Review: Winning Your Blood Sugar Battle: How to Prevent and Control Type 2 Diabetes

Winning Your Blood Sugar Battle: How to Prevent and Control Type 2 Diabetes by Richard Furman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was diagnosed borderline diabetic last year and decided to handle it by eating properly.
This I didn’t always manage so was put on medication.

I was so confused by good carbs, bad carbs, sugar.

I learnt a lot since then and am losing weight which is a huge bonus.

This book has added extra extension to my learning of the disease as well as not pulling back as telling you exactly what could/can happen if you don’t take control of it right now.
Yep, scary indeed.

But the author doesn’t leave it like that with you swimming an ocean of confusion. He lets you know what diabetes is, types of diabetes.

He teaches you how important it is to get exercise, even a walk daily will help.

The food.
What to have, what to have occasionally and what to avoid and why.

This has been one of the most impressive books I’ve read that’s been so helpful to me.

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Review: Little Concepts: A is for Apricat: Learn Your ABCs with These Deliciously Adorable Food & Critter Mash-Ups!

Little Concepts: A is for Apricat: Learn Your ABCs with These Deliciously Adorable Food & Critter Mash-Ups! by Mauro Gatti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My kids are grown, but, I for sure would have purchased this book for them whilst teaching them about food and nutrition. Teaching no your children about the wisest choices of food and why should start early. This book makes it so much fun.

Turning the apricot into an AproCAT, is fun. You can also teach them colours in this very well illustrated book.

At the back there are lists of the food mentioned and what benefits it has on our bodies.

For sure this book is aimed at “children on your knee’ age, but can always be used later for reference. Some of the wording may go over a youngsters head but a well informed child is a wise child, don’t you think?

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Review: Lake Child

Lake Child by Isabel Ashdown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I truly found this book hard to put down.

Pick this book up in a quiet place and I dare you to get to chapter 5 and say it’s confusing because I thought so too until then.....
I HAD to keep reading, I needed to know things. I wanted answers, I needed clarity.

Was this person mad, where her parents mad, this just wasn’t making sense, why is she locked in the attic.
She asked that herself! And it made sense until.........
Then I’m WHAT, jaw dropping on floor screaming in my in my head “what’s going on”?

Talk about tense.

I’m on a complete roll of superb books at the moment. This ones definitely in my top 10 this year in this genre.

Twists! Twists? You’ll get twisted in knots!


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Review: The Nickel Boys

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book gives you the biggest slap in the face reality check you’ll ever want to experience.

This is fiction based on fact. I really don’t think I’d have survived for long in these times of black (coloured) vs white folk. I just see people. I don’t see race, creed, religion or any diversity. Just people.
Good or bad and indeed in this book.....darn right evil.

Based around 2 people primarily .

Elwood is a kind ordainary guy. He’s clever, he’s smart and a hardworking guy.

But one day, wrongly, he gets arrested for stealing an already stolen car.

He’s sent to Nickel Academy.
There is segregation between whites and blacks.
Abuse, sexual abuse, torture in the most inhumanly way.
Elwood is quite naive until he meets a person who will help him, actually they help each other.

We all know the history of racism but we don’t actual “know” it and even if we did through family or books etc did we pain over it afterwards? You definitely will do after reading this.

It’s as hard hitting as walking on a bed of nails.

The writing is superb. The events are difficult to read.

I was left with the ending being a blow, it knocked my socks off.

I sat ages talking about what I’d just read to my hubby. I needed to ‘get it out there’ to hear myself talk about what I’d jus read. To clarify and to clear my mind.


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Review: A Shadow On The Lens

A Shadow On The Lens by Sam Hurcom
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Isn’t this a lovely cover.

That’s all..........

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Review: The Guilty Mother: Who Would you Believe?

The Guilty Mother: Who Would you Believe? by Diane Jeffrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.75

This is one hell of a book. I’ve read lots of books with children going missing, killed, abducted but this is not that.
Don’t ignore this book if you like ‘edge of your seat’ reads.
Don’t miss this book if you are one who thinks they know the ending.

I got tied up in knots.
Did she? She didn’t!
She did.
She didn’t.
It was him, her, that one, no, the other one.

So you give birth to twins.
One dies, cot death. Shock, horror, grief and utter devastation.

Then the other twin dies.
Cot death?

But Mom Melissa is put into prison.
Did she kill her baby. Did she kill both babies?

The other characters surrounding this story are pretty believable. Some you like, some you don’t and some you will wonder about.

The complexity of this very finely woven story will spin your head around and around.

I’m so glad I got to read this book. This definitely is a memorable story and one on my top in this genre this year.

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Review: Mooncakes

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


➖This book will be published 15th October 2019➖

〰️My very first graphic novel and I adored it〰️

This book is so up to date with life. It has queer witch who is very hard of hearing. Which makes it great to read as it’s a disability that prevails many (even if they aren’t a witch!)

And a Chinese/America werewolf. How awesome is this to introduce nonbinary characters.

Nova also has two Grandmothers who are in a relationship with each other.

I felt this layout around Nova was absolutely great. In today’s society we need more acceptance of people’s life choices that are personal to them.

And the Invisible parents just knocked my socks off, I was in awe of the imaginary with the help of powerful illustrations in this book.

These are good witches. It’s all around nature too which impacted on me.

Who could have foreseen I’d love this book.

This has opened a doorway to me to look into graphic novels more.

Loved reading this on my iPad however I feel I’d have enjoyed it even more so in physical book format.

It has a young love story running through this which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Suitable for Young adults to teens.
But Adults May love this just as much.

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Review: In the Clearing

In the Clearing by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Yes yes YES! I’ve finally got to this one.
Third book in the Tracy Crosswhite series which I’ve enjoyed.
This author has made an impression on me.
Loving this series so much I’ve bought them all for my shelf.

40 years ago we didn’t have the kind of technology we do today, hence Police and DI couldn’t work with what they do now.

So when something happens, it uncovers something from yesteryear. 40 years ago.

It was interesting to me to see this plot unfold. The chapters flew by.
I love this authors style and find it extremely easy to follow. I get “right in there!” Amongst it all.
Brilliantly done.


I’m just late to the table with this. I like to have a series so I can jump from book 1.......onwards. I’m so OCD with series.

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Review: The Mercy of the Night

The Mercy of the Night by David Corbett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I’m afraid this one I have tried three times to pick up, get eager about and finish.
I was glad I finished to be honest.

All the “street talk jargon” was lost on me.

Story was ok.

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Review: Mercy

Mercy by Michael Palmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As I take a book off of my pile of “I should have read this by now” shelf....
I chose this one.

I’ve got nothing I planned to do actually done today except cook a family meal.
This kept drawing me in.

It’s packed with so much that you’re head is going to spin. But in a good way.

You would think you’d be safe in hospital right? Not in this story.

And who hasn’t talked about scenarios in life? I have, since I’ve got older.
I’ve said things like, if I get an incurable illness that leaves me as a vegetable, I’d rather not be kept alive.

There’s a case in here that will pull at your heart strings.

The writing is so pure, so raw and emotional.

I loved it!

One regret....
I should have read this earlier.

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Review: A Nearly Normal Family

A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a domestic drama based thriller that had all the elements I loved.

Mom, dad, annoying secretive daughter.

I had one of the characters under suspicion but just kept wobbling between 50/50.

It’s really rounded and written so well you stroll from page to page with ease, however tension does build that Spurs you on to find answers to your questions.

A lot of the time I was saying “oh....I didn’t expect that”.

I’m definitely following this author for future books. Definitely!

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Review: Apple Cake: A Gratitude

Apple Cake: A Gratitude by Dawn Casey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really Lovely illustrated book.
Eye catching pictures and colours that will hold a child’s imagination.

It’s full of gratitude and thanks for everything no matter how big or small.

We all know that pictures in children’s books speak more than the words themselves at times.

A parent or adult reading this to a child will have plenty to chat about.

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Review: The Need

The Need by Helen Phillips
My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Help!
I don’t know where to start.

I’ve just read reviews on this book and I’m now thinking I’m kinda dumb. I just didn’t “get it”.

The writing is very good, but following the gist of the story made my head hurt.

I get that she has two young children, I get that it’s very hard work and that’s not to be underrated I’ve been there. Gosh, hard work, constant, no time for yourself but very rewarding.

She works as a paleobotanist

I loved it had short chapter and parts 1, 2 and 3.
For me I think it needed to be divided into boxes of time.

It’s definitely not a fast paced thriller.

It’s........different. It’s not a huge book to read but because it puzzled me so very much I kept having to reread it.

You know when people say “it’s not you, it’s me?” Maybe it is me?

I read Ludwig’s review, got to the ‘scientific twist’ and I was done.

If you are seeking a book with a difference, this is it.
If you are seeking a fast pace thriller, this definitely isn’t it.
If you are looking for an headache, this is it.

When I closed the final page I was relieved.

I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I really didn’t understand it.

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Review: My Wicked Stepsister

My Wicked Stepsister by T.S. Irons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to read a book out of my comfort zone, at least one this year.

I chose this taboo subject line between step sister and step sister.
If you look at actual real life statistics this happens more than anyone realises.

He’s attracted to his step sister.

When a weekend away is planned......
Let’s see if it got hot to hotter to scorching

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Review: X

X by Kass Barrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a short read, not sure if it goes into a series. I need to check that out.

It’s dark, it’s completely compelling.

So if you turn your back on something or someone, does that mean you are running away?
And do you believe that you’re past will come back and haunt you?

This is such a great book, well written and just what I needed for a different genre for a while.

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Review: My Brother and Me

My Brother and Me by Taghreed Najjar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely little heartfelt sibling/peer relationship book.

I have three brothers and I’m the only girl.

There is 10 years between my eldest brother and myself, 7 years between my middle brother and myself. My little brother is 7 years younger than me.

The age gaps became apparent as my eldest two brothers got older and stopped taking me everywhere with them.

This is what happens in this book.

Ramez Is Aloush big brother, there are quite a few years between them but they’ve always had a great relationship and still does but now that his older brother has a fiancé it’s a natural progression he spends more time with her.

There’s a good moral and learning process within this story, a very enjoyable read.

I loved that this came through a different culture too.

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Review: Winter Flower

Winter Flower by Charles Sheehan-Miles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a chunker of a book.
600 pages.
But it went by fast.

I so recall the first book I ever read by this author. It was book 1 in a series. I’d been new at reading and reviewing books online. What do remember was the impact it had on me.

This book was a long awaited book. I wondered if he had given up writing suddenly but so pleased to hear this was released.

He’s an author that doesn’t just churn out books, he’s a real quality writer that produces excellent heartfelt quality reads and stands out miles ( no pun intended) as he’s clear, precise, you can feel the characters and what he’s transmitting to his readers through the pages.

It’s a heartbreaking read at times but totally down to earth and so realistic. It could happen to you, it could happen to me.

The only thing that kept me going was “hope” for this family.

I loved it! It was like a family saga, no, much more than that.

I warmed to some characters better than others.

I’ve enjoyed this so much. An author that is underrated and needs more recognition.

This story may have taken time to write, it’s been well worth waiting for.

I’ll wait patiently again for his next one.

Recommend to those who like a good story, family drama, heartfelt emotions and sincerity.

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Blog Tour You’ll never see me again by Lesley Pearse

You’ll Never See Me Again by Lesley Pearse is out now, published by Michael Joseph, priced £20 in hardback.

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

The enthralling new novel from the 10-million-copy, No. 1 bestselling author

Betty Wellows is running for her life . . . 

Young Betty dreams of settling down to an ordinary life in Hallsands with her fisherman husband. But when he returns broken and haunted from the Great War, she finds herself persecuted by his distraught mother - and yearns to escape.

It is only when a storm devastates the village that Betty sees her chance. Fleeing to Bristol and changing her name to Mabel Brook, she seeks a new life - only to discover destiny has other plans.

Penniless and alone, Mabel suffers a brutal attack before being rescued by a psychic named Nora Nightingale. She gets her first taste of those who receive messages from the dead and realizes she may have this power herself. 

But Mabel fears her gift may be a terrible curse as it becomes ever harder to hide from the truth about who she once was - and the tragic life she left behind. 

Soon Mabel receives her own message and is forced back to the very place she has escaped. A place of heartbreak and perhaps even murder - but to secure her future Mabel must confront her past one last time.

Lesley Pearse is one of the UK's best-loved novelists with fans across the globe and sales of over 2 million copies of her books to date. A true storyteller and a master of gripping storylines that keep the reader hooked from beginning to end, Pearse introduces you to characters that it is impossible not to care about or forget. There is no formula to her books or easily defined genre. Whether crime as in 'Till We Meet Again', historical adventure like 'Never Look Back', or the passionately emotive 'Trust Me', based on the true-life scandal of British child migrants sent to Australia in the post war period, she engages the reader completely.
Truth is often stranger than fiction and Lesley's life has been as packed with drama as her books. She was three when her mother died under tragic circumstances. Her father was away at sea and it was only when a neighbour saw Lesley and her brother playing outside without coats on that suspicion was aroused - their mother had been dead for some time. With her father in the Royal Marines, Lesley and her older brother spent three years in grim orphanages before her father remarried - a veritable dragon of an ex army nurse - and Lesley and her older brother were brought home again, to be joined by two other children who were later adopted by her father and stepmother, and a continuing stream of foster children. The impact of constant change and uncertainty in Lesley's early years is reflected in one of the recurring themes in her books: what happens to those who are emotionally damaged as children. It was an extraordinary childhood and in all her books, Lesley has skilfully married the pain and unhappiness of her early experiences with a unique gift for storytelling

When I start one of these authors books I know I’m going to be in for a treat.
I discovered Lesley Pearse books when I was in my late 20’s, way before I had the Internet, way before I wrote reviews and way before I became a blogger.

I used the local library a lot and would preorder each of her books as soon as I knew of their release.

Today, I just “one click” it. I never have to think twice it’s an automatic purchase.


Now to the book.
I’m not about to spoil the plot but as all fans know, there is always much more depth to one of these authors stories.
Mabel is the main character, she wasn’t always called “Mabel” and you will see how and why almost right at the beginning.
This is set around 1914 onwards. Men were going off to war, youngsters going off to fight for their Country and many returning home injured. Mabel’s husband one of them.
The twist is there where Mabel has to “runaway” and from there we follow her.
It’s not an easy life.

The characters she makes friends with along the way and things that happen in her life were sometimes great, other times tragedy would strike.

There is romance and romance that cannot come to anything.

Mabel has to return home. She hears something she needs to confirm and if it’s true, she has a great sense of honesty and justice.

I really loved Mabel. We all need someone like her in our lives.

The characters are so well developed that they become part of your life as you read this. It’s intense.
You are rooting for different individuals and shocked and appalled by other scenes. This will stay with me long after I put this book on my shelf.

Like I say, Lesley Pearse is an expert at bringing out fictional characters who could indeed existed in reality.

I just have to give this 5*

Review: Room 553

Room 553 by Britney King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are several books by this author I loved.
Her last few psychological books I’ve enjoyed a lot.
I was looking forward to this one eagerly and loved the title and the cover.

I’d say this was erring on the side of suspense, seduction and mystery.

The last 20% when everything came together was brilliantly done.

It’s got that edge of Fifty shades of grey in it if you enjoy that. At some point I got a bit bored with those scenes and found myself skimming pages which is totally not my thing to do.

For me.....it just didn’t grab me as much as before.
It’s a cross between one of those sexy naughty romps and suspense.

Maybe just not for me. I was expecting more psychological thriller type vices.

Just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean you might not love it.

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Review: Caillou: The Dinosaur Museum

Caillou: The Dinosaur Museum by Anne Paradis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely love these little stories of Caillou. Reasons, teachings and morals behind every solid story.

This one identifies who to speak to, and what to do if you get separated/ lost from your mommy and daddy.

The illustrations are fabulous.

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Review: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

If my children were young, I really wouldn’t purchase this book.
Compared to children’s stories years ago this is very poor.

Children have short attention spans, but this is so uneventfully boring I as an adult wasn’t enjoying the sense of it either.

The illustrations are very poor workmanship and not something that appealed to my friends Granddaughter at all.

It sounds harsh, but it needs more body to this .

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Review: No Room for a Pup!

No Room for a Pup! by Elizabeth Suneby
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I loved the energy in this book, loved the colourful illustrations and how most children want a pet.

It’s not always convenient or justified to get one though!

The Mother says no, and explains why but this devious child asks her Grandmother.

Ok that’s real.

But what I am concerned with is the fact that a parent is going to read this to their child.
Children are sponges they soak up plenty of what you teach them, and equally plenty of what you don’t !

When the Grandmother gets involved that’s the problem I had.
Instead of her saying “let me talk to your mom”

The moral of this story I found awkward.

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Review: Mama Bird Lost an Egg

Mama Bird Lost an Egg by Evelyne Fournier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Seeing as this book is said to open the lines to help explain fried and loss to a child I’m just not sure how this is going to entirely work.

I understand the concept, a loss of an egg, no brother or sister and relating it to birds/chicks and trying to see this through the eyes of a child.

I’m just not convinced.

The illustrations were good, that’s why I upped it to a 3*

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Review: Caillou: I Can Do It Myself!

Caillou: I Can Do It Myself! by Christine L'Heureux
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caillou is growing up and like all children “they want to do it themselves”. Sometimes as parents we are in far too much of a hurry to allow our children to try to dress themselves, or tie their own shoe laces, allow them to help us lay the table or get shopping with us.

I know life is a rush, but time with our children allowing plenty of time for tasks being fun with plenty of praise may not be realistic.

It takes longer! And it’s quicker and easier if we do it ourselves right?

This may be a short little book but a huge lesson we all could learn.

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Review: Unplugged and Unpopular

Unplugged and Unpopular by Mat Heagerty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A digital graphic comic.

It’s aimed at Tweens but it does seem a bit on the daft side at times.
However the concept is acceptable because we have this girl who so much wants to be liked and accepted. But, she gets herself into trouble at school.

The results of that is for her parents to remove all her devices.

That surely in this day and age would peeve any child off.

But she discovers a whole bunch of things since not being able to use her technology devices!

Fun, entertaining and I can see Tweens enjoying this.

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Review: The Divorce

The Divorce by Victoria Jenkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I tend to read reviews after I’ve read a book myself if I already own it or have it to review.

There’s some mixed reviews for sure.

Although I have this authors other books on my kindle, and I’m ashamed to say I’ve not got around to reading them....yet. I understand they are more in the line of police procedures unlike this one.
So maybe because I’m all “zumped” out of police procedures is why I enjoyed this one.

It is based around a Counsellor whose own first marriage wasn’t .....just let me say.....successful.
Her second marriage was.
In circumstances we find her “working from home”

We learn early on that something is playing on her mind but it wasn’t clear to me what that was. I guessed several times but was off target.

Then this couple come to her for counselling and it’s growing clear to me that their relationship is , shall we say, not all it seems to be.
Of course it isn’t! I hear you say! They wouldn’t be there if there was nothing wrong with their marriage...right?

Several times my mind changed. I go by “if something is obvious, then that’s the way to go” but this time, nope. I was pulled in.

I loved this story and the plot, the writing it was so easy to follow and identify with the characters.
Not too many people in this so was easy to follow.
The characters were very well rounded I thought.

It’s not an edge if your seat thriller.
You won’t bite your nails down to the skin.
You won’t find your jaw dropping, but what you will find is a great story behind the words, a great setting for a plot and a steady read that keeps you guessing. And sometimes that’s all you need depending on the book.

I liked it.

My downfall was the ending.
I went back and read it three times with a frown on my face.
I’m still a bit confused about it.

It has made me eager to read her other books in order though, so that’s a good thing....right?

She loves thrillers (she said in the back of this book) she’s tried something other than police procedures and I sincerely hope she writes more of these.

My thanks to Bookoutour

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Review: Don't Drink the Pink

Don't Drink the Pink by B.C.R. Fegan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Madeline and her Grandfather have a very close fun bond.

The illustrations in this book is amazing, eye catching and very well layer out.
It’s colourful so makes it very eye catching for young children (and this adult loved it too!).

Each birthday of Madeleines her Grandfather provides her with a potion and a wink of “don’t drink the pink”.

Each potion explores magical things for Madeline that will enthral each child who reads this or has it read to them. The wonders of it all spikes magic.

It was sad when I got to a part at the end but I soon cheered up with the happier ending.

Such a wonderful magical book with a great opening for discussion between a child and her live for her Grandfather.

Highly recommended.

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