"One hot summer's afternoon, two abandoned infants are brought to Trisha and Mike Merry's door, forlorn and afraid. Their mother walked out on them. (They don't remember her.) Their grandmother tried, but couldn't manage them. And now their young father has given up on them too. These cast-off kids desperately need somewhere to live and a family to love them. They've come to the right place...
Trisha and Mike welcome them into their home and their hearts. There are now ten children under five in this household, where every day is filled with cuddles, fun . . . and more than a few challenges. After ten eventful years of love and laughter, they are reclaimed by their jealous mother, a stranger, who sets fire to their memories and sends them to a succession of care homes. Finally the younger one sets out on a quest to find the only two people who have ever loved him. "
A true life story about 2 children -A brother and sister- who go into care during the 1970's. There mother abandoned them and there father couldn't cope. They were fostered by Trisha and her husband. Social services don't share any information, or very little as to why they've gone into care - it was very different back in the 70's Trisha and her husband have A LOT of foster children. We learn a lot about the other foster children too. A very fun, loving household, Trisha and her husband are very loving and caring. At one point they have eleven foster kids in there home. I learned so much from this book! For one, fostering and social services have both come a long way since then. A truly beautifully sad story with a good ending. I throughly enjoyed this book and rated it 4.5 stars out of 5.
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"A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE"
A young adult contemporary book. I've seen this book floating around everywhere. It's also a book Zoe Sugg picked for her WH SMITH book club.
I really wasn't sure about this book, it took me a while to get through. It's well written but just not for me. I didn't feel connected to the characters. I may have enjoyed this book more when I was a teenager. I really did like the ending though. I love a good twist in a story. I rated this book 3 our of 5 stars.
The Runaway Family by Diney Costeloe. "THE RUNAWAY FAMILY was previously published as EVIL ON THE WIND.
Germany 1937: Fear and betrayal stalk the streets. People disappear. Persecution of the Jews has become a national pastime.
When Ruth Friedman's husband is arrested by the SS, she is left to fend for herself and her four children. She alone stands as their shield against the Nazis. But where can she go? Where will her family be safe?
Ruth must overcome the indifference, hatred and cruelty that surrounds her as she and her family race to escape the advancing Nazi army's final solution..."
Historical fiction set in world war II. Now, I love a good war story and this book was no exception. I've read a lot of historical fiction and non-fiction. You can read my full review here. Set in Nazi Germany about a Jewish family who have to flee and avoid the Nazi's. Ruths husband is arrested for being Jewish. Ruth does all she can to protect her children. Moving from place to place and with very little money. The ending was a little abrupt.. I won't go into detail as it would contain spoilers! I loved the writing style and the story, it was very easy to read, it only took me a couple of days to read this book! 4 out of 5 stars for me!
"A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.
Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life.
Then, on the fourteenth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed the life Leah has created.
But is Leah all she seems? Or does she deserve everything she gets?
Everyone has secrets. But some are deadly. "
A none fiction physcholical thriller that follows the life of a woman named Leah who lives a lonely life. All throughout the book it hints that Leah has done something terrible. I reviewed this book on my blog here.
This book was alright, I found it hard to focus though. It lost my attention in places. It wasn't too bad and there are a few twists and turns in the story. It did keep me in suspense at times. Overall I rated this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
Skin Deep by Casey Watson"Rejected by her mother and excluded by her school, Flip is a little girl desperate to be loved.
‘Am I ugly, Mummy?’ are the first words that little Phillipa says to Mike and Casey as she stomps into their lives on a hot August afternoon. She has a Barbie doll in one hand and a pink vanity case in the other and the bemused Watsons can only stare in amazement at this tiny eight year old girl who is being guided into the room by her social worker.
Phillipa, known as Flip has Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and life with her single mother has come to an abrupt end after a fire burned the house down. When Casey meets Flip, the child seems remarkably unfazed by what has happened and the thing that seems to worry her is that Casey might find her ugly.
Casey has come across children with FAS in her previous job in a high school behaviour unit, but is now realising that fostering Flip is going to be full of challenges which will test her and Mike’s skills to the limit."
Another true life fostering memoir from Casey Watson. I've read a lot of her books. Casey Watson and her husband are truly amazing people who foster children that have been placed in the care system. Casey and her husband Mike foster Flip while her mother is in hospital after a house fire. It becomes apparent that Flip has been on the at risk register for quite some time and stays in care. An absolute harrowing story. Thankfully Flip has Casey and Mike to take care of her and help her. Flip does have a happy ending but it's so hard for Casey and Mike (and there other foster child!) to say good bye to Flip. I love that there's a follow up at the end about how Flip settles into her new family - I love the way Casey writes her books, too! I rated this book 5 stars.
I also read Still Alice by Lisa Genova but there's a separate post coming on that book! :)
What did you read in June? Let me know in the comments :)
Sarah xXx
(All book blurbs are from goodreads)
