BOOK REVIEW REASONS TO STAY ALIVE BY MATT HAIG

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FEEL TRULY ALIVE?

Aged 24, Matt Haig’s world caved in. He could see no way to go on living. This is the true story of how he came through crisis, triumphed over an illness that almost destroyed him and learned to live again.

A moving, funny and joyous exploration of how to live better, love better and feel more alive, Reasons to Stay Alive is more than a memoir. It is a book about making the most of your time on earth.

‘I wrote this book because the oldest clichés remain the truest. Time heals. The bottom of the valley never provides the clearest view. The tunnel does have light at the end of it, even if we haven’t been able to see it . . . Words, just sometimes, really can set you free.’

Right I need to find the words to express the importance of this book but in all honesty I think each reader will take away something different from it.

I have been very open and frank about my own experiences within mental illness in past and on going and have read lots of different books about it …but this beats them all .

Its concise ,frank ,honest and genuine .

I whizzed through it and it will be one I will turn to when I need it.

At the moment my family are in a bad place so again this really spoke to me .

There are quotes and words with such depth that will stay with me forever.

This is one of my favourite parts and literally made me smile both inside and out .

“Id always considered myself to be a person who liked books .But there is a difference between liking books and needing them.I needed books .”

As a huge bookworm and someone who does indeed cope with many of life’s battles by escaping within the pages of a good book this section just meant so much to me .

I think everyone will find snippets or paragraphs in this book that will speak to them .

Matt needs praise, respect and thanks for writing this sincere book not only for creating a great read but for breaking taboo and speaking out .

Together stigma can be broken .

Mental illness is tough but lets give more understanding and less ignorance .

I just loved this book and have huge admiration for Matt especially for surviving and telling his story .

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BOOK REVIEW MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES BY JASMINE WARGA

A brilliant and heartbreaking new novel for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park, about two strangers who want to die… and, in meeting each other, learn how to live.

I’m getting higher and higher and I feel the swing set creak.

‘Be careful,’ he says.

‘Why?’ I’m not thinking about being careful. I’m thinking about one last push, of letting go, of flying, and of falling.

‘You aren’t allowed to die without me,’ he whispers.

Aysel and Roman are practically strangers, but they’ve been drawn into an unthinkable partnership. In a month’s time, they plan to commit suicide – together.

Aysel knows why she wants to die: being the daughter of a murderer doesn’t equal normal, well-adjusted teenager. But she can’t figure out why handsome, popular Roman wants to end it all…and why he’s even more determined than she is.

With the deadline getting closer, something starts to grow between Aysel and Roman – a feeling she never thought she would experience. It seems there might be something to live for, after all – but is Aysel in so deep she can’t turn back?

I borrowed this from the library after having my eye on it for a while .

I whizzed through as it was written in easy to read chapters kind of in the form of a diary.

I loved it and everything it stood for .

Similarities will be made between this and all the bright places ,both powerful reads but this one I enjoyed more.

A great debut novel which deals with real life impacting issues that are happening all around us . This is breaking the taboo of mental health simply by writing about it and I thank the author for that .

This is sensitively written with the right amount of warmth and sincerity that makes it so easy to relate to .

I was impacted a lot from this book  and urge anyone to read this .

BOOK REVIEW ONE SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS BY LUCY DILLON

What can you do to make the world a better place?

Libby and her husband Jason have moved back to his hometown to turn the family B&B into a boutique hotel. They have left London behind and all the memories – good and bad – that went with it.

The injured woman Libby finds lying in the remote country road has lost her memory. She doesn’t know why she came to be there, and no one seems to be looking for her.

When Libby offers to take her in, this one small act of kindness sets in motion a chain of events that will change many people’s lives . . .

Firstly I adore Lucys books ,last year I read 100 pieces of me which was one of those books that you read at the right moment in your life and really speaks to you . So I was so excited to read her new book  which was purchased along with a few other great titles that were released .

In all of lucys books you will find at least one canine character to love and this book is no exception.They add that extra bit of warmth to her books that will make you fall in love even more .

This book has a mysterious storyline that will keep you second guessing and there’s also the story of hopes and dreams for the future which are coming at a big cost .

Lucy writes her characters with such warmth that you can relate to them and feel their pain and joy .We go on several personal journeys within this book and one big renovation .

I loved this book as it deals with real life issues but also as it feels you with warmth and courage as this is a story of survival and finding yourself.

Yet again this hit me at a personal level which simply adds to the enjoyment .

If you haven’t discovered her books then I urge you to add them to your wishlist !!!

A beautiful heatlifting read 🙂

BOOK REVIEW THE THIRD WIFE BY LISA JEWELL

You think you have the perfect life.

You’re successful. Attractive. Well liked.

And you’ve just got married for the third time.

But that’s OK because everyone’s happy. Your children are happy. You’re happy.

And so is your new wife…

London, 3am: a tragic accident, and Adrian’s life starts to fall apart

Because everyone has secrets and secrets have consequences.

Some of which can be devastating.

This was my second book read today for a readathon and I couldn’t put it down …its amazing .

The majority of this book is from a mans perspective and this made a refreshing change for me as a reader as it not somewhere we get to go very often …into the mind of the opposite sex especially about personal sensitive areas .

Lisa has a rather different way of writing ive discovered and that is what makes her books so addictive .

The book has layers and is like Pandora’s box the more we open the more we unveil and secrets are exposed .

The book is full of charactars due to the many marriages and children that Adrian has had .

At first we are led to believe the family works in harmony and is all happy and roses however this is not the case.

This book is filled with mystery and you have to keep reading to find out more .

You can tell that Lisa really studies other peoples behaviours and puts that across in her charactars as you can get a really strong sense of who that character is . Her writing is strong and clever and makes you relate to the book .

We begin to see what damage has been done to the characters and at what cost and its interesting again to see that realise in  a mans point of view .

I was hooked from start to finish and look forward to her next release !!

BOOK REVIEW WHEN WE WERE FRIENDS BY TINA SESKIS

The addictive new novel from Tina Seskis, author of One Step Too Far.

It had always been the six of us.

Since we met at university twenty-five years ago, we’d faced everything together. Break-ups and marriages, motherhood and death. We were closer than sisters; the edges of our lives bled into each other.

But that was before the night of the reunion. The night of exposed secrets and jagged accusations. The night when everything changed.

And then we were five.

I couldn’t wait to get this book and despite there being a delay in receiving a review I went and brought it .Today was a readathon so this was my first book of choice .I love the cover and sets the tense scene that we are soon to meet on the pages .

I had the pleasure of meeting tina last year and shortly after I read her debut novel one step too far which blew my mind !!!

This also added my interest in reading more from Tina who is a fantastic author in this genre .

For me this wasn’t as mind blowing as her debut and I did feel disappointed in some parts in particular the ending .

Nevertheless this still was addictive reading and was devoured in 2 hours .

I loved the concept and how it flipped from past to present .

It was packed with suspense and kept you second guessing as to who could be trusted . Its safe to say they are not much of a likeable bunch and you could feel the bitterness and resentment they held towards each other which made you intrigued as to what had happened ???

This is a story of trust or lack of ,friendships crumbling ,secrets and lies and what happens when all that is brought together one evening ?

The future is looking good for tina and her books ,she has the ability to capture the readers imagination and take you on a journey .

I wish her every success with this book and look forward to her next bestseller

BOOK REVIEW GIRLS ON TOUR BY NICOLA DOHERTY

Four girls. One year.

Five fabulous destinations.

Poppy is bound for Paris, the City of Love. Could this be her chance to end her epic dry spell?

Lily is en route to her cousin’s wedding in LA, where she’s willing to break a few rules to land her dream role.

Maggie can’t wait for her romantic ski holiday in Meribel – until it goes seriously off-piste.

Rachel packs for a glamorous Roman holiday, but a blast from the past is about to sabotage la dolce vita.

The girls get together and fly to Manhattan. But someone’s been hiding a big secret in the Big Apple…

Hilarious, romantic and unputdownable, Girls on Tour is an irresistible series of interlinked stories about four ordinary girls who have extraordinary fun in faraway places Follow them in an unforgettable year that includes breaking up, making up, new jobs and some big surprises …

Perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk’s I Heart … novels. Previously published as five e-novellas, now in one volume with fabulous brand new material.

Firstly thank you to Headline and Bookbridgr for sending me a copy to review.

The cover instantly has a summery feel good chick lit vibe.

I loved reading all the different stories that had initially been released as e -novellas and then how they all come together for the final story .

All the characters are fab and fun and all with their own great qualities . Poppy was my favourite and adored her French adventure .

This would make a perfect holiday read or just ticks the box for a ideal escape 🙂

Nicolas writing is witty fresh romantic and fun and think she will attract a lot of new readers with this release.

This book made me laugh and feel like I was one of the gang

BOOK REVIEW WILD AND FREE BY WENDY HOLDEN

Wild & Free is the festival du jour. Everyone piles through its gates – and Cupid lies in wait to sprinkle a little midsummer madness on them all.

Teacher Ginnie is desperate to forget her crush on headmaster Mark, and hopes glamping might do the trick. But Mark is also heading for Wild & Free to reform his college band … desperate not to be seen by anyone he knows.

Mark’s bandmate James dreams of a festival blow-out with his son, Guy … until his wife Victoria’s ambition kills the dream. Now she and Guy are en route to Wild & Free instead but when Guy meets Shanna-Mae and falls for her earthy charms, Victoria is determined to snap Cupid’s arrow.

Will the magic of the festival send them wild? Or set them free to find peace and love?

Firstly a big thank you to Headline and Bookbridgr for sending me a copy to review .

Its been a while since I have read one of wendys books but I remember loving what I had read.

Il be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect from this so It exceeded my expectations and I read it in one day.

There are a lot of characters which at first can be difficult to keep up ,on the whole I enjoyed reading all the different storylines except the one of the released prisoner as to me it felt disjointed and I believe the book would have been enough without them.

However I adored Ginnie and Mark and would have loved to have read more of their story.

I hadn’t read Gifted and talented which I believe is a kind of prequel to this book but  I don’t feel this affected my enjoyment in any way .

It has a real summery festival feel to it and I just got swept along with the words. Really enjoyable and entertaining read

Published 23rd april

BOOK REVIEW THE LIE BY C.L TAYLOR

This was no accident…

Haunting, compelling, this psychological thriller will have you hooked. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl and Daughter.

Best friends are there for each other through thick and thin. You trust them with your life. At least that’s what Emma, Daisy, Leanne and Al think. But all that changes when they embark on a trip of a lifetime together. When they return home, only two of them are left alive and the group has been torn apart by lies and deception.

Many years later, when the dust has settled and life has moved on, one girl receives a threatening letter. Someone knows the truth about what happened on that holiday and will stop at nothing  to expose it …

Firstly a big thank you to criminal minds on twitter for sending me a copy to review . I was so excited to receive this as I absolutely adored The accident which was released last year and was this authors first step  into the darker world of writing.

Its another  stunning cover which sets the scene of this psychological thriller .

Right I would like to start this review by saying I don’t feel I had the time to enjoy it to its potential due to every time I wen t to read something would happen or my eyes were heavy so I do think that affected my perspective on the book . With the Acident I had the oppornity to devour one sunny afternoon and I was hooked

It does make you question who you can trust in the book  when Emma starts to receive messages and strange things start happening  and I didn’t figure it out which is a sign its  been cleverly written .

It flips from present day to 5 years earlier when the event happened and theres a build up and you really get a insight into all the different characters and their relationship with Emma.

Its packed with secrets and suspense and covers a subject ive not read around that much so it was interesting and original .

It asks the question can we run away from the past when the past is chasing you ???

Who can emma trust and what old wounds are beginning to open ?

Cally is a fantastic and clever writer who does get under your skin in a menacing gripping way .

I wish her all the success with this book and roll on book 3 I say!

Published 23rd april

Book review Letters to the lost by Iona Grey

1943, in the ruins of Blitzed London…

Stella Thorne and Dan Rosinski meet by chance and fall in love by accident. Theirs is a reluctant, unstoppable affair in which all the odds are stacked against them: she is newly married, and he is an American bomber pilot whose chance of survival is just one in five…

He promised to love her forever

Sixty years later Dan makes one final attempt to find the girl he has never forgotten, and sends a letter to the house where they shared a brief yet perfect happiness. But Stella has gone, and the letter is opened by Jess, a young girl hiding from problems of her own. And as Jess reads Dan’s words, she is captivated by the story of a love affair that burned so bright and dimmed too soon. Can she help Dan find Stella before it is too late?

Now forever is finally running out.

A huge huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me this book to review .It is absolutely beautiful and incredible an I have had huge bags under my eyes as a result of reading this in one night.I literally could not stop reading.

This is written in a way that hooks you and transports you not only into the pages but into the era where half the book is set.I have a love for the second world war era and always have however some books can be hard to connect with .I was so attached to Stella its unreal and I smiled ,gasped and cried reading her story .

I adored the letters and the storyline is such a original clever one that this will be flying off the shelves when its released .

I feel honoured to have had the oppournity to have read it so early .

I could feel the pain and love these characters experienced .

Just a breath-taking work of literature that reminds you that romance does exist !

This is released 23rd April and I wish Iona every success with this book .

BOOK REVIEW ONLY EVER YOURS BY LOUISE O’NEILL

freida and isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the School, they expect to be selected as companions – wives to wealthy and powerful men.

The alternative – life as a concubine – is too horrible to contemplate.

But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty – her only asset – in peril.

And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive eager to choose a bride.

freida must fight for her future – even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known…

I finished this in the early hours of this morning and my mind was blown !

I was eager to read this book after hearing great reviews and even more after it won the YA book prize this year .

This is a clever dystopian masterpiece that took my breath away and made me think . I hated the character megan ,ultimate bitchy girl who wont stop till shes got what she wants .

The eves strive for perfection at whatever cost and makes for some eerie reading .

In todays society where theres so much pressure to look good Louise captures all that and magnifies by 100 to create this fantastic coming of age book .

Definitely food for thought and I recommend to teenage girls ,I will be passing on to Estelle .

I look forward to reading more from this writing genius .