I've done really well with my reading so far this year. I've read a total of thirteen books so far this year. Some short and some longer books. I've stayed up far too late reading & I've read rather a lot whilst I've been on the bus. I wrote a blog post, sharing -some tips- on how to make time to read more.
 I haven't wrote a blog post for a while and I have rather a lot to say but I thought I'd start with some books I've read lately and highly recommend!


In no particular order (because I can't remember what I order I read them in, haha) here are  the books I've read so far this year.

1. Haunted Liverpool 1 by Tom Slemen - A book of short paranormal/spooky/odd/explainable true stories. I really enjoy reading paranormal, spooky stories but I found myself learning a far bit about the past and history of Liverpool in Tom Slemen's books. 
2. Haunted Liverpool 2 by Tom Slemen - Again. A book of short, paranormal and explainable stories. The story where the guy slips back into time... I found that story quite fascinating. 
3. Tressa The 12 year old mum - You may remember this story in the news a few years back. Another true story about a young girl who becomes pregnant at the age 12. Heartbreaking. Truly heartbreaking. 
4. Nobody's Son by Cathy Glass - A true fostering memoir by Cathy Glass. I really enjoy Cathy's books. There's no one I haven't read. Nobody's son tells the story of a young boy who ends up in Cathy's care after being moved from one foster home to another. Needless to say he hasn't had the best of starts. A happy ending in the end and a very emotional read. (Thanks to Harper Collins for sending me this book to review. You can read my full review here) 
5. Between Shades Of Grey by Ruta Sepetys - A re-read. I read this book again because I read the book 'Salt To Sea' and between Shades Of Grey is connected to this book. Historical Fiction that could so easily have been real and so very well researched. Set in 1941, Lina and her family are sent to a camp 6,500 miles away. A harrowing story based on true events. It's truly very sad. Very well written and one of the best books I have ever read. I believe there is a movie coming out some time this year based on this book. 
6. Where she went by Gayle Forman - The sequel to 'If I Stay' A young adult contemporary read. Three years after Mia's devastating accident, she randomly meets up with Adam again...  The first book (If I stay) is from Mia's point of view but 'Where she went' is from Adams oint of view. I didn'f really enjoy this book as much as the first but I am glad I read it! 
7. The Missing by C.L Taylor. Fifteen year old Billy goes mising in the middle of the night, Claire (Billy's mum) blames herself. She does everything she can to possibly find him, putting up poster, T.V appeals and so on... I found this book a little on the slow side and not a book I would personally read again but it had a good plot and the characters ended up being well developed. 
8. Those who Save us by Jenna Blum. Another historical fiction story. Trudy is driven by the guilt of her heritage and is now a professor who un covers the truly harrowing story of her mothers past during the second world war in Nazi occupied Germany. I am really glad I read this book, it's beautifully written and I felt quite connected to Trudy. 
9. My life next door by Huntley Fiztpatrick - Young adult contemporary. Samantha Reed falls in love with the boy next door from the moment he climbs up to her bedroom window, everythign changes. Her mother will never approve. A lovely lighthearted (mostly), fluffy read. 
10. The Secret Of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange. - This is actually a children's book that I found in a charity shop for twenty pence. The best twenty pence I have ever spent! I'm just going to add the blurb here... "1919. Henry has moved to the countryside with her parents and her baby sister, Piglet – all still scarred by the death of her brother. Alone in her head, she begins to explore her surroundings, encouraged by her only friends – characters from her favourite books. Nobody much notices when she wanders into the woods at the bottom of the garden and meets Moth, a striking witch-like woman. Together they form a bond that could help Henry save her family." I rated this book four stars, I really enjoyed this read! 
11. The couple next door by Shari Lepena - I reviewed this book here.
12. The baby laundry for unmarried mothers by Angela Patrick. This book is a true story about a young lady who becomes pregnant in 1963 and is sent to a laundry in Essex as she is an unmarried mother. A few weeks after she has given birth her baby is put up for adoption. Angela really wanted to keep her baby... 30 years later her son contacts her and a reunion is arranged. A truly heartbreaking story. 
13. The Orphans Tale by  Pam Jenoff - "A powerful novel of friendship set in a traveling circus during World War II, The Orphan's Tale introduces two extraordinary women and their harrowing stories of sacrifice and survival" This book is fiction but was very well researched and some parts of the story is based on true events. I rated this book five stars. Beautifully written and easy to read, despite the story being based on very sad and upsetting events. It's a page turner! 
14. The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon. This book is very relevant to today. It's beautifully written but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, you can read my full book review 'The Sun Is Also A Star' here.

So those are the books I have read so far this year (although I'm not sure why Goodreads is counting that I have only read ten books when in actual fact, I've read fourteen!) I am currently reading 'The Hospital' By Barbara O'Hare. There are a few books coming out this year that I'm very excited to read! Especially the sequel to 'My Life Next Door' 

If you have any recommendations of books you think I might like, do leave me a comment with the title. I am always looking for book recommendations and as you can probably tell, I'll give anything a read! I like all genres, I have really widened my options as to what I read the last year or so.

What have you been reading lately? Or what books are you most excited to read this year? 

Sarah xXx 

The first book I read this month was Behind Closed Doors by B.A Paris. I picked up a copy of this book for 20p in a charity shop and I'm so glad I did, I loved it! It's a physiological Thriller that I found very hard to put down, it's very well written in my opinion and covers some really difficult topics. I rated this book four stars on goodreads. You can read my full review here.


Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay a story based in World War II and follows the story of a ten year old girl who is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the
Vel' d'Hiv' round up.
"Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel' d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life."

Historical fiction and brutally sad. This book is wonderfully written, I felt so connected to the characters, it's very a good read. I found is difficult to put down. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and have read many books, this one is one of the best historical fiction books I've ever read. I felt incredibly sorry for Sarah and her family. I rated this book 5 stars. 

Naomi's room by Jonathan Aycliffe
"On Christmas Eve, four-year-old Naomi Hillenbrand disappears from her father's side in a crowded toy store; on Christmas Day, her mutilated body is discovered in a field. But a part of Naomi remains, unwilling or unable to leave this world. Ghostly photographs capture her playing with two other little girls dressed in Victorian garb while a sinister man in black watches...watches them all.

Charles Hillenbrand is tormented by grief. When sinister whispers in the night begin to taunt him, he tries to uncover the evil truth behind Naomi's death. But long-buried secrets await him and threaten to take him beyond the brink of sanity, to a place where he could lose his very soul." 

Naomi was taken on a busy Christmas eve in the middle of a busy shopping centre... Disappeared without a trace. Naomi's father is haunted by her... This book keeps popping up everywhere and so I thought I would give it a read. Being a paranormal/mystery/horror themed book I thought I would really like it. I didn't. It's frustrating in places and I felt like the story was dragging on. It's a really good plot but, I don't know... I feel like this book was missing something, I'm just not really sure what. It is scary and creepy I guess but it just wasn't for me personally. 

Salt To The Sea by Ruta Sepetys Is a book that I have been meaning to read for a while. Another historical fiction book and yet based on true stories/events that happened during world war two. This book is also connected to "Between Shades Of Grey" by the same author. (I recommend reading between shades of grey first but you don't NEED to read that first in order for Salt To the Sea to make sense. The author is very clever the way she has connected these stories and characters.) Salt To The Sea follows the story of four main characters who are trying to escape Nazi Germany. Beautifully written, cleverly done, it's heartbreaking but it is a very good book and I highly recommend it. I wrote a review on Salt To The Sea here. 

What have you been reading lately? Or what's on your reading list? Let me know in the comments.

Sarah xXx

 

Gosh, I read SO much during October. Not so much towards the end of the month as I had a really bad headache.
I read a fair few short stories again this month and I had a Spooky, Erie, Creepy theme going on. Horror isn't a genre I read much of... Usually! I've really enjoyed reading these books and I can now safely say, I enjoy a good horror or creepy story!


I started with Penpal by Dathan AuerBach. One of the best books I have read this year! Creepy, eerie and so unique. I found it very hard to put down, It took me no time at all to read! Very good book, 250 off pages, I highly recommend this book. 'Penpal' started off on Reddit and then published as a book! Amazing. You can read my review here.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman. This is actually a children's/young adult book but gosh it's spooky! It's a quick read with only 208 pages. Coraline explores her new house, only to find her "other" parents. They have buttons for eyes. I wrote a full review on this book.

A photo posted by ★ sara ★ (@the.bookhub) on Oct 3, 2016 at 1:04am PDT

 
Ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman. Another really creepy, different, unique style. Perfect read for October! It's a chilling story, kept me intrigued all the way through. I felt really connected to the characters, too! It's a fairly easy read. Anything by Neil Gaiman is perfect for October. I can't wait to read more of Neil Gaimans books!

We have always live in a castle by Shirley Jackson.
Neil Gaiman was actually inspired my Shirley Jackson apparently and I can see why! We have always lived in a castle is kind of creepy and left me a bit like "Wow, what did I just read?" It's another perfect read for October. Book review coming soon!  This book is only 160 pages, if you'#re looking for something quite chilling and quick to read, this book is for you :)


A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. 
This book was recommended to me by my friend Laura (Checkout her book blog - Laura In Bookish Land..It's an awesome blog!) It's also on Zoella's new reading list. It's kind of weird to start off with but it's written so well! Here's the blurb: "The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.
But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth." 
Honestly, I truly couldn't put this book down. It's really creepy and it left me wanting more and more. I was finding myself reading this book quickly. Perfect read for October, I can not wait to see the movie.




The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R Carey. 
What can I even say about this book? I was blown away. Fast paced Zombies, a cross between 'The Walking Dead' and 'World War Z'.. the chapters are short but the book is long, I however, read this book really fast, it's SO good, the writing style is amazing and I just. WOW. You need to read it! If you read one book this year, let it be this one! I can not wait to see the movie, honestly.. It's top of my list! You can read my full book review of 'The Girl With All The gifts' here.


Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark
Honestly? I was not that spooked out by this book but then it aimed at children/young adults. A couple of the stories left me feeling a little "WHOA!" that was creepy. The stories are very short though, only a page or two long, this book honestly doesn't take long to read and would be perfect for reading aloud on Halloween! This book also includes spooky illustrations and poems. Beware though, back in the 90's this book was banned from schools in America! I'd recommend children over the age 12, depending on the child. Perhaps parents should read it first! I did write a more in depth review 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark'


Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin 
This is a classic and it's an old story. There's also a movie and apparently a remake of the original movie. I really didn't know much about this book and I honestly think that was a good thing! It took me a little while to get into but once I'd got into it I found it quite fast paced and easy to read. Rosemary and her husband settle into a New York apartment that has a sinister past... Surrounding deaths and witch craft, people eating babies! It's crazy. Rosemary and her husband befriend an elderly couple that live in the same building... All is not what it seems though. Another perfect read for Halloween and only 256 pages! (Full review of Rosemary's baby here). Also I'd like to add, the movie is pretty true to the book.


I also read 'Of Mice & Men' Another book that was recommended to me. I was not sure about this book to begin with as it's an old book and the language and the way it;s written is something a little different but after a few pages I soon got use to it. It's a classic book, it does contain some swearing (so be warned). It's quite a fast paced book. Hard to review without giving away spoilers but I will say the ending is not what I was expecting. Maybe I should have expected it? I'm yet to watch the movie. (Pages: 121.. I actually read most of this book on the bust and in total it probably took me less than two hours to read)

What have you read in October? Do you have any spooky book recommendations? Let me know in the comments :)

Sarah xXx

P.S If you feature books often on your blog or social media etc, or enjoy bookish discussions, my friend Laura and I made a Facebook group: Bookish Worms please feel free to join :)

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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