Where: Place the code in between the Writer, Mother and Reviewer: January 2014

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Review of Dead Weight (The Lizzy Gardner Series #2) by T R Ragan

I have to say I don't really know where this book was going.  There were a number of women reported missing and Lizzie Gardner is assigned the case of finding these missing persons.

It would seem a fitness fanatic has come up with the idea of his own fat camp and woman are signing up to his exclusive, invite only programme with a promise of losing a vast amount of weight over a period of 4 months.  Little did they know that when they signed up to the programme they would be held captive in a remote log cabin and chained to the wall.

After the thrill of Abducted I was expecting big things from this second book however I was left feeling a little deflated. 

There seemed to be numerous storylines running through the book but nothing seemed to connect up.  It was certainly not as good as read as the first book of the series.

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Review of Abducted (The Lizzie Gardner series #1) by T R Ragan

We meet Lizzie Gardner as she's held captive by the notorious Spiderman serial killer.  She's witnessed torture and unthinkable acts bestowed on young girls, yet she's the lucky one. She escapes.

Believing the notorious killer to be behind bars, Lizzie gets on with her life as best, as she can, as a private investigator.  However, ten years later and one phone call changes everything.  Could it be that the Spiderman is still on the loose and out to get revenge on the one that escaped.

Jared Shayne is an FBI investigator and assigned the Spiderman case.  Jared is also, Lizzie's ex college boyfriend and he still blames himself for Lizzie's abduction.  He was with her on the night the madman struck yet let her walk home alone.

It's not long before old feelings resurface and the two are soon in deep.  However, it's a game of cat and mouse and it's anyone guess and what the outcome will be.  When Lizzie's niece is abducted, Spiderman knows that Lizzie will do anything to protect her and she's soon back in Spiderman's clutches.

This was a tense read from page one and the plot just builds and builds as you catch your breath willing Lizzie to escape Sideman's evil traps.  This was a fast paced read and a brilliant Thriller.  Would definitely recommend.

Monday 20 January 2014

Mills and Boons - Tempted to Write Competition

So, I've heard about this little writing competition over the weekend and thought I would give it go.  It's daily questions from today until 31st January.  I don't expect to get anywhere but who dares wins.  It's all good practice.

Todays question has been to come up with a hero for a story. I've had a fun evening thinking up all kinds of delicious men.  I have to say though, why I came up with the name I did is a bit of a mystery and I should have come up with something better but to late now my post has been entered. 

For anyone that fancies joining in with this here is the link https://www.facebook.com/millsandboon

Sunday 19 January 2014

Review of The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming.

This book was about the sinking of the Titanic.  However rather just being a re-count of the disastrous events of that fateful night, this book is more involved with the aftermath and spans the years from April 1912 right up to December 1959.  The actual disaster is dealt with right at the start of the book and swiftly moves on to how the characters tried to get on with their lives.

The contrasts between the two main characters are huge, yet despite the class differences that night ensured they became friends for life.  May returns to England on the first ship back after the disaster with her baby daughter and a secret that will twist and tear her apart for the rest of her life, whilst Celeste heads back to her wealthy, cruel husband and decides that her life wasn't saved to be spent being bullied.

This book had me gripped and reading well into the early hours. Through the friends we experience love, births, deaths, laughter, tears, heartache and so much more.  The final few chapters of the book you are wanting everything to come to the conclusion this story deserves yet you aren't quite sure until that final page, which actually brought a lump to my throat, that everything should turn out as it should.

If you like a good historical novel then I would definitely recommend a read.  This is the first Leah Fleming novel I have read but I have already downloaded more of her work to my kindle and I can't wait to get reading. 

Saturday 11 January 2014

Easter Eggs, Already!

I couldn't believe it when I went to tackle my weekly shopping the other day so see Easter Eggs on the shelves already.  I mean, come on, it's not until April. Another four long months to go. These consumer giants really are taking things to far.

We have only just got past Christmas, and probably like a lot of other people we are still swamped with Christmas goodies, so to have Easter eggs shoved under you noses already just really annoyed me.  These supermarkets really know how to start cashing in, that's for sure.

The problem for me is it just ruins the whole build up to events.  It's like seeing Christmas cards in August.  Kids start seeing Easter Eggs and obviously they start nagging you to buy you one.  They don't understand that there is a massive 14 weeks to wait, that's 99 days before the chocolate scoffing can begin.

And people wonder why the nation is getting fatter.

Thursday 9 January 2014

The rat is on its way out!

Finally, after almost five weeks of living with a rat exploring my loft on a nightly basis I have made some progress with it's eradication and I have the feeling I won't be hearing it for much longer, if ever again.  It seriously has been a living nightmare.  Hearing it's feet pattering about above your head, hearing it chewing and gnawing on who knows what makes you skin crawl.  Not to mention the fact that it could be chewing wiring which can lead to house fires which is a very scary though.  All this while spreading it's vile diseases.

I've had poison in bait boxes, 4 tastily set rat traps, a pest alarm (that was a total waste of money) and some lovely peppermint oil (which they are suppose to loathe the smell of. Hmm that didn't work either,)

Anyway, at my wits end I called the pest control guys back in last week and they have left more poison but this time rather then it being in a bait box it was threaded onto wire and left suspended directly where they are going.  Bingo! I have checked today and they have taken the poison.  Yippee.  A good sized portion off one of the poison blocks has been gnawed away and there are traces of the poison dust beneath and even better blue poo's which means they have ingested it.

I must sound awful and I do feel really bad that it's now probably laying somewhere suffering.  Poison isn't an instant kill and can take days for the poor thing to die but what else can I do?  I can't leave it running around my house.  I'd be over-run within months and that doesn't bare thinking about.

So for now I'm just relieved that with a bit of luck this hellish nightmare will be over soon.  The next plan of attack, once I'm rodent free, is to get the roof checked out.  Get any holes blocked up and make sure that nothing else can take up residence.  I know I have a lovely little home and it is very warm and cosy but some guest just aren't welcome.

Saturday 4 January 2014

Review of The Son-in-Law by Charity Norman

I devoured this book in two days and enjoyed every minute.  It certainly twists with your emotions and upon finishing I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The opening chapter is an emergency call made by a young girl whose just witnessed her mother being hit by her father which has resulted in her mother laying lifeless on the floor.  Despite the precise instructions relayed by the telephone operator on life saving procedures the attempts are in vain and Zoe loses her life.

We move onto meet Joseph as he leaves prison after three years in prison for the manslaughter of his wife.  The first thing to do on his agenda is to meet with his solicitor to arrange contact with his children. 

Then we meet Hannah and Frederick Wilde, the children's grandparents, the people with sole responsibility of the care of three young children. Three young children that have lost their mother.  The are horrified to find out about Joseph's release and even more so about his plans for the children.

This cleverly crafted book twists and turns and shows the sorrowful story through the eyes of each character.  We see the anguish and torment of the children.  After their terrible ordeal they are plagued in their own ways yet despite this they are strong, thoughtful and well rounded little children.  We see the anger and hatred of the grandparents and we see the turn of events through the eyes of Joseph, the bad guy. But everything is not at it seems.

The court room battles that ensue are a time of huge stress, anxiety and worry for all parties.  A judge has the power to change and ruin lives in an instant.  He alone makes the final decision on the right thing to do for the children leaving people powerless over their own lives. But is it the right decision?

This book really makes you think.  You can't help but be emotionally involved with every character.  As you get to know Joseph, although your instinct tells you he is a murderer and deserves no sympathy, your heart also starts to melt for him, making you question your own initial judgements.  Yes he did the unthinkable but the fact is everyone has a breaking point and sometimes things do just get out of control.

Would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to embark on an emotional roller coaster of a read.

Friday 3 January 2014

Blown away those cobwebs

With the Christmas and New Year hype and mania over and done with, yesterday was Operation House Blitz.  The tree and decorations were taken down and packed away for another year and each and every room got a good top and bottoming.  The end result is a lovely shiny clean but rather boring house.  Usually I'm more than ready to get back to some kind of normality by this year I was rather enjoying the tree and twinkling lights and I wasn't ready to have them all taken away.  Still needs must.

Feeling a little flat today and with the kids driving me nuts I needed to get out the house. Yes, the holiday boredom has set in, the novelty of the new toys have worn off and I've had days of bickering and arguing.  There was nothing for it but to head to the coast.

The sun was shinning and the sky was blue so we heaped into the car and headed to Bridlington.  The wind was rather bracing but wrapped up warmly in hats and scarfs we had a brisk walk along the harbour and sea front.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  I could literally feel my stress and tension blowing away into the rather murky North Sea.  Having worked up an appetite we stopped off at the chip shop and devoured some scrummy hot fish and chips all smothered in salt and vinegar.  Bliss. The diet hasn't started this year yet so I have no guilt what so ever. 

It's done everyone the world of good.  The kids have come back a lot calmer and I'm a happy little mummy.  Well, I would be happier if I could get rid of my unwanted visitor.

It is still evading my best efforts of capture.  I was just drifting off to sleep on Wednesday night when I heard it run across the bedroom ceiling. That left me wide awake and on tender hooks until about 2am.  Last night I was shattered so headed off to bed early.  Not a scratch, not a sound I was soon fast asleep only to be rudely awoken at 3am.  I traced it's route across the loft and actually found myself standing outside in the back garden at 3.15am listening to it's movements in the guttering.  Arghhh! That left me wide awake until 5am.  At 4.30am I'd finished reading my rather brilliant book and was tossing and turning so much that I actually contemplated getting up and doing the ironing.  Luckily common sense prevailed and I eventually managed to nod back off for a couple more precious hours.

It's time to get the experts back in.  The neighbours have also heard it over the past few nights and they have someone coming down in the morning which they are to point in my direction.  Maybe, working together we can sort this once and for all.  The sooner the better so I can start getting some much needed beauty sleep.  The black eye bags are not an attractive look!