The above 8 books I selected to read between Jun, Jul and Aug. I’ve actually brought another 5 books 📚 from a charity shop since selecting the 8!! I really must stop and read what I’ve got so far. One of the 5 books was ‘In Strangers Houses’ by Elizabeth Mundy so I’ve added this to the list as it sounded a good read.
Jun 2018
‘The Gift’ by Louise Jensen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story is about Jenna, who is given a second chance at life with a heart donor from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets…
This was a tense, gripping and thrilling book to read, as soon as I started reading it, it grabbed my attention right away, and there were times where I didn’t want to put it down!! The book is full of intense twists and a I was guess right up to till the end of the book, I would recommend to give this book a read.. This is the first book of Louise Jensen’s I’ve read, and the following are on my list to read: The Date, The Sister and The Surrogate.
‘Mum’s List’ by St John Greene ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
On her deathbed, Kate Greene’s only concern was for her two little boys, Reef and Finn, and her loving husband, Singe. She knew she’d be leaving them behind very soon. So Mum’s List was written…
I’ve been wanting to read this book since I saw the family on Good Morning Britain a while ago, telling the story about Mum’s List which had been made into a book and also a DVD. I knew straight away that it would be a book that I wanted to read, as I could relate to some parts as I Lost my dad to 5 different types of cancer in June 2012. For me it was very touching, emotional read and brought back some memories when my dad was poorly. I loved how Kate put the list together for her hubby and sons and that they carried out what was written and also the remembering what things Kate liked, the sayings and making sure the two boys knew how much there mum loved them as well as teaching them to show and say what they mean and feel. I can only imagine how hard it was for hubby and her boys to deal with the loss of a wife and mum and to try to carry on with their day to-day lives..
‘In Strangers Houses’ by Elizabeth Mundy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lena Szarka, a Hungarian cleaner working in London, knows all too well about cleaning up other people’s messes. When her friend Timea disappears, she suspects one of her clients is to blame. However, the police don’t share her suspicions and it is left to Lena to turn sleuth and find her friend.
This booked was an added extra to my orginal selection. When I first started reading it, I’ll be honest I couldn’t get into it and was wondering if the story-line would pick up? But I persisted with the book and it started to get a bit more juicy. Its was an OK read, it’s not one I would shout about if I’m honest, hence the 3 star rating. When I read the back of the book it sounded a good read, but when it came to reading it wasn’t as good I had thought. 
Jul 2018
‘Just what kind of mother are you’ by Paula Daly ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Your friend’s child is missing. It’s your fault. No family is perfect.
A husband, three children and a full-time job, so many plates to keep spinning. No wonder you forgot you were supposed to be looking after your friend’s daughter.
But no one has seen her since yesterday.
And she’s not the first to go missing from your small town.
So who’s hiding something?
This is another book, where I read the back and like to sound of the story. It gets straight into the story line a couple of pages in, which is good as the story gets going instead of it building up. I did enjoy this and it had some good twists in, some places gets you guessing who has done it. I did enjoy the book, and I read it within 6 days which is good for me as sometimes I take longer. I think with this book after reading it I sat and thought that there are people out there which actually do this! Why? What goes through their minds?
‘Behind Closed Doors’ by B A Paris ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’d like to get to know Grace better. But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.
Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows. Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.
Another book which I brought from Amazon and has been sitting around waiting for me to read it, and I’ve finally got round to reading it in July! I’ve had people ask me if I have read it yet, and my reply every time no , but I do have it to read.. I really got into this book and enjoyed the story line and I didn’t want to put the book down, was evening reading it on the short walk to work when I get of the bus! 😂😂. The thing that gets me and I don’t understand is that what that book is about still happens now, which is scary to understand why and how someone can treat another person in that way? Why?
‘Don’t close your eyes’ by Holly Seddon ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two sisters. A lifetime of secrets. One terrible reckoning. Robin and Sarah weren’t the closest of twins. They weren’t even that similar. But they loved each other dearly. Until, in the cruellest of domestic twists, they were taken from one another. Now, in her early 30s, Robin lives alone. Agoraphobic and suffering from panic attacks, she spends her days pacing the rooms of her house. The rest of the time she watches – watches the street, the houses, the neighbours. Until one day, she sees something she shouldn’t…
This is the second book I have read of Holly Seddon’s, the other book I have read is ‘Try not to Breathe’. Out of the two books I have read I enjoyed the first book more than Don’t close your eyes. This book was a good read but couldn’t really get into the story as I have done with previous books, it was a good read when I got into the story it was good and there was parts of the story where it happens in real life, but people don’t hear about it happening. There is another book which the author has written called ‘Love will tear us apart’ which is on my reading list along with many others!!
Aug 2018
‘Broken and Betrayed’ by Jayne Senior ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For fourteen years, Jayne Senior tried to help girls from Rotherham who had been groomed, raped, tortured, pimped and threatened with violence by sex traffickers. As the manager of Risky Business, which was set up to work with vulnerable teens, she heard heart breaking and shocking stories of abuse and assiduously kept notes and details of the perpetrators, passing information on to the authorities in the belief that they would do something. Eventually, when she lost hope that the authorities would take action against the gangs she had identified as the abusers, she became a whistleblower for The Times investigative reporter Andrew Norfolk.
Now, in her powerful memoir, she describes a life spent working to protect Rotherham’s girls, the pressure put on her to stop rocking the boat, and why she risked prison in the hope that she could help end the appalling child exploitation in the town.
Now this is one book I’ve wanted to read for a while, yes another book I’ve had for over a year but not got round to reading it. I got it off amazon, and I brought it after watching the short series on BBC about the Rotherham grooming scandal. I was intrigued to read the book by Jayne Senior from an angle with someone who was involved in getting the wrong doing’s dealt with and helping the victims in a positive way for a better future for them and there families.
I think this book has been well written and reading it from Jayne’s view it shows you what they were up against, with the authorities not listening or acting upon information they had been given in an area which needed attention. There are other books which are written by some of the victims, I’m not sure if I would read these or not as I think they maybe more exposure to what happened to them, more so than Jayne’s book.
‘The Follower’ by Koethi Zan ⭐️⭐️⭐️
SHE’D DO ANYTHING FOR HER HUSBAND.
Julie has the perfect life. A kind boyfriend, loving parents and good grades. She has everything ahead of her. Cora’s life is a nightmare. A psychopath for a husband, a violent father and a terrible secret. There’s no way out.
But one night, their worlds collide. Locked in an isolated house together, they must work out what has happened – and who they can trust to set them free. From the bestselling author of The Never List, this is a breath-taking new thriller about the wife of a kidnapper and her relationship with his last victim.
It took me a little while to get into this book, but I persisted with it and got into the story line. I won’t say it was one of my favourite books I have read in 2018, but was an alright read and another booked added to my pile I have read. If you don’t mind stories with a religious/cult storyline then you’ll enjoy this book.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on my book reviews, and hope you find it helpful if you want to read any of the books I have mentioned. Apologises in the delay in getting the post out!
📷: Pinterest
I’ve gone for a mixed selection of genres as I think sometimes I read too many of one type of book, so I thought I’d switch it up.. 
Has anyone one read any of the above books? Drop me a comment if you have to let me know your thoughts..
