Author: reads must

Categories
Fiction Thriller

My Darling Daughter, JP Delaney

Susie Jukes receives a message out of the blue on social media. The message is from Anna, the girl she gave up for adoption fifteen years ago.

Susie is living a very different life now to what she was living in the past. She is happily married to her husband Gabe and when Anna describes her uncomfortable home life with her adoptive parents, Susie welcomes her into her life with open arms. 

All appears perfect but is Anna covering up secrets? And does Susie have some of her own?

I have read and enjoyed books by J.P Delaney before so I was very excited to start reading this one. Told from the perspectives of three main characters, Susie, Gabe and Sky, My Darling Daughter is a fast-paced psychological thriller which will leave you on the edge of your seat.

The characters are fully dimensional and very well developed. We see them as they are now, discover about their pasts and experience every emotion with them as this journey takes them as a family on an emotional rollercoaster. They all come across as very real and complex humans. None of them are black and white which makes them easy to emphasise with and ultimately champion them.

Each chapter is short which I loved as it contributed to the fast pace of the book and made it easy to read- it was an incredibly difficult book to put down as I kept telling myself ‘just one more chapter’. 

The main theme of the book is adoption. You can tell the author did a lot of research as he really shined a light on the complexities of adoption and fostering. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of different people who have experienced the system – not only Susie, Gabe and Anna but also Anna’s adopted parents, Gabe’s friend who fosters – and understand this topic from a range of views. The detail of adoption added to the authenticity of the book. Other themes in the book include socialisation and the importance of the role of family, the #metoo movement and forgiveness and second chances.

Overall, a strong 5 stars J.P Delaney does a fantastic job of conveying difficult and traumatising topics with the upmost respect and yet tells them an exhilarating way. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for giving allowing me to read an ARC. My Darling Daughter will be published on the 15th September 2022.

Categories
Fiction

The Last Party, Clare Mackintosh

It’s New Year’s Eve and there is a party at ‘The Shore’ – the new luxurious holiday apartments which reside on the borders of England and Wales. A goldmine for Rhys Lloyd and business partner Jonty Charlton, but not so popular with the locals in the village. Despite disapproval from the locals that doesn’t stop the whole village attending the party to drink champagne with their new wealthy neighbours.

The next day Rhys Lloyd’s body is found floating in the lake and undoubtedly everyone at the party becomes a suspect, leaving DC Ffion Morgan a whole village of suspects.

I have always been a big fan of Clare Mackintosh’s books. In complete and total honesty, I found the start of The Last Party a little bit slow and found it difficult to keep up with the number of characters- however these thoughts quickly diminished, and the storyline and strong characters grew on me. As you go through the book each character is developed whole-heartedly as opposed to being thrown in for the sake of it. I felt this really brought the heart and soul of Cwm Coed to life. Ffion Morgan is an incredibly strong female protagonist, and I am pleased we will be seeing her again. I was fully invested in her as a person, as well as her relationship with the village and it’s people.

As with all of Clare’s novels the detail is immaculate making it feel incredibly realistic and something you can fully immerse yourself into. The book is written from different time frames which I felt really gave us a spherical view. The book is full of secrets and whilst I wasn’t surprised by the ending and had my suspicions quite early on, I fully enjoyed the twists and turns of the book. The author continuously pulls us in different directions, and I really enjoyed the rollercoaster of a ride as we uncover the different characters and their potential motives for killing Rhys Lloyd.  

Aside from murder other themes in the book include but are not limited to: class, statutory rape, sexual assault, patriarchy, toxic bosses, bullying, divorce and custody battles.

I am absolutely delighted that is just the first of a new series and also that the rights to a series have been brought.

Overall, The Last Party is simply the start of what is to be a gripping series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Last Party will be published on 4th August 2022.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Blood Sugar, Sascha Rothchild

When Ruby was five, she saw a boy from school drowning in the ocean. He had been making her older sister’s life hell and instead of calling for help, Ruby held his ankle down until he drowned. She waited for the guilt to kick in, but it never did.

And then she finds herself in a similar situation again. And again.

Fast forward twenty-five years and Ruby is on trial for the murder. She is shown four photos, each person deceased, and each one Ruby was in proximity of at the time of death. She is responsible for three deaths but not four… but it may be the crime she didn’t commit which will end her freedom.


Blood Sugar is an incredibly fast-paced and addictive read centred around the main protagonist Ruby. She is an animal lover, psychologist and very loyal to her family, friends, and patients and yet she has murdered three people. I have never found a murderer so likeable which shows just how well Sascha Rothchild developed her- whilst a very complex character she is completely endearing and a true reflection that life and people are not always black and white.

I found this book very different to others I read. I enjoyed the killer was female, I liked that she wasn’t who you would generally perceive as a murderer and found it interesting that the book was written from the killer’s perspective as opposed to a detective’s which is often the case in many novels of this genre.

Themes in the book include but are not limited to psychology, family, loyalty, friendships, diabetes, and death. Some of my favourite parts of the book included the references to psychology and the way we (as a society) are afraid to talk about death. 

Overall, an outstandingly fast paced dark thriller with well thought out and likeable characters. Five stars.
P.S they say never to judge a book by its cover, but just wow! Both cover and title drew me.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

The School of Life: On Mental Illness, The School of Life

The School of Life: On Mental Illness is a short but very well-rounded guide on mental illness and achieving emotional wellbeing.

Rather than focusing on specific illnesses it focuses on how and why we become mentally unwell, how we can reframe ourselves and how we think to overcome some of the difficulties we face. There is also a huge emphasis on how we can dismantle stigma of mental health within through its gentle reminders that we are not alone no matter how isolated a mental illness can make us feel.

Despite being a short book, a vast number of topics are touched upon. The book starts with reasons to live and goes on to explore areas such as acceptance, medication, love, community, modernity, and self-compassion to name just a few.

Having read books by The School of Life before and enjoying them and with mental health being an area of interest of mine, I was very excited to read this book and was not disappointed.

As soon as I started reading the book felt a warm and reassuring conversation with a friend. Having had my own struggles with mental illness in the past, I felt like the book understood everything I have felt in the past and some of the theories and ideas it presented highly resonated with me and the way I think and feel about the world. Whilst a lot of the stuff was familiar the reminders were invaluable.

I have seen some people have been disappointed by this book so let me be blunt. This is a guide. If you are looking for a scientific book, with extensive research and case studies then this is not for you. The chapters are punctual and don’t leave much room for exploration. However, if you’re new to the topic of and want to get a brief well-rounded understanding of mental health, or perhaps are struggling, need some gentle reminders or just want to feel less alone in how you are feeling then this book sets out to achieve exactly that.

Overall, this is a fantastic consolidation of why some people struggle with mental health and how we can achieve mental well-being. The School of Life: On Mental Illness is like a conversation with a friend; it completely understands the harsh and isolating realities of mental illness and truly felt like a hug in a book.

Categories
Health Mind & Body Non Fiction

Are You Really OK? Stacey Dooley

How often do you say ‘Yes’ or ‘I’m’ fine when you are asked if you are OK?  Are you really OK though? No, no we are not and statistics surrounding mental health problems vouch for that.

Every week, 1 in 10 young people in the UK experience symptoms of a common mental health problem and 1 in 5 have considered taking their own life at some point.

And whilst mental health amongst young people was a concern prior to the pandemic research has found that ‘globally there were estimated to be an extra 76 million cases of anxiety in 2020 than would have been expected if the pandemic hadn’t happened, and 53 million more cases of major depressive disorder’, showing just how vital the topic of mental health is now more than ever.   

In ‘Are You Really OK’ Stacey Dooley, best known for her extraordinary documentaries, opens the conversation around mental health, exploring different conditions such as depression, eating disorders, addiction, OCD, and psychosis. In addition to facts and statistics, each topic is demonstrated through the real experiences and stories of some of the incredible people Stacey met on the wards when filming her documentary in 2020 and 2021.

In addition, to individual conditions Stacey also explores the topic of mental health amongst different social groups such as the LGBT community and the impact of racism and poverty on mental health. This was truly eye-opening and helps us to gain an understanding of mental health through the eyes of different communities within society, as well as a reminder that we can all have an identical experience, but it can impact us all very differently.

The book gives a well-rounded picture of mental health within our society. At no point does Stacey claim to have lived experience or be an expert, which is what makes this book really stand out from others. Instead, she takes us on a journey with her to learn and gain insights on what is happening in the wider world. I feel like this approach makes the book a perfect read for anyone who wants to know more, no matter their knowledge or personal experience.

Overall, a very insightful overview of the topic of mental health. We should all take the time to read this book in hope for a better tomorrow for our young people.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Every Family Has a Story, Julia Samuel

In Every Family Has a Story leading psychotherapist Julia Samuel shares the beautiful and insightful stories of eight families who she has personally worked with. Collectively these stories widen our eyes to the vast range of adversities families go through and show how these issues can make or break families.

Aside from the eight stories shared, Julia also draws upon academic research and shares her twelve touchstones for family rituals which provide us with tools to improve our relationships within our own families.

Despite the trauma and hardships which the families in this book courageously share with us all, this is also a book of hope.

As a huge fan of Julia and the incredible work she does, I was honoured to receive an ARC of Every Family Has a Story and have to say it truly did not disappoint my expectations.

I was absolutely captivated by the eight families in the book. Their stories were shared sensitively but really showed the complexities which families face, covering issues such as grief, suicide, addiction, and blended families to name a few.

So often (particularly when you are young) you think everyone has a perfect family. This book reinforces that no one does (or perhaps I am yet to meet someone who does), however what is important is how we work at our family relationships, how we hold time and space for others and the importance of forgiveness whilst also protecting our own individual best interests.

Overall. A strong 5 stars. This book opened my mind and taught me a lot. The only negative is I was gutted it had to end.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Every Family Has a Story will be published on 17th March 2022.

Categories
Fiction

Walking on Sunshine, Giovanna Fletcher

Trigger warning: Cancer, Death

Mike has lost his partner of seventeen years Pia, and alongside their own grief and supporting Mike, Pia’s best friends Vicky and Zaza have issues of their own- Vicky has lost sight of herself as she has caught in the day-to-day of being a wife and a mum and Zaza, who is newly engaged, fears commitment.

Before her death Pia prepared a list for the trio to help them deal with their grief, and ever the adventurer and optimist this list sends Mike, Vicky and Zaza on a trek to Peru. Whilst they find it bizarre they allow their faith in Pia to guide them but will they learn for themselves that anything is possible when you’re walking on sunshine?

Walking on Sunshine, whilst sad, is above all a story of hope. The story follows the three main characters as they deal with their grief following Pia’s death, as well as how they support each other in their life after loss.

I haven’t read any of Giovanna Fletcher’s work before, but I really did enjoy this. I thought the book was well structured with chapters being told from the different characters so that we could really delve into each of their perspectives. I also thought the characters were extremely believable and their feelings relatable to everyday life.

Themes in the book include friendship, grief, life after loss, identity, and family life. You could tell that these themes were well researched- Giovanna has done a lot of work for the charity CoppaFeel and talks a lot about the highs and lows of family life and this came across authentically. I thought the subject of grief was dealt with in an honest way- touching upon some of the feelings which people don’t talk about as much. An example of this is when one of the characters who talks about guilt – ‘‘any time I’m not consumed by dark and tragic grief I feel guilty’’. As someone who has experienced a difficult bereavement just over a year ago, I really emphasised with a lot of what was said and felt by the characters in the book.

Overall, Walking on Sunshine is fully worthy of five stars. Please do not be put off by this book because of some of the sadder themes in the book, be encouraged for above all it is a story of hope- and with that I will leave you with the following quote which left me with chills down my spine…

‘‘Years ago I found myself wondering, ‘Is this it?, but now I realise that no one moment is ever it. The world keeps turning, life keeps going, deaths occur, babies are born, hearts are broken and mended again. Life happens and there’s nothing you can do to stop it rolling once it starts. In your whole lifetime it only stops once, when you reach the end. Until then you have to be prepared for the lows and highs, the struggle and joy, the hurt and love- whatever you land on, you will keep moving. You will keep going. Because that is the difference between life and death.’’

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK for a free e-copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Boyfriend, Michelle Frances

Amy is approaching her 30th birthday. Whilst she is a highly independent woman with a high-flying career and her own flat, the one thing she doesn’t have -which her mum in particular doesn’t let her forget – is a romantic relationship.

Amy is due to go away with her mum and best friends to her auntie’s chalet in Val D’lsere to celebrate her birthday when she suffers a serious fall. Whilst the doctor’s allow Amy to go ahead with her travel plans the impact of the fall means she cannot remember anything from the last six months, including meeting her current boyfriend Dr. Jack Stewart, who also joins them on the trip.

Everyone is smitten with Jack, but as Amy begins to get her memory back, is he really as perfect as he seems?

The Boyfriend is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a long time! I was hooked the whole way through. The storyline is well crafted, and I have not come across anything quite like it before. I have seen some people say it is a little too far-fetched but isn’t that the point of fiction?

Michelle Frances’s descriptions of the characters led me to really emphasise with them. There is a point where Amy has a different belief to all the other characters, and I could really feel myself feeling the anxiety and desperation she was facing in the situation and almost felt like I was there with her.

The story is left on a cliff-hanger which makes me really hope there is a sequel. I also think it would make a thrilling Netflix series.

Overall, The Boyfriend is chilling and suspenseful; a rollercoaster of a thriller. 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Boyfriend is out TODAY (3rd February 2022).

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Enough, Jessica Rose Williams

‘What is enough? Time enjoyed slowly, choices made intentionally, life lived gracefully’.

In a consumeristic world which markets to us to want more here is Jessica Rose Williams to tell us that we have and are enough.

Jessica takes us on a journey sharing how she has incorporated living a more minimal and intuitive life, ever since her cancer diagnosis at the age of 25, and she teaches us how we can too. Through sharing and reflecting on her own journey she shares her secrets on how to live more simply and sustainably, how we can reclaim our time in a fast paced world and how to discover our true wants and interests as opposed to following the crowd and living to achieve everyone else’s desires.

The book is split into three parts: Enough Things, Enough Space and Enough Within. Enough things focus on decluttering the stuff you own, Enough Space focuses on boundaries with others, and Enough Within focuses on the mindset of enough.  Each section features a mixture of Jessica’s own story, helpful tips and journal prompts to encourage you to reflect on your own life and put what you read into practice.

Whilst there is already some stuff around decluttering and living minimally (think Marie Kondo) please do not be put off by thinking you have heard it all before. Not only was this chapter a great reminder of things which I may have heard or seen before but I have to say I’ve not read much quite like the other two sections of the book, with the ‘Enough Within’ section particularly standing out for me.

Make 2022 the year where you stop falling into what you feel you should be doing and start doing and being your true self. Enough is out 11th January 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Watkins Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Enough.

Categories
Fiction Historical Fiction

Christmas with the Surplus Girls, Polly Heron

It’s 1922 and Nancy Pike is rather settled at her job in the pie shop. However, her father encourages her to better herself and enrols her as a new pupil at the Hesketh’s school for ‘surplus girls’.

At first, Nancy struggles to find her feet the world of admin but lands two placements. One at St Anthony’s orphanage and another working for Mr Zachary Milner, who has a new start up business selling fire extinguishers. When Nancy makes a huge mistake, which comes at a huge financial cost to Mr Milner he has no choice but to let her go.

Nancy is determined to make things up to Mr. Milner but is also determined that the orphans have the best Christmas they have ever known! Will she succeed in spreading festive cheer?

Having thoroughly enjoyed The Surplus Girls by Polly Heron I was delighted to receive an ARC of Christmas with the Surplus Girls, which is book no.3 in the series. (Admittedly I haven’t read book no.2 but didn’t find this hindered me). It was lovely to see the return of some of the characters in the previous book and to delve deeper into their lives and what happened to them after the prequel.

Like the rest of the books in the series, Christmas with the Surplus Girls is very much themed on the life of women in the 1920s and the difficulties and prejudices they faced. This book had a particular focus on the stigma of pregnancy outside of marriage.

Overall, 5 stars. Polly Heron writes in a way which really takes you back to the era. Perfect for any historical fiction fans.

Christmas with the Surplus Girls will be published on the 1st January 2022. Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.