Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

I read Bird Box over the space of two days. Everyone was talking about the Netflix film which I was dying to see, but I absolutely had to read the book first. 

People across the world have started committing suicide in the most horrendous ways. Some presence or creature or beast or who knows what is making them do this... happy people with everything to live for, taking their own lives. 

The only way to survive is to not look, to keep your eyes closed, the blinds down and the keep your wits about you, a task that is proving difficult for Malorie because she also has boy and girl to protect. 

Malorie is taking a risk. She is taking the children on a dangerous journey to a place she hopes will provide safety. Will the three of them make it or will the urge to look become too great? 

It had been a while since I read anything that put me on edge. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy being creeped out... so long as I'm not home alone!!! It's the fear of the unknown. There were times when a character would know that something was right behind them but they couldn't see what it was and it gave me goosebumps to imagine myself in that same situation... I know I'd freak out and rip my blindfold off.. and then slit my own throat!!

The chapters alternate between the past and present, Malorie living in a house with a group of strangers, trying to stay safe and figure out how to beat this thing and Malorie and the children on their journey to what they hope will be safety. It is interesting to see how the characters in the house interact with each other under the tense circumstances. They know they need to work together if they want to survive yet they mistrust one another and sometimes with good reason.

I loved seeing Malorie's method of training the children to survive by learning to use hearing as their main sense instead of sight. They could tell so much more from a single sound than we ever could. At times her methods could be perceived as harsh or even cruel but is an alive frightened child not better than a disobedient dead child?

To begin with Malorie wasn't ready to be a mother and didn't believe she could ever be a good one. To then see her being able to stay level headed and focused, putting her own fears to one side so she could stay strong for those children, Malorie proved that she was the best mother those children could have ever had. She was one super strong woman.

This book had me glued to the page but also with one ear listening out for noises and the duvet pulled right up to my nose because I'm a great big scardy cat!! 

Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me this book.

The Good Friend by Jo Baldwin

The Good Friend by Jo Baldwin

I've been lucky enough to be able to read a proof copy of The Good Friend by Jo Baldwin which is released in February 2019.

When Jenny moved to Australia eight years ago to focus on her swimming career she lost all that was dear to her, her best friend Kath and her boyfriend Tom.

After all this time Jenny has decided to take a break from swimming and visit her best friend, who is now married to Tom and they have a child together. 

It's not long before Jenny realises she still has feelings for Tom but she is also noticing some very odd and malicious behaviour from Kath, making her question whether she ever really knew her friend at all.

I knew from the beginning that it would be difficult for Jenny to see Tom again, especially since she still loved him when they parted ways. I was morally torn because I so wanted to see Jenny and Tom together but how could it ever be right to steal a married man from your best friend? Or was it the other way round? Had Kath stolen Tom from her? Dilemmas, dilemmas!!!

It soon becomes apparent that Kaths behaviour is not normal and that her and Toms relationship was strained, even before Jennys arrival. Kath is unpredictable, sharp tongued and hard to work out. She is worried that Jenny and Tom still have feelings for each other but I got the sense that she does not really want Tom anymore, she just doesn't want Jenny to have him. 

The book touches upon the subject of mental health. At one point Tom mentions that he thinks Kate has stopped taking her medication for depression and they agree to not confront her about her malicious behaviour until she is back on the meds and more stable. This got me thinking, should we ever excuse bad behaviour if it stems from a mental health issue or should a person be confronted regardless? How difficult must it be to support someone though their darkest times when they are hurting you in return?

This was a great psychological drama that I loved from start to finish. I wouldn't say it's particularly fast paced but there was definitely enough going on to keep me interested. It's story that simmers nicely until bubbling over right at the end! 

I'd definitely recommend checking it out when it is released in February.

The Territory by Sarah Govett

The Territory by Sarah Govett

The Territory is first in a series of three books by Sarah Govett.

It is 2059 in the UK, most of the country is underwater so space is limited. Only the smartest get to stay dry. The rest are sent off to live in the wetlands where disease and crime are rife and survival is slim. 

Noa Blake is preparing to take her exams. She is smart but that's because she studies extra hard and has the advantage of parents who can afford to send her to a good school. She is however still at a disadvantage. She is a norm. She doesn't have a node, a port in her neck that allows her to upload information straight to her brain. Noa has to study the old fashioned way. Will her hard work and determination be enough to keep her on dry land?

The story is told from Noa's perspective. I felt that the author captured the language of a 15 year old brilliantly. Teens do love their slang terms and there were plenty of those! I loved that Noa, like most 15 year olds, felt she was grown up, felt she was ready to take control of her own life and make her own decisions. As an outsider looking in we see Noa is still developing her sense of self, she is experiencing her first taste of love and trying to live as normally as she can in this harsh world, but most importantly, she still has so much to learn. Which is what makes this book so frightening... a 15 year old is not old enough to be sent away to live in such dangerous conditions, alone!!

I would have liked to get to know some of Noas friends a little better. Daisy is Noas best friend but I didn't feel a connection to her. Jack, Noas other best friend had a habit of punching walls or lashing out when things didn't go as planned which no one seemed to address until it was too late. But then again, why in a world where 15 years olds are coldy sent to die would someone be the slightest bit concerned about something as minor as anger issues and the reasons behind it? And then there's Raf, the mysterious new boy. He was my favourite of Noas friends. He was edgy and pushed the boundries but had a kind heart.

The story takes a few dark turns here and there, particularly on the subject of medical experimentation and basic human rights.

The Territory, signed copy

Prioritisation means that medication is no longer available to the wetlands. How are new medicines tested? Certainly not on the intelligent Territory folk, that's for sure. While in the book the situation is more more severe than in real life it made me think of medicines in todays world. A persons postcode can determine how quickly they are treated. A persons bank balance can determine whether they get the best treatment available.. or not. And then there's the touchy subject of how the medicines are tested. If they are not tested on humans and animals, how will we ever know if they work but what about the humans and animals that are made to suffer so that we don't have to??

This book was one of my favourite YA reads of 2018. It was exciting, heartbreaking and thought provoking.

I can't wait to pick up books 2 and 3 to see what becomes of Noa and her friends.

Thank you to Sarah Govett for sending me this copy for review.