Review: Mortlock by Jon Mayhew

Mortlock is a book by Jon Mayhew, first published in 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Josie is a knife thrower at her local theatre. 

Alfie is an undertaker’s assistant. 

They have lived separate lives for many years, with no knowledge of the other. 

But now, a past intertwined with death and mystery will bring them together like they would never have believed. 

♥

'Something's wrong. It has been for years.' Josie felt the colour rising in her cheeks. 'I'm not a child any more. Tell me.'

'Get to your room!' Cardamom roared, snatching up his glass and throwing it to the floor. Josie leapt back as slivers of glass flew through the air. Broken shards of glass at her feet reflected back the golden flicker from the stove. The doorbell rang. 

Cardamom shot a warning glance at Josie. Then he pointed a shaking finger in the direction of the front door.

'Answer it,' he said, his voice tight with tension.

Josie gathered her skirts and ran out into the hall. She dragged the back of her hand across her cheeks, pushing back stray locks of hair from her temples. Calm down, she told herself. Compose yourself. Then she grasped the heavy brass handle and heaved open the door.

♥

I was lucky enough to pick up this book free with a pile of others a few months ago, and this one I had put off for quite a while. 

Horror, thrillers and adventure-mysteries aren’t really my scene. I’ve always been a romance, contemporary and chick lit kind of girl. I used to read a few mystery books when I was a kid, but never really anything this dark. 

I was truly expecting to hate this one, just the thought of reading it made me squirm, and even when I had started reading, I kept putting off the next page or chapter. 

But I really shouldn’t have judged it. As they say, you can never judge a book by its cover, and here, that saying is spot on. I have to say, I’m a sucker for finding beautiful covers and wanting to read the book, and I did the same with this one – judged the actual content by the cover.

This book opened my eyes to see a whole host of books that I have dismissed due to their genre or covers...in the end it really taught me a whole lot of stuff that I had never even thought about. 

I suppose, what I’m trying to say, is this book was really good. I felt myself being sucked in every time I started reading, even if there was other people in the room talking or watching TV. With some books, I can only read in complete silence. Also, even though I struggled with other books of different genres, *cough* Northern Lights *cough* this proved to me that I’m different than I thought. I thought I struggled reading things that are not physically possible in our real world. But a lot happened in Mortlock that easily falls into that category, and I still loved it. 

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!

I would just like to post a quick note to say happy birthday to the best friend I've ever had!

I truly hope you get all of the books and cake in the world! You deserve it!

Without Emma there would be no blog...so she is the one to thank (or blame :P).

Thank you for everything you've done and do for me, Emma. You mean a lot to me!

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Review: The Land as Viewed from the Sea by Richard Collins

 

 The Land as Viewed from the Sea is a book by Richard Collins, first published in 2004.

John is a city dweller and countryside lover. He travels to the countryside to work for his friend as a farm laborer for the summer. While he is there, he writes a novel. His friend and employer reads this novel, The Land as Viewed from the Sea. John continually claims his work his completely fiction...

...But is it possible for fiction to mix with reality? 

♥

He waits for her to look back and wave but she goes with the men up to the fire. He watches for a while expecting her to take photographs. He can see figures around a fire, the glow of cigarettes, and two tents. And perhaps her profile, head tilted back, drinking from a wine bottle. 

She doesn't come back to the flat until the early hours of the morning and sets the dogs barking. He hasn't slept. He wants to hear some words of apology, something like, "I'm sorry if I worried you. Thank you for letting me be me."

But she collapses onto the other bed in silence. She smells strongly of drink. Later he awakes to the sound of her throwing up in the wash-basin. 

Julian and I are hoeing weeds out of a crop of leeks on a long slope up the curve of the hill. The rows stretch up the slope and disappear over the near horizon. He works faster than I do and we only speak momentarily when he comes down the hill to start on a new row. 

♥

This book is probably one of the most unpopular I've read, which actually made me want to read it even more. And the beautiful cover just lured me in, along with the fact that it's set in rural Wales, near where I am currently staying. 

But, I have to say, I was disappointed with this one. I don't know if I'm just criticizing books more than I used to, or it's just me being a sucker for happy endings and romances working out in the end, but I just...really didn't like the ending. 

Also, I just found it all pretty confusing. It's hard to explain, but this book is about a book inside a book. The current day is intertwined with the novel the main character is writing, and it can actually be really hard to read sometimes. I think it would have made a lot more sense to put the novel John is writing in italics, to separate the text a bit more. 

But I found the end of the book quite hard to follow too. Maybe it's just me, but I just didn't enjoy the ending. It really ruined the book for me.

To end this review on a good note, I really like the idea of the story (it was actually really clever), just maybe not the way it was carried out. Also, I loved the writing. Richard Collins is an amazing author, and he actually writes really well, and poetically. 

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥

Wattpad: why it's ruining my life

   Wattpad is a beautiful thing. It's amazing, and I honestly praise the creators for coming up with such an awesome website/app. I love Wattpad (way more than I probably should) but I hold no shame in that. It is what it is.

   However, Wattpad is ruining my life. And here's why:

   1. My strict grammar side is having a stress headache pretty much every time I'm on Wattpad. 

   

   And this is to no fault of Wattpad's, but the authors. Please don't take this post as me slamming Wattpad authors, because I'm not. At all. I understand that mistakes are very easily made and missed when editing. 

   But some things I'm a bit like 'HOW CAN YOU NOT NOTICE THAT'. Blatant mistakes, and constant ones, sort of annoy me. I mean, I'm no grammatical wizard or anything, but still. And when tenses start being swapped - no. Don't do it. Stick to one. Pretty please.

   2. I just want to read.

   Which isn't really a bad thing. But if it was left up to me, I'd probably spend the day in my bedroom, or on my sofa, just reading on my phone or iPad. I can't help it. I've actually gone past the 'dedication stage' and straight to the 'downright obssessed' one. ('I'm not obssessed, I'm dedicated' no longer applies to me.)

   3. I blame Beth for my current situation.

   Beth left me for two whole weeks, which meant I had spare time on my hands. And I had to find something to do, and well, I found Wattpad was perfect. So that extra time? Yeah, it turned into Wattpad Time. And may I just say, Wattpad Time is addictive. Now I find myself wanting to venture into the beautiful land of a Wattpad story, but I. Don't. Have. Time. 

Or rather, I now feel like I should be doing something more productive than getting through a few Wattpad books a day. (Don't you just hate in when reality kicks in?)

   4. It's screwing with my eyes.

   My eyes can't deal with reading on computer/iPad/phone screens for a long period of time. But when I'm Wattpadding, I can't stop. I just can't help it. Also I was staying up really late to read, which made me tired, which resulted in my eyes being even worse. Gosh darn my eyes.

   5. I'm addicted, and I'd rather read than do other things.

   I sort of covered this one in number 2, but I really need it to get across how bad this is. More often than not, I'll refuse to go out and I'll just read. And I'm perfectly happy doing that. But there's more to life than just reading, you know? I think this point is actually starting to come across to me. 

It's time to actually start living, right?

Thanks!

- Emma 🌟

(I would just like to point out I was meant to post this a few weeks back. I'm not as obssessed with Wattpad as I was. I only read on it occasionally. But, I still do mean what I mean about starting to live: life isn't just about reading. Go and have your own adventures!)

Happy Reading! (And adventuring!)

Issue 8 of The Fangirl Guide: Self Confidence

Hey everyone! We have now decided on having 10 Issues of The Fangirl Guide, so as we're drawing near the end of this series, I would like to make a post about something that is very close to my heart:

Self Confidence

So, self confidence is really important to me. I believe it is one of the keys to happiness and I think it is extremely important for teenagers (and everyone) to have nowadays, with suicide and self harm levels being so high.

I'm going to start by explaining exactly why this is so significant to me. Sorry guys, this is going to be a long one.

Ever since I was little, I've had some sort of anxiety. Mainly separation anxiety, where I found it hard to be away from my parents, especially my mom. I struggled with school until I was 10, when I gave up on it completely. I have been home schooled for the past 5 years. However, I am returning to state school this September, and I will be studying Construction and The Built Environment at college. 

So, how have I took such a massive step, from being absolutely inseparable from my parents to feeling ready and happy about going to college? Well, I don't think I explained how bad my anxiety actually was. It got to the point of me not being able to go out with my dad, only with my mom. I spent a couple of months feeling completely alone and depressed. I didn't have a hobby, or many friends. I didn't see many people at all as I wasn't confident enough to, and when I was, most people ignored me - or at least that was the way I felt. I know now that some of my anxiety was just immaturity, and me not realizing my importance to my family and the friends I had.

Now for the big thing. The thing that really changed my life and in turn boosted my confidence completely. After a while, with a lot of help from my family and friends, I managed to be able to go out, talk to people, etc. I could even go out on my own in the end, as long as my mom was in the same town. But, I was still a bit depressed and lonely, and when I turned 13, I felt as though my childhood was slipping away through my fingers like sand. I thought nothing was going to be the same again and that growing up was going to be a massive slap in the face. 

How wrong was I. Eight months after I turned 13, my friend convinced me to buy Animal Crossing: New Leaf. I had played other Animal Crossing games as a kid, and this was the next in the series. I had an unused 3DS. I loved Animal Crossing. I might be a bit old for it, but why not? I started playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf on the UK release date. Under a month later, I had a gaming blog. My gaming blog days are long gone, but I like to think I'm still good friends with Jeff, who owns the website that I met my boyfriend and some of my best friends on. In the end, it was Animal Crossing that changed my life, and me as a person. 

My friends are the best I have ever had, and getting to know them has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. My boyfriend has boosted my confidence more than ever, and now, more than 2 years on, I am still with him and I have many other AC friends. I like to think I am a big part of The Bell Tree Forums, and Jeff and I are still getting to know each other. I more recently met Emma, the co-founder of this blog. And this time, I was able to make friends without the aid of a video game. She is one of the best people I have ever known, and I love her to bits. Without them, I don't know where I would be. 

DRTL: I have changed dramatically over the past 5 years. I used to have a lot of anxiety, but that has all changed. 

So, with my story over, let's get to the advice I would like to give to people who are still at the stage I was all those years ago.

Remember that you are not alone
When I was feeling crappy about school, the one thing that helped me most was knowing that I wasn't the only one going through it. There are so many people that feel the same way as you do, and so many ways you can talk to them. Social media, forums and other websites are only some of these ways. Youth groups and self help groups at your local youth center/church or any other meeting place are another way.

Surround yourself with people you love, and love you
Remember how much your friends/family and partner love and need you. So many people would be sad if you were gone. Your followers, for example. That one person that always spam-likes your posts. Your best friend, the one that tries to help you through no matter what. Your family, they will always love, cherish and try to support you in any way they can. Your partner, the one that never gives up on you, always listens to what you have to say and doesn't judge you in any way. Also, everyone else who's going through exactly the same as you are. We are all stronger together.

Selfies 
Okay, I'm telling you now. In a way, I ABSOLUTELY HATE selfies. They have killed people. They have caused people to self harm, commit suicide and I think they are horrible. Many teenagers now use social media to post pictures of themselves pouting, just to live up to the other teenagers around them. I hate that, and I think selfies are playing a big part in it. I want to say now:

We are all unique. We all have different lives. That is something to be proud of. Stop trying to 'fit in'. Because trust me, I wouldn't want to.

But, on the other hand, I think selfies are a key tool here. I challenge you, if you are feeling bad about your appearance, to stop reading and take a selfie. SAVE THE VERY FIRST ONE. Now don't crop it, tint it, etc. Make it your cell/mobile phone wallpaper, and look at it closely. Study your face, that one has become so alien to you, and remember that it is who you are, and that is a good thing. Find ONE thing that is good about your appearance. I don't care how small it is, it could be one ringlet in your hair, the fact that a zit has gone, anything. Just find one thing. Now do this every single day when you wake up. Realize that you are beautiful, because trust me, you are.

Music 
When I'm feeling down, one of the things I find that really helps is music. It can also help me feel less lonely. I have created a 'happy songs' playlist here. I have included (what I believe to be) body positive, LGBTQ+ positive, LDR, uplifting and self-help songs.

Friendships
Okay guys, this is a big thing. I find, when I'm not doing good, the internet is (one of) the best places to come. As I mentioned in my (extremely long) story, most of my friends are online, which comes with problems. Lots of them. So, even though online friendships are great in some ways, there is other things that are good to look out for, which I'll mention below:

-Trust. Trust can be hard(er) to gain/earn on the internet, especially if you don't see the other persons face. Sometimes, you really don't know who you're talking to, and as well as positive, I have also had negative experiences online.

-Getting to know someone. Depending on different personalities, some people can be harder to get to know than others. Also, remember that others may be more closed/less willing to give out information as freely. It doesn't mean they're creepy in any way, it just means it might take longer to earn their trust.

-Remember time zones. Don't expect people to reply to you immediately-everyone deserves their own personal space and could be asleep/at work/eating/at school etc.

-Respect everyone online. Treat people how you would like to be treated-and if someone treats you badly, don't treat them badly too. As in real life, it makes you just as bad as each other. It's always better to back away. Also, remember everyone needs their own personal space. Not everyone wants friends all the time, or someone to talk to. Others might just feel socially awkward and not know what to say, don't take that personally. I get nervous often enough, and feel like I've said something wrong. It's completely normal, and the internet is one of the places where I feel most self conscious.

-Forums are a great place to meet people, along with chat rooms, fanpages and social media. If you find a website relating to something you like, a game, book, hobby, sport etc, then you're more likely to find people similar to you. We actually have a book forum, which you can find here. I met two of my best friends on Jeff's ACNL friend code exchange. 

-Try to be mature and not spam people (unless you know them pretty well). Spamming is immature and can make you sound desperate and pathetic. Unless you know the full story/situation, don't jump to conclusions. It can back fire on you if you don't know how to delete messages afterwards. Just because you're having a moment of nervousness, worry or panic, always think before you send something. You can't take it back. I wish I knew this before yesterday.

-Be prepared to lose people. For unknown reasons, many people on the internet just go AWOL. If this happens, don't jump to conclusions. Just remember, most people do have lives outside of the internet. I have had two good friends online over the past 2 years that just...disappeared, and actually, it can really hurt. Especially if you've known them for a while. So basically, don't get too attached to people, unless you know who they are and that you can trust them. Because if you do get too attached to someone, and they go, then you're more likely to take it personally.

-Feeling bad because of bullying online? Feel helpless because they have a better status than you? I'm going to give you one of my favorite quotes here. My amazing brother who I am so proud of for just being himself told me this one:

First they ignore you,
Then they laugh at you,
Then they fight you,
Then you win.
-Mahatma Gandhi

Important note: People are either a blessing, or a lesson. If something does go wrong, it's likely you'll learn from it. Every cloud has a silver lining.


Get lost in something
Don't dwell on stuff. Sorry to swear, but shit happens. In the end, you have to at least try to push away that sad worry stone that has risen to your throat, or the bottom of your stomach. It might hurt, it might make you angry, lash out or be upset, but you'll survive. It'll all be okay, and afterwards, you'll look back and be proud of yourself for what you did. I always find it helps to have my comforting laptop on my knees, a cuddly pet beside me, a blanket around my shoulders, a controller/console in my hands or with a book. Which brings me onto:

READ READ READ!!!
When you're feeling like crap, it's time to forget about it for a while. Whenever I'm nervous, especially when I'm worried about where I stand with one of my friends, it's the best thing to be involved in other peoples lives for a while, and to think about something else. You never know, but your character could have a problem and solve it, that might be similar to yours. This way, you can also see other peoples perspectives, and maybe help what is happening to you.

I truly, really hope this helps anyone who reads it. I love you all, even if you feel like no one else does.

You are good enough. And you can get through this.

-Beth

Happy Reading (and stay happy!)♥

P.S. Feel free to message me on Tumblr, my Instagram, Our Bookish Instagram, post on our forum, message me on Bell Tree or even email us at sugarplumbug@gmail.com