Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a fantastic day.

Am I having a fantastic day? Oh gosh, thanks for asking, it's okay.  I'm tired.  I'm always tired. Why?  Because I am a bad sleeper.  There is one person to blame for that and it's not me, it is my mother.  Oh yes, my mother was a saint in most ways except when it came to naps...she insisted on them when I was a kid.  I was the only one of all my friends who had to come inside from playing to take a nap.  I would be over at Laurie's house, playing jump rope with several of the neighborhood girls and my mother would open the door and start yelling, "April, come home, it's time for your nap."  First of all, when you are eight, nothing gets you labeled faster than being called home for any reason other than dinner.  Secondly, I missed out.  Not only did I have to slunk home but I was forced to lie in bed. With the windows open on the glorious play outside kind of day, I had to listen to all my friends continue to have a blast...without me.  It was torture.  Whenever my husband says anything about a nap, to this day, I shoot him a dirty look.  In addition, now I'm a bad sleeper at night.  I hate sleeping and have seen every TV show on at 3 or 4 AM, in fact, I have most of them memorized.  All because of being called home for naps.  

I recently read Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough.  This book was so good, I don't even want to waste the time to tell you what it's about, just go buy it. If you enjoyed Behind Her Eyes, this is even better. Okay, for those wanting a bit more, this is the story of Emma.  Emma is a divorce attorney up for partnership at her firm.  She supports her family, her husband stays home taking care of the house and kids.  Emma is counting down the days to her fortieth birthday, because that's when her mother went mad.  Not just a little crazy, like I'll eat my chicken nuggets with no barbeque sauce crazy, but locked away crazy.  Mom's break with reality started when she couldn't sleep just prior to her birthday, now Emma can't sleep.  No matter what she tries, tea, pills, sleep eludes her.  As the days tick by Emma doubts her sanity, is she sleep deprived or worse.  After all, her mother always told Emma they were exactly alike.

I just don't want to tell you about this book.  It is so good and I would be crushed if I ruined it for you.  In fact, I've got it set aside for hubby to read and it's driving me crazy not talking about it.  Just trust me, if you like thrillers, boy are you in for a wild ride.  This book will keep you up all night in the best way (reading....I mean reading). Let's be honest, you can only watch Frasier reruns so many times.

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Hello everyone.

I hope you are having a good week.  How open are you to things we can't explain?  Ghosts are a topic often covered in books, I haven't read a good ghost story recently but there are lots out there. Do you believe in something you can't see? Just think about things like the ocean, scientists say we've only explored a tiny amount so who knows what beings exist in places we haven't been. Giant squid used to be mythical until they were actually discovered. What about something drier that requires no bottom scrunching wet suit, like ghosts. For ghosts not to exist, then every person who ever experienced something ghostly would have to be lying or nuts. Don't write to me about how that doesn't figure into religion, I know, I have no answers. Frankly, I doubt I would want to know all life's secrets, a bit of mystery is good. The Victorian house we restored was haunted. Yes, I can hear you laughing from here. Someday I'll tell you about it. Anyway, I ask you about an open mind because of a book. Yes, I realize everything in my life involves cooking a chicken, cleaning a toilet or reading a book....obviously that is why I'm here to talk about a book (to avoid cooking and cleaning).

I recently read Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. This is a psychological thriller about a secretary, Louise, who meets a man in a bar and they have instant chemistry. She is hopeful that this is the beginning of something wonderful. Later, Louise is shocked when she arrives at work only to discover her dream man is her new boss and he is very married. Amidst undeniable sexual tension between Louise and her new boss, David, they come to terms with his being married and continue on as employer/employee. While taking her son to school one day, Louise meets Adele, David's wife, by accident. She soon discovers that all is not as rosy as has been painted. The story moves quickly changing from each person's perspective. The reading is fun and easy and the story propels the reader forward without any effort. As the reader gets close to the end we are presented with a situation that requires having an open mind. you must be able to believe in something that can't be proven. No spoilers but if you cannot have an open mind in that way, you will not enjoy this book. However, if you can make that leap of faith, you will find the ending shockingly twisty.

Well I must run, I have lots of research to do with my open mind. I heard Elvis is alive and well and cleaning carpets in Sheboygan.