Anyone who knows me a even a little knows what a major bibliophile I am. I love reading books, buying books, collecting books…I even lend books to friends albeit grdgingly as I know most books are never returned to me! So yes, as I was saying I love reading books and usually read before I sleep.
Now I’ve read resports and studies that were conducted that say reading just before sleeping is not good as it doesn’t let your mind relax. But for someone like me who looks at reading as a stressbuster, I never thought this really applied. But boy was I wrong!!!
Just as usual, I decided to end my day yesterday by curling up in bed with a good book. The book I chose was Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton.
As the jacket said, the book was going to be about:
Moving to remote Shetland has been unsettling enough for consultant surgeon Tora Hamilton; even before the gruesome discovery she makes one rain-drenched Sunday afternoon . . . Deep in the peat soil of her field she finds the body of a young woman, a gaping hole in her chest where her heart has been brutally removed.
Three rune marks etched into the woman’s skin bear an eerie resemblance to carvings Tora has seen in her own cellar. But as she uncovers disturbing links to an ancient legend, the unfriendly detective, her smooth-talking boss and even her own husband try to persuade Tora to leave well alone. Is their concern genuine? Perhaps, for when terrifying threats start rolling in like the cold island mists it seems someone wants Tora out of the picture, once and for all.
Sacrifice will grip readers from start to finish. It is a bone chilling, spellbinding debut set on a deceptively beautiful island; an island with a hostile heart . . .
Since it sounded really exciting, I knew I was going to enjoy it. And enjoy I did.
Most thrillers include the classic ingredients present in every suspense story – a wronged protagonist, multiple suspects, henious crimes, bizzare occurings et all.Sacrifice had all these.
However, Sacrifice had something more. It had humour – which I thought was rather refreshing. See, when you are reading a thriller, wither you are biting your nails off or are seriously scared and start feeling the presence of all things creepy around you. But with this book, every now and then, I had to stop to laugh out loud. The protagonist, Tora Hamilton, although smart and unusually brave also has a giggly little schoolgirl inside her who can see humour in morbid situations as well!
Maybe that is why I egged on and finished the entire book last night before I went to bed thoroughly satisfied with a good story, well etched out characters and some spooky norse folklore. Little did I know that was a mistake I made.
The moment my head hit the pillow I was asleep. But then I found myself in the Shetlands witnessing the gruesome crime highlighted in the book. And if that wasn’t enough, I saw myself as the victim! To make matters worse, I saw my ex as the villian…
That was it, I woke up with a start and wasn’t able to sleep again. Now guzzling my fourth cup of coffee, I am struggling to stay awake while I work.
The question now is, would I read such a book again? My answer – definitely. The very fact that I saw myself in the story is a good enough indication that I had really and thoroughly enjoyed the book and wanted to be a part of it.
So go ahead and check it out…but maybe you shouldn’t try reading it at night. 
