BOOK REVIEW PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG BY ANNE BLACKMAN

An explosive, fast-paced thriller set in Nazi Germany, perfect for readers who enjoyed THE BOOK THIEF.’It’s terrifying and incredible to think how much of this story is true’ Elizabeth Wein, author of CODE NAME VERITY.

Gretchen Muller has, as best she can, dealt with the horrors of her family’s past. Her father, a senior Nazi officer, died to save the life of their leader, Adolf Hitler. And now Germany has the chance to be great once more. Swept up in the excitement and passion of life in Munich in 1931, seventeen-year-old Gretchen has embraced the life laid out for her by that leader, her ‘Uncle Dolf’.

But the secrets of the past cannot be silenced forever. When Gretchen receives a letter from an anonymous sender claiming to have more information about her father’s death, she becomes swept up in a desperate and dangerous search for the truth. With the full might of the ever-powerful Nazi party on her tail, it is a race that will risk everything she has and change her life forever

Thank you to bookbridgr for sending me a copy to review, admittly quite a while ago! It has been on my shelf for some  time ,however today with it being the school hols and we had nowhere to be I sat and devoured this .

Why didn’t I read it sooner ??

Its brilliant ,historic,fast paced and action packed and I couldn’t put it down.

I have always had a interest in the history surrounding the second world war and how the Jews were treated so this really touched me .

It was a odd experience reading a description of Hitler from a young girl who was very fond of him and admired him …well to begin with .

This gives great insight into the world at that time and was very interesting .

It focused on hitlers past and the way his mind worked rather than the awful things he done but then there is a sequel so that could change . Not to say that made me feel different about him but its always beneficial to see different perspectives and as someone who psychology it was interesting to get a insight.

This is a heart-warming sensitive story of a young girl who sees beyond the title of  a jew and sees the person .

A really enjoyable read and I look forward to the sequel out next year .

BOOK REVIEW GONE BY REBECCA MUDDIMAN

250,000 people go missing in the UK every year.

91% of those reported to police are found within 48 hours.

99% of cases are solved within a year.

And 1% stay gone.

Troubled teenager Emma Thorley vanished without a trace eleven years ago.

But now a body has been found…

As news of the discovery travels, the past comes back to haunt all those involved, from the police to Emma’s friends and enemies.

Because some secrets cannot be buried for ever…and some dangers never go away

A big thank you to Bookbridgr for sending me a copy to review .It really caught my attention with the cover and blurb .

I must admit maybe reading this in the lull of xmas when my brain is not at its peak probably affected my reading experience of this book .At times I found it hard to keep up with the narrative and what year it was as it did switch at random parts ,.

However I did enjoy this and id say halfway it really picked up speed and got me hooked .

I didn’t see the twist 100% but knew all wasn’t what it seemed .

It was a dark read and certainly showed the darker side of kids growing up which as a mum is tough to read .

I didn’t really connect with any characters but I could pick up and relate in some way to one characters fear .

I stayed up late to finish this as needed to know the truth .

Published 15th January

BOOK REVIEW THE LIARS CHAIR BY REBECCA WHITNEY

Rachel Teller and her husband David appear happy, prosperous and fulfilled. The big house, the successful business . . . They have everything.

However, control, not love, fuels their relationship and David has no idea his wife indulges in drunken indiscretions. When Rachel kills a man in a hit and run, the meticulously maintained veneer over their life begins to crack.

Destroying all evidence of the accident, David insists they continue as normal. Rachel though is racked with guilt and as her behaviour becomes increasingly self-destructive she not only inflames David’s darker side, but also uncovers her own long-suppressed memories of shame. Can Rachel confront her past and atone for her terrible crime? Not if her husband has anything to do with it . . .

A startling, dark and audacious novel set in and around the Brighton streets, The Liar’s Chair will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page has been turned. A stunning psychological portrait of a woman in a toxic marriage, Rebecca Whitney’s debut will show that sometimes the darkest shadow holds the truth you have been hiding from . . .

*Perfect for fans of Louise Doughty’s Apple Tree Yard*

A big thank you to Alison at Transworld books who sent me this to review and I received on Christmas eve and I started and finished on Christmas eve ,was a nice gift to me .

Firstly the cover is striking and one of those you find yourself looking at a lot .

I was hooked instantly .

This book doesn’t make for pleasant reading so be warned ,its uncomfortable and quite grim in some places.

Its chilling and dark .The writing was brilliant in that you could feel the tension in the room within the characters .

Its disturbing and gets under your skin and the husband is really controlling . The characters are no very high morale nice people but they make for great reading !!

There are some great psychological thrillers coming in 2015 and ive been very lucky to review some .They certainly will distract you from that depressing month of January but don’t read if you want a happy ever after .

Im surprised this is a debut novel ,the writing is brilliant and original .

Publsihed on 15th January 2015

BOOK REVIEW NOW THAT IVE FOUND YOU BY CIARA GERAGHTY

Vinnie is an ordinary man. Ellen is an ordinary woman.

Ellen is unable to move on after a terrible accident that left her mentally and physically scarred.

Taxi driver Vinnie is struggling to cope with bringing up two children on his own.

Everyone deserves to find that one person who’s meant for them, don’t they?

Fall in love with the story of Vinnie and Ellen. Because ordinary lives can be extraordinary

Thank you to Bookbridgr for sending me a review copy,its always great to be able to read authors ive yet to discover.

This book deals with sensitive subjects and is handled really well and especially as most is in a mans narrative .

It was interesting for me as a single mum to get inside a single dads mind and see his take on things such as love loss and how to raise teenage girls!! He was quite inspiring I must admit

Theres a great variety of characters all with their own story to bring .

I really enjoyed this heartwarming book which is a tale of love grief and getting on with or lives .

The main thing I felt from this book was that its ok to allow yourself to be happy despite your past .

Published on 15th January

defeated

I have gone to blog a few times in the last few days bt not got past first sentence .

I am feeling absolutely awful ,I could easily go sit in garden and cry till teheres no tears left.

I feel like a shit person in every way as a mum ,a sister ,a friend…I suck basically .

Guilt is running through me about so much and do you know what im tired …tired of life and fighting and coping and being strong.

Christmas can just fuck off tbh I cba be assed with it now after last few days yet I was feeling fine about it .

This is whats happening

1. I have mental illess which always flares up with birthdays and  xmas for various reasons

2.Estelle isn’t here so my children are separated for first time at xmas

3.lynx cant handle school hols and I feel like ive gone back to the summer hols and all our good work and what hes achieved has been lost

4.theres endless days and build up to xmas and endless days after

5.family!!!!!!!!!!!

Everything feels grey and I feel defeated with it all.

I planned on having a very quiet xmas with lynx and lazy days etc and so far that hasn’t happened and ive had to dela with stuff I didn’t really want to deal with.

I feel under pressure ,lost and isolated . Im exhausted as single mum and carer to lynx ,toight he whacked me in nose not for fisrt time and I lost it as im fed up of having it happen then he was crying .So I feel guilty ,hes missing his sister and im snapping at him.

Mental illness is awful and ruins things .

im writing this crying .

This is nt how I expected my Christmas hols to be ,life has been so busy I was looking forward to the break but then often when u have time to think it causes problems.

There is so much pressure from society to have this happy Christmas but for many it can trigger so much and highlight a lt that you don’t have .

So this is why ive had erratic tweets ,im sure I have bipolar and my moods scare me but doc don’t take me serious .

Over the last year I have pushed everyone away as I have no idea how to have a normal relationship with anyone .I have huge rejection issues and low self esteem and don’t think im worth much .I focus on the kids and that’s that.

Anyway wishing anyone who reads this a merry chistmas x

2015 reading challenge

This one I have seen flating about on twitter and has caught my eye so as well as good reads and various read athons im giving this a go.

BOOK REVIEW THE VINTAGE TEACUP CLUB BY VANESSA GREENE

At a car boot sale in Sussex, three very different women meet and fall for the same vintage teaset. They decide to share it – and form a friendship that changes their lives . . .

Jenny can’t wait to marry Dan. Then, after years of silence, she hears from the woman who could shatter her dreams.

Maggie has put her broken heart behind her and is gearing up for the biggest event of her career – until she’s forced to confront the past once more.

Alison seems to have it all: married to her childhood sweetheart, with two gorgeous daughters. But as tensions mount, she is pushed to breaking point.

Dealing with friendship and families, relationships and careers, highs and lows, The Vintage Teacup Club is heart-warming storytelling at its very best.

I had been eying vanessas books up for a while as they are so pretty so when I saw this in my library I grabbed it.

I couldnt put it down,had a very late night reading .

Heatwarming and a lovely story about love,loss and friendship.

Each of the ladies were great characters all with their own stores to tell.

I could really relate to jenny who hadn’t had a mum In her life .

This really grabbed my attention and I loved every word .

I cant wait to read her other books now!

BOOK REVIEW I’LL TAKE NEW YORK BY MIRANDA DICKINSON

Have you ever given up on love?

When her boyfriend lets her down for the last time, Brooklyn bookshop owner Bea James makes a decision – no more. No more men, no more heartbreak, and no more pain.

Psychiatrist Jake Steinmann is making a new start too, leaving his broken marriage behind in San Francisco. From now on there’ll just be one love in his life: New York.

At a party where they seem to be the only two singletons, Bea and Jake meet, and decide there’s just one thing for it. They will make a pact: no more relationships.

But the city has other plans . . .

I love this book ,I had bags today as was reading till silly o clock ! Miranda is a magical writer and within a few pages you are enchanted and transported into another world.

I read and loved  take a look at me now last year which was the first of hers I had read and it really touched me and remember being filled with hope and warmth .This new book is no exception with the added bonus of feeling that romance and love can come looking for you.

Everything about this book was great from the characters ,the location and even where Bea worked .

Bea and Jake are great and I did find myself thinking just kiss will you!!!

The added extracts of letters and emails from Beas grandma really gave it extra touch .

This warmed my heart and soul today …I commend you and you are a inspiring lady Miranda 🙂

BOOK REVIEW AFTER THE STORM BY JANE LYTHELL

Some secrets destroy you.

Rob and Anna have only just met Owen and Kim. Now they’ve boarded their handsome old boat to travel to a far off island in the Caribbean.

With only the four of them on board, it should be paradise: lazy afternoons spent snorkelling; long nights enjoying the silence and solitude of the sea.

But why does Owen never sleep? Why is he so secretive about his past? And why does Kim keep a knife zipped into her money-belt? Anna can usually get people to talk… but this time, does she want to ?

Firstly a huge thank you to Becci at Head of zeus for sending me a copy to review .I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely jane at a author event and then I read her debut novel the lie of you which I devoured and loved !!

Therefore I was eager to read her new book.

The cover is striking and so is the descriptive of the setting of the book . Jane has a way of capturing the essence of the characters and the location that makes you transported there .

This is a very tense edgy book ,you can feel it in your body as you turn the pages.You do feel like you are  waiting for something to happen as theres such a atmospheric build up .

The relationships between the 4 ‘friends’ ,we shall use that term loosely are like a rollercoaster with highs and lows and they not knowing where the stand with each other . It had a sense  of big brother to it at how the dynamics can change in such a short time!

We can tell quite early on that owen has a secret and he makes for addictive but often uncomfortable reading .

I did often find myself getting confused with the narrative and at first the characters were getting mixed u in my head but once I realised the flow of the book I was fine .

I didn’t like kim and I don’t think I would have liked to have lived in quite close proximity to her on a boat!! Jane asked me who my favourite character was and it varied from Anna to Rob.Rob seemed a laid back person someone you  could easily get along with and Anna obviously had a kind heart and was a caring person .

Through Janes fantastic writing I had clear images of the characters in my head and did feel I was there on the boat and on the island.

I think shes able to attract a variety of readers with what her books are offering .

This is definitely  going to kick start the new year in the bookshops .

A exotic ,adventurous ,thrilling exciting read riddled with secrets an mystery .

Published 7th januray in paperback and available as e book now .

BOUT OF BOOKS 12 SIGN UP

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 5th and runs through Sunday, January 11th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 12 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

I am signing up again !! what a great way to start 2015