“I swear to you…they’ll suffer for what they’ve done. All that you’ve endured will look like nothing - nothing! After I’m through with them.”
I loved “I swear to you…they’ll suffer for what they’ve done. All that you’ve endured will look like nothing - nothing! After I’m through with them.”
I loved The Silent Companions, and was interested in trying something else by Laura Purcell. The vibe is different in this one bit I still found it gripping and enjoyable.
Ruth is a prisoner, accused of committing murder, but did she actually do it? The stories she tells are pretty far fetched, are they sure she isn’t just mad?
Meanwhile, wealthy aristocratic Dorothea has an interest in female prisoners. She also studies the human skull, if size and shape could have an impact on a person’s person ability and deeds. She gets Ruth to open up to her on a visit, about her life and the things that have happened.
Ruth’s story takes you on a journey from her dark and traumatic childhood, into a life of servitude under an unforgiving mistress.
Definitely very hard to stomach at times, but it just serves to show how much a person can go through and suffer until they finally crack.
I liked the blurred line between mental instability and the supernatural. Did Ruth cause these deaths through her supernatural power? Or is she just blaming herself due to her own overwhelming guilt?
A fascinating read. I will be reading more by Laura Purcell.
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Spooky season is on the way and I loved The Silent Companions last year. Can’t wait to read more by Laura Purcell ...more
Fiona Maye is a judge in familial law. She deals with everything from custody battles to the separation of a pThis was a tough, emotional read. 3.5 ⭐️
Fiona Maye is a judge in familial law. She deals with everything from custody battles to the separation of a pair of conjoined twins in order to save the life of one despite the death of the other.
Her current case: a 17 year old boy suffering with Leukaemia is refusing a blood transfusion due to his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness. Fiona has to decide whether Adam’s choice is to be respected, whether he fully understands the implications of what will happen if he doesn’t get the transfusion and whether he is being coerced into this decision through his parents and religious leaders.
Despite being just over 200 pages this is a strong character study that really makes you think. And of course it being Ian McEwan it packs a powerful punch at the end. After I finished I felt numb - a really powerful read.
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Another Christmas book present - this one looks so interesting! If Atonement is anything to go by then this will be great!...more
Wow! I’ll tell you now, this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it was 100% up my street.
Mind bending, so incredibly clever with such beautiful and hWow! I’ll tell you now, this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it was 100% up my street.
Mind bending, so incredibly clever with such beautiful and heartfelt language and messages. I’m astonished and reviewing this is gonna be bloody hard.
"He knew how he found the skeleton. He knew that the bones had been there for a long time. He even thought he knew the name of the kid who died. But he couldn't tell the grown-ups that. Because eventually, they would ask him how he knew everything. And he only had one truthful answer. 'Because my imaginary friend told me."
Ok, here goes nothing. We start with Christopher, a young boy living with his mother, they struggle to get by and Christopher has a lot of trouble with letters. One day while waiting for his mother to pick him up after school he wanders into the Mission Street Woods and isn't discovered until 6 days later, completely unharmed yet with a complete memory lapse of his time there. When asked how he got out, all Christopher will say is 'the nice man helped me.'
Many years before, another young lad David Olsom also wandered into the Mission Street Woods but was never found. What happened to him?
Since returning from the woods Christopher has gained himself an imaginary friend. He does wonderful things for him, Christopher becomes a genius overnight, his mother wins the lottery, he gets a group of friends and things are looking up.
Meanwhile we follow a collection of other characters, from Christopher's school friends, his mother's ex boyfriend, a local Christian girl Mary Katherine, the Sherrif and many more. If you like books with a variety of different characters you'll like this one.
Before long Christopher is being led by his imaginary friend. A villain called the Hissing Lady is out to get Christopher, and the Nice Man is determined to protect him. The most important task is to build a tree house, it will work as a doorway between the real world and the imaginary world. But Christopher must not be in the imaginary world at night, because that is where the evil lurks.
Soon Christopher is spending more and more time in the imaginary world. While the people in the real world are suffering from some kind of sickness which is making them all crazy. Violence erupts and the world turns into utter chaos.
I won't say anymore now as it's about there when the twists start coming in. If you don't like religious allegory then maybe pass this one because it is quite prominent. Personally I loved it, and I thought the way in which Chbosky handles the different aspects of the genesis story and retells them in his own way was simply fantastic.
(view spoiler)[It turns out the Hissing Lady is actually Eve. She offered to go to hell to try and protect people from the devil. By the end she returns to heaven which was lush. The nice man is actually Satan - such an interesting portrayal of the way he can cause people to go crazy and commit crimes., but also how terrifying this version of hell was. Where murderers are forced to stab themselves over and over. (hide spoiler)]
Finally the reveal at the end was just incredible. (view spoiler)[ Mary Katherine is a retold version of the virgin Mary, and she is expecting a child. (hide spoiler)]
This entire story just has so much in it, no wonder it is 700+ pages. But honestly I believed every page was worth it. ...more
"At certain moments, when death is close, the veils pull back between this world and the next. Heaven and Earth overlay. When they do, it is possible "At certain moments, when death is close, the veils pull back between this world and the next. Heaven and Earth overlay. When they do, it is possible to glimpse certain souls already departed. You can see them awaiting your arrival. And they can see you coming."
“If you wake up in the morning, it is a good day.”
This was a really tough novel to read - I mean obviously, it is set in Auschwtiz - it was hardly “If you wake up in the morning, it is a good day.”
This was a really tough novel to read - I mean obviously, it is set in Auschwtiz - it was hardly going to be a walk in the park! I don't think I quite prepared myself, or wasn't able to entirely remove myself from the novel, so became completely invested and because of this, it absolutely tore me apart.
Based on a true story - Lale uses his education and knowledge of languages to get himself a job as the Tatowierer after each Jewish family must volunteer one young male for 'work'. This 'work' turns out to be the concentration camps on Auschwitz and Birkenau.
We witness first hand the atrocities Lale sees happen, and also the cruelty and torture he endures at the hands of the Nazi's. Despite knowing this was a 'memoir' of sorts, and that Lale would eventually escape, I was still terrified when reading this. Books like this need to be published and read, as I think that despite everyone knowing what the Holocaust was, I think people might be in danger of forgetting just how truly horrifying it was, and the lowest depths of humanity.
Though not always 100% gripping, I feel that it added to storytelling. Not everyday was filled with violence, some days nothing happened at all - and the prisoners whiled away the days, too starved or beaten to really do anything. Non-fiction books aren't always designed to be enthralling, and for me this story's purpose was more for education and the sharing of someone's past, rather than to simply entertain the reader.
I've seen a few reviews commenting on the writing style, how it is written quite factually rather than emotionally, and to be honest I do agree. It is written more as a timeline, than a novel. There is a lot of focus on the romance, where I would have rather had more info on the other prisoners/conditions etc. But I understand it was done this way because it is the couple's story to tell; I just would have preferred more detail in other places. (view spoiler)[ For example, how he was able to find Gita so quickly at the end. He just turned up at the train station and she just got off?! Is that actually how easily it happened? I would have liked to have seen a bit more of his research into how he knew she would be there? Or was it literally just fate? (hide spoiler)]
3.5 stars
"Politics will help you understand the world until you don't understand it anymore, and then it will get you thrown into a prison camp. Politics and religion both." ...more
"Sometimes it's the freaks of nature who end up being the strongest."
What an epic first read of 2019!
The Nowhere Girls is such an important book. Ta "Sometimes it's the freaks of nature who end up being the strongest."
What an epic first read of 2019!
The Nowhere Girls is such an important book. Tackling serious topics including rape culture, sexism and sexual harassment to name a few. This is what feminism is! Not man hating, not women thinking they are better than men, but simply the equality of the sexes. When women live in constant fear, there is a problem and this problem must be addressed.
Grace is new to town, her mother is a pastor, and after having a religious experience (due to falling off a horse) her mother's beliefs became much more liberal. Too liberal in fact for their current church - so they up and move from Kentucky to Oregon. Grace moves into a room with writing carved into the walls, the terror scratched out by a young girl - gang raped, but ignored and bullied until forced to leave town. I loved the portayal of a Christian family who are actually decent human beings. It was a breath of fresh air to read about people with faith who are kind, rather than ignorant bigots.
Rosina is fed up. Her family is Mexican and as the oldest girl in the family Rosina is treated like a servant; looking after all of her baby cousins, working in her Uncle's restaurant for barely anything. She is full of rage, and she hides herself from her family. She likes girls, and her mother would never accept this - Rosina is hardly accepted as it is. I loved Rosina's feistiness, yet she has the softest heart.
Erin is struggling, her mother doesn't understand her, and they frequently fall out. Being on the spectrum means many people ignore Erin, or ridicule her. Rosina is her only friend, shortly followed by Grace.
These 3 ordinary girls, become extraordinary when they create a group named 'The Nowhere Girls'. Having had enough of the entitled ways boys behave towards girls, wanting to avenge Lucy - the young girl whose rape was brushed under the carpet, they vow to take a stand. Remaining anonymous, The Nowhere Girls cause a stir in their school and even the surrounding area. They will not be silenced, they will have justice, these girls refuse to be kept down.
An incredible story of the power between women, from all walks of life, different beliefs, different cultures. But when they stand together they are one. 5 stars!!!...more
“And how many millions and millions of people were there in the world like Charlie, who couldn’t let go of their loved ones when they were gone?”
Wha “And how many millions and millions of people were there in the world like Charlie, who couldn’t let go of their loved ones when they were gone?”
What a wonderful and comforting read.
Charlie St Cloud loses his younger brother Sam in a horrible car accident. Thirteen years later Charlie is working in the local cemetery, meeting his brothers spirit everyday at sundown for a game of catch. This time is Charlie’s way of keeping his brother with him.
When he meets Tess Carroll, Charlie feels a part of himself begin to thaw. He sees more for himself and for his life, he is awakened.
So when Tess’ sail boat is found wrecked out to sea, and her family report her missing, Charlie is one of the first to try and find her. The mysterious part is - if Tess has been missing for over 48 hours, how did Charlie meet her? How does he explain the evening they spent together? Unless it’s not Tess. Maybe it’s her spirit?
“Did the dead grieve right alongside us? Did they feel our pain?”
A powerful tale that blurs the line between death and life. How desperately people will hold on to those they’ve lost, even at their own expense. It is reaffirming and heartwarming, if a bit sad at times. Highly recommend.
“Too many people die a little when they lose someone they love.” ...more
This cosy mystery was a breath of fresh air. 6 short stories centred around Canon Sidney Chambers, a Cambridge “Even the faithful can be frightened.”
This cosy mystery was a breath of fresh air. 6 short stories centred around Canon Sidney Chambers, a Cambridge vicar. I loved Sidney as a character - he stomps over so many of the stereotypes most people associate with the religious. He doesn’t judge people and a lot of his views are quite liberal for the time in which this is set (1950s) plus he is partial to a whisky now and then. Something this book taught me - the difference between Whisky and Whiskey! The former applies when referring to Scotch Whisky, the latter to Irish and Bourbon. Fun fact for you there!
“The grass and fields were damp after the morning rain...Sidney ate his sandwich and drank his tea...he looked out over the surrounding countryside and thought that this was home; this was England.”
The countryside being my favourite part of living in the UK, I connected to all the descriptions of the tranquility he found in his home.
“This is what he wanted, he decided: moments of clarity and silence.”
The stories covered 3 murders, a kidnapping, theft and a case of a possible compassionate killing by a doctor. The stories were short enough to read in bite sized chunks but long enough that I was invested, and wanted to find out whodunnit.
Overall I loved following Sidney’s detective ways and I will be looking to continue this series.
“Do not admire, and do not believe so much; it was a wager I made with myself. I wagered that God exists.”
2 stars. Such an interesting premise - a re“Do not admire, and do not believe so much; it was a wager I made with myself. I wagered that God exists.”
2 stars. Such an interesting premise - a retelling of the biblical story of Elijah. I was excited to find out more about this famous prophet and the ancient lands in which he lived. Despite this I didn’t enjoy this story. Nothing really happens - Elijah spends the whole time in inner turmoil and indecisiveness. He falls in love with a woman which just adds to his lack of direction. I was just bored, after he’d moaned about his task for about the fifth time I almost gave up. Its one saving grace were a few sentences that had an impact and were quite powerful, but they were few and far between. Ah well, onto the next!
“Fear exists until the moment when the unavoidable happens...after that, we must waste none of our time on it.”
“Everything that could have happened but did not is carried away with the wind and leaves no trace.”...more
Hm, this is a strange and hard one to review. On the one hand, there is no plot, barely anything happens at all. Yet on t“To love is to lose control.”
Hm, this is a strange and hard one to review. On the one hand, there is no plot, barely anything happens at all. Yet on the other the writing is so lyrical, so peaceful, and tackles such interesting and important topics that it kept me reading.
Pilar is invited to a seminar by an old friend. Their reunion strikes a chord and changes them both. They travel together across parts of Spain and France, discussing life, love, faith and spirituality. A lot of the focus is on Christian ideas, but there are also plenty of other forms of spirituality included. At times it really made me stop and think, and the writing took me away from myself and into another world, a simpler world where faith is easier and the people are kinder. Overall I did enjoy it, I liked some of the different ideas included - a major one being God portrayed as a woman, or ‘the mother'; a lot of interesting stuff. Reckon I’ll keep this one to reread someday as I’m sure there was plenty that I missed or went over my head.
“Love can consign us to hell or to paradise, but it always takes us somewhere.”
More like 3.5 stars but I'm feeling generous as this was my first read of 2020.
Cause in the end we all get taken."
Grace is a dark town, full of 4 ⭐️
More like 3.5 stars but I'm feeling generous as this was my first read of 2020.
Cause in the end we all get taken."
Grace is a dark town, full of dark secrets. Ever since a young pregnant teen was found hung in the woods. Slap bang in the middle of bible belt America, the people of Grace will fight, drink and gossip and then turn up to church the next day. In a town like this the locals make their own rules, the local police force holding no real sway.
So when Summer Ryan goes missing, her daddy Joe Ryan rounds up his boys and takes the law into his own hands. Summer is the 5th girl to go missing - referred to as the Briar Girls. Disappeared but never found - the kidnapper named The Bird.
Summer left behind a note, so Sheriff Black believes she is just a runaway. But Summer's twin sister Raine doesn't believe her sister would run off - especially not without telling her. They are a close as sisters can be. Raine joins up with local boys Noah and Purv and they launch their own investigation into Summer's disappearance.
What eventually comes to light regarding the Briar Girls is shocking. I mean this in both a good and bad way. Good because you don't see it coming, but then equally (view spoiler)[ the kidnapper and murderer turns out to be the brother of the young pregnant girl who hung herself. But it's implied that her brother may have killed her instead. What bothered me is that we don't know why he does this? He is shot before we really get to find out why he was murdering these pregnant girls? Was it simply some kind of religious retribution? I just wish it had been fleshed out a bit more. Also he is never mentioned? After the beginning story we don't know anything about him. So if I wanted to try and guess the culprit I wouldn't have had a chance. (Not that I ever guess the murderers correctly anyway.) The part with Summer was more believable - that she was running away to have an abortion but Samson tried to stop her. When she is hit by a car and Samson is blackmailed into hiding her body, I thought that part was very clever. Shame about her death though. (hide spoiler)]
Overall I enjoyed all the different characters, and the scene was set. Just not 100% on board with the final reveal.
"There ain't no scooby-doo moment in my story. The bad guy ain't wearing a disguise. What ya'll hope ain't gonna happen. It's gonna happen." ...more
I really enjoyed this! And I’m actually surprised as religious books can be very hit and miss.
Lucy has everything planned out. Summer with her boyfriI really enjoyed this! And I’m actually surprised as religious books can be very hit and miss.
Lucy has everything planned out. Summer with her boyfriend and camp with her parents like every year. But when her mums cancer comes back she struggles with her faith. Everything that seemed straight forward now becomes impossible to believe.
When she goes to camp Daybreak rather than her normal church camp she is bet with a host of new situations and people to navigate.
Fully loved the representation in this book. Either with or without faith everyone is respected. Lucy comes to terms with her life and how she wants to move forward.
Overall a cute YA about inclusiveness and supporting one another through tough times. ...more
“We need to take care of each other from now on. We need to be each other’s family because ours are so messed up. We Well this was a heart wrencher!!
“We need to take care of each other from now on. We need to be each other’s family because ours are so messed up. We need to make better lives for ourselves. We gotta start doing stuff we’re afraid to do.”
I’d heard great things about this contemporary and I was not disappointed.
Told in 3 perspectives. We have Dill, a young musician living in the shadow of his terribly “religious” father - imprisoned for a terrible crime. Travis, who reads an epic fantasy series as an escape from his abusive father. Finally we have Lydia. I didn’t warm to her immediately, in fact I still found a lot of the things she’d say uncomfortable. Mainly the way she’d speak to her parents. But she was a great support to Dill and she definitely had character development.
These three teens are best friends as they tackle high school senior year and the lead up to college. And when disaster strikes it proves found family can be just if not more important than blood family.
I don’t want to give away too much because of spoilers but I really enjoyed this. (view spoiler)[ I liked that Dill kept his faith despite the awful introduction he had to it from his parents. He found his own version and I thought that was great. I loved Travis’ character - and his death broke me (hide spoiler)]...more
"I looked at him. I saw all the death in the world. I felt helpless."
This book broke me. It was raw, thought provoking, heart breaking and real. Such "I looked at him. I saw all the death in the world. I felt helpless."
This book broke me. It was raw, thought provoking, heart breaking and real. Such a simple concept, a young man caught up in his busyness and business, competing to be the best in his job finds out that his old college professor is sick. And so begins a tale of regular meetings between Mitch and his old professor - Morrie. I know this book wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but anything that makes me stop and think for a while and even tear up is what I love about reading. As a memoir, you don't have to agree with everything they discuss, it's just beautiful to hear thoughts from someone facing the end and to be reminded of our own humanity and fleeting lives. This book touched me, what else can I say?...more
This is a wonderful tale of the strength of family during hardships and struggle. The oldest child of Jeremiah Land - Davey gets into a fight with theThis is a wonderful tale of the strength of family during hardships and struggle. The oldest child of Jeremiah Land - Davey gets into a fight with the local thugs when they break into his home and threaten the safety of his younger siblings. One of the two is killed and suddenly Davey is up for manslaughter. He hits the road, leaving his family with no clue where he's gone and how bad things will get if he is discovered. If you can't stomach religion then maybe put this one aside as it has a heavy focus on the faith of Jeremiah and the miracles they witness while on their travels to find Davey. As they say the journey is the destination - so it isn't so much the search for Davey as the things the family discover, the people they meet and the difficulties they overcome. If you like stories set in the Southern states, where family is stronger than the law then this one is for you....more
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