Nicki's book blog

  Girl A-Dan Scottow - psychological thriller OMG- a book to put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there! In 1985 a child was taken from his mother at a fair and then beaten and killed. A boy of eleven and a girl of seven were put on trial. The boy was imprisoned but the girl was deemed too young to have done anything. Present day: Beth and Charlie live with their two children in a remote farmhouse. Beth works in publishing where she has worked for many years and Charlie is in advertising. One night the doorbell goes and a note is pushed through the door. Things escalate and they both wonder what on earth is going on. Someone is out to get Beth, a case of mistaken identity but who is it and how far will they go? Wow! The tension in this builds and builds to the point I felt myself racing through to find out just who and what. To me the skill of a very talented writer that made me want to read at an ever increasing pace. A twist or three and not what I was expecting. I...

  Not Without My Sister by Marion Kummerow -historical fiction Mandel and her older sister Rachel have been captured and have moved from camp to camp. This is 1944 and now they arrive at Bergen-Belsen. As they go in they get separated. Mandel is only four and is lost without her sister. Their crime is that they are from a half jewish family and Hitler is still on th e warpath. They have done well to evade capture up to this point but now it’s the bleakness of camplife and both are alone. Each tells their own stories- Rachel working in an ammunitions factory and Mandel doing her best to stay alive. A tale of determination against all odds. Of being strong and hanging in there whatever is thrown at you. Of being beaten and starving and having SS guards making lives hell and living off scraps and potato peelings whilst being forced to do hard labour. A book to inspire, and one although fiction is based on true facts- there is a small section at the end explaining which events and...

  Girl with Secrets by Carol Rivers-historical fiction          Set in the second world war this tells the story of Daisy and her brother who go to live with their Aunt and Grandmother in the country away from the London dock area where they live at the beginning of the war. Daisy is only ten years old and the eldest in her class so she “ has to look after the babies'' when she would much rather be learning. What Daisy is learning fast, is about life and that adults as well as children have secrets. She overhears some conversations and sees the fall out, quickly picking up that taking a problem to someone doesn't always solve it. They return to their London home as things aren't too bad early on. Then comes the London bombings and things take a drastic turn for the worse.An interesting read of life in the blitz from a childs point of view. Of coded letters and scandal, to bombings and houses being flattened. A read to educate and enlighten of how things...

  THE SILENT FRIEND by Diane Jeffrey-psychological thriller  Wow! One that slowly draws you in and keeps you amongst the pages. Laura and her friends travel from Northern Ireland to France to go and see a band as part of a holiday. Laura has always said no to the group holidays as she hates flying but this time the band were too hard to resist. Sandrine and her family live near Lyon and one of their sons has a new job at the concert hall there. When there is an incident at the gig Sandrine and Laura have a shared interest. Laura has been held hostage and Sandrine’s sons are also involved. Laura and Sandrine begin communicating on a forum created by Sandrine and Sam, her husband for victims and those affected by the tragedy. Laura does not know other than that she has lost a son, how Sandrine is involved. I really enjoyed this- for the most part it doesn't come across as a psychological thriller, more of a drama/thriller. I took to Laura and her situation and the PTSD, p...

  Home On Folly Farm by Jane Lovering- Romantic Comedy So much more than a romcom- a book with a message and one to make you smile. Dora lives quite happily on her sheep farm in Yorkshire that was her grandfathers, until one day her sister and son and tutor arrive on the doorstep from London to stay for 3 months whilst Dora and Cass’s parents do an extension. They are not in the least bit “countryfied” and Dora finds her sister hard work at the best of times. A sister that has been pampered by her parents, done little to earn anything for herself and expects everyone to bow to her and her son Thor (short for Hawthorn- yes really!)  and do everything for them. (why oh why do so many parents do this is beyond me). Someon e who takes for granted everything from being fed to being waited on and doing very little in return. Dora is understandably at her wits end but doing her best to keep the peace aided by Nat, Thor’s tutor who has arrived with them. When he first arrives ...

  Mother- Laura Jarrett-psychological thriller A mother is driving herself and her two daughters home from a holiday. Their father has stayed at home due to work pressures. On the way in the dark and driving rain there appear to be very bright lights which then seem straight in front of the windscreen. Lizzie swerves to avoid whatever it is but the car veers off the road, through the trees and into water- deep water. Lizzie comes to and realises she has one chance to save one daughter, not both. What a choice. Months later the police are trying to charge her for falling asleep at the wheel- something she vehemently denies- however she really can't remember what did happen. Is it someone from Dan’s past work- he is a criminal defence lawyer and has had a few threats in the past? Did Lizzie fall asleep? What is going on and why? I really enjoyed this-there is a wonderful air of tension to keep you within the pages and wanting to turn faster and faster. A breakthrough and th...

  The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz: by Ellie Midwood Historical fiction (WW2) “We must die standing up for something.”“And what are we standing up for?”“The most important thing there is. Freedom.” Wow! A truly inspiring read if there ever was one. Based on a true story of Mala Zimetbaum, an inmate of Auschwitz who became a translator for the SS as she spoke several languages and was useful to them. Edek (Edward) is a political prisoner and has been there for several years. They chance upon each other and find each has useful skills- ones that could be put to use for their own benefit for a change. Both were imprisoned for being alive- the wrong nationality or religion. This is both a powerful and disturbing read at times and brilliantly written. The horrors of what went on yet at times tenderness and even a smile- the inmates doing what they can to keep their spirits lifted whilst amongst the atrocities of the camp. Yes there have been many books about Auschwitz, and yes ...