Not Forever

Thank You Matador, NetGalley and Author for this advance ebook copy!

I was so excited when I seen Not forever by Alex on my shelf!
So much thanks for the opportunity to read this book!

I thought the story was great. The characters were amazing and well drawn.
My only complaint would be the pacing..... I felt to his was more of a slow burn IMO.
Are the characters convincing? Yes. Does it hold together? Well... yes, it's readable.
I feel some may enjoy this better.... And I sure hope so.

Thank you very much for the chance to read this story!

This isn't your usual psychiatric thriller, it's far more traumatic, more terrifying than that.
Molly was born into a 'life' of drugs, prostitution and neglect. It is beyond horrendous; what chance did the 'poor girl' have? Molly wasn't allowed to run and play.. She was used, manipulated, sold and abused to suit the adults around her. But somehow, Molly grew an inner strength.
This book brought back some awful memories from my childhood; consequently, I found it difficult to read. However, it is so well written, it allowed me to read through to the end - albeit tentatively.

This book is a mass of adjectives, harrowing, upsetting, depressing - and at last redeeming, No ild should go through what Molly is, but unfortunately too many of them do. In some ways she got off easy in the end - she survived and escaped. Badly damaged, knowing too much and too litlle.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

What's the book about?
Molly is just a child but she has had to grow up really fast. Her mother’s a drug addict and is always willing to do whatever it takes to get her next fix. She meets Lester who agrees to take the mother daughter in... but it comes at a cost. Despite facing all kinds of abuse and trauma, Molly’s spirit remains unbroken. She fears that attempting to flee the squalor they’re living in will endanger their lives. But when things go from bad to worse, Molly realises the only one to save her, will have to be herself.


My thoughts:
I didn’t expect this book to be so disturbing but I couldn’t stop reading it because of the way it was written. I appreciate how Mellanby showed so much resilience from a victim who has undergone so much trauma. I continue to be haunted by how easy it is for the system to fail a child in need. At times the story felt a bit far-fetched but at other times I felt deeply for Molly and was happy to see that she had a better end than I imagine others would in her situation.

A truly terrifying story. Very dark, depressing and disturbing, a very difficult read but an eye-opener, this is what happens when a child falls between the cracks.

Too awful, too real! I had to read it as I would a violent, awful film that had parts I wanted to find out about but not really the strength of mind for everything. I had to skim read a lot of this and read carefully those parts of the story I could. I had very mixed feelings when I finished the story but re-assessed after reading about Alex’s ‘long and varied career as a hospital physician to public health’. During my past long and varied career in education I am sadly too aware that this story is not purely fiction, however, my cowardly self did not want to revisit these problems during my leisure time. However (again!) if bad things are hidden they continue to thrive, so congratulations Alex for bravely writing an all too real story to remind all of us that more should be done.
Thank you Netgalley, publisher and of course Alex for the opportunity to read ( let’s hope I don’t have nightmares) this in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a harrowing but compelling story about a sexually abused girl. It is relentlessly bleak but gives a good insight into how someone falls through the cracks when no-one really cares about them.
There are some bits that don’t ring true as the story is narrated with her voice and her lack of proper education and socialisation would make some of her insights and observations impossible but I did find the story interesting and actually sensitively told. With a better editor I would give it a 4.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I'm unsure what I thought about this. Mellanby explores incredibly difficult themes throughout the novel, but the unremitting bleakness means it is hard to describe this book as enjoyable. I did finish it quickly (it's fairly short) but much of it was a very slow burn, even though the second half felt rushed through. The writing style was very much Molly's train of thought, and the chaos of her world was reflected through it, meaning it was sometimes hard to follow.

The story of Molly, the daughter of a drug addicted prostitute. We don't know Molly's age, somewhere between eight and twelve, when her mum flits from London with her to live in a remote cottage on Dartmoor with a very bad man.

The style is Molly's first person stream of consciousness. Engaging and very readable, but too many thoughts and words jarred with me, I couldn't fully engage and believe that this was the 'voice' of an eight to twelve year old.

The story is almost unrelentingly bleak. The plot consists of Molly in a string of bad situations so has no control over, until she finds the power to fight back or run away.

The writing style and Molly's character were my favourite things about it, but I have read lots of books about traumatic childhoods which I would recommend over this one.


Thanks to Netgalley and Matador

There were some aspects of this book that I really like and some aspects of this book that I didnt like so much. I liked the fact that the reader felt like they were in the mothers thoughts etc but i just didnt gel with 100 percent of the book, i still found it enjoyable though

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review Not Forever.

This was a bit of a slow burn. I am the type of person who likes a book to start off with a bang and instantly draw me in. Not Forever, is more of a slow build up that leads to a jam packed twisty ending.

Molly knows only the life her mother has chose to show her. A life of secrets and remaining hidden. Her entire life has made her feel as if danger is lurking behind every corner .

Lester is a terrible man, violent and all around terrible. Keeping Molly's mother under his thumb with the drugs and lies. Molly needs to escape this madman.

When something happens to Molly's mother, molly wants revenge.

I dont want to give away too much and fear spoiling the book! You are going to have to pick up your own copy to find out what happens to Molly and her mother!

This book takes the reader into some dark places and does so in the context of a truly gripping story. Some very confronting scenes are portrayed so vividly that readers may find themselves feeling quite drained by the time they reach the final page. The characters are well developed and the dialogue credible.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this book but I am glad I did. It is quite harrowing in places but also has some lighter moments. It would be wrong to say it was “enjoyable “, rather a sad indicator of modern life.

Wow! Just wow! I could not put this book down. I can honestly say it’s one of the most heart-wrenching books that I’ve ever read. At times, it’s not an easy read given the seriousness of the nature of the book. Not Forever is about a mother who sells her young daughter for sex, to get money to buy her drugs. Reading the book, you soon realise that the author must have expertise of what happens to the victims of child abuse, psychologically and physically; of the multitude of emotions, fears and consequences that they suffer at the hands of diabolical perpetrators, long after the abuse has ended.

I would definitely recommend reading this book but a word of warning: get plenty of tissues ready before you start because you’ll have used them all by the end.

Molly’s childhood is a world of secrets and hiding. Her life is spent escaping from danger with her mother. This time they leave London at night with a supposed offer of a house in Devon.
Lester’s house is more of a squat. He is a truly disgusting and violent man. Molly’s mother is held by the mixture of available drugs and a need to be wanted. Molly believes their lives are in danger if they try to escape.
Outside the run-down house, Molly discovers Dartmoor. The fantastic bleak wilderness is an unbelievable space for a young girl who knows only towns and dark alleys. Molly steals her times on the moor while Lester plots.
But when things go badly wrong for her mother, Molly seeks revenge and that’s when Police, Ambulance, Fire, and Court Services arrive.
And that is just the beginning.

This is a wonderful read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

A hard book to read at times, this is the story of a girl of indeterminate age (even she isn't sure) whose mother is a drug addict and who ends up in the clutches of a paedophile living on the edge of Dartmoor. It's the story of how she finds release by escaping to the moors, and how she tries to avoid the future "forever" that seems to be mapped out for her. Due to the child abuse content it is a difficult read at times but Molly is an engaging voice and I was gripped by the story and hopeful for her happy ending.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

It’s always very difficult to review books based on other people’s distress and misery, and “enjoyable” is not a word I dare to categorically label this harrowing, deeply disturbing read.

The plot is based solely around Molly’s severely abusive childhood which is graphically described throughout this entire read. Born to a drug addicted mother, selling her child to men for her substances, this is a very hard and unsettling book.

Although I flew through this, there were times when I thought I couldn’t read on anymore, but I was desperate to find out how Molly dealt with all this, I was eager to know if she found safety, that if she was able to in some sort of way find a little bit of peace in her mind. (Although considering the horrific way she was treated, it would be completely understandable if she didn’t.)

The reason this is a five star read is because as a society we need to take note that these things are happening to children on a daily basis. We need our eyes open to the reality of what is happening behind closed doors for some. Stop brushing it under the carpet, or turning the other cheek. This maybe a difficult read but that doesn’t even begin to compare to the lives that these children are forced to live. We have the choice to read on or close the book, they don’t have any choices. We are failing our children. This all needs to stop, we as a society, need to take action on these groups of people that think this is acceptable. Changes need to be made. This has to be spoken about openly as this author does within the pages of this book. For these reasons I highly recommend this read.

This book is quiet dark, disturbing, and about a very hard subject, which will definitely not be for everyone. I would warn anyone looking to start to make sure you will not be triggered. If you won’t, then I do think you’ll find it to be very well written, with great character development! Would highly recommend to those whom can handle the subject, which I know is not everyone, hard to review because of subject manner, but done well for what it’s dealing with.

This wasn’t a easy read but I honestly enjoyed it. Possible triggers for some people. Great story and a quick read. Thank you for allowing me to review it.

In his first adult novel Alex Mellanby tackles a very difficult subject matter. The plot really is quite harrowing and thought-provoking with exceptional character development.
I spent my childhood close to Dartmoor and the author describes it perfectly. I can visualize every single scene.
I think it is important to sometimes read outside one's comfort zone.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Not Forever is an afflicting story about Molly and the terrible things she endured partially at the hands of her mother. After her mom told her they were leaving London, Molly thought she was going to a place they would essentially live happily ever after. Instead she was taken somewhere worse than what they were leaving behind.

When I first started reading I was so confused until I read someone else say that it was written in first person by a child. That definitely helped to make more sense of the way it was written but for some reason I still didn’t feel like I could really connect with Molly until closer to the end. Stories like this do interest me which was why I was drawn to this book but it took getting at least half way through for me to really feel like I was invested in the story. I did find Molly’s perspective of the way she was treated like “a poor thing” or “damaged goods” very eye opening though. At the end of the day we all just want to be treated like human beings regardless of what we’ve been through.

A harrowing tale of Molly and her mother, a drug addict who uses her daughter as currency to buy her drugs from some rather unsavoury characters. The pair flee London and head to Dartmoor and reside in a remote, neglected house with Lester. Molly has to be Lester’s ‘good girl’ in order for them to stay and Molly’s mum continues to out her drug habit before her daughters safety. Molly escapes and explores the moor and comes cross the ‘map’ lady who shows her different parts of the moor. Things come to ahead one evening, when Lester is throwing a ‘party’ and Molly is the party entertainment. Soon Molly’s life takes a unprecedented turn but there is no happy ever after for her.
A fast paced book full of plot and implied abused. Quite a dark thriller, and not usual twist or happy ending.

Molly is about 12 years old, although she cannot be sure, as her mother, a prostitute and drug addict, always lowered her daughter’s age to appease various people in their life.

This time, Molly is pretending she is nine year olds for Lester, Mum’s new boyfriend. Lester plies Molly’s Mum with drugs, so he can abuse her. Something that the mother realises, but won’t do anything about it.

Molly and her Mum fled from London, as Social Services were going to remove Molly from her mother’s ‘care’. They arrive at Dartmoor and move in with Lester, a bully and a predator.

Molly finds an old map in the house of the local moor and she starts going on walks, exploring the local area. These walks give her a sense of freedom and a respite from the abusive Lester.

However, a woman walking with a limp is always on the moor. She seems to pop up every time Molly is out and she tries to strike a conversation with her. Molly is very distrustful when it comes to adults… Can she trust this woman? What does she want from Molly?

This was such a hard book to read. The topic of child sexual abuse and Molly’s accounts of what Lester did to hear were harrowing to read.

I felt so sorry for Molly and I was appalled at her mother’s actions. I realise that her mother was an addict and it’s an illness, but to sell your own child to a predator in exchange for drugs? I just can’t seem to wrap my head around this.

I have no words for Lester, a despicable and disgusting person.

I won’t tell you what happened to Molly, but she was extremely resilient.

Thank you to Matador for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.

Molly doesn’t have the easiest childhood, her mother is a drug addict and neglects her. On the run from social services they end up living with a nasty man in a village in Devon, where Molly experiences freedom wondering the wilderness of Dartmoor and that is where she goes to escape the daily violence.
Molly doesn’t accept the situation and wants to find a way out, will she?
A very hard book to read.