One Hundred and Four Horses by Amanda Retzlaff

Title: One Hundred and Four Horses
Author: Amanda Retzlaff
ISBN: 9780007498741
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
Publish Date: September 2013

Synopsis:

“A letter is handed to you. In broken English, it tells you that you must now vacate your farm; that this is no longer your home, for it now belongs to the crowd on your doorstep. Then the drums begin to beat.”

On an early summer morning in 2000, Mandy Retzlaff, was awakened by the knock she’d been dreading. Her closest, most beloved neighbours had come to tell her that the escalating violence surrounding them in northern Zimbabwe had finally landed on her doorstep. Surveying the damage of her friends’ farm, where outbuildings and beloved pets had fallen victim to the angry hands of a mob of Robert Mugabe’s war veterans, Mandy knew at once that her friends were lucky to have survived where others hadn’t, but also that her life, and that of her family, had changed forever. Her friend had only one parting request as she fled Zimbabwe for the safety of New Zealand. “We need your help.” She stopped. “It’s our horses. Something has got to be done about our horses.”


It was in this moment, the one where she felt more vulnerable than she ever had, that Mandy, along with her husband Pat, made the decision not to shrink into fear, but to reach out and help. And so they rescued a group of 104 horses from the violence of the home invasions, and in one case, quite literally from the jaws of lions. Each horse has a different personality and story: Grey, the silver gelding: the leader; Brutus, the untamed colt; Princess, the temperamental mare. Over the following months, as they moved across the Zimbabwean countryside, seeking ever more remote enclaves of safety for a herd of horses, it became clear that it was not just the family who were rescuing the horses, but the horses who were rescuing the family.

My Thoughts:

One Hundred and Four Horses is an intimate and personal glimpse into a country at war.

I can not even begin to imagine the trials and heartbreak this family had to endure. We tend to take for granted the 'basics', a roof over our heads and food on our tables, and to have that taken from you, to be forced to leave everything you had worked so hard for would be shattering. But despite the anger and fear the Retzlaff family found the courage and hope to fight, not only to save themselves and their own horses but also many others despite all odds.

This book was not an 'easy' read. The horrors that Mandy, her family, friends, and horses were subject and witnesses to defy words. But the courage, hope, and unbreakable bond between the family, their horses and the land is wondrous and inspiring.

Thanks to Harper Collins Australia and Netgalley for the ARC.

What I read July/August 2013

The last two months have been a blur and I know that the rest of the year is going to be just as crazy, if not even more crazy. I will be working more in the foreseeable future as one of my coworkers is moving on to explore the next stage in her life. I wish her all the best and will miss her terribly but I am also so excited for her! With the increased work load I may not be able to update my blog as often as I would like but I will endeavor to do my best and apologize in advance for any delays.
So without further ado here is what I read over the last two months.

Ocean at the End of the Lane

by Neil Gaiman

Guild Wars: Sea of Sorrows

by Ree Soesbee

Me and Rory Macbeath

by Richard Beasley

(ARC borrowed from work, thanks to Hachette Australia)

The Returned

by Jason Mott

(ARC thanks to Harlequin Australia)

All the Truth That's in Me

by Julie Berry

(ARC borrowed from work, thanks to Harper Collins Australia )

review coming soon

Outback Dreams

by Rachael Johns

(ARC borrowed from work, thanks to Harlequin Australia)

review coming soon

I would love to see what everyone else has been reading last month, so please feel free to share in the comments or leave a link!

The Returned by Jason Mott

Title: The Returned
Author: Jason Mott
ISBN: 9781743560525
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Published: September 2013

Synopsis:

Harold and Lucille Hargrave's lives have been both joyful and sorrowful in the decades since their only son, Jacob, died tragically at his eighth birthday party in 1966. In their old age they've settled comfortably into life without him, their wounds tempered through the grace of time ... Until one day Jacob mysteriously appears on their doorstep—flesh and blood, their sweet, precocious child, still eight years old.


All over the world people's loved ones are returning from beyond. No one knows how or why this is happening, whether it's a miracle or a sign of the end. Not even Harold and Lucille can agree on whether the boy is real or a wondrous imitation, but one thing they know for sure: he's their son. As chaos erupts around the globe, the newly reunited Hargrave family finds itself at the center of a community on the brink of collapse, forced to navigate a mysterious new reality and a conflict that threatens to unravel the very meaning of what it is to be human.

My Thoughts:

Imagine having your loved ones return from the dead, returned to the world exactly the way they were before they died. Imagine the joy, the confusion, the turmoil and the questions. The Returned is a unique and emotional read. It follows the experiences of the Hargrave family and the small town of Arcadia, as they try to make sense of the 'miracle' that seems to be happening all over the world.

The plot progressed rather slowly especially through the first half of the book, it picked up in pace toward the end of the book Although the the ending seemed unresolved to me. There were too many unanswered questions for my liking, I almost felt cheated.

The Returned is the type of book that will make you question yourself, and the decisions you make and it will certainly keep you thinking long after you have put it down. I definitely recommend this as a book for book clubs as there are many questions and opportunities for discussion.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia for the ARC.

Quick Bookish Survey

Kelly at The Broke and the Bookish posted this little survey and I thought I would join in the fun!

1. The book I'm currently reading:

All The Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry.

The joys of working as a book seller is that my boss lets me borrow the ARC's that she is sent, which is how I got my hands on this one... Thanks Harper Collins Australia. So far I am loving it, but it is not due for release until October. I will be posting a review of this one in October.

2. The last book I finished:

The Returned by Jason Mott

As soon as I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. Thanks to Harlequin Australia for the ARC. 

3. The next book I want to read: 

Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns

I really enjoyed Man Drought by Rachael Johns so when an ARC of Outback Dreams turned up at work I had to borrow it. I am really excited for this one!

4. The last book I bought:

Splintered by A.G. Howard

I picked this one up yesterday. It sounds really interesting and the cover... just look at all the pretty colours!

5. The last book I was given:
I honestly can't remember the last book I was given. I think everyone must think I have too many books so they don't give them to me anymore!

The Mourning Hours by Paula Treick DeBoard

Title: The Mourning Hours
Author: Paula Treick DeBoard
ISBN: 9781743560457
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Publish Date: July 2013

Synopsis:

Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in years-not since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnny-the high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believe-not even those closest to Johnny-but the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion.

Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives.

My Thoughts:

Addictive and haunting, The Mourning Hours was very hard to put down. we follow nine year old Kirsten Hammarstrom's point of view as she experiences a peaceful childhood in rural Wisconsin until the unthinkable happens, her older brother, Johnny's, girlfriend goes missing one night and he was the last one to see her. The disappearance causes the close-knit community to turn on Johnny and his family, causing their lives to fall apart.

Experiencing this tragedy through the eyes of young Kirsten is heart-wrenching and unforgettable. We watch her struggle with the disappearance of Stacy and the outrage of the community as well as slowly watching her family fall apart while she is torn between what appears to be the truth and staying loyal to her family.

Beautifully written, The Mourning Hours captures the rural setting as well as the heartbreak and turmoil of a small town shaken to it's core. A breathtaking read, highly recommended.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia for the ARC.

What I Read... June 2013

I can't believe it is the end of June already, the year seems to be flying by. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to spend too much time reading this month. Without further ado, here is what  read:

The 5th Wave

by Rick Yancey

The Mourning Hours

by Paula Treick DeBoard

(ARC Thanks to Harlequin Australia)

One Hundred and Four Horses

By Amanda Retzlaff

(ARC Thanks to Harper Collins Australia and Netgalley)

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
ISBN: 9780141345833
Publish Date: May 2013

Synopsis:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave. On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, until Cassie meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope for rescuing her brother and even saving herself. Now she must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. Cassie Sullivan gets up.

My Thoughts:

This book has been given a lot of attention, both negative and positive. Where do I stand on this? Somewhere in the middle.
The 5th Wave is a post apocalyptic, alien invasion novel told from various points of view (which seems to be a lasting trend these days.) Ultimately the story is mainly about Cassie who has had everything she ever cared about taken from her by the Others, and she is on a mission to get some of it back, starting with her brother.

I love the whole sci-fi, alien invasion thing, even the smattering of romance was nice touch despite the cliches. The world building was good and the characters were well written and believable, the action was high and suspenseful, but something just didn't do it for me. I started out not being able to put it down, but as I progressed it seemed to lose steam and I was left with a feeling of 'been there done that.'
Don't get me wrong it still was a thoroughly enjoyable book that has left me wondering what will happen in the next installment, but it just seemed to be lacking something that I can't quite put my finger on.