When I ran away by Ilona Bannister.

    

     Harry enters Gigi's life just as it's about to shatter, like the twin towers that have just been hit and are soon to fall. Fleeing from the devastation, only brief acquaintances, Gigi takes Harry to her home, to her brash mother and kind father, and comforts them all as they discover that Gigi's brother was in those towers and didn't make it out alive. 

    11 years later, a chance encounter brings Gigi and Harry together again and sparks instantly fly, but life is complicated. Gigi is raising someone else's child, and living in a run down apartment, struggling to make ends meet, while Harry is a wealthy business man with a pretty girlfriend, who makes Gigi look a right mess, but to Harry none of that matters. 

    Soon Gigi's whole life has changed, her and Johnny are moving to England, to live with Harry, who she married in a hurry and suddenly they have money, a beautiful home and another baby on the way, but is it enough? 

    This is a beautiful, raw, heart breaking, emotional rollercoaster of a book. That deals with the difficult subject of postnatal depressing in a way that is astounding. I heart bled for Gigi, as she flees her family and desperately tries to wrestle with her emotions. 

    How she deals with the people around her and their responses and expectancies of her as a mother, their judgements and attempts to prove their own worth as mothers. It shows how often, instead of lifting each other up as women should, we often shoot each other down in order to justify our own choices and actions. 

    This book is deep, raw and for anyone who has suffered any kind of depression, PTSD or Anxiety, it is incredibly enlightening. Because it shows that you are not alone, that others feel this way too, and that life is tough. 

    Ilona has an amazing talent with words and it is as if she has cracked open the thought patterns of those struggling in this life and emptied them out onto the page in a beautiful way, that will make you cry, cringe, laugh and long for her characters and connect you to the story in away that other books cannot. 

    I cannot recommend this book enough, especially for any of you out there who have struggled, whether mothers or not. And I also recommend it for everyone else too. So they can be enlightened as to the struggles others face with their mental health. Something everyone needs to learn more about, so that the world can become a more compassionate place. 

    As always a bit thank you to NetGalley, Ilona Bannister and her publishers for allowing me to read this one for free in exchange for an honest review. 

    If you are interested in reading the blurb or pre-order a copy for yourself you can do so buy clicking here. The release date for this one is the 4th of March 2021 and it is definitely worth the wait. It's available as a paperback, hard back, ebook and audio book, so what ever your preference they have it. 

love and hugs all 

Joss xx 

Book thoughts: The stranger times by C.K. McDonnell.

 

When Hannah finds herself almost penniless in Manchester, and in desperate need of a job, she unwittingly finds herself thrust into the crazy world of the strangers times newspaper. Her new boss an eccentric and incredibly moody Irish man, quickly has her doubting her choices. But desperate times call for desperate measures and at this point, what has she got to lose. 

This book is full of vivid and exciting characters and will keep you laughing from the very first page, to the very last. 

McDonnell is a talented writer, who has a knack for keeping you intrigued, and a very unique and wonderful writing style. 

I've not come across his books before but would certainly be interested in reading more of his books in the future. 

As always a big thank you to NetGalley, C.K. McDonnell and his publisher, for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 

If you would like to know more you can read the blurb and pre-order a copy of your  very own by clicking here. This book will be released on January 14th 2021. And is currently available in ebook, audio and hardback formats. 

Book thoughts: Silent night by Nell Pattison.

    Paige Northwood, works as a freelance sign language interpreter. Having learned to sign as a child in order to communicate with her deaf family, Paige loves her work, but when she finds herself interpreting for the police, in the investigation of a missing deaf boy, and a murdered head teacher, she finds herself buried in a silent web of lies, deception and deceit so deep, she isn't sure they can ever get to the bottom of it. But with a child's life at stake, and the potential for more children to be harmed, Paige knows that the truth must be pulled from the silence. 

    This is a gripping read, with an interesting take on your typical crime/mystery/thriller book. Paige is an engaging and intriguing character who is easy to like, and relate to. She cares deeply and try's not to jump to conclusions. Their are a lot of different characters in this book though and that sometimes made it hard for me to keep track and I often muddled them up. Although with my Crohn's disease turning my brain to mush, it's not that hard for me to get muddled.

     There was some clever misdirection in play with this book, which meant I was pretty much left guessing till the very end. Which is always a good thing in these types of book. 

    And despite my struggled to keep the characters all straight in my head, I did really enjoy this one, and am very grateful to NetGalley, Nell Pattison and her publisher, for allowing me to read a copy of this great book, for free in return for and honest review. It has been an absolute pleasure. 

    If you interested in reading the blurb or getting your own copy of this great book, you can do so by Clicking here. It's currently available  as a paperback, eBook and audio book. And at the time of publishing was on offer, in Kindle format for just 99p so if you want a kind copy, go grab yours quick. 

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. 

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. 

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...?

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 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. 

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. 

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.

Book thoughts: They lady of the cliffs by Rebecca Knightlinger

Blurb: Cornwall, 1285 CE

Now nearly seventeen, Megge and Brighida must endure another brutal loss. And as they perform the rites of transition that precede a burial, Megge accepts a daunting new charge that carries consequences not even her cousin the seer can predict. It brings visions. Dreams. And voices that come to her as she goes about her work.

A silken voice beckons her back to the cliffs of Kernow, which she has seen only in dreams. A commanding voice orders her back. And the menacing voice she’s heard since she was a girl is now ever at her ear, bringing a haunting new meaning to her grandmother’s words, “You’re never alone.”

But only when the tales of an old woman, a stranger to Bury Down, echo those voices and conjure those cliffs does Megge embark on a journey that leads to a secluded cove they call The Sorrows and a destiny none of the women of Bury Down could have foreseen.

My thoughts: another audio book here, again from NetGalley, but I just couldn’t get on with this one I found the narrators voice grating and just couldn’t get into it at all. And found myself forcing myself to keep listening. This one was not for me, I’m afraid. There was just to much to take in and my brain at the minute isn’t working at it’s best because of my Chemo. The writer does have a talent for writing that was clear and so I would say If the blurb sound like your sort of thing give it a go. But for me it just wasn’t working. 

Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to listen in exchange for an honest review. 

Book thoughts: All your little lies by Marianne Holmes

Blurb: When everything you say is a lie, can you even remember the truth?

Annie lives a quiet, contained, content life. She goes to work. She meets her friend. She’s kind ofin a relationship. She’s happy. Not lonely at all.

If only more people could see how friendly she is — how eager to help and please. Then she could tick “Full Happy Life” off her list. But no one sees that side of Annie, and she can’t understand why.

That all changes the night Chloe Hills disappears. And Annie is the last person to see her.

This is her chance to prove to everybody that she’s worth something. That is, until she becomes a suspect.

My thoughts: The first thing that really stood out to me about this book was the main character Annie, she’s so awkward and tragic. It’s like she has no filter, stuff just comes out and is often taken the wrong way and you find yourself constantly imploring her to just, stop talking. 

Her best friend Lauren isn’t much of a friend either. It feels like she simply tolerates Annie, either out of a sense of duty or pity. And Annie is strange there is no denying that, but it’s baffling at first, like okay she constantly puts her foot in it and says the strangest things at times and comes across as quite awkward but there is more too it than that, people seem to be naturally repelled by her and very quickly. And you feel sorry for her and want to know why as you can’t quite pinpoint it yourself. So that alone could keep you reading but also the flow of the story is nice, it’s gentle and steady, but intriguing, and you know there is more going on than meets the eye, not just with Annie as she is now, but something in her past too. The way her mother is with her, and perhaps Lauren too, and you wonder, what do they know, that I don’t yet? It’s very well done though, subtle and clever.

This is an intriguing and clever story and kept me hooked throughout. I definitely recommend it. 

Thanks to NetGalley , Marianne Holmes and her publisher for allowing me to read this one for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Book thoughts: Skunk and Badger, by Amy Timberlake.

 

The blurb: Wallace and Gromit meets Winnie-the-Pooh in a fresh take on a classic odd-couple friendship, from Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake with full-color and black-and-white illustrations throughout by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen.

No one wants a skunk.

They are unwelcome on front stoops. They should not linger in Important Rock Rooms. Skunks should never, ever be allowed to move in. But Skunk is Badger's new roommate, and there is nothing Badger can do about it.

When Skunk plows into Badge's life, everything Badger knows is upended. Tails are flipped. The wrong animal is sprayed. And why-oh-why are there so many chickens?

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake spins the first tale in a series about two opposites who need to be friends.

Skunk and Badger is an audiobook you'll want to listen to again and again.

My thoughts: This one is a bit different from my norm, as Kye and I listened to the audio book version of it. It;'s tells the tale of two very different stories forced to live together, and shows that friendships can blossom in the most unlikely places. 

The narrator was very animated and added in the voices for the animals, which my son loved, as most kids would, I found it a little grating at times, but it could get very loud and anyone who knows me knows I like peace and quiet. 

Which is why I related to badger best, while Kye, typical kid, preferred Skunk and all his mayhem. It's a great little book for teaching kids about differences and compromise though and It had Kye laughing throughout. So I do think it's a book/audio book that most kids would enjoy, and as that is the intended market. I give this one 5 stars. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy TImberlake, and her publishers for allowing us a free recording of this, in exchange for an honest review. 

Book thoughts: They skylark’s secret by Fiona Valpy

The blurb: 

Loch Ewe, 1940. When gamekeeper’s daughter Flora’s remote highland village finds itself the base for the Royal Navy’s Arctic convoys, life in her close-knit community changes forever. In defiance of his disapproving father, the laird’s son falls in love with Flora, and as tensions build in their disrupted home, any chance of their happiness seems doomed.

Decades later, Flora’s daughter, singer Lexie Gordon, is forced to return to the village and to the tiny cottage where she grew up. Having long ago escaped to the bright lights of the West End, London still never truly felt like home. Now back, with a daughter of her own, Lexie learns that her mother—and the hostile-seeming village itself—have long been hiding secrets that make her question everything she thought she knew.

As she pieces together the fragments of her parents’ story, Lexie discovers the courageous, devastating sacrifices made in her name. It’s too late to rekindle her relationship with her mother, but can Lexie find it in her heart to forgive the past, to grieve for all that’s lost, and finally find her place in the world?

My thoughts: I read one of Fiona’s books fairly recently, The dressmakers gift’s. It seems Fiona’s style is to start slow and gently ease you into her fictional world. A little too slow for me in my present mood. 

There is no denying that Fiona is a very talented writer, and normally I would love reading her books, but at present due to how tired I am most of the time because of my Crohn's if the book isn't fast paced with lots going on, my thoughts tend to start drifting. 

As with the dressmakers gift this is a book I would want to go back and reread when I am a little more with it. 

This book tells the story of Lexi, in the 1970's and her mother back in the 1940's. Lexi is trying to learn more about her father, a subject her mother was always somewhat reluctant to discuss. When her mother passes away, she  returns to her childhood home, with her child and finding herself in a similar situation to her mother, sets out to find out the truth about her fathers side of the family, But it's no easy task, as she finds it difficult to get her mothers two best friends to open up. 

So the story jumps between Lexi's life and her mothers, and in her mothers we slowly began to hear Flora's story, while poor Lexi still remains oblivious. 

It's an interesting read, with a lot of great historical information. The second world war is clearly a subject Fiona is very knowledgeable about. 

I think she is definitely an author that it is worth giving a try, and I apologise for not being able to give the book the attention it deserves at present but I will go back and reread once, my head is in a better place. Sadly, I'm not sure when that will be at the moment, due to the Chemo, and as always apologies for any error I might have made I sometimes get names and words muddled these days. 

Thank you to Netgalley, FIona Valpy and her publishers for allowing me the change to read and advance copy. And I promise I will reread at some point and rereview, when my head is in a better place. 

That said I did find the story very relaxing, and interesting. So it is indeed worth a read.