Today I am thrilled to share with you all, H.A. Leuschel’s latest novel, The Memories We Bury, “An emotionally charged and captivating novel about the complexities of female friendship and motherhood.”
From June 29th to July 5th, you can purchase her book for ONLY $0.99 on Amazon!
You can also try to win a digital copy of The Memories We Bury by entering the giveaway below!
The Memories We Bury
Publication Date: April 17th, 2020
Genre: Contemporary/ Psychological Suspense
An emotionally charged and captivating novel about the complexities of female friendship and motherhood.
My Thoughts
Wow, this was a twisted story indeed!
The Memories We Bury describes the growing friendship between a 64-year-old lady, Morag, and her new neighbor, Lizzie–who is young, has recently married, and is now pregnant. It could be an emotionally fulfilling experience for both, with Morag getting to be a grandmother and Lizzie getting the support she needs with a newborn.
Only, once the baby is born and Lizzie’s husband, Markus, stays increasingly away from home due to workplace pressures, Morag seemingly transforms into a controlling, manipulative woman.
A normally shy, introverted, and agreeable Lizzie finds herself fighting regain her independence but cannot fathom how Morag has such a strong hold on her. To make matters worse, Morag has managed to endear herself to Markus. Even more strangely, Lizzie’s friends appear to be staying away from her.
In the thickening web of lies and deceit, Lizzie doubts herself and her ability to capably raise her newborn son. Is she really suffering from post-natal depression?
It is a fascinating, yet deeply uneasy read about how Lizzie attempts again and again to rein in her immature husband and throw off Morag’s yoke.
Until the very end, I was unsure which woman was manipulating the other. The story is told from Morag and Lizzie’s points of view alternately and we get to hear both woman’s accounts. Yet, it is difficult to say who is lying and who is innocent–such is the skill of the author!
In the final few chapters, Morag’s daughter, Aileen, makes an entrance and it appears that even she is a master manipulator. Morag’s sister, Lorna, is the only person who supports Morag–but in the end, when Morag does something unforgivable, Lorna cannot look the other way any more.
The novel is morbidly fascinating, reeling in the reader from the first chapter and refusing to let go. It is literally the last sentence that gives you closure and puts a (merciful!) stop to the back and forth in your head about who is playing all the mind games.
The author not only has an excellent grasp of taut storytelling, but she is also well-versed in the psychological games that people play. What I found frightening was how real the story felt–it could happen to you and me–and would we be able to defend ourselves in such a situation?
I could also appreciate the author’s descriptions of the exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and the changing dynamics between a young couple when a newborn enters the mix. Mental health in young mothers is not spoken about nearly enough!
I’d recommend this fantastic book for the mind games and the emotional ping-pong!
Thank you to the author and R&R book tours for my copy of the book!
Blurb
Lizzie Thomson has landed her first job as a music teacher, and after a whirlwind romance with Markus, the newlywed couple move into a beautiful new home in the outskirts of Edinburgh. Lizzie quickly befriends their neighbour Morag, an elderly, resourceful yet lonely widow, who’s own children rarely visit her. Everything seems perfect in Lizzie’s life until she finds out she is pregnant and her relationship with both Morag and Markus change beyond her control.
Can Lizzie really trust Morag and why is Markus keeping secrets from her?
In ‘The Memories We Bury’ the author explores the dangerous bonds we can create with strangers and how past memories can cast long shadows over the present.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B084SN5KV7
*Only 99 cents from June 29th to July 5th
Giveaway: Digital Copy of Book
Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e7c6a8f169/?
About H.A. Leuschel
Helene Andrea Leuschel gained a Master in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She later acquired a Master in Philosophy, specializing in the study of the mind.
Helene has a particular interest in emotional, psychological and social well-being and this led her to write her first novel, Manipulated Lives, a fictional collection of five novellas, each highlighting the dangers of interacting with narcissists. She lives with her husband and two children in Portugal.
Links:
Helene A. Leuschel: https://www.heleneleuschel.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HALeuschel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HALeuschel
Lovely Books: https://www.lovelybooks.de/autor/H.-A.-Leuschel/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15337013.H_A_Leuschel
Instagram: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15337013.H_A_Leuschel
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.pt/heleneleuschel/
Blog Tour Schedule
June 29th
Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales
The Purple Shelf Club (Review) https://www.purpleshelfclub.com/
Rajiv’s Reviews (Review) https://www.rajivsreviews.com/
Jessica Belmont (Spotlight) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
June 30th
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com
Tsarina Press (Spotlight) https://www.tsarinapress.com
Libroum in Sepiternum (Review) http://libroruminsempiternumhome.wordpress.com
July 1st
Meli’s Book Reviews (Review) https://melisbokreviews.wordpress.com/
My Comic Relief (Review) https://mycomicrelief.wordpress.com/
Stine Writing (Review) https://christinebialczak.com/
July 2nd
Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com
Dark Whimsical Art (Spotlight) https://www.darkwhimsicalart.com
52 Weeks with Books (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/52weekswithbooks/
July 3rd
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
Book Reviews by Satabdi (Review) https://satabdimukherjee.wordpress.com
Tranquil Dreams (Review) https://klling.wordpress.com/
Blog Tour Organized By: R&R Book Tours
Book Reviews by Satabdi 
What do you think?