Gosh, September was a busy month for me reading wise. I didn't exactly stick to my 'September TBR', I did however, manage to read a total of 6 books (and I'm still currently reading the 7th!) which is VERY good going for me. I don't think I've managed to read that many books in one month before! Wow. I'm quite impressed with myself to be honest. A couple of these books were fairly short though, but it still counts! I've stayed up waaayy too late reading but it's worth it. I wrote a blog post on how I make time to read, so if you're looking for some tips on how to read more, please do head over and give that post a read.

The first book I read was by Claire Mackintosh 'I See You' Which I reviewed here. It's a physiological thriller and let me just say. Wow. The twists in this book.. Oh my goodness! AMAZING! If you're looking for a good book, with a good plot and amazing twists, this is the book for you.   

Next up I read Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid. Not gonna lie, I was not at all sure about this book because it's very young adult and of the contemporary genre. However, it turned out a fairly decent read, I rated it 4 stars on goodreads. It's about two sisters - Twins - Hephzibah and Rebecca. Sadly Rebecca dies. The father is indeed a father and is very strict. It's a haunting story, I found it a bit creepy in places. A beautifully written yet sad story but a good read. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a different kind of YA book to read! I read this book within a day. It's an easy book to read, not very long and hard to put down! I read a good chunk of this book on the bus (I was on the bus for a total of 85 minutes! I get a lot of reading done on public transport)


I was sent a copy of Cathy Glass' new book to review. 'Can I Let You Go?' By Cathy glass is a very touching story about a young lady who is twenty four years old but has the mind of an eight year old due to her mothers al;alcoholism whilst pregnant. Faye lives with her grandparents as her mother passed away when she was much younger. Faye is also pregnant but her grandparents can't cope with all her appointments and what not so Faye goes to into foster care and is fostered by Cathy. Nothing is known about the father and Faye can't keep her baby... or Can she? A beautifully written book, sad in places. Cathy is an amazing woman! And Faye is a very brave young lady with the decisions and choices she has to make. You can read my full review of 'Can I Let You Go?' here. 
I rated this book five stars and read this book within a couple of days! 


Runaway Girl by Casey Watson was another book I was sent to review. Another fostering memoir. Casey and her husband Mike foster a young polish girl named 'Adrianna'. There's more to Adrianna than meets the eye. A horrific story about a young girl who was brought to England under false hope. Like Cathy Glass, Casey and her husband are also truly wonderful people. 
A beautifully written book by Casey! I rated this book five stars and it took a couple of days to read!  

 I also read two holocaust books. One being a children's historical fiction 'number the stars by Louis Lowry'. Only 137 pages, this book didn't take me long to read at all., Probably around an hour in total. It's about a young girl and her family in Copenhagen in 1943 and how they help there Jewish friends escape the Nazis. It's a very easy book to read, it is a children's book so it's not harrowing or anything of the sorts. It's written quite well but I did find it's certainly aimed at children. 
Before that book I read 'Here There Is No Why' by Rachel Roth. This story is non-fiction and is war memoir. Rachels shares her experience and is very brave for doing so I might add! She tells us the story of how she ended up in a concentration camp. Her father had managed to escape the Nazis and after her horrific, harrowing experience in concentration camps, she does survive to tell her story. She learns that she lost her mother, siblings and extended family during these horrific times. She manages to trace her father after the war. It's a sad story to read but very brave and beautifully told. I rated this book five stars. 

 So those are the books I read during September and I am currently reading Hidden Chapters by Mary Grand (gifted an e-book copy to review) So look out for that review coming soon! 

What have you read lately? Or what's your favourite all time book?



Sarah xXx


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I think everyone who has read my blog for a while will know that Autumn is my favourite time of year! I just love it. I wrote about reasons why I love Autumn in another blog post.


Today we decided we were going to go for an Autumnal walk through the woods. The woods is about a 5 minute (or less!) walk from our house so it's really convenient and an absolutely beautiful place! the kids just love climbing the trees (such a shame about the graffiti though!), we also came across a couple of rop swings which someone has tied to the trees! I remember when I was a kid and playing in these same woods. It's truly amazing to create new memories with my own children!


It wasn't really cold enough for a coat but light jackets and woolly jumpers were needed as it was quite chilly!




The sun actually made an appearance and made the woodland look so pretty! Ellie was all "It's so beautiful. I wish the weather was like this ALLLLL the time!" Bless her.





This tree is very, very old. One of the oldest tree's in Europe I do believe. It's absolutely beautiful, even though it's been struck by lightening more than a few times and has a whole history which is a blog post in itself! (I'll write about it one day). The kids love to climb it and it's a favourite with all the locals. My brothers, sisters and myself use to climb this tree when we were children! It hasn't changed a bit.



There's also some kind of mushroom/fungi growing around the bottom of the tree. We were careful not to touch it.







We also spotted lots of signs of Autumn. Mushrooms, toadstools and lots of leaves and acorns




We had a lovely evening walk! I can't wait to go again. Maybe next time we'll find some leaves and leaf piles to jump in and throw around as that's also great fun!

What's your favourite thing about Autumn?

Sarah xXx

I was sent a copy of Casey Watson's new book 'Runaway Girl' to review.
Casey Watson is a specialised foster carer/ Casey and her husband Mike have fostered many children over the years and Casey shares her fostering memoirs with us by writing books! Casey has children of her own as well as grandchildren.
I have read most of Casey's other books, too and couldn't wait to get stuck into 'Runaway Girl'



Genre: True life/Memoir
Pages: 304
Release date: 20th October 2016.

"14 year old Adrianna arrives on Casey’s doorstep with no possessions, no English, and no explanation. It will be a few weeks before Casey starts getting the shocking answers to her questions….


Brought to Casey as a short term emergency placement, 14 year old Adrianna arrives with nothing but her gratitude. Having ‘turned herself in’ to a social services office some hundred miles away, she has no possessions, no English and, apparently, no history – not that she’s willing to share, anyway. She is a beautiful young Polish girl, with the bearing of a ballerina, but is terrified, malnourished and unwell. And, having slept rough for some time (the little they do know about her) she spends much of her first days with Watsons asleep in bed.


Growing concerned about Adrianna’s wellbeing, and her persistent high temperature, Casey decides to call in the GP. But, to her surprise, Adrianna becomes almost hysterical about being examined and, given her refusal to talk – even via the interpretor they’ve brought in for her – Casey’s fostering antennae begin twitching. Where has she come from? And why is she so terrified to be touched? What has happened to make her so ill and scared?


It will be a few weeks before Casey starts getting answers to these questions. Shocking answers; ones that throw up a whole host of new questions and the beginnings of a journey to find justice for Adrianna, and, more importantly, a future, and a home…" 

My thoughts:

Adrianna is a polish girl who ends up in an emergency care placement fostered by Casey and Mike. Casey also has another youngster 'Tyler' living with them, too! She knows very little English and very little is known about Adrianna. Usually, Casey and Mike foster children that have behavioral issues as that is what Casey and Mike specialise in. However, Adrianna doesn't quite fit, she's a good kid, independent and doesn't cause any problems. Casey's instincts tell her there's more to Adrianna than meets the eye. But what exactly?
Adrianna is really quite poorly when she first arrives in the Watson household, Casey calls the doctor although Adrianna refuses to let the doctor touch her. Both Casey and the doctor instincts tell them something isn't quite right with Adrianna. Adrianna helps out with a dance class that Casey's daughter in law works with as it appears Adrianna knows ballet! Adrianna takes a turn for the worst and passes out, an ambulance is called and Casey rushes to the hospital. Exactly why has Adrianna passed out? What is wrong with her? Adrianna connects with a polish nurse and Casey is in for shock! Eventually she gets answers and she truly is there for Adrianna, she does everything she can to help her....
Casey does learn that Adrianna is not 14 years old but is indeed sixteen years old and is also a victim of trafficking (as the cover suggests) but why has she kept the truth from Casey and the authorities? Will Adrianna be in some kind of trouble?
I'll leave this here as I don't want to give away any spoilers! 

Runaway girl is another brilliantly written book by Casey, it's easy to read and relate to as Casey is so down to earth. I love Casey's sense of humor and her 'Simples'. I love the way Casey writes and tells the story and although some parts are very sad because it's so horrifically hard to imagine it is still easy to read because of the way Casey writes. I also felt I got to know Tyler (the young lad who is also under Casey and Mikes care) more in this book.
Runaway Girl is due to be released on 20th October 2016. You can pre-order 'Runaway Girl' by Casey Watson on amazon. This book is available on kindle (£5.99) and paperback (£7.99).

If you enjoy Cathy Glass books you'll certainly enjoy Casey Watson's books, too. 

I rated this book five stars on goodreads.

What have you been reading lately?

Sarah xXx

(I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own, honest, personal opinions. I was not paid for this post.)

Autumn is my favourite time of year. I'm not overly keen on Summer because I'm not a fan of the heat so I welcome Autumn with open arms, haha. Here are my reasons why I love Autumn.

• The cooler weather. Autumn is perfect 'Sweater Weather' Just being able to wear a jumper with jeans, no coat needed! It's not too hot nor too cold. Sweater weather is my favourite kind of weather.
• The colours! I love the colours of Autumn, the red, yellow and orange leaves, it's so pretty! We sometimes make pictures using  crunchy, colourful Autumn leaves. We love walking through the leaves, too! The sound of leaves crunching under my boots! YES! 

A photo posted by Sara ♡ (@sassyserz) on Oct 17, 2015 at 10:31am PDT

 
• Autumnal photographs. I love taking photos! Last year we went on an Autumnal walk and did a photo shoot in the leaves, it was SO much fun! The kids had a great time throwing leaves up in the air and running underneath them, it was fun.

• The smell of Autumn is the best. Damp grass & the smell of smoke, everyone seems to have bonfires in the Autumn and it's also bonfire night on 5th November! Yay! 
• HALLOWEEN!!! We love Halloween, the dressing up and putting up a few halloween decorations, it's a spooky time of year and we love it. 
• The Fashion. I love Autumnal fashion. It's the best. The colours and like I said above, sweaters and jeans! Little ankle boots!

A photo posted by Sara ♡ (@sassyserz) on Oct 31, 2015 at 2:38am PDT

What are your favourite things about Autumn? Or what's your favourite season?

Sarah xXx

...Where colds and coughs come into season! With that change in the weather comes the colds and bugs and what not. I wrote about how I was poorly the weekend before last with earache, well that earache turned into a massive full blown cold, sore throat, swollen glans and everything else that comes with it. Needless to say, I have felt like utter poop. I am feeling much better today but I don't want to jinx myself because it seems, I think that I'm getting better and then this awful cold/flu type thing knocks me for six again. While I am feeling a bit better though, I thought I'd take the chance to write up a blog post about the kids and how they're settling into school and what not.


Ellie has well and truly settled into year four. She requested that I buy her crop tops instead of vests. Apparently she's growing up (way to fast for my liking!). She turned nine years old last week, which is so hard to believe. She's the eldest in her year at school, which she's rather chuffed about. "Mum,  when I'm in year 6 I'll be the oldest kid in the school" Is what she told me - rather proudly! We are currently working on her 4 and 5 times tables. I am really pleased with how well she has settled into school without her big brothers being there because they're both in high school now! I am so proud of her. Ellie had a friend stay over last weekend - A Birthday sleepover. She doesn't get to see her best friend (Who is also my best friends daughter) very often as we don't live close by anymore. I treated them to a takeaway pizza and some treats whilst they watched Disney movies.
Ellie has a dentist appointment at specialised dentist next week because she has a massive fear of the dentist (she had a bad experience last time). Which I am dreading if I'm honest. She needs fillings and I know she isn't looking forward to it (who does?!) but it has to be done.


Charlie has settled into high school. Kind of. He's not overly keen on the school bus and would rather catch the public bus (as would Harry!) So I am going to find out if it's possible to switch there bus passes for the public bus. As all there friends also catch that bus. They're only on the bus for a total of 6 minutes though, so really, I don't think it's THAT big of a deal but I'd rather they were both happy and confident with the way travel to and from school. I am going to look into that today. Charlie is over the moon to be in the same school as his big brother once again. He's made lots of new friends already! He's in the same form as his best friend from primary school, which he pleased about. He's not overly keen on learning languages but I think once he's got the hang of it, I think he will  actually enjoy it! I still can't believe that Charlie is in year 7. I am SO proud of him and how grown up he is. He's become very independent the last few weeks (which, as his mother, I find bittersweet).

Harry... Well, he will officially be a teenager next month! WOW! Where has that time gone?!  He's already very much a teenager and has been the last 18 months or so. He's mature for his age and we are currently battling acne, we have special medication from our GP! Along with a couple of other methods, which all seem to be working! (Touch Wood). He enjoys school but sometimes I just don't think he can't be bothered and tries the whole "But I'm porly, my tummy hurts, my toe really hurts, I feel dizzy".. Literally everything wrong with him all at once (lol), I know when he's faking it though. He isn't a morning person AT ALL. He has lots of friends at school, has very good grades and is doing rather well! He still enjoys P.E. He's already thinking about what subjects he'd like to take for GCSE's in a couple of years - Graphic design is one of them. He's been helping Charlie settle into high school, showing him where he needs to go and giving him a point in the right direction. It's good that they can both catch the school bus together. I am very proud of Harry looking out for his little brother.

Both the boys had an orthodontist appointment/assessment yesterday, they're both entitled to NHS treatment and will more than likely need braces. They both have a tooth missing that has NEVER grown through - There dads side of the family is the same so it seems it's genetic and actually quite common apparently. It's nothing to worry about and isn't going to cause any problems. I am proud of them both though, they both had an x-ray and let the dentist look in there mouths no problem! We're waiting for the next appointment so we can discuss treatment/braces.


So there's my update on my three little's who aren't so little anymore!

Sarah xXx

A question I get asked a lot is "How do you find time to read so much?" The truth is I make time. Making time for myself is important. Life is stressful and loosing myself in a good book helps me unwind and relax. I love reading, it keeps me sane. I have three kids and a household to look after so making time for myself can be tricky and is not always possible - During the six weeks holidays I didn't have a lot of time to read. I often pick my books up and two pages in, I'll put it down because the kids need me or I'll be distracted with every day life and I don't pick the book up again for a few days (or sometimes - weeks).Take this past weekend for example. I was poorly with some kind of cold/flu/throat thing and I haven't read at all since Friday morning. I just haven't had it in me to focus on a book. I'll read again though, when I'm fully better and can focus better. I also suffer with anxiety and sometimes (not all the time though) I find reading can really help me relax.

Here are some of the things I do which allow me time to read.

1. I read a lot on the bus. I don't drive and I live in the middle of nowhere. At least once a week I catch the bus to a bigger town, with a better supermarket (I can't afford my local 'supermarket' prices) which is a forty minute bus ride. I'm a fairly fast reader and I get a lot of reading done on the bus! I usually read my kindle on the bus. The kids are usually at school, so I have a Good opportunity to read. I'm gonna take it!
2. I stay up way too late. And then regret it the next day when my alarm goes off at 6am. This is probably the time I read most if I'm honest. Still though, if it means I can read, it's worth it. I think. I love reading when the house is quiet and peaceful. Sometimes I find it hard to sleep (especially when it's too hot), I'll pick up my book and read, it makes me sleepy eventually.
3. I take breaks during the day. After I've done most of the housework and I sit down for lunch, I'll read for twenty minutes before cracking on with more chores. It has been known where I've been so engrossed in the book I'm reading, I have got a bit carried away and not realised the time. Then I find myself rushing to get the chores done!
4. Reading in the bath!! Yup, I read while I'm in the bath. I always fear I'll drop my kindle in the bath so I pop it inside a zip lock bag. It can be tricky "turning" (swiping) the page but it works! Kind of. I never can have a bath in peace, I now wait until all the kids are well into the land of nod before taking a bath otherwise I get 93258797 interruptions and if you have children, you know exactly what I'm talking about, haha. I usually end up staying in the bath way too long and therefore - refer back to number 2 above.
5. Short stories - I read a fair few shorter stories and books that are easier to read because I know I won't always have time to finish a long novel. But. I feel like I need to be reading something and short stories are perfect for that reason. There's been times where it's taken me a month or longer to read a book because it's 500+ pages long and I just haven't had the time to read any more than 2 or 3 pages at a time. Same goes for shorter books... I don't always have a chance to read. Life is stressful and I get distracted. I often remind myself to make time to read. Even if it's just a few pages at a time.   
6. Appointments. When I have an appointment or the kids have an appointment, I take my book or kindle with me. Not only to read on the bus (see #1) but to read whilst we're the waiting room. I hate waiting but if I've got my book, I don't mind, I'll happily sit there and read. Mind, I don't always get the chance because the kids can be noisy and complain about being bored. My daughter (she's just turned 9 years old) also does the same. She's a little book worm, too! My boys use to take a book with them but now they're older, they prefer fiddle with there phone or listening to music (with earphones! On LOW!) I'd much prefer them to read of course but you know... Teenage boys!! Anyway, waffling now... Moving on... 
7. The park. If I take the kids to the park, quite often I'll pick up my kindle or book while the kids play. There's usually a friend or two the kids know at the park and they're happy to play while I read. Everyone is a winner. 
8. I don't watch much T.V. I do watch Netflix occasionally but to be honest, I'd rather read. I have a whole list of movies and T.V shows I'd like to watch on Netflix but haven't got the time to do that AND read. I prefer reading. Although I do want to start watching 'Once Upon A Time' and I kind of miss Pretty Little Liars. So reading may have to take a back a seat sometimes. I'll add this in here too... If I'm honest, sometimes reading takes over and I don't blog as much. I will schedule a weeks or so worth of posts just so I have more time to read!
9.  I'm a fairly fast paced reader. Therefore I can read a fair bit in a short amount of time. Mind you, it does depend on the book I'm reading. Sometimes I find myself re-reading the same paragraph twice if it's a complicated story. Sometimes my brain just will not absorb it and I find if I'm not really focusing, it's time to put the book down and have a bit of a break from reading. 
10.  LET IT GO - Every day life and obviously I'm a mum of three - I'm always busy, there's always, always something to do, there's always something that needs folding or a dish to wash, a toy to pick up (the list is endless, I know you know what I'm saying. Even if you don't have children, life is busy, right?) but sometimes I just have to let it go and have a little time for myself, even if it's just fifteen minutes, fifteen minutes or even ten minutes to read  here and there soon adds up! And that fifteen minutes truly helps me, I know it sounds daft but after fifteen minutes of reading or -what I call - gathering myself together (lol!) I feel like I can get back to life again, haha. And that dish is still there, that towel that needs folding? It's not going anywhere. It doesn't hurt to take a few minutes out. As long as the kids are happy of course. Yes, I do find it hard to do this one sometimes but when I'm tired or stressed, feeling anxious or just feel like I need a little break, I make myself take that fifteen minutes (Sometimes I don't pick up a book, sometimes I'll just take a few minutes to gather myself and my own thoughts - this is important for everyone. Everyone needs time out. Whether it's reading or not, it truly will help you unwind, I promise! Just take a few minutes out for YOURSELF. Please, just try it)
11. Audio books - I don't know if I should include this one in my 'list' because I haven't tried this one personally but I really like the idea. I've got friends who don't have chance to read much so they listen to the book instead. It's not the same as reading, it still counts though! I am going to give audio books a try when I start working out/jogging again.

So there you have it. Those are the things I do to make time for myself. To read. Like I say it isn't always possible and I do sometimes find myself in a bit of a reading slump or not in the mood to read. I think short stories are really my holy grail this year (any book under 300 pages, I class a short story. Remember, I am a fast reader!).

Do you have any tips to add to this list? What helps you personally relax and unwind? Let me know in the comments, I'm really interested to hear what helps you. 


Sarah xXx