April was a month where I took time to read. I made time most days where I would sit for hours just to read a book. When working from home I can find that I get overwhelmed with thinking about clients and workloads, so I'm trying to take regular breaks and unplug from technology. It seems to be working as I've read 5 books in the month of April and feel like I'm back in the swing of things.
SOMEONE IS LIVING A LIE BUT WHO?
Is it Lisa? Haunted by a tragic past, all Lisa wants is a quiet life with her daughter, Ava. And when she meets a new man, things seem to be falling into place. But Lisa is hiding a secret so momentous it could shatter her entire world
Is it Ava? When sixteen-year-old Ava saves a young boy’s life, she becomes a local hero. But never in a million years could she have anticipated the fallout of her actions
Is it Marilyn? Marilyn has the perfect life. Her husband, her job, her house she seems to have it all. But she could never admit to her best friend Lisa the lies she tells herself to get through the day
One moment will change these three women’s lives forever. And the secrets they’ve been keeping could destroy them all.
I am a huge fan of Sarah Pinborough's books and this one was no exception. It's fast paced with plenty of twists for any thriller fan that will leave you on the edge of your seat. For me I found it hard to connect with the characters a bit, they all seemed to grate on me a little, but I still loved the read. The huge twists and turns are what's pivotal in a book like this, and I'm pleased to say that Sarah really knocked it out of the park. A disturbing domestic thriller that will leave you peeking from behind your eyes at times.
Introducing Bluebelle, and her moving, hilarious take on food, body image and how we look after ourselves and others. It's a food diary. I have to tell the truth. That's the point. Bluebelle, aka BB, aka Big Bones - is a sixteen-year-old girl encouraged to tackle her weight even though she's perfectly happy, thank you, and getting on with her life and in love with food. Then a tragedy in the family forces BB to find a new relationship with her body and herself.
As a fat girl I was really excited to read this book. A tale about body positivity without the fat shaming attached to it. And it didn't disappoint one bit, especially when it came to her relationship with food and her family. I honestly loved reading this book. It feels like a real lesson on self love and you feel like BB is really a part of your life for that short time. It was sad, happy, enlightening and heartwarming to read and I wish that I had read it when I was younger.
What does it take to be a family?
Julia has fallen deeply, unexpectedly in love. James is her second chance, and everything she never knew she wanted. It’s perfect but for two things: their children.
Julia’s beloved daughter Gwen loathes James and James’s son Nathan takes pleasure in antagonising his new stepsister. Uniting two households is never easy, but the teenagers’ unexpected actions will eventually threaten everyone’s hard-won happiness.
This book was the Mumsnet Book Club title so I have a proper review written over here. But to give it a quick summary it's a heart wrenching one. A book that left me thinking about it days after I finished reading it. And one that I probably won't forget for a while. Whilst it wasn't my favourite of the Mumsnet books, it was most definitely one that was written like a true family saga that left you feeling literally like a fly on the wall. Francesca Segal truly captured the highs and lows of a blended family and thrust her readers into a harrowing and poetic world that everyone can relate to in some aspect. A book that will hit home and give you a web of emotions and truths that will be uncomfortable but addictive to read.
Nora has lied about many things. But has she told her most dangerous lie of all?
There’s a new art assistant at Nora’s school, and he’s crossed a line. Nora decides to teach him a lesson he won’t forget.
But not everything goes quite to plan, and Nora needs an escape. She befriends the rich and talented Bel, who longs for a part in a remake of a famous film. Bel is unpredictable, jealous and crazy, but she opens up a new world for Nora, and that makes her irresistible.
As events start to spin wildly out of control, Nora must decide where her loyalties lie – and what deceits she can get away with.
I wanted to love this book. I really loved the concept and the almost We Were Liars/ Pretty Little Liars vibe I got from reading the blurb. But I really struggled to connect with Nora as a character. She was a selfish narcissistic person that was also a pathological liar and I obviously can't relate to that. But I did relate to the ideas of fitting in and fighting for what you think you deserve. It was full of twists and turns that I did really enjoy, but the connections with the characters just weren't there.
'Turning thirty is like playing musical chairs. The music stops, and everyone just marries whoever they happen to be sitting on.' There's no doubt that Tori is winning the game of life. She's inspired millions of women to stick two fingers up at convention with her bestselling memoir, and she has the perfect relationship to boot. But Tori Bailey has been living a lie.
Everyone around her is getting married and having babies, but her long-term boyfriend won't even talk about getting engaged. And when her best friend Dee - her plus one, the only person who understands the madness - falls in love, suddenly Tori's in terrifying danger of being left behind.
When the world tells you to be one thing and turning thirty brings with it a loud ticking clock, it takes courage to walk your own path. It's time for Tori to practice what she's preached, but the question is: is she brave enough?
I am a huge fan of Holly's books. They are always a winner in my eyes and I seem to find an instant connection with the characters and fall into the story as if it's an extension of my life. This book was no different. Her first adult novel and my god did she do well! An honest, frank and brilliant look at life in your late 20's and early 30's. A book about how your age shouldn't define you in your life path. How you shouldn't settle for things that you aren't happy with just because you feel the clock ticking. It's all about throwing away the insecurities and telling the world to eff off and leave you alone. A must read for any woman in her 20's/30's.
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