Here's what I've been reading in April (books marked with * I've been gifted direct from the publisher or via Netgalley).
*Death at the Plague Museum by Lesley Kelly - I took part in the blog tour for this brilliant read. See my review HERE.
On the Frontline with the Women who Fight Back by Stacey Dooley - we follow Stacey's journey from working in fashion retail to appearing on Blood, Sweat & T-shirts where she lived and worked with Indian factory workers making clothes for the UK High Street.
What follows is an insight into the documentaries she went onto make including sex trafficking in Cambodia, Yazidi women fighting back and domestic violence in Honduras. We meet courageous women who all have their stories to tell. An absolutely fascinating and sometimes horrifying read which I do recommend.
What follows is an insight into the documentaries she went onto make including sex trafficking in Cambodia, Yazidi women fighting back and domestic violence in Honduras. We meet courageous women who all have their stories to tell. An absolutely fascinating and sometimes horrifying read which I do recommend.
*Down to the Sea by Sue Lawrence - I'm taking part in the blog tour early next month for this smashing read so catch my review then.
*Bold Lies DI Kelly Porter #5 by Rachel Lynch - this series keeps getting better and better. It's not published until May so I'll share my review next month.
*The Sun does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton with Lara Love Hardin - This is an absolute triumph of a book. It'll make you cry but also laugh and has hope laced throughout the pages.
Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and falsely imprisoned for murder. He was sentenced to death and spent 27 years on death row. We learn how he coped (could anyone really imagine what it would be like?) through the dark days and nights when hope had gone and in his despair Ray turned to god. He also had the support of his mum, who always believed he was innocent along with his best friend, Lester who travelled miles each week to visit him without fail.
Throughout the book there are smiles, sad times, lightness, despair and hope. Eventually Ray hires a lawyer who believes him. Bryan Stevenson helps him become a free man. An amazing read which I highly recommend (you'll need a box of tissues handy).
Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and falsely imprisoned for murder. He was sentenced to death and spent 27 years on death row. We learn how he coped (could anyone really imagine what it would be like?) through the dark days and nights when hope had gone and in his despair Ray turned to god. He also had the support of his mum, who always believed he was innocent along with his best friend, Lester who travelled miles each week to visit him without fail.
Throughout the book there are smiles, sad times, lightness, despair and hope. Eventually Ray hires a lawyer who believes him. Bryan Stevenson helps him become a free man. An amazing read which I highly recommend (you'll need a box of tissues handy).
*Breakers by Doug Johnstone - I'm taking part in the Blog Tour next month so catch my review then.
*The Lives Before Us by Juliet Conlin - It's 1939 and two Jewish women from very different backgrounds meet on board a boat bound for Shanghai.
Esther is travelling with her daughter having left her ageing parents behind in Germany while Kitty, an Austrian is heading to be with the man she loves. When they leave the boat they go their separate ways and things don't turn out quite as expected for them but they are both strong women and forge their way ahead.
I found the story so very richly drawn that I felt I was there with Esther & Kitty suffering with them through the Japanese occupation and their finding each other again. We meet Wing, a servant boy through Kitty and understand what it's like for locals in China as the Japanese move in. A story of friendship, hardship, resilience, loyalty, courage, survival and love. I absolutely adored this un-put-downable read.
*You will be Safe Here by Damian Barr - WOW! What an incredible book which is based on a true story.
The stories are set in South Africa over one hundred years from the Boer Wars. We meet Mrs Sarah van der Watt and her young son. The British have been burning Afrikaner farms and Sarah and her son find themselves in a concentration camp where they suffer appallingly. She keeps a diary and hopes her husband will find her there.
Willem is a different sort of lad and is sent to a harsh military camp by his mother and her overbearing husband. He's very close to his grandmother, Rayna and she's horrified when she learns what they've done.
The stories are intertwined so cleverly. A museum visit and history lesson for Willem and his classmates tell of the horrors of life in the concentration camp during the Boer Wars and Willem's time at the New Dawn Camp is mirrored with life then. In both stories they are told "you will be safe here". I absolutely loved this story and am still thinking about it now.
And from last month...
*The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - Leon Twomey needs to find a flatmate as he's saving as much cash as possible to help his brother get out of jail after he was wrongly convicted. As he works the nightshift as a pallative care nurse he doesn't need to be in his one bedroom flat during night time hours.
He advertises for a Flatshare with a difference - they'll be sharing his bed (just not at the same time). His girlfriend meets with Tiffy and believes she'll be the perfect match... Tiffy has just been dumped by her lousy ex Justin again and needs somewhere to live. She works in publishing and is low paid. Staying with Leon seems like the ideal solution...
The converse via post-it notes and soon the flat is covered in them. One morning Tiffy oversleeps and meets Leon for the very first time in the bathroom...
An absolutely brilliant story, full of laugh out loud moments, love, sadness and friendship. I just loved it.
*Final Betrayal DI Lottie Parker #6 by Patricia Gibney - I have to say straight away I am a huge fan of Lottie Parker and this series.
Two friends leave a nightclub separately and don't make it home. Eyes turn towards a guy recently released from prison who hates one of the girls who gave evidence against him. He believes she put him behind bars 10 years ago but he's got a strong alibi.
Detective Lottie Parker and the Team are put on the case after two bodies are found. The girls each have something in their hands. Lottie's annoying superior wants the case solved yesterday as one of the girl's is daughter of a local Councillor and this bundles the stress onto her.
Lottie's two daughters appear to be in danger and she's terrified. Loyal and faithful friend and colleague Boyd is hoping things will move forward romantically. Come on Lottie, you know you want to (we all want you to!) A fast paced, twisty and exciting story which I couldn't put down. Highly recommend.
What have you been reading this month?
*The Lives Before Us by Juliet Conlin - It's 1939 and two Jewish women from very different backgrounds meet on board a boat bound for Shanghai.
Esther is travelling with her daughter having left her ageing parents behind in Germany while Kitty, an Austrian is heading to be with the man she loves. When they leave the boat they go their separate ways and things don't turn out quite as expected for them but they are both strong women and forge their way ahead.
I found the story so very richly drawn that I felt I was there with Esther & Kitty suffering with them through the Japanese occupation and their finding each other again. We meet Wing, a servant boy through Kitty and understand what it's like for locals in China as the Japanese move in. A story of friendship, hardship, resilience, loyalty, courage, survival and love. I absolutely adored this un-put-downable read.
*You will be Safe Here by Damian Barr - WOW! What an incredible book which is based on a true story.
The stories are set in South Africa over one hundred years from the Boer Wars. We meet Mrs Sarah van der Watt and her young son. The British have been burning Afrikaner farms and Sarah and her son find themselves in a concentration camp where they suffer appallingly. She keeps a diary and hopes her husband will find her there.
Willem is a different sort of lad and is sent to a harsh military camp by his mother and her overbearing husband. He's very close to his grandmother, Rayna and she's horrified when she learns what they've done.
The stories are intertwined so cleverly. A museum visit and history lesson for Willem and his classmates tell of the horrors of life in the concentration camp during the Boer Wars and Willem's time at the New Dawn Camp is mirrored with life then. In both stories they are told "you will be safe here". I absolutely loved this story and am still thinking about it now.
And from last month...
*The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - Leon Twomey needs to find a flatmate as he's saving as much cash as possible to help his brother get out of jail after he was wrongly convicted. As he works the nightshift as a pallative care nurse he doesn't need to be in his one bedroom flat during night time hours.
He advertises for a Flatshare with a difference - they'll be sharing his bed (just not at the same time). His girlfriend meets with Tiffy and believes she'll be the perfect match... Tiffy has just been dumped by her lousy ex Justin again and needs somewhere to live. She works in publishing and is low paid. Staying with Leon seems like the ideal solution...
The converse via post-it notes and soon the flat is covered in them. One morning Tiffy oversleeps and meets Leon for the very first time in the bathroom...
An absolutely brilliant story, full of laugh out loud moments, love, sadness and friendship. I just loved it.
*Final Betrayal DI Lottie Parker #6 by Patricia Gibney - I have to say straight away I am a huge fan of Lottie Parker and this series.
Two friends leave a nightclub separately and don't make it home. Eyes turn towards a guy recently released from prison who hates one of the girls who gave evidence against him. He believes she put him behind bars 10 years ago but he's got a strong alibi.
Detective Lottie Parker and the Team are put on the case after two bodies are found. The girls each have something in their hands. Lottie's annoying superior wants the case solved yesterday as one of the girl's is daughter of a local Councillor and this bundles the stress onto her.
Lottie's two daughters appear to be in danger and she's terrified. Loyal and faithful friend and colleague Boyd is hoping things will move forward romantically. Come on Lottie, you know you want to (we all want you to!) A fast paced, twisty and exciting story which I couldn't put down. Highly recommend.
What have you been reading this month?
Thanks for the lovely review of The Lives Before Us! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. The other reviews are also great - more for my TBR pile, I think... :)
ReplyDeleteMost welcome it was a great read! (and one of my top books of '19). Thanks so much.
Delete