BOOK REVIEW ALMOST LOVE BY LOUISE O’NEILL

When Sarah falls for Matthew, she falls hard.

So it doesn’t matter that he’s twenty years older. That he sees her only in secret. That, slowly but surely, she’s sacrificing everything else in her life to be with him.

Sarah’s friends are worried. Her father can’t understand how she could allow herself to be used like this. And she’s on the verge of losing her job.

But Sarah can’t help it. She is addicted to being desired by Matthew.

And love is supposed to hurt.

Isn’t it?

I pre-ordered this from Waterstones and recieved days before its publication date which is tomorrow 1st march .

Im a huge fan of Louises young adult books which are unique hard hitting and so needed in todays society .

Almost love takes Louise writing into the genre of adult fiction which i can only guarantee more readers !

This is a accurate dark real representation of love and the ugly side of it .

This makes you feel all those intense emotions involved with love. You can feel the oppression and suffocation.

Sarah is not a easy charactar to connect with but in a way that makes her more relatable because she is human and makes mistakes !

I think majority of us have been in sarahs shoes so though we may feel frustated at her choices … we can understand !

Original concept great charactars that are there for sarah in hard times . My favourite was her dad who just wanted her to be happy and have a good meal insude her .

This is a excellent read and i wish her every success with it.

BOOK REVIEW THE BAD MOTHER BY AMANDA BROOKE

That’s what he wants you to think…

A good mother doesn’t forget things.

A good mother isn’t a danger to herself.

A good mother isn’t a danger to her baby.

You want to be the good mother you dreamed you could be.

But you’re not. You’re the bad mother you were destined to become.

At least, that what he wants you to believe…

Spoilers!!!

Firstly i want to thank Amanda for writing this book ,for giving victims a voice.

This could have been my story because i experienced this for a long time…

I was lucy … a victim .

I had to write a heartfelt honest review for this because this had a huge impact on me !

Had to write a spoiler warning so dont read on if not read the book .

I dont do spoilers but i cant read a book which so expertly describes my experience and not name it.

Gaslighting….. do you know what it is?

It is a type of psychological abuse in which the abuser denies the victims reality

Well its abuse just as much as physical and name calling. And it is damaging !!

I do believe people are starting to recognise the different forms of domestic abuse . It is important to see it portrayed in books and tv/film.

I left my husband 10 years ago and i was treated awfully and the scars are still there .

Amanda has written this accurately and sensitively.

Its also very realistic because when you are in that relationship you don’t see the trurh right in front of you.

I have enjoyed all of Amanda’s books which all deal wth hard issues .

BOOK REVIEW SUNFLOWERS IN FEBRUARY BY PHYLLIDA SHRIMPTON

Lily wakes up one crisp Sunday morning on the side of the road.
She has no idea how she got there. It is all very peaceful. And very beautiful. It is only when the police car, and then the ambulance, arrive and she sees her own body that she realises that she is in fact . . . dead.

But what is she supposed do now?
Lily has no option but to follow her body and sees her family – her parents and her twin brother – start falling apart. And then her twin brother Ben gives her a once in a deathtime opportunity – to use his own body for a while. But will Lily give Ben his body back? She is beginning to have a rather good time .

Firstly a big thank you to Tina at hot key books for my beautiful shiny copy whuch certainly brightens up the cold February days.

This book is perfect for fans of John green.

Thought provoking and heartwarming this is a book about love loss life and death and all the messy bits in between .

Captures the emotions surronding bereavement and grief beautifully.

Full of warmth and humour .

I really enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to reading more from this author .

Pubished 8th February

BOOK REVIEW ANYTHING YOU DO SAY BY GILLIAN MCALLISTER

It’s the end of the night. You’re walking home on your own.

Then you hear the sound every woman dreads. Footsteps. Behind you. Getting faster.

You’re sure it’s him – the man from the bar who wouldn’t leave you alone.

You make a snap decision. You turn. You push. Your pursuer tumbles down the steps. He lies motionless, face-down on the floor.

Now what?

Call 999
Wait for the police to arrive. For judgement, for justice, whatever that may be. You just hope your husband, family and friends, everyone you love, will stand by you.

OR:

Run
Stay silent. You didn’t mean to do it. You were scared, you panicked. And no one saw. No one will ever know. If you leave now. If you keep quiet. For ever.

Which will it be?

I picked this up in Sainsbury’s this morning and knew within a few pages I was reading a winner.

Hours later and a long bath my mind is blown…this book is incredible!!

Read it!! Plus saying it right now this has tv /film written all over it .

This is a book that will make you question not only the situation, the characters actions but also yourself??

What would you do ?

Life is a result of choices we make and this book realistically and scarily represents this .

I was so embedded in Joannas life even I was feeling guilty and anxious !

This is Gillians second novel and while I enjoyed her debut…this is something else .

I cannot wait to read more from her and I wish her every success .

Addictive ,compelling and extremely thought provoking .

BOOK REVIEW THE COLLECTOR BY FIONA CUMMINS

The Collector by Fiona Cummins is the gripping sequel to Rattle.

Jakey escaped with his life and moved to a new town. His rescue was a miracle but his parents know that the Collector is still out there, watching, waiting…

Clara, the girl he left behind, is clinging to the hope that someone will come and save her.

Life has fallen apart for Clara’s mother as she starts to lose hope.

The Bone Collector has a new apprentice to take over his family’s legacy. But he can’t forget the boy who got away and the detective who had destroyed his dreams.

Detective Etta Fitzroy’s life collapsed when the Collector escaped. With Clara still missing, and a new wave of uncannily similar murders beginning, will she be able to find him again?

The Collector is back and this time he has nothing to lose . . .

I was very late to the party in regards to reading rattle… it’s amazing and I could not wait for its sequel.

It’s not published till 22nd …Thursday but through pre ordering it arrived early .

I read it cover to cover in record time and just wow !

Fiona knows how to terrify you … this has everything a crime thriller needs and more.

It’s so dark and haunting but ever so addictive… I studied psychology and criminology so getting that insight into a dark mind is amazing!

Cleverly written , fresh fast paced and will have you holding your Breath!

I cannot praise this book and indeed this author enough and I can’t wait to see what or who is coming next ….

BOOK REVIEW BENEATH THE WATER BY SARAH PAINTER

Munro House is the new start Stella needs. But it will also draw her back to a dark past…

Devastated by a broken engagement, Stella Jackson leaves her old life behind for a new start in rural Scotland. But when she arrives in the remote coastal village of Arisaig, nothing is what she expected.

At the edge of Arisaig sits Munro House; grand, imposing and said to be cursed by a string of tragic deaths. No less intriguing is its eccentric and handsome young owner, Jamie Munro, who hires Stella as his assistant while he pursues a seemingly impossible aim. Working through the great house’s archives, Stella soon finds herself drawn in by a cache of increasingly erratic letters from a young Victorian woman about her husband, Dr James Lockhart, a man whose single-minded ambition has strange parallels with Jamie’s.

Just as Stella begins developing feelings for Jamie, she discovers that the connection between the Lockharts and the Munros could have sinister repercussions for them both. She’s finally found the life she wants to live—but is it all an illusion?

Firstly thank you to Emma at lake union publishing for my review copy .

This is the first book I’ve read of Sarah’s.

Set in rural cold windy Scotland you can literally feel the breeze off the trees . Sarah has beautifully written with such depth and description .

I could really relate to Stella who is having to reevaluate life after a painful break up . She’s also got a health condition which affects her daily living.

So staying in Scotland is a fresh start all round with the bonus of connecting with long time friends

However as time passes and Stella settles things soon become apparent that not all is as it seems.

Stella learns things about herself but also about others .

A story full of history,secrets,mystery and possibilities of a fresh start.

BOOK REVIEW THE MEMORY CHAMBER BY HOLLY CAVE

YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.
YOU CAN PRESERVE A HANDFUL OF SPECIAL MEMORIES FOR EVER.
WHICH ONES WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

**********

True death is a thing of the past. Now you can spend the rest of eternity re-living your happiest memories: that first kiss, falling in love, the birth of your children, enjoyed on loop for ever and ever.

Isobel is a Heaven Architect, and she helps dying people create afterlives from these memories. So when she falls for Jarek, one of her terminal – and married – clients, she knows that while she cannot save him, she can create the most beautiful of heavens, just for him.

But when Jarek’s wife is found dead, Isobel uncovers a darker side of the world she works within, and she can trust no one with what she finds…

Firstly a big thank you to Alanna at quercus for my review copy which comes beautifully gift wrapped.

This book is amazing and such a fresh original concept.

This is mixing thriller with sci fi with a touch of lust.

Completely unpredictable and thought provoking

I read in one go as completely swallowed me up with it’s addictive compelling style of writing.

This will make you think outside the box and leave you with many questions …

I predict this to do extremely well and I wish holly every success .

Published 22nd February

BOOK REVIEW THE YEAR THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING BY CATHY KELLY

Three women celebrate their birthdays . . . 30. 40. 50. But their milestone birthdays mark the start of a year that will change everything . . .

Ginger isn’t spending her 30th the way she would have planned. Tonight might be the first night of the rest of her life – or a total disaster.

Sam is finally pregnant after years of trying. When her waters break on the morning of her 40th birthday, she panics: forget labour, how is she going to be a mother?

Callie is celebrating her 50th at a big party in her Dublin home. Then a knock at the door mid-party turns her perfect life upside down . . .

Firstly a big thank you to Elaine at orion for my proof copy which I was not expecting.

I absolutely adore Cathys books and I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing them the last few years .

This book is a sheer delight and will make the perfect mothers day gift .

For me this is my favourite of her books I’ve read.

3 very different women with their own unique stories. When life brings them together .

I could really relate to Sam and her struggles after giving birth ,I could relate to ginger in her self esteem issues and finally callie whose world is shook upside down and she has to reevaluate and start again.

3 women each at a different point in their life.. each with changes happening . What could possibly go wrong?

A story of love hope friendship and finding who you are.

Published 22nd February

BOOK REVIEW CLOSE TO HOME BY CARA HUNTER

HOW CAN A CHILD GO MISSING WITHOUT A TRACE?

Last night, eight-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared from a family party. No one in the quiet suburban street saw anything – or at least that’s what they’re saying.

DI Adam Fawley is trying to keep an open mind. But he knows the nine times out of ten, it’s someone the victim knew.

That means someone is lying…
And that Daisy’s time is running out

I’ve been quiet on the reading/reviewing front this week as it’s half term.

However I’ve just devoured a book this evening and had to share how brilliant it is .

I brought this in Waterstones and had seen lots of bloggers praising it.

This is so twisty and addictive ,you will not know which direction it is going.

Who is telling the truth?

I couldn’t read this quick enough and I’m glad to say there’s another book coming this year from her.

Every page will make you question things? And every answer leads to another question.

A fantastic debut in the genre of psychological thriller and I wish her every success .

BOOK REVIEW THE CHALK MAN BY CJ TUDOR

You can feel it in the woods, in the school and in the playground; you can feel it in the houses and at the fairground. You can feel it in most places in the small town of Anderbury . . . the fear that something or someone is watching you.

It began back in 1986, at the fair, on the day of the accident. That was when twelve-year-old Eddie met Mr Halloran – the Chalk Man.

He gave Eddie the idea for the drawings: a way to leave secret messages for his friends and it was fun, until the chalk men led them to a body.

Thirty years later, Ed believes the past is far behind him, until an envelope slips through the letterbox. It contains a stick of chalk, and a drawing of a figure.

Is history going to repeat itself?

Was it ever really over?

Will this game only end in the same way?

I have been dying to read this ever since I saw other bloggers praising it !

I was very lucky to find a signed copy in my local Waterstones.

I whizzed through this and can say it is a very impressive written debut .I already can’t wait to see what else is to come from this author .

This is dark chilling and suffocating .

I absolutely loved the different timelines and it being written from a male perspective .

Written from a fresh voice in fiction and fast paced this draws you in .

Original and unpredictable .

Definitely one to watch in the bestseller charts this year !