Notes on a Nervous Planet @matthaig1

About Notes on a Nervous Planet

The world is messing with our minds.
Rates of stress and anxiety are rising. A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives. We are more connected, yet feel more alone. And we are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index.
- How can we stay sane on a planet that makes us mad?
- How do we stay human in a technological world?
- How do we feel happy when we are encouraged to be anxious?
After experiencing years of anxiety and panic attacks, these questions became urgent matters of life and death for Matt Haig. And he began to look for the link between what he felt and the world around him. Notes on a Nervous Planet is a personal and vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole in the twenty-first century.

My review of Notes on a Nervous Planet

Matt Haig's books always manage to soothe my soul. I feel instantly calmer once the book is in my hand. I feel ready for some much needed escapism and me time. This book is no exception. It's a remarkable book that is so incredibly raw and honest, and which talks about the absolute truth. It's a breath of fresh air.

This is Matt Haig at his absolute best. He writes about his past and present, his way of coping with life's stresses and his panic attacks. He writes from the heart and from reality. But most of all this book is real. It's almost a life's guide on how to be human, on how to reconnect with other humans, and that at times we simply need to switch off that phone for the benefit of our mental health.

For me, the reading of this book was very much about getting back to the basics, getting back to nature. Enjoying that walk with nowhere in particular to go. Just to sit and watch a sunset, or to read a good book. Today life is busy and we find ourselves ever more disconnected. This book is very much about connecting with others, and with our environment.

 It is full of wisdom and insight. One section in particular, The Beach, really resonated with me. It's about how the beach is timeless, that it existed before us and will be here long after we die. It's somewhere we can sit and just 'be' and that it doesn't care what we look like, or what we wear  it's about how we perceive ourselves to be.

This book is one of those books that you will go back to again and again. I've seen online that people have made notes in the margin of this book and have undermined their favourite parts. And I can completely understand why. It's a book that is good for our soul, for our mental health, as it reminds us that we are human. Stop stressing the big stuff, take time out to have fun with the kids and step away from your phone. This really is a must read.

I purchased my own hardback copy.

Notes on a Nervous Planet was published on 5th July by Canongate.

#AbsoluteProof @peterjamesuk @panmacmillan

About Absolute Proof

From the number one bestselling author, Peter James, comes an explosive standalone thriller that will grip you and won't let go until the very last page.

Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn’t answer the phone call that would change his life – and possibly the world – for ever.

‘I’d just like to assure you I’m not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I’ve recently been given absolute proof of God’s existence – and I’ve been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously.’

What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences?

This question and its answer lie at the heart of Absolute Proof, an international thriller from bestselling author Peter James.

The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world’s major religions are all under threat. If Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence . . .

My review of Absolute Proof

Wow, just wow. I LOVED this book. At just shy of 600 pages, I raced through this novel unable to put it down. It has everything. A protagonist that you root for heart and soul, villains galore, car chases, and so many twists and turns with the fast moving narrative that it left me breathless.

The novel revolves around Ross Hunter, an investigative journalist, who is set on the path to prove God's existence  following a phone call from a retired academic, Dr. Harry Cooke. This starts a whole string of events, in which follows multiple murders, and Ross fighting for the truth and his life.

Ross is at the heart of this story, and the novel works because of him. He's a likeable guy, a family man who does the right thing and who has strong moral principles He's the boy next door who just happens to be an award winning journalist. I liked him immensely, and I wanted him to keep safe and to succeed in his quest.

The action never stops in this book, and I found myself travelling the world meeting a whole host of interesting and intriguing characters. The boss of the pharmaceutical company who does not believe in God, is cold and calculating, but he fascinated me. The billionaire evangelist was hilarious and conjured up many questions about faith and what it means to each and every one of us.

The search for absolute proof puts Ross in danger, as well as those he loves, but he is determined to find the truth, in the hope that he can save mankind. Whether you believe in God or not, this is a truly exciting and thought provoking book with the deep mystery of faith at its very core. It's a wonderful thriller that will get under your skin. Brilliant!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Absolute Proof is published on 4th October by Pan Macmillan.

The Coordinates of Loss @MrsAmandaProwse

About The Coordinates of Loss

When Rachel Croft wakes up on her family’s boat in Bermuda, it’s to sunshine and yet another perfect day…until she goes to wake her seven-year-old son, Oscar. Because the worst thing imaginable has happened. He isn’t there.

In the dark and desperate days that follow, Rachel struggles to navigate her grief. And while her husband, James, wants them to face the tragedy together, Rachel feels that the life they once shared is over. Convinced that their happy marriage is now a sham, and unable to remain in the place where she lost her son, she goes home to Bristol alone.

Only when she starts receiving letters from Cee-Cee, her housekeeper in Bermuda, does light begin to return to Rachel’s soul. She and James both want to learn to live again—but is it too late for them to find a way through together?

My review of The Coordinates of Loss

Oh my heart! This book! Where on earth do I start? It's heartbreaking and beautiful and poignant and I became fully immersed in thut story from the very first page. I've enjoyed every single Amanda Prowse book that I've had the pleasure to read, and this book is no exception.

This book is about every parent's worst nightmare, that of losing a child. It's hard to even think about this, and what Rachel and James go through is gut wrenching and difficult to read. It's an uneasy book, in the sense that you are reading an uncomfortable subject, you are thrown into the middle of what should be private, and I felt the absolute grief of both of these characters for the loss of their little boy.

Amanda Prowse writes so beautifully and with so much heart. I couldn't help but feel as if I knew Rachel and the inner turmoil that she was going through. How would you come to terms with the loss of a child at sea? I understood completely her reasons for leaving everything behind and the absolute guilt that she felt. I just wanted her to rebuild her life and to be happy.

The relationship between Rachel and James changes forever on that fateful trip. As I read, I saw the cracks slowly appearing as Rachel withdrew from him, mentally and physically. This exploration of a marriage under stress, under blame, is beautifully written and I felt its pain.

Amanda Prowse takes the most difficult subjects and tackles them head on with sensitivity, care and undrstanding. The loss of a child and breakdown of a marriage are traumatic subjects in themselves, but she manages to weave a story that touches both the heart and soul, and one that conjures up hope.

The Coordinates of Loss is a remarkable book. It features two strong female characters, in Rachel and Cee-Cee, who share an unlikely bond. This strength and courage is what ultimately begins to heal Rachel. Those feelings of guilt and blame that she has, because she feels that she did not protect her child. All of these thoughts and feelings are written  with huge sensitivity. It's a book about hope and the strength of women. It's such a special story. All the stars. 

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

The Coordinates of Loss is published on the 25 September by Lake Union.

#TheDarkestPlace @SpainJoanne @QuercusBooks

About The Darkest Place 

Island of the Lost was the isle's name long before the hospital was built. In winter, they say the fog falls so heavy there that you can't see your hand in front of your face. Storms rage so forcefully you can be blown from the cliffs. Once St. Christina's was built, the name took on a new meaning. Very few who went into that place ever left.'

Christmas day, and DCI Tom Reynolds receives an alarming call. A mass grave has been discovered on Oileán na Caillte, the island which housed the controversial psychiatric institution St. Christina's. The hospital has been closed for decades and onsite graves were tragically common. Reynolds thinks his adversarial boss is handing him a cold case to sideline him.

But then it transpires another body has been discovered amongst the dead - one of the doctors who went missing from the hospital in mysterious circumstances forty years ago. He appears to have been brutally murdered.

My review of The Darkest Place

This is the fourth book in the DCI Tom Reynolds series and I simply couldn't wait to dive on in. I loved the previous three books and once I started to read The Darkest Place I couldn't put it down. This is one disturbing and eerie read that is based upon Ireland's mental health past. It's a disturbing yet gripping read.

Once I began to read, it was like  being reunited with old friends. We have all the usual favourites, including DCI Tom Reynolds and DS Ray Lennon, who are joined by a cast of interesting characters from the island. 

The team investigate the findings of a mass grave on a remote island, the place that was home to a psychiatric hospital. The only way in and out of the island is by a small ferry boat, and that only runs when the waters are calm enough. The desolate building, coupled with the strange inhabitants of the island and buried secrets, creates a story that chills the bones. It unearths the cruel mental health practices that occurred on the island, and in Ireland in  general. While reading, you realise it really wasn't that long ago.

The findings of the mass grave coincide with the disappearance of one of the doctors who worked at the psychiatric institution , over forty years ago. Why was he murdered? What happened to him and why was his body put in the mass grave?

What this book also highlights is the era in Irish mental health health services when the doctor was all powerful. They could pretty much do as they pleased with the patient, most often women, who had no voice, nor power  The scenes that described past practices were deeply shocking, but they needed to be told, as much of this history is still taboo. People simply don't like to talk about what went on but it's important that we learn from the past, so that we never go there and do those things again 

The Darkest Place really is about the darkest place on earth, a psychiatric hospital on a remote island, where the doctors were all powerful. Both the island and the remains of the hospital  made me feel claustrophobic. It's a dark and disturbing read with many twists and turns. It's stark, compelling and I raced through the pages. Highly recommended 

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy

The Darkest Place is published by  Quercus on 20th Sept. 

#Mother @hannahbegbie @HarperFiction

About Mother

Her love for her daughter is everything

Her love for him is deadly

Cath had twenty-five perfect days with her newborn daughter before Mia's deadly illness was diagnosed.

As her life implodes, Cath’s despair drives her to a parental support group where she meets a father in a similar situation, the dangerously attractive Richard – charming, handsome and adamant that a cure for their children lies just over the horizon: everything Cath wants to believe.

Their affair – and the chance to escape reality – is unavoidable, but carries catastrophic consequences: the nature of Mia’s illness means that Cath’s betrayal endangers not just her marriage but the life of her baby.

Can she stop herself before it’s too late?

My review of Mother

This book is so raw and full of heartache, that I felt every single word, every single emotion. It's a beautiful book and one that made me question my role as mother, as nurturer, as provider. Cath's story is raw, is real and is grounded in humanity. It's a remarkable book.

This book is exquisitely written, and it was fairly obvious to me from the very beginning that this author was writing from a real life perspective. This was why the writing felt so authentic, as it was rooted in reality. The writing flows, allowing us to follow Cath's story, as her life takes a completely different path to the one she had mapped out before her.

"Cath had twenty-five perfect days with her newborn daughter before Mia's deadly illness was diagnosed." The lines stayed with me throughout the book as they sum up perfectly the essence of this  story, that deals with Cath coming to terms with, and then accepting and adapting to her daughters disability. Her approach is to fiercely protect her daughter, to become that Mana bear, but at what cost to herself and, her daughter and her marriage?

This then leads onto Cath's infidelity. Her affair with Richard made absolute sense to me, although I wanted to scream at her to stop what she was doing, as it was so self-destructive. The intensity of this relationship and her need for Richard to make everything ok was seeped into every page. Coupled with this were the references to Cath's previous  mental health, and I found myself feeling incredibly sorry for this woman, and wishing that her life would get back on track.

It's just so difficult to explain just how powerful  Mother is, and the impact it will have on those caring for a seriously ill or disabled child. It's stark, at times harsh, but ultimately it is very real and full of hope. Highly recommended.

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Review Copy.

Mother was published on 26 July by Harper Collins.

#Him @ClareEmpson2 @orionbooks

About Him

HIM.

Catherine has become mute. She has witnessed something so disturbing that she simply can't speak - not to her husband, her children, or her friends. The doctors say the only way forward is to look into her past. Catherine needs to start with Him. Lucian. Catherine met the love of her life at university and was drawn into his elite circle of privileged, hedonistic friends. But one night it all falls apart and she leaves him, shattering his life forever. Still, fifteen years later, Lucian haunts every one of Catherine's quiet moments, and when they are unexpectedly reunited, their love reignites with explosive force. But they can't move on from what happened all those years ago. In fact, uncovering the truth will cause their lives to implode once again. This time, with disastrous consequences.

My review of Him

This book meant so many things to me. It's quite a remarkable book, sold as a psychological thriller, but, to me, this book was so much more. From the very beginning I was drawn into the web that was Catherine's story. Her silence intrigued ne. What had happened to her? What trauma had caused her silence? I wanted to be a part of this family, to unearth their secrets and to find out what really happened to Catherine.

This book is told from two points of view and in different time zones; the present day and fifteen years previously. We read Catherine's point of view, and those of 'Him' Lucian. Her first real love who she has never forgotten. Although distant, he remains a huge part of her life. First love, attraction and obsession are huge themes in the book and each is beautifully explored.

We have the relationship between Catherine and Lucian, both in the past and in the present, which is interwoven with Catherine's relationship with her husband, Sam. We read about issues of fidelity, of a different kind of love and that sometimes the heart rules the head.

This story revolves around a huge secret that is revealed towards the end of the book. And it is the reason for everything. The realisation of what had happened took my breath away, as I was so invested in all of these characters. I felt an instant connection with Catherine, that something in her past had changed her and that silence was her only way to cope with the world. I connected with Lucian, her first love, a likeable guy who never really stopped loving her. 

This is a dark, compelling and addictive love story that seeped into my bones. It really is a thought provoking read, and one that I'll return to again and again.

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Him was published by Orion on 23 August.

#TheAdults @CarolineHulse1 @orionbooks

S

About The Adults

MEET THE ADULTS.

Claire and Matt are divorced but decide what's best for their daughter Scarlett is to have a 'normal' family Christmas. They can't agree on whose idea it was, or who said they should bring their new partners. But someone did - and it's too late to pull the plug.

Claire brings her new boyfriend Patrick, a seemingly eligible Iron-Man-in-Waiting. Matt brings the new love of his life Alex, funny, smart, and extremely patient. Scarlett, their daughter, brings her imaginary friend Posey. He's a rabbit.

Together the five (or six?) of them grit their teeth over Organized Fun activities, drinking a little too much after bed-time, oversharing classified secrets about their pasts and, before you know it, their holiday is a powder keg that ends - where this story starts - with a tearful, frightened, call to the police...

But what happened? They said they'd all be adults about this...

My review of The Adults

The Adults begins dramatically with a real page turner. A woman makes a frantic 999 call to the police. Who is she? What has happened? From that moment on I was hooked. I HAD to know what had happened and why. The Adults really is a memorable and very  enjoyable read, don't let the beginning  fool you. It is a very funny book.

The Adults takes four adults, a child and her imaginary friend and throws them all together for a magical, wonderful and family friendly Christmas. What could go wrong? Well, lots of things, but I won't spoil anything. Ex husband and wife, Claire and Matt, organise to spend the festive season together, with their respective partners,  believing it is the best course of action for their daughter, but is this such a good idea? I couldn't wait to find out.

The author writes so very well about modern family life, and the politics of modern family life. Can we really ever get over our exes? Can we really pretend that the past has no bearing on our future? Can we really be okay in the same room as our husband/wife's new lover? Can we be mature about all of this? These are the questions that this novel explores so well, and with great humour.

This well observed novel is delivered with lashings of wit, great one liners and so much heart. I cared about all four of these adults, and I really did want the absolute best for them, as they found themselves thrown together, all for the love of a little girl.

The Adults is a real page turner, it's funny and a kind of who done it and why. It's a book for the modern family, which I feel everyone can relate to and enjoy. A cracking read. 

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy.

The Adults is published on 23 August by Orion.