#BlogTour It's No Secret: Thriving after Surviving by Danielle Downey

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour It's No Secret by Danielle Downey. It's a personal account of emotional and physical survival.

About the Author
Danielle lives in Devon with her children and husband.
Her own experiences in overcoming adversity allow her to be a positive role model, inspiring others that thriving after surviving is truly possible.

Follow Danielle aka @crazykids48 on Twitter, Visit danielledowney.co.uk

Buy It's No Secret:Thriving after Surviving

About the book
Danielle knew early on that she was not like most children at her school.With a chaotic home life riddled with violence, neglect, abuse and poverty she learned early on how to survive and adapt. Every challenge taught her a valuable lesson about resilience and self-motivation allowing her to develop an unshakable positive mindset, along with a sense of humour.

This book takes the reader on a journey detailing the life-changing events which tested Danielle’s resilience and willpower. She bravely shares the difficult choices she was forced to make in order to safeguard her precious family as long-forgotten secrets are revealed.This uplifting, shocking and empowering book chronicles Danielle's story and her determination to never let her past define her future.It promises to inspire the reader that change and choice are absolutely possible and that nothing is ever insurmountable.

Review
For me this book is written closure, it's packed in the guise of helping others, but it is closure. Putting the thoughts, pain, fractured memories in black and white for everyone to read is a way of making it real. A way of making it something you can physically touch and see, instead of a dark cloud of thoughts sitting on your shoulder like a heavy invisible burden.

See my pain, read my pain, feel my pain. Now look at me and see the woman I have become, despite all the pain, abuse, disappointment and lack of support. That is the message that comes through on every single page.

The most important thing to note is that this story doesn't belong to any other person other than Danielle. Let's be absolutely one hundred percent clear on that. This is her truth. This is what she felt and feels.

There is one element of the story I need to address, because giving advice and showing people a way forward is admirable, however some of it verges into the medical parameters, which is a whole different matter.

If you are on anti-depressants please do not come off them cold turkey or reduce your tablet dosage without consulting your doctor. This is incredibly important. If you are being treated for depression or a condition which necessitates anti-depressants, reducing the dosage or coming off them alone without medical advice can have serious repercussions, especially from a physical perspective.

Danielle chose to do so, but this isn't something a medical professional would ever suggest and certainly not without a treatment plan or supervision. It is also equally important to note that anti-depressants do not work like aspirin, it takes weeks for the body to adjust and for the medication to work. Also not every combo of meds works for every person and condition or mental health issue, and they don't make every person feel like a zombie.

The author says herself that the most important aspect, for her, of writing and publishing this book is trying to help others in similar situations. To give them support and show them that there is a way forward, through and a life beyond abuse.

It's a personal account of emotional and physical survival. How a woman has come to terms with her difficult childhood and come out on the other side to live her best life. Books and messages like this are important. Sometimes society is so full of negative and painful stories, so it is important to hear from someone who has survived and has managed to face the demons in her head and in her life.

It sometimes reads very factual and disconnected, which is quite common for abuse victims, but the most important thing is that this gives Danielle the closure she needs.

Buy It's No Secret: Thriving After Surviving at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Independently published; pub date 15 Nov. 2018, Buy at Amazon com

#SpotlightTour After the Fire by Will Hill

Today it is my turn to turn the Spotlight on After the Fire by Will Hill. It is a really good read, despite the topic, which is indicative of an author being able to captivate without turning the reader away from disturbing home-truths. a traumatic, psychologically captivating and well-written story.

About the Author
Will Hill grew up in the northeast of England and worked as a bartender, bookseller, and in publishing before quitting to write full-time. He lives is East London.

Follow @WillHillauthor @SourcebooksFire on Twitter
willhillauthor1 on Instagram
Visit willhillauthor.com

About the book
The things I’ve seen are burned into me, like scars that refuse to fade.

Before, she lived inside the fence. Before, she was never allowed to leave the property, never allowed to talk to Outsiders, never allowed to speak her mind. Because Father John controlled everything—and Father John liked rules. Disobeying Father John came with terrible consequences.
But there are lies behind Father John’s words. Outside, there are different truths.

Then came the fire.

Review
This is the story of a young girl caught in the middle of an abusive cult. It follows her as she finds her own truth and begins to rebel against the system, despite the fact part of her still believes what she is being told. It's a traumatic, psychologically captivating and well-written story.

Both Moonbean and the author are right about one thing, that there are some children and adults who are broken by their traumatic experiences. Some things aren't fixable, can't be therapeutically resolved and can't be healed by the power of faith. No matter what the experts say, and they can see the difference in the blank hollow eyes. Moon can see the difference, she can hear the brainwashed devotion and the survivors who may never deviate from the path they were taught to walk.

Perhaps the younger generations are unaware of Waco and similar cult-related tragedies, and this is reminder we all need of the danger cults bring with them. They are always run by megalomaniacs, power and money hungry ruthless con-men and sometimes women.

At this very moment there are men and women on trial for creating yet another so-called self-help environment, which is in fact a cesspool of women coercing other women into being branded (yes branded with the initials of the man at the top) and becoming sex slaves to the head of said wonderful group (Nxivm). Like another successful money leeching cult, who brainwash their members into thinking the mother-ship will be picking them up when the end is nye, Nxivm uses celebrities to bring in the vulnerable.

Unfortunately there are still too many religious cults that cultivate sexual abuse and incest, all in the name of the Lord. Fringe groups living just within the borderlines of legality, thereby the authorities are either powerless to help or ignore the children born and brought into these groups by their parents. The ones who become victims to people turning a blind eye.

This isn't just a YA read, it can be read by both younger and older readers. In fact I would recommend this book to give someone an idea of what the mindset is within these cults. How the upper echelon manage to control everyone within the group.

It's a fascinating look at what coercion, fear and religious zealots can do to a young mind. How systemic abuse and sexual abuse has become a normal part of the patriarchal society. Hill gives his reader a look on the inside, a close look at the way the mind of this child works. Torn between suppressed anger, feelings of abandonment and guilt, which will either help her save herself or slowly destroy her.

It is a really good read, despite the topic, which is indicative of an author being able to captivate without turning the reader away from disturbing home-truths.

Buy After the Fire on Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Buy After the Fire on Amazon com Barnes & Noble BooksAMillion !ndigo IndieBound

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire, Release Date: October 2nd

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Now You See Her by Heidi Perks

The only thing worse than losing someone else's child is losing your own child.

You already have the burden of responsibility of your own child, but having the extra pressure of keeping someone else's child safe is a whole different level of responsibility.

Charlotte is Harriet's only friend, she is isolated and reclusive. She has also never left her daughter Alice alone with anyone before, which makes it even more tragic when Alice vanishes into thin air at a school fete.

Charlotte is faced with the negative opinions of her circle of friends and strangers. She was distracted, she wasn't paying attention and Alice did disappear on her watch. So the blame is being placed firmly on her shoulders. Now her so-called friends don't want to entrust their children to her care in case something happens, again.

Perks takes an awful scenario and turns it into something more insidious. Can one justify doing the worst possible thing to try and protect a loved one? All whilst dragging someone else under the mud and watching them suffocate, as you try and achieve your own goal.

Now You See Her might make you question your sympathy for the main characters, which is the essence of this premise. Perks asks her readers to think about crossing lines and being ruthless. When is it too much and when is an attempt to save your child unforgivable? You might be surprised by this premise and the conclusion you come to. Personally I'm not sure I would have been so forgiving.

Buy/Preorder Now You See Her at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Pub Date 18th July 2018 Kindle
Pub Date 26 July 2018 Hardcover
Publisher Random House Uk, Cornerstone
Follow @HeidiPerksBooks @arrowpublishing @PenguinRHUK

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

This will be a difficult read for any reader, but especially those who have experienced anything of this nature.

Lane is called back to Kansas when her cousin goes missing. Returning to the place her mother ran from, that Lane ran away from and quite a few other Roanoke girls have run from. There seems to be some reason the women in the family try to escape from the seemingly idyllic ancestral home.

What Engel captures well is the co-dependent relationships in these scenarios. The people and relatives who remain silent, condone and often even facilitate the abuse. She also hits the nail on the head when it comes to the insidious nature of sexual abuse.

In this case it's grooming in the form of family loyalty, devotion and love.

The reactions of both Lane and Allegra may seem a contradiction at times, however they are a true representation of the complex emotions victims of abuse go through.

To know it's wrong on a base level and at the same time to crave the love and attention of the abuser, it's all part of the spider-web of incestuous relationships. In a scenario with multiple children or teens there is also the question of why her/him and not me? Feelings of guilt are mixed with fear, confusion and disgust.

Yates is charming, enigmatic and has all the power in each relationship he has. There is no ugly monster lurking in the shadows or a stranger trying to persuade them into a dark corner. Instead the real monster is a handsome loving father and grandfather. Of course he believes it is just a meeting of the minds and soul-mates. They are simply made for him.

Yes, it is that creepy. At the same time it draws you in, despite the subject matter and the sheer horror of the scenario. The fact that this happens all the time, and isn't just an outlandish fictional idea, is what makes the plot even more compelling.

Buy The Roanoke Girls at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any retailer.

Today! Blog-Tour: The Deviants by C.J. Skuse

Today it is my pleasure to be part of the blog-tour for The Deviants by C.J. Skuse. It is a story which will make you root for the merry band of misfits, and I think it will change the way you perceive the word deviant. As per usual Skuse doesn't disappoint.

About the author
C.J. Skuse was born in 1980 in Westonsuper-Mare, England. She has First Class degrees in Creative Writing and Writing for Children and, aside from writing novels, works as a freelance children’s fiction consultant and lectures in Writing for Children at Bath Spa University. C.J. loves Masterchef,
Gummy Bears and murder sites. Before she dies, she would like to go to Japan, try clay-pigeon shooting and have Ryan Gosling present her with the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Connect with @CeeJaytheAuthor or @HQYoungAdult and look out for #TheDeviants on Twitter
Follow CJ on Facebook

About the book
Growing up in the sleepy English seaside town of Brynston, the fearless five – Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane – were always inseparable. Living up to their nickname, they were the adventurous, rowdy kids who lived for ghost stories and exploring the nearby islands off the coast. But when Max’s beloved older sister Jessica is killed, the friendship seems to die with her.

Now years later, only Max and Ella are in touch; still best friends and a couple since they were thirteen. Their lives are so intertwined Max’s dad even sponsors Ella’s training for the Commonwealth Games. But Ella is hiding things. Like why she hates going to Max’s house for Sunday dinner, and flinches whenever his family are near. Or the real reason she’s afraid to take their relationship to the next level.

When underdog Corey is bullied, the fearless five are brought back together again, teaming up to wreak havoc and revenge on those who have wronged them. But when the secrets they are keeping can no longer be kept quiet, will their fearlessness be enough to save them from themselves?

Review
This book wasn't at all what I expected. It was a whole lot more. The topics are hard-hitting tough ones and Skuse doesn't take any prisoners or make it into a candy floss YA event. I have to admit that the story seemed to be steering towards a predictable ending, but the author pulled a rabbit out of a hat and delivered a spectacular twist. The kind of twist you just don't see coming.

Ella appears to have it all. She is a successful athlete with ambitious goals, and has a happy home and love life. It's only when you look a little closer and scratch a little off the top of the golden girl's shiny surface that the slow decay becomes apparent.

She has a growing inner anger, which has started to slip through her usual pleasant facade. She is finding it increasingly difficult to keep the hounds of rage at bay. Her odd behaviour seems to lead all the way back to the accidental death of her boyfriend's sister.

There is a particular emphasis on the small group of close friends Ella has. The dynamics, loyalties and often dysfunctional relationships between the five of them, and the now missing sixth member of their odd group, are pivotal to the plot. Frenemies, freaks and friendships bind them together.

It's quite common for certain behaviour patterns to be perceived as nothing more than troublesome teenage years, black sheep emerging in the family or simply a rebellious nature. How many of us would turn around and consider a more nefarious reason for behaviour, which is at first out of character and then suddenly the norm?

It is a good read, albeit a dark and quite serious one. It isn't filled with sugar canes and puppy dogs tails. Instead it is a tale of insidious betrayal and the fatal repercussions resulting from this perfidy. For me the word deviant will never conjure up the same images again.

Buy The Deviants at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read Monster by C.J. Skuse or Sweetpea.

The Accident by C.L.Taylor

It might just be me, but I thought the husband Brian was a complete tosser. He wasn’t supportive,  he was condescending and in his own way abusive. When you make someone feel small, insignificant or make them feel as if they are losing their mind then that counts as emotional abuse in my book.

Brian is fully aware of her past, and instead of understanding her fears, flashbacks and insecurities he treats her as if she belongs in the loony bin. Her daughter is in a coma does he expect her to dance an Irish jig and throw a party? It is only natural for Sue to be emotionally distraught.

Sue knows deep down inside that something just isn’t right and she is determined to follow the niggling feeling of doubt all the way to the truth, whether the truth is good or bad. Everyone is so busy dismissing her gut instincts that no person is actually looking for the reason Charlotte chose to do what she did.

At the same time Sue experiences something nearly all parents of teenagers go through, realizing that their child has secrets from them and is in the process of building a path of independence, which ultimately usually leads to them leaving the nest. Finding out that your child not only has secrets is one thing; however finding out that those secrets might be endangering their life is another matter entirely.

I don’t think Sue understands how her past relationships have influenced her behaviour towards life and the people she loves. Her anxiety, fears and paranoia have been projected on to her daughter, ergo resulting in the daughter hiding things from her parents.

The Accident is actually a very realistic account of the repercussions of abuse even years after the abuse  has taken place. It is often always an underlying issue for those that have experienced it and can affect all future relationships and dynamics.

The story also sheds light on the fact that some abusers, especially in domestic abuse cases, never give up. Some of them perceive the abused to be their possession and will persevere in their destructive tactics till the bitter end. Often that end means death to the abused.

Society still doesn’t take that threat seriously enough, which statistics clearly show. If anything this story is a great way to enhance the fact that society, government, law enforcement and we the people should be doing more to help stop the abusers.

Far too often someone out there says ‘I think he (or she) is going to kill me one day’ and far too often that person is or was right. We need to listen to them before and not after the fact, when it is too late to save them.

Buy The Accident at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read The Fear by C.L. Taylor

Read The Lie by C.L. Taylor