Watching You by Helen Fields

I got an arc copy thanks so much to Avon books for giving me a copy, it is out to buy the 28th of August but you can preorder now, AMAZON LINK.


Watching You by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon books

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

A face in the crowd. A killer in the shadows…________

On the dark streets of Edinburgh, a killer is waiting.

When a body is found, it is only the beginning. Soon there will be seven more.



In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving.

Her beloved only daughter fell prey to a vicious stalker a year previously – and now he’s coming for her too.



Edinburgh’s police are desperate.

After one body comes another, and then another. The brutal deaths are all seemingly unconnected, and yet DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are dealing with a serial killer – they just need to prove it.

But time is running out, and The Watcher is already set on making Beth Waterfall his next victim…

The million-copy international bestseller returns with a gripping serial killer thriller that will have you hooked from the first page to the very last.


My Review


Ooooh what a twisted web! So we bounce around a little bit but absolutely easy to follow, we hear from the killer as they are going after their victims. We don't always get this is crime fiction books so it is always interesting I think to be seeing through their eyes. Beth is going to be the next victim, The Watcher is sick, focused, obsessed and already targeted Beth's daughter now Beth is his obsession. Beth is a medical professional, a surgeon and great at her job, her and DS Lively cross paths through work. Beth finds herself in danger, threats becoming more and more evident and could something be there with her and grumpo Lively. Beth herself is grieving, traumatised but a strong and focused individual so that gives us a lot of insight and an emotive character. DS Lively is quite different and some of their interactions brings banter/light relief (he is a bit of the grump type though he plays well) but also the serious side of police investigation.

Do you know what I love about this book? I have read a fair few of Fields (I checked and I have two I think to catch up on, one I have another I have to buy) and I don't always read in order. However in this one I recognise quite a few characters. The ball busting boss we have met before in other books, Profiler Connie is so weird but in the absolutely best kind of way, Winnie, Midnight also make wee appearances and I love that. I did have to check my other reviews because I was like I know those names so the crossover is something I really appreciate. It also makes me check what book(s) I have missed and will be getting them sorted.

This one has stalking, murder, friendship, love, family, mental health, trauma and that is just for starters. Fields has a gift for creating some horrific baddies interwoven with characters facing some real heartache, loss, recovery so it is a real rollercoaster. 4.5/5 for me this time, Connie could have a series of 20+ and I would read them all, she isn't exactly a main character in this one but defo a central character and I think she scene steals because she is just so unique and genuine!

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The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 426

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan


My Review

So I seen this one all over book tok and obviously I had FOMO (fear of missing out) and had to buy it. That and most of the videos/reviews were saying the book had them in tears and heartbroken, challenge accepted. I normally had a swinging brick but recently gal has had the emotionals so it is the perfect time to find out what I was missing. The book starts with a letter, yes letter format from Ella to Choas and it has the letter number (this is good because they aren't all in order). It is super easy to follow as it has the chapter/persons pov and then who the letter is from and to. Once you read the letter the person it is written to it is their surroundings and what is happening from when they put the letter down. So we get to hear from Ella in letter and meet Chaos, her brothers pal she agreed to write to. She is strong, stubborn, living in a small town with two twins she had to raise alone because the father (trust fund baby) is a complete rat! Then we get a reply letter to Ella from Chaos and then meet her and her life. Oh and we meet Chaos dog, a working dog cos he is special ops, the dog is called Havoc and we LOVE HER.

So when you read the blurb you know Ella's brother basically tells Beckett he needs to do what he can't and go look after his sister. She will be against it as she is fiercely independent but also been hurt and abandoned and or let down by the men in her life so no easy feat. Beckett didn't immediately go causing a bit of an issue and makes a huge mistake because the one thing Ella can't and won't stand for is lies, even if it comes from kindness. Beckett comes to town and regardless of what Ella says she will be there for her. Oh did I mention Beckett is also hot, mysterious, brooding and a good guy. When one of the weans becomes unwell Beckett steps up to help and together they all try to get through some of the most trying times. Strap in folks, it is an emotive rollercoaster.

So we don't do spoiler reviews and it can be a bit difficult to review without giving stuff away. So let me say this, I knew folk said it was sad, wrecked them but I went into it like, well page 4 we met the dog and I was like NOTHING BETTER HAPPEN TO THE DOG! Yes I am one of them lol. There were a few minutes when I had a lump in my throat but overall, 3 quarters through I was like yeah I am fine, sad but no tears. Then it was like the author said here hold my pint, she gripped my heart and then ripped my heart. I was up til 6am reading it to finish. I was telling my o/h about it, he really doesn't care for my nonsense and I got teary and emotional just telling it again lmao. Well played Yarros, well played, 5/5 I thought I knew it all when I was in fact Jon Snow and I knew nothing and then emotional damage. Get your munchies, tissues and a blanket or thick cardigan to wrap yourself in cos you are going to need them!

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A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - about 3ish days

Pages - 372

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry the troubled and bitter Rasheed, who is thirty years her senior. Nearly two decades later, in a climate of growing unrest, tragedy strikes fifteen-year-old Laila, who must leave her home and join Mariam's unhappy household. Laila and Mariam are to find consolation in each other, their friendship to grow as deep as the bond between sisters, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter.

With the passing of time comes Taliban rule over Afghanistan, the streets of Kabul loud with the sound of gunfire and bombs, life a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear, the women's endurance tested beyond their worst imaginings. Yet love can move people to act in unexpected ways, lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism. In the end it is love that triumphs over death and destruction.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a portrait of a wounded country and a story of family and friendship, of an unforgiving time, an unlikely bond, and an indestructible love.


My Review

So this has been on my tbrm for years, my pal Mazza recommended this and The Kite Runner (also on my tbrm), we have very different reading tastes but sometimes they match. Miriam is just a wean, fifteen years old, living with her mother away in what amounts to a wee hut style house. Born out of wedlock her father comes to visit once a week, she dotes on him, hangs on his every word and her mum is very bitter and reminds her often of who her father really is. When Miriam decides she no longer is happy being a secret kept away hidden she makes a decision that changes her whole life.

Oh guys, my heart, I just want to hug that wee soul, going through a huge heartache she is married off to a grown man thirty years older than her. She endures abuse and has to abide by the rules he sets. The first approximately half of the book or at least more than a quarter is Miriam then we move onto Layla, the neighbours daughter, another wean, her dad sees Layla's worth as a person and not to be looked down upon as many do in that country. Then the Taliban take over and we see Miriam and Layla thrown together in the most uncomfortable circumstances. Both endure abuse, violence, heartache and the Taliban really get into their stride we seem violence and terror escalate.

The book takes place in Afghanistan, centering on Miriam and Layla over X period of time and their lives in contrast to each other before the Taliban, as they start to come into their own and then as they rule/terrorise their home.

Whilst the book is fiction it does include actual real historical facts woven into the story. I was so mad, sad, raging, upset, furious and rooting for the ladies at different parts. When I finished I was like RIGHT MAZZA we need words lol. Ooft emotive, heartbreaking, shocking and knowing that some of these practices and "traditions" happen still in places in the world just makes for a more powerful punch. Absolutely not an easy read but a very important one, I often find myself reading up on stuff/events/history after reading books like this, 4/5. Be a wee bit before we pick up The Kite Runner I think!

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The Baby Trail by Sinead Moriarty

The Baby Trail by Sinéad Moriarty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 320

Publisher - Atria

Source - Friend gave me it

Blurb from Goodreads

Makeup artist Emma Hamilton is thirty-three when she and her husband James decide it's time to start a family. She has it all mapped out: Go off the pill in December, have sex, get pregnant by January, have the baby in September. With the help of a personal trainer, she figures she'll be back to her fighting weight in time for Christmas. But when three months of candle-scented sex fails to produce the desired result, Emma decides that maybe Mother Nature needs a helping hand.

Soon her life is a roller coaster of post-coital handstands (you can't argue with gravity), hormone-inducing (sanity-reducing!) drugs, and a veritable army of probing specialists (torturers, more like). It's out with alcohol and spontaneous sex, in with green tea and ovulation kits. Emma and James try everything from fertility drugs to in vitro, but all their carefully laid plans seem to go south -- along with Emma's rapidly plummeting self-esteem.

The members of her support team are unquestionably loyal, but distracted by their own personal dramas. There's Babs, her younger sister, who prescribes Emma half an Ecstasy pill to treat her depression. Her friend Jess is pregnant with her second child and gives Emma an earful about the downside of motherhood. The glamorous Lucy, Emma's closest pal, fears she might be stuck in her "single rut" forever -- that is, until she meets Donal, a rough-around-the-edges rugby player who passes out on their first date but quickly proves that he is worth a second chance. And last, but certainly not least, is James, Emma's rugby coach husband, who quite unhelpfully manages to give himself a groin injury just when she is ovulating.

But just when Emma feels as if her obsession may have alienated all of her loved ones, including James, events take a ninety-degree turn that will have unforeseen consequences for everyone.


My Review

Meet Emma, thirty three, Irish, happily married to an English guy and the time is right to have a baby. All seems straight forward but as the months go by and still no pregnancy Emma gets more erratic and obsessed. Her bestie is desperate for a date, her other pal has a baby and healthy sex life and Emma is getting it from all areas as her biological clock is ticking as folk like to keep pointing out.

I can't say I loved Emma, she is funny and God knows I felt heart sorry for her as she goes longer and longer unable to get pregnant. Before hormones take over and everything else she does say and do some questionable stuff. I did laugh out loud at some of her besties experiences with the rugby player and their date(s) and or aftermath.

The book deals with emotive and serious subjects infused with humour and showing just how much a woman goes through when conceiving doesn't come naturally. Easy enough for a wee poolside read, I think this was my first time reading this author, it wouldn't be the last. I think if you have struggled with pregnancy/conceiving this book with either resonate or maybe just be a wee bit too close to home, 3/5 from us.

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The Harry Moseley Story "Making it Happen" by Simon Goodyear

The Harry Moseley Story – “Making It Happen.” by Simon Goodyear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 160

Publisher - JMD Media LTD

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

This is the story of a young boy's dream of finding a cure for people with cancer, just like him. Told through the eyes of his mother, it is a true and honest account on his positive, cheery, determined and selfless outlook, The Harry Moseley Story - Making it Happen is a true account of how a 'normal' little boy with big dreams and a selfless, compassionate outlook on life proves that with hard work, anything can be achieved. This is an emotional, heart-warming and truly inspirational account of how a little boy's dream of helping others changed the lives of millions and will probably make you take a look at yourself in the process Harry gripped the nation by making and selling beaded bracelets all by himself, with all the proceeds he raised going to charity. When Harry passed away in October 2011 he had raised a staggering £650,000 for his chosen charities but his legacy lives on. During his fight against brain cancer Harry befriended many people via his Twitter account including his peers and many famous celebrities from all over the world. In 2012, a charity 'Help Harry Help Others' was set up to carry on his work.



My Review

So I hadn't heard about Help Harry Help Others, Harry Moseley, this is the weans story. I was at the Ice Hockey and a guy called Dave had bead bracelets for my pal, gave one to me (I was with her) and when I offered to pay he said no they were spreading awareness for the weans charity. So of course I went home and checked it out (https://hhho.org.uk/) - I added a donation for my bracelet, I bought a couple of copies of the book and a few bracelets to put them in with the BDWBs for workies.

So meet Harry, the wean was diagnosed with a brain tumour, inoperable and whilst getting treatment he met an older gentleman whom he befriended. The wean started his mission, the help find a cure for brain cancer and raising funds to do so, there began HHHO and his bracelet making.

The wean took the world by storm, word spread, he helped teach kids how to make the bracelets so they could continue his missing raising funds for research/the cure and a percentage for their school funds.

He travelled, did talks/education, met celebrities and all the while treated everyone the same and embraced his diagnosis with so much positivity it shines through the pages. Each chapter has a passage from celebrities who met the wean and ambassadors for his charity/mission.

The love for him and his bravery through from diagnosis to his final journey, ooft, the wean inspirational, he said something along the lines of putting CAN into cancer and that is the perfect line for Harry. He was selfless, caring, way beyond his young years, always looking to do for others and even when he started having rough days the wean still powered through. The tart of the book says have tissues and its true, you should. Whilst it is obviously heartbreaking there is so much hope, inspiration, happiness and love - whilst I never met Harry I feel after reading this I know him. A little glimpse of the ray of sunshine that wean projected, I wear my bracelet to every game and tell folk about his mission and website. Harry may be no longer here physically but he has sure left his mark on the world and his legacy lives on. If we can even have a smidge of Harry in us the world will be a much kinder/nicer place, bless him!

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Dancing in the Dark by Maureen Lee

Dancing in the Dark by Maureen Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 448

Publisher - Orion books

Source -

Blurb from Goodreads

A brilliantly compelling Liverpool saga following the lives of two women - three generations apart.

Millie Cameron is not at all pleased when she finds herself obliged to sort through the belongings of her aunt Flo, who has recently died. She hardly knew her aunt and besides, she has her own career to think about. But when she arrives at Flo's basement flat, Millie's interest is awakened.

As she sorts through her aunt's collection of photographs, letters and newspaper cuttings she finds herself embarking on a journey - a journey to a past which includes a lost lover and a secret child.

Picking through the tangled web of Flo's life, Millie makes the startling discovery that all the threads lead to herself...


My Review

First thing to say guys is the book features domestic abuse & violence towards children, not overly graphic as some books. The opening chapter is from the wean's point of view as they know what is coming, whilst it isn't gratuitous or depth of details, Lee writes the character's fear & words so authentically it is just worth an fyi. It reverts back to and has lasting reach as the children are adults, one being the main character and it has shaped how she is as an adult, her issues with relationships and letting anyone get close. Now, from nowhere she finds out her estranged auntie has died and she has to go and sort her house and belongings. What starts off as a reluctant chore soon becomes life changing for Millie. We flip from present with Millie to the past with Flo and learn about her life, mixed in and happening during war time.

Whilst the characters are overly loveable and warming, Millie does go through quite the journey of personal growth and finding herself by learning about her aunt. There are some very shady decisions/behaviours/relationships throughout and my God I wanted to slap a few people. The book deals with some dark topics and unsavoury, infidelity, domestic abuse, manipulation, unwed mother and what can happen (this was actually really sad) and how choices of the past can last throughout your whole life. It is hard to give too much heads up as we don't do spoilers and we would be venturing into that if we go further.

I liked Flo, she had a bit of a unique way of thinking especially when she decides what she can do to help the war! I liked her though, she got taken advantage of, people who should have been there for her weren't and she got done dirty more than once, I would have liked to have hugged her, poor soul.

It is a book centred heavily on family, family dynamics, relationships, secrets, lies cause and effect to name but a few. This is my second read by Lee and I have I think six more on the tbrm, if you want to leave you life for a little while and get caught up in la scandalosa of others this is for you, 4/5.

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The Fighter of Auschwitz by Erik Brouwer

The Fighter of Auschwitz: The incredible true story of Leen Sanders who boxed to help others survive by Erik Brouwer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 336

Publisher - Cassell

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

The story of Dutch boxer Leen Sanders who was spared to entertain the Nazi guards and helped others survive Auschwitz.

'He had the dream again last night... He taps the gloves of his unbeaten Polish opponent. There are rumours that the loser will be sent to the gas chamber.'

In 1943 Leen Sanders, Dutch champion boxer, was sent to Auschwitz. His wife and children were put to death while he was sent 'to the left' with the others fit enough for labor. Recognised by an SS officer, he was earmarked for a 'privileged' post in the kitchens in exchange for weekly boxing matches for the entertainment of the Nazi guards. From there, he enacted his resistance to their limitless cruelty.

With great risk and danger to his own life, Leen Sanders stole, concealed and smuggled food and clothing from SS nursing units for years to alleviate the unbearable suffering of the prisoners in need. He also regularly supplied extra food to the Dutch women in Dr. Mengele's experiment Block 10. To his fellow Jews in the camp, he acted as a rescuer, leader and role model, defending them even on their bitter death march to Dachau towards the end of the war.

A story of astonishing resilience and compassion, The Fighter of Auschwitz is a testament to the endurance of humanity in the face of extraordinary evil.


My Review

I had never heard of Leen Saunders, a famous Jewish boxer who ended up in Auschwitz, this is his story. The first 100 pages of the book is all about Leen, his family, upbringing, career and then how things slowly change as the ward takes hold. As with many of these books prepare for emotive responses, anger, heartache, absolutely jaw dropping that these things happened, were allowed to happen and how so many innocent people were tortured/abused/murdered by Nazi's.

Leen's boxing career is interesting and for the first quarter plus you could actually forget what is coming as you absorb in his achievements/career. Then we meet Leen the survivor, how he gets through his time in Auschwitz but the absolute acts of bravery/heroism using the small "privileges" he had to ease the suffering of his fellow men and women. There is brief mention of "Doctor" Mengele in this one and some of what he did, I have read a fair few of these types of books but none had mentioned him, absolutely horrified. I think it is the absolute barbaric hate/abuse that people inflicted upon others, some because they were ordered, some because the believed the hate rhetoric spewed by Hitler and some purely because they enjoyed it.

We hear a little about Leen after the war, the impact and cost it was to him and even when he should have been cared for yet more failures from people who should have known better. This man deserved praise, comfort - someone even said about a statue, something, anything - it is horrible that when humanity has the chance for good, often they fail. A lot of emotions from this one and I think another that stays with you long after you put the book down 4.5/5 from us.

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The Meaning of Matthew by Judy Shepard

The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed by Judy Shepard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 271

Publisher - Hudson Street Press

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

The mother of Matthew Shepard shares her story about her son's death and the choice she made to become an international gay rights activist

Today, the name Matthew Shepard is synonymous with gay rights, but before his grisly murder in 1998, Matthew was simply Judy Shepard's son. For the first time in book form, Judy Shepard speaks about her loss, sharing memories of Matthew, their life as a typical American family, and the pivotal event in the small college town that changed everything.

The Meaning of Matthew follows the Shepard family in the days immediately after the crime, when Judy and her husband traveled to see their incapacitated son, kept alive by life support machines; how the Shepards learned of the incredible response from strangers all across America who held candlelit vigils and memorial services for their child; and finally, how they struggled to navigate the legal system as Matthew's murderers were on trial. Heart-wrenchingly honest, Judy Shepard confides with readers about how she handled the crippling loss of her child, why she became a gay rights activist, and the challenges and rewards of raising a gay child in America today.

The Meaning of Matthew not only captures the historical significance and complicated civil rights issues surrounding one young man's life and death, but it also chronicles one ordinary woman's struggle to cope with the unthinkable.



My Review

I had heard of Matthew Shepherd before but only a little about what happened to him. This is written by his mum, she takes us over how she met his dad, their backstory and then onto Matthew. From birth until he was cruelly and horrifically taken from them.

We learn about Matthew as a child to early adulthood and mum goes into the troubles and mental health issues/difficulties he experiences and things he overcame. She takes us through how she found out Matthew had been hurt, the extent of his issues and the media frenzy that followed.

The court case I thought would have been more in depth however it isn't and focus is on her experiences. That being said we do hear about the assailants and what they did in the run up to, during and after the mindless violence they commit upon Matthew.

It is quite emotive, hard to read in parts (especially in the sections about what happened to Matthew), the book does cover some hard topics that may be triggering for some. Knowing what the book is about, homophobia raises its ugly head, assault, sa, violence but it also has resilience, love, strength and the love for Matthew is very evident, 4/5 from us.

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A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 316

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe.

When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation? Rune's heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.

A stand-alone young adult tearjerker romance, recommended for ages fourteen and up.



My Review

I kept seeing everyone talking about this and how it ripped their heart out, I don't cry much so figured I would check it out, absolute FOMO. Well the problem is, from the blurb you don't really know why folk had the emotionals and I wasn't expecting it, even from the first chapter we get a sad emotive slap in the kisser. The book takes us through Poppy and Rune meeting as kids, their friendship and relationship blossoming and then as teenagers after a sudden and brutal period of them being cut off for two years, the awkward reunion because Rune isn't the boy Poppy remembers.

Young love guys, you remember being a teen and having that wild emotions, first love, hormones so it has all that but takes a deeper level. It is hard to review why the book is so emotive without giving spoilers and we don't do that here.

Lets just say depending on your lived experiences I think it packs a harder punch and it was a bit close to home for me, I wasn't expecting it so a bit of a throat punch. A few parts of it I was reading with that painful lump in my throat & did end up with wet eyes once or twice (we don't cry here).

Young love, relationships, heartache, health issues, bad boy behaviours, family, friendship and a sweet romantic gestures but also some questionable behaviours. One thing I will say, after reading this book I will never look at a Cherry Blossom tree the same way again and without thinking about this book, 4/5.

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All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time take to read - 5 days

Pages - 305

Publisher - Simon and Schuster

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Colleen Hoover delivers a tour de force novel about a troubled marriage and the one old forgotten promise that might be able to save it.

Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.

All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?



My Review

What an opener, we see an infidelity busted and the book then goes from present day back to the time the infidelity was discovered and everything that transpires afterward. Quinn and Graham met under not the best circumstances but fate tends to have better plans for them. Present day and their perfect marriage is suffering, inability to talk about it, game face on and the longer the elephant in the room doesn't get discussed the bigger the rift between them becomes.

This book will have a lot of triggers for many, infidelity, relationship issues, conceiving, issues around it, it is very relationship centric. You know something is between Quinn and Graham but not what and we bounce back and forth past and present. It shows just how huge the issues are between them with stark almost side to side comparison, loves young dream, fresh in the throes of love to present day and struggling to be honest/close.

It is hard to go into it without giving spoilers which we don't do but it covers some heartbreak, some big issues within relationships, fertility and everything that comes with it. I think there are some actions/reactions that will annoy/enrage some readers. I think Hoover is a bit marmite, some folk love her stuff, some not so much. Regardless I think she creates characters/situations that whilst you may not always like them I think you can tune into or relate to, 3/5 for me this time. I have a fair few others of hers on the tbrm and I think they all are pretty different, lied but didn't love.

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Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley

Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 9 days (busy December)

Pages - 432

Publisher - Orion

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

In a picturesque town in Derbyshire, Merry has always wanted a family to spend Christmas with, and this year her dream comes true as she says 'I do' to father-of-two Cole. But as she juggles worries about her business, last-minute wedding planning and the two new children in her life, Merry is stretched to breaking point.

Meanwhile, only a few miles away, Emily is desperately waiting for the New Year to begin. Her father Ray's dementia is worsening, and she's struggling to care for him alone while holding down a job. When Ray moves into a residential home, she discovers a photograph in his belongings that has the potential to change everything .

As shocking secrets from Ray's past finally come to light, will this Christmas make or break Emily and Merry?


My Review

So this is marked as a standalone but Merry I am sure was in the other book I read by this author and her partner. We alternate between Merry and Emily. Merry's candle business is successful, in fact branching out so well she really needs to look to more staff but it is her baby and she is reluctant to let go. Everything is coming together great however planning a wedding, stretching herself thin with the business and concerns with her soon to be step children is causing Merry stress. Emily has a selfish boyfriend, I mean the guy is an absolute horror bag and her dad is getting more forgetful, confused and wandering more. Emily has the absolute guilt on what is best to do for her dad but with his condition worsening and the impact it is having on her job/personal life and health - stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We follow the two ladies as they navigate between their own personal issues, I really felt for Emily although with the boyfriend interactions I was near screaming at the book. Honestly a repugnant and vile individual. Emily's dad, the dementia/scenes are very emotive and heart breaking at some points.

The book is a cozy read with some emotive themes, friendship, blended families, wedding planning, stress, dementia, secrets, love & loss. It is a mixed bag, if you want to just escape from your own world for a wee bit this is a good shout. I need to look at her other books to see if these characters are in other despite being standalones, 4/5. I got this on a bargain buy special offer (I got a few copies for my blind dates with a book for my workies too).

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We Can Be Heroes by Paul Burston

We Can Be Heroes: A Survivor's Story by Paul Burston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - as able over 4 days

Pages - 319

Publisher - Little a

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Activist. Journalist. Survivor. One man’s journey from prejudice to Pride. Paul Burston wasn’t always the iconic voice of LGBTQ+ London that he is today. Paul came out in the mid-1980s, when ‘gay’ still felt like a dirty word, especially in the small Welsh town where he grew up. He moved to London hoping for a happier life, only to watch in horror as his new-found community was decimated by AIDS. But even in the depths of his grief, Paul vowed never to stop fighting back on behalf of his young friends whose lives were cut tragically short. It’s a promise he’s kept to this day. As an activist he stormed the House of Commons during the debate over the age of consent. As a journalist he spoke up for the rights of the community at a time of tabloid homophobia and legal inequality. As a novelist he founded the groundbreaking Polari Prize. But his lifestyle hid a dark secret, and Paul’s demons—shame, trauma, grief—stalked him on every corner. In an attempt to silence them, he began to self-medicate. From almost drowning at eighteen to a near-fatal overdose at thirty-eight, this is Paul’s story of what happened in the twenty years between, and how he carved out a life that his teenage self could scarcely have imagined. Emotional but often witty, We Can Be Heroes is an illuminating memoir of the eighties, nineties and noughties from a gay man who only just survived them.


My Review

I never used to read non fiction and now I find myself reading more and more. Paul Burston writes non fiction too (check out his other books, he has actually a fair few under his belt) so when this popped up (absolute bargain price for the treebook too) I had to get a copy (3 actually, one for me, my brother and BDWB for my workies). Paul takes us through his life experiences - how he dealt with being gay at a time when there was so much hate/stigma (lets face it even now in places we are still having to deal with this homophobic/prejudice) to becoming a fierce activist and out and proud.

Paul gives us a very real/stark/warts and all look at his life from being a youngster to the struggles he faced/addiction/relationships and one of the most important ones, his relationship with himself. He has been through some very dark times on his own personal journey and within the gay community. He has become a voice for the voiceless and done some amazing and tireless work but it has been a harsh road to get to where he is now.

We follow him through the years, the issues faced by gay people just for trying to be their true selves, love, proud and seen. The book isn't just a memoir, a survivors story it is also an education of what many of his community experienced and he himself between relationships, family, friends, the dating scene, work life. It is a busy book, Paul has achieved much and is still going strong, emotive at points the book shows Burston's absolute strength of character for all he has survived, achieved and helped to shape him as the individual he is today, 4.5/5.

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Vile Stars by Sera Milano

Vile Stars by Sera Milano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - Electric Monkey

Source - Vine & then bought copy

Blurb from Goodreads

(TRUE) LOVE
(TOXIC) LOVE
(LOST) LOVE

This is a different kind of love story.

17-year-old Luka isn't looking for love. She's trying to piece her life back together after a heartbreaking loss. But when she meets the gorgeous and charismatic Cosmo under a meteor shower at the Greenwich Observatory, it feels like destiny has played a hand. Surely theirs is a love written in the stars.

But Cosmo isn't what he seems, using Luka's love for him to slowly take control of her life. As the pandemic starts to make headlines and lockdown sets in, she is trapped emotionally and physically in a coercive relationship. Luka's friends and brother can see what's happening, but struggle to reach her. Something will have to be sacrificed so Luka can set herself free - but what will be left of her when she does?

Luka's story is told from many points of view: through her letters, and through the voices of her brother, Alec, his boyfriend Theo and Luka's best friend, Roisin. Each of them holds a fragment of the story - it's time to put it all together.


My Review

I don't know what I was expecting with this one, when I first got it and seen the trigger warnings I was looking after my dad so put it aside. The parental loss isn't a huge central theme but relevant to the characters and there are many emotive issues. The characters are young, taking exams age and a tight group, best friends Luka (main character) & Roisin, Luka's brother Alec and his boyfriend Theo. Luka and Alec lost their mother & live with their step dad and wee sister, Cosmo is lost, writing letters to her mum and leaving them at the grave. Enter Cosmo, a chance encounter and he sweeps Luka off her feet and that folks is when everything starts to change and become dark.

So I think this may be my first book with pronouns and a trans character and whilst Luka is central Theo and the issues surrounding them is hugely important and relevant. Cosmo is a piece of work, I haven't loathed a character like this in a while. Luka is in the flows of grief and dealing with loss, heartache and trying to find herself so when Cosmo comes along we see red flags and vile traits that Luka is blinded to.

Despite the characters being young the amount of adult themes and issues are relatable across the board. The toxicity of the relationship was really uncomfortable to read but so important and well done, homophobia, transphobic, isolation, coercion and you have friendships, relationships, grief, loss, coping or rather trying to.

This is my first time reading this author, I will absolutely check out their other works, 4/5 for me.

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Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Amazon

'Just tell them you're looking for Jane...'

2017
When Angela discovers a mysterious letter containing a life-shattering confession in a stack of forgotten letters, she begins to look for the intended recipient. Her search takes her to the 1970s and 80s, when a group of daring women operated an illegal underground abortion network known only by its whispered code name: Jane . . .

1971
As a teenager, Dr. Evelyn Taylor was forced to give her baby up for adoption. Swearing she'll do everything she can to make sure other women have the right to choose, she joins the Jane Network to provide safe but illegal abortions. There, she crosses paths with Nancy, who was told that if she ever found herself 'in a position', she should ask for Jane. Nancy soon becomes the Network's newest volunteer, desperately trying to help others while family secrets threaten everything she knows to be true.

Over the years, Evelyn, Nancy, and Angela's lives intertwine to reveal the devastating consequences that come from a lack of choice, and the buried secrets that will always find a way to the surface . . .

Spanning decades, Evelyn, Nancy, and Angela's lives intertwine to reveal the devastating consequences that come from a lack of choice, and the buried truths that will always find a way to the surface...


My Review

Spanning over many timelines and characters the book focuses centrally on abortion, it is fictional based on historical facts around abortion. It looks at young mothers to be, unmarried, no father for multiple reasons and the home for these "unfortunates" and the nuns that "care" for them.

We go through the horrors women face because abortion is illegal at one of the timelines and what they go through, in detail at points, protests. We also look at motherhood, the impact is has when it is thrust upon you, when you have a partner, when you don't. Options available to women back then or lack of and how one woman's experience drives her to "Looking for Jane".

The book is graphic, brutal, emotive and heartbreaking at points. It has been well researched and multiple links and info available for the reader when they finish.

You don't realise how lucky you are (general you) in the healthcare and options we have as modern day females. That said what is going on in America with the abortion laws really brings a lot of this home just how scary it truly is and the risk women are yet again going to put at. A book that gives pause for thought, 4/5.

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One For Sorrow By Helen Fields

One for Sorrow by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2.5 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

One for sorrow, two for joy
Edinburgh is gripped by the greatest terror it has ever known. A lone bomber is targeting victims across the city and no one is safe.

Three for a girl, four for a boy
DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach face death every day – and not just the deaths of the people being taken hostage by the killer.

Five for silver, six for gold
When it becomes clear that with every tip-off they are walking into a trap designed to kill them too, Ava and Luc know that finding the truth could mean paying the ultimate price.

Seven for a secret never to be told…
But with the threat – and body count – rising daily, and no clue as to who’s behind it, neither Ava nor Luc know whether they will live long enough to tell the tale…



Mt Review

Dear Lord. We are traumatised. Burst. Emotive. We need to go eat our feelings but it is also 04:32 and we need 😴 sleep. Those were the words I typed after I finished the book and I did indeed go and eat my feelings despite the time! This is book seven in the series, if you haven't read the previous, do yourself a favour and go read them. There is so much you have missed and the intensity of the relationships/friendships you just need the back story.

We have a bomber in Edinburgh and not just planting a bomb and causing chaos, the nature of the bombs are horrific and some add in some kidnappings just to make things worse. The killings are brutal, we have seen some sadistic killers before but this is another level.

I was horrified but couldn't put it down I had to know why dear lord why and what was coming next because you knew this was just the beginning. I have rooting for Luc and Ava every single book, they are work colleagues, they are friends, the are room mates looking after their bestie, they are attracted but one thing or another always gets in the way. This case is going to push them and the team to their limits. The killer isn't going to stop until someone stops them but how do you stop someone who is so random and deadly.

We also have the before and meet Quinn, such a nice girl, family orientated who we follow through a relationship of control, manipulation and a different kind of horror. It is a busy book, the investigation, Ava dealing with a personal loss and trying to pull through one of the toughest cases ever and the before with the young woman and a different thread of horror, the worst side of humanity and whilst the book is fiction we know the issues very much exist! 4.5/5 for me. This book will knock you sideways - it covers a lot of the worst sides of humanity, it is dark, gruesome, gory, horrific, soul destroying, page turning and brilliant, say goodbye to your day. Hope Fields hurries up and pens the next, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS COMING NEXT!

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Grown Ups by Marian Keyes

Grown Ups by Marian Keyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 656

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together - birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. And they're a happy family. Johnny's wife, Jessie - who has the most money - insists on it.

Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much . . .

Everything stays under control until Ed's wife Cara, gets concussion and can't keep her thoughts to herself. One careless remark at Johnny's birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling out all their secrets.

In the subsequent unravelling, every one of the adults finds themselves wondering if it's time - finally - to grow up?


My Review

I do love Keyes books you get to leave your own life and woes behind and jump into someone elses and Keyes does give us some class characters/dramas. Ed, Liam and Johnny are brothers and couldn't be more different. We follow their relationships, family gatherings and everything in between.

The book opens with a family gathering and Cara, Ed's wife, tells some home truths after a knock to the head and some shocks to the family. We then flip to six months before the event and get to know the characters.

Some we love, some misunderstood and we get more depth as we go on. Dysfunctional relationships at it's best. I am struggling to read with a lot going on at home, lack of sleep etc however despite this being a chunky monkey over 600 pages I got through it in 4 days.

There are a lot of issues these folk are experiencing, some will be very hard hitting with some people. Second marriages and the fall out, mental health issues, relationship issues, families, wealth, popularity, money issues - it has a whole bag. Some characters you will love, some not so much and all you want to know what is coming next. This isn't my first Keyes, it won't be my last, 4/5 for me this time.

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How to be a Boss at Ageing: Real advice on how to navigate and embrace midlife by Anniki Sommerville

How to be a Boss at Ageing: Real advice on how to navigate and embrace midlife by Anniki Sommerville
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 months

Pages - 289

Publisher - Thread Books

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Do you find yourself fighting the urge to go to bed at 8pm? Do you look at your laughter lines and wonder what was ever so funny? Do you listen to the charts and not have a clue who’s singing? Do images of celebrities over forty in swimsuits just make you want to drink more wine?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then this is the book for you.

Funny, honest, and packed with advice, this is a must-read for any woman experiencing – and not particularly relishing – the effects of ageing. Anniki Sommerville shares her own experiences with those of other women as well as advice from experts – Sali Hughes, Cariad Lloyd, Meg Mathews, Emma Gannon and Dr Karen Gurney among others – to help you navigate this journey (condensed)



My Review

This is my first book by this author, I think we all hit a stage in life where we start reading more books like this. Sommerville takes us through a very personal and honest journey of the stages of her life, experiences we all can relate to or know is headed our way.

I think the thing about this book is as women we got through similar experiences, journeys, pathways albeit we each have different responses, emotions but we can identify with each of them. When Sommerville talks about hers she gives very honest insight into hers, discussions of sex, drugs, alcohol, doubts, fears. Things she experienced at work, what she saw as personal failures or challenges in her personal life and professional.

The book isn't just a woo is me or a personal offload although she does talk very frankly open and honest about so much of her life/stages. She gives advise including some from professionals and touches on some emotive topics. Menopause and how to cope, fertility issues, relationship issues, work, friendships, death, grief, loss, love.

It is a lot to cover and depending on your life a lot to digest, personal/past experiences may *trigger* some responses from your life. I found myself putting it down to digest and think about what I had read, in between other books, then go back and do the same with the next chapter, 3.5/5 for me this time. It was an interesting read, I am finding myself drawn to more non fiction books these days.

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The Story of Silence by Alex Myers

The Story of Silence by Alex Myers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - as able over 10 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Harper

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

A knightly fairy tale of royalty and dragons, of midwives with secrets and dashing strangers in dark inns. Taking the original French legend as his starting point, The Story of Silence is a rich, multilayered new story for today’s world – sure to delight fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale.

There was once, long ago, a foolish king who decreed that women should not, and would not, inherit. Thus when a girl-child was born to Lord Cador – Merlin-enchanted fighter of dragons and Earl of Cornwall – he secreted her away: to be raised a boy so that the family land and honour would remain intact.

That child’s name was Silence.

Silence must find their own place in a medieval world that is determined to place the many restrictions of gender and class upon them. With dreams of knighthood and a lonely heart to answer, Silence sets out to define themselves.

Soon their silence will be ended.



My Review

Silence, born a girl, raised a boy. The laws of the land that only males could inherit therefore Silence MUST be a boy. I had never heard of this medieval poem so this retelling was shiny brand new to me from all angles. We open in an old tavern with a bard telling the story of Silence and we go back to Silence's birth, why the law came into play that only males can inherit and Silence's life.

This is brilliant, different, unique (I felt) going back to a time when there is war, inheriting through marriage, birth, titles, land. Being raised as a boy, knowing you are different but not exactly why and living your life a lie, trying to constantly prove your worth. It is emotive in places, I really felt for Silence. Nothing was good enough, just wanting approval, only wanting to be a knight. Silence is such a good person, kind, honest and it is almost constantly used against them.

I don't generally read books like this and I am glad I got a chance to, historical fiction (I am coming more around and enjoying this genre), fantasy, gender vs sex, adventure, friendship, relationships, deceit, betrayal and even a wizard! There is just so much and for me it was fresh, different, new. I read a lot of books across genres but this was really different. I plan to hunt down the poem and have a read at it. When reading this I did find myself pondering life/situations for Silence then and for those in the LGBTQIA community now. I don't know if that was one of the authors goals in writing this but it certainly left me deep in thought. Sometimes you don't realise how much you take for granted purely because of how you were born/raised. 4.5/5 for me this time, this was my first time reading this author, I will be looking at their other work and other books in this kind of vein. It is thought provoking read and I think I will be thinking about this long after I put it down.

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A Mother's Secret by Kitty Neale Blog tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for A Mother's Secret by Kitty Neale. Please check out the other stops on the blog tour as we offer different content.

For my stop I have my review, enjoy. The book is available to buy NOW on AMAZON UK.

A Mother's Secret: The Battersea Tavern Series (Book 1) by Kitty Neale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 305

Publisher - Orion

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Amazon

Can she put right the secrets of the past?

London, 1939. Winnie Berry has been the landlady of the Battersea Tavern for nearly twenty-five years, and the pub is like home to her - a place of tears and laughter, full of customers that feel like family. A place where she's learned to avoid the quick fists of her husband, and where she's raised her beloved son, David.

He's inherited his father's lazy streak and can't seem to hold down a job, but when war is declared Winnie is determined to keep her son safe. She's still haunted by the choice she made years ago as a desperate young woman, and she won't make the same mistake of letting her family be taken from her...

But when a young woman crosses her path, the secrets of Winnie's past threaten to turn her world upside down. There's nothing stronger than a mother's love - but can it ever have a second chance?

The first book in The Battersea Tavern series



My Review

This is my first ever Kitty Neale book, set just before world war two we meet Winnie, she runs the Battersea Tavern. Her aggressive and known to be violent husband stays behind the scenes letting Winnie do all the hard graft. She dotes on her only son, David, an attractive (and he knows it) spoilt man child who thinks nothing of using his looks and mothers good nature to skate by in life. Rachel is her dab hand barmaid who works hard, is respectable and has her own family nightmare, her sister Hilda, sober she is the sweetest and kindest, drunk she opens her mouth and embarrasses and hurts poor Rachel with her bile. We also meet sweet Jan as she starts up an innocent relationship with one of the regulars in the Tavern. As the story develops we get to meet the characters and more of their lives, belt up and prefer for an emotive ride.

Aw you guys, Winnie is a wee soul, wholesome, she has such a kind heart and always wants to do for others, her goodness is emphasized by the shady characters around her. We see the community in the build up to the war, the disbelief it will come to be and how it affects those in and around Winnie's life. A chance encounter sees Winnie have to face the past and the ripples it creates in her present day life, secrets have a habit of always coming out and it isn't just Winnie who has secrets!

This book pulls you in the pretty much the beginning! There are so many themes touched upon and Neale captures that time period and gives it an authentic voice/feel. I wanted to reach in and slap a few of the characters, honestly the best and worst sides of humanity. An emotive ride for sure, I think depending on your background and life experiences you will find some of the storylines resonate more than others yet all you can either relate to or absorb.

I am finding reading quite hard just now, reading is my go time when times are tough and yet just now my concentration is out the window. I think had this been normal times for me I would have gotten through this in one sitting. Neale creates a world of characters that lets you step outside of your own and enter theirs. Horrific sides of humanity and some of the best, a great blend for an absorbing read, 4.5/5 for me this time. As I said this is my first time reading this author, book two in this series is not out nor a date given, I will be very much watching for it. I will absolutely be checking out her other books!

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The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood

The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz: A totally gripping and absolutely heartbreaking World War 2 page-turner, based on a true story by Ellie Midwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time take to read - 2 days

Pages -

Publisher - Bookouture

Source - Netgalley & bought a treebook copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Millions of people walked through Auschwitz’s gates, but she was the first woman who escaped. This powerful novel tells the inspiring true story of Mala Zimetbaum, whose heroism will never be forgotten, and whose fate altered the course of history…

Nobody leaves Auschwitz alive.

Mala, inmate 19880, understood that the moment she stepped off the cattle train into the depths of hell. As an interpreter for the SS, she uses her position to save as many lives as she can, smuggling scraps of bread to those desperate with hunger.

Edward, inmate 531, is a camp veteran and a political prisoner. Though he looks like everyone else, with a shaved head and striped uniform, he’s a fighter in the underground Resistance. And he has an escape plan.

They are locked up for no other sin than simply existing. But when they meet, the dark shadow of Auschwitz is lit by a glimmer of hope. Edward makes Mala believe in the impossible. That despite being surrounded by electric wire, machine guns topping endless watchtowers and searchlights roaming the ground, they will leave this death camp.

A promise is made––they will escape together or they will die together. What follows is one of the greatest love stories in history…



My review

This is apparently based on a true story, the first female escapee from Auschwitz and an unlikely place for two people who fall in love. The book is set in Auschwitz and we follow Edek and Mala's story, each having their own chapters and it flipping between the two.

Through Edek we see the horrors in the camp, the utter disregard for human life and some of the worst atrocities. It is very hard hitting, hard to read and very emotional. Mala has things better than most prisoners there, she works in an office for the Nazi's, has clothes, food, warm, decent sleeping quarters and yet she risks everything to try and do what she can to save those she is able to and ease suffering to the others.

Edek and Mala work together to do what they can to help the resistance, their people and of course the more they see of each other a friendship begins. These kinds of books always knock you in the feels, fiction or non fiction, as they are often well researched so have an authentic voice. I went to Ann Franks house/museum in Amsterdam and reading this brought back that experience too. Your heart hurts and you are horrified to contemplate how people could do these murderous/vile/inhuman acts. Despite this being a relatively short book (under 300 pages) it manages to cover a lot of what happened there and the book has plenty for the reader to follow up reading once you finish the book. 4/5 for me this time, prepare yourself for anger, tears, horror and an emotive rollercoaster.

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