"Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad.

The Girl with All the Gifts is a sensational thriller, perfect for fans of Stephen King, Justin Cronin, and Neil Gaiman."


I picked this book up in a charity shop for 90 pence! What an absolute bargain this book was! I have heard so much about this book, it's been all over Youtube and blogs. It comes recommended if you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, which I am. I loved 'Ocean at the end of the lane.'

Based in Britain after the outbreak of zombies. This story follows the story of a young girl 'Melanie' every day is the same. Go to class, go back to her cell. Except on Sunday's - That's shower day. Sergent Parks comes for Melanie one day and her whole world changes. As does Sergent parks and Miss Jusineau's. Along with the doctor! Melanie adores Miss Justineau and would do just about anything to save her and stop her being hurt... 

An absolute gripping story I did not want to put down. Beautifully written, too! This story is a cross between the walking dead and World War Z (although I'm yet to read World War Z). It is an amazing story with twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat. It's kind of disgustingly disturbing in places and brutal and all the things I usually don't like to read BUT I love zombies and apocalyptic programs/T.V shows. I am SO glad I read this book. Amazing! I connected well with the characters, especially Miss J. The chapters are mostly fairly short and it's very easy to read! This book is like something I have never read before, it's one of the best books I have read this year. I can not wait to see the movie!
On the back of the cover it's got snippets from various people with there opinion on the book. Martina Cole said "If you read one book this year, let it be this" YES! Just YES! As it also says on the back of the cover "Takes hold of you and doesn't let you go" Ab-so-freaking-lutely.
I rated this book five stars. I truly loved it and can't think of anything negative to say.

What have you read lately? :) 

Sarah xXx


 
P.S If you like all things books/book recommendations/book discussions or perhaps you're a book blogger/Youtuber/Instagrammer? Check out mine and my friends book group over on facebook: Bookish worms. We have support threads as well as discussion threads, too! 

I know that I already have a book blog but I kind of miss posting about what I've been reading on this blog as I know many of you like to hear about what I've been reading and any recommendations I have. I thought I'd do a little round up of the books I've enjoyed lately! I have read many books this year so I'll pick a few of my favourites and share with you.
And if anyone has any recommendations, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know :)

A photo posted by ★ sarah (@the.bookhub) on Jun 28, 2016 at 8:40am PDT

Next up I read 'While My Eyes Were Close' by Linda Green. 
Lisa takes her little girl to the park one afternoon. They play hide and seek and while Lisa's eyes are closed, her daughter goes missing! Where is she? How far could she have gone? Is she just hiding in a really good hiding place? I loved this book and found it hard to put down. I rated this book five stars over on goodreads.

The Girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe was another book I could not wait to read. It's set during world war II about a Jewish girl who has to leave Germany and is evacuated to England. She can speak little English and finds it very different to what she is use to. She's very home sick and misses her family back in Germany, a lot. Will she ever see her family again?  Another really amazing war fiction story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

A photo posted by ★ sarah (@the.bookhub) on Jun 16, 2016 at 3:29am PDT

If I stay by Gayle Foremon is a fairly short story about a family who are involved in a car accident. Seventeen year old Mia is faced with a choice, the biggest choice anyone could ever have! It's really hard to write a review on this book without giving anything away. I'll just say this. You NEED to read it. (The movie is also good but I prefer the book)

One book that has been on my 'To be read' list for a long time is Markus Zusak's 'The Book Thief' Another historical fiction story about a little girl who has to go and live with a childless couple and try to escape the Nazis. The childless couple she goes to live with takes some getting use to. She misses her brother and mother! They take in a Jewish man who ends up hiding out in the cellar! A really good read, beautifully written, a book I really enjoyed! Be warned though, it's 554 pages long. (The film is also good!)

You can read ALL my book reviews over on my book blog.
My book blog is Sarahs Book Hub and my book instagram is The.bookhub please do give me a follow if you like all things bookish! :)    What have you been reading lately or what's your favourite book? 

 

Like Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, Remember Mia is a riveting psychological suspense, exploring what happens when a young mother’s worst nightmare becomes devastatingly real…

First I remember the darkness.
Then I remember the blood.
I don’t know where my daughter is.

Estelle Paradise wakes up in a hospital after being found near dead at the bottom of a ravine with a fragmented memory and a vague sense of loss. Then a terrifying reality sets in: her daughter is missing.

Days earlier, Estelle discovered her baby’s crib empty in their Brooklyn apartment. There was no sign of a break-in, but all traces of seven-month-old Mia had disappeared. Her diapers, her clothes, her bottles—all gone.

Frustrated and unable to explain her daughter’s disappearance, Estelle begins a desperate search. But when the lack of evidence casts doubt on her story, Estelle becomes the number one suspect in the eyes of the police and the media.

As hope of reuniting with Mia becomes all she has left, Estelle will do anything to find answers: What has she done to her baby? And what has someone else done to her?
source 

Remember Mia is a psychosocial thriller.  Estelle wakes up in hospital after being found nearly dead. She has had a car accident and suffers with memory loss. She remembers her daughter Mia but can't remember what happened to her. As the story goes on Estelle starts to remember bits and pieces and eventually she remembers but she still isn't sure what happened to Mia. This story has twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I found it hard to put down! It was a good book and certainly a page turner but I did feel a bit frustrated in places because the suspense of what happened to Estelle's baby, Mia, was driving me insane, haha. This book had me guessing all the way through. It's a clever story, written really well and it had me hooked! 
I really enjoyed this book. 

What are you reading at the moment? Let me know in the comments :) 

"Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes.

Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over."

I've had this book on my kindle a while, I think I purchased it in the later part of last year. 
It's been on my "Too Read" list for a while. Alice is a mum of three who has separated from her husband and currently filling for divorce and custody of her children. Alice has an accident one Friday morning at the gym and hits her head, loosing her memory and when she wakes up, she thinks it's 1998. She can not remember the last ten years. It's an intriguing story.  
I also enjoyed reading the letters by Frannie and learning about Elisabeth and the fertility issues her and husband experience but really, it's based around Alice and her memories (or lack of!). 

This book took me ages to read (It is 487 pages after all!), I found it hard to get into but in certain places, it was a page turner. I did enjoy this book, I just didn't LOVE it. It's written well and is fairly easy to read, I just found it a bit boring in places. I liked the ending, which I will not spoil, it was probably my favourite part of the story. I really actually grew to like Alice, especially the younger Alice. 
I'd rate this book 3.5 stars out of five. 

Sarah xXx

 "At the conclusion of my discussions with one group of the Magdalene Women one of those present sang 'Whispering Hope'. A line from that song stays in my mind - 'when the dark midnight is over, watch for the breaking of day'.
Let me hope that this day and this debate heralds a new dawn for all those who feared that the dark midnight might never end."
- Taoiseach Enda Kenny's State apology to the Magdalene women.

On 19 February 2013 the Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny apologized to the women who had been incarcerated in Ireland's Magdalene laundries. In the audience sat Steven O'Riordan, a documentary filmmaker and founder of the Magdalene Survivors Together group. And by his side, waiting patiently for the words they'd been fighting to hear, were some of the women he had helped.
For Nancy, Kathleen, Diane, Marie and Marina were confined in Magdalene laundries throughout Ireland during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The harrowing physical and psychological abuse they endured in the institutions, run on behalf of the State, led to a lifetime of shame and secrecy.
Now, in WHISPERING HOPE, these women tell their stories for the first time. Their fight for justice and forged friendships has enabled them to move forward and have their voices heard, their individual accounts weaving together in an immensely powerful narrative that shines a light on a dark chapter in Ireland's history.
Inspirational and moving, this is the story of five women brave enough to confront their past and strong enough to not let it define them."
 source | Goodreads

I have really got back into reading recently. There's nothing more I love than curling up with a good book and most of the time, staying up far too late reading and waking up far to early to get more reading in! I've read a fair few books this year so far (fifteen to be exact!) so I thought I would share a few of my favourites with you. I have already reviewed a few on my blog but I thought doing a round up was a great idea! I'll be sharing my reviews of the other books I have read recently but not got around to reviewing, over the next few weeks.

"One kiss lasts a moment.
But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime.
One boy. One girl.
A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever.
Or so they believe"

This is a young adult story. Rune and Poppy are soul mates but when Rune has to leave his home 'Blossom Grove' to go back to his native country, Norway, he and Poppy are truly heartbroken. Poppy cuts all contact but why? Rune finds out when he returns to 'Blossom Grove' two years later. One of the best books I have ever read. I can't even express how emotional & how beautiful this book is. Be prepared you will need a box of tissues. I read this on my kindle. I rated this book five stars. You can read my review here.


"In a split second, Jenna Gray's world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever."

A mystery crime thriller with lots of suspense. Jacob is five years old and he lets go of his mums hand whilst near a busy road. The accident is tragic! Jenna feels like she needs to go away, to leave and go somewhere remote. She rents a cottage in Wales and tries to move on with her life! She is haunted by her past and her fears. 
There is a huge twist in this story that I did not see coming, this book didn't take me very long to read because I found it hard to put down. It's beautifully written and easy to read! Another book I read on my kindle. I rated this book four stars.  

The heartbreaking true story of a young, troubled mother who needed help.
The sixteenth fostering memoir by Cathy Glass.
It’s a big, exciting moment for Laura when she decides to finally take her new baby out to the school playground for the first time ever. What should be a happy, magical moment quickly sours, however, when Laura suddenly feels queasy and runs off back home. None of the other schoolyard mothers seem to notice this troubled, struggling woman – apart from Cathy. But when Cathy tries to help, she finds herself hitting wall after wall. Laura needs medical help but refuses to see a doctor. Her own cold mother refuses to help. It is left to Cathy to try and bring light to this dark and dangerous place.
 
Another great fostering memoir from Cathy Glass. This book goes right back to when Cathy's children were little. Cathy meets a young mother in the playground one morning and from there, she realises something isn't quite right! She also tells the stories of the children she's currently (at the time) fostering as respite care. A beautifully written book and very inspiring. I rated this book five stars. You can read my full review here. 

Terrified by Angela hart 

'A remarkable story from a remarkable woman, it brought back a lot of memories for me' Casey Watson
'A moving story that testifies to the redemptive power of love. I hope Angela Hart inspires many others to foster' Torey Hayden
Terrified tells the emotionally devastating but ultimately uplifting story of Vicky, a little girl who arrives on Angela's doorstep unwanted and unloved after suffering years of emotional abuse at the hands of her mother. Desperate never to return home, Vicky is haunted by many demons and waking nightmares. This book tells the moving story of Angela's determination to set Vicky free.
 
A brilliant fostering memoir from Angela hart. She tells the story of Vicky, a teenager her and husband foster. This book goes right back to the 1970's and 80's. And how social services has changed since then, let me tell you! Vicky is unwanted and unloved but tries not to act to it. Angela however, gets through to Vicky eventually. Vicky confides in Angela. I can't imagine what Vicky must have been through, it's heartbreaking but with a good ending. It's wonderfully written and took me not very long to read -because I didn't want to put it down- I rated this book 4 stars and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
  
 Not long after surviving the horrors of D-Day, Corporal James Bowden finds himself as part of a small group of soldiers marching through Nazi-occupied France.
Supplied with orders that are vague and unspecific and surrounded by men he doesn't know, will James survive society’s desire for justice and revenge?

 I was sent the kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review. 
This book follows the story of soldiers durring world war II. Following there journey through nazi occupied Europe. It also reflects on memories from the soldiers lives back home and also people they meet a long the way! This story gives a very good insight to what it was like for the solidiers trapsing through Europe during world war II and how they manage to shoot down an enemies plain whilst on foot using just there guns! A beautifully written book with a great story and it had me gripped all the way through. I rated this book five stars. You can read my full review here.




More books I've read and reviewed lately: 
Who are you by Megan Henley I rated four stars. 
Me before you by JoJo Moyes I rated five stars. 
After You by Jojo Moyes. I rated four stars. 
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica I rated four stars. 
Look Behind You by Sibel Hodge I rated four stars.

 More book reviews coming very soon! Please watch this space. You can follow me on Goodreads if you'd like. 
Do you have a book you think I might like? Book suggestions are more than welcome! Let me know in the comments what you've read lately or what you're reading at the moment :) 

Sarah xXx

Please note: I purchased these books with my own money apart from 'We Go Again' By Michael Cargill, I was gifted the kindle version of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

One kiss lasts a moment.
But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime.

One boy.
One girl.
A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade.
A bond that neither time nor distance can break.
A bond that will last forever.
Or so they believe.
When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation?
Rune’s heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.

Standalone Young Adult Tearjerker Romance.
For ages 14 and up
 source


 'A Thousand Boy Kisses' is a really hard book to for me to review. My thoughts are hard to put into words. It is one of the best books I have EVER read. It's beautifully sad and beautifully happy but in a sad way, I can't even explain. I'm sorry if this contians spoilers but it is very hard to describe without giving too much away.  
When Poppy's Mamaw passes away, Poppy is just nine years old. She makes a pact with her nan to fill her jar of paper hearts with a thousand boy kisses. Poppy and her best friend 'Rune' have been friends since the age of 5. They are half of each others soul. Rune has to leave Blossom Grove with his parents back to his native country, Norway. They are both utterly heartbroken. Poppy cuts Rune off with no explanation. No contact. Nothing. But why? When Rune returns to Blossom Grove, two years later, he soon learns why. 
This story is utterly heartbreaking but it truly is a very, very good book. It's beautiful in every single way. 

I really can't go into details on this book because I recommend that everyone should read this book. You will need a box of tissues, it's a tear jerker, that's so sure. A beautiful tear jerker at that. There is so much to this book!
I rate this five stars.. I'd rate this book all the stars in the world if I could. This book will stay with me a long time. And the play list of songs in the back? Whenever I hear any of those songs, it's going to really remind me of this beautiful story. 

Sarah xXx

The Silent Cry by Cathy Glass 

The heartbreaking true story of a young, troubled mother who needed help.
The sixteenth fostering memoir by Cathy Glass.
It’s a big, exciting moment for Laura when she decides to finally take her new baby out to the school playground for the first time ever. What should be a happy, magical moment quickly sours, however, when Laura suddenly feels queasy and runs off back home. None of the other schoolyard mothers seem to notice this troubled, struggling woman – apart from Cathy. But when Cathy tries to help, she finds herself hitting wall after wall. Laura needs medical help but refuses to see a doctor. Her own cold mother refuses to help. It is left to Cathy to try and bring light to this dark and dangerous place.
source. 

I picked this book up in ASDA and it came in a 2 pack with another book by Cathy Glass 'Cut'. A two pack of books for £4? Yes please! Although I think I have already read 'Cut', I'm not quite sure. Firstly, for those of you who don't know. I love Cathy Glass books. She is an amazing woman who fosters children and helps them, she has done this for many, many years and is very experienced. I love the fact she shares her stories with us. 
*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* 
This book dates right back to when Cathy's own children were very little. Cathy shares her story about a woman she meets in the playground. She discovers all is not well with this lady -Laura-. It turns out Laura is suffering with PND and needs help. Cathy is a great support and truly does help Laura and her family a lot. Cathy also shares her story and also talks about the children is fostering (on short term) at the time. I cold talk about this book all day but honestly, I don't want to share too much because I know some of my readers have this on there 'To Read' list.
Overall, I really loved this book. There needs to be more people like Cathy in this world. I give this book five stars. It's beautifully written, easy to follow and certainly easy to read. I couldn't put this book down. I read it within a day (on and off of course!)

What have you read lately?

Sarah xXx

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