Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 250

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”

So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.


My Review

I know Matthew Perry from Friends and maybe seen him in one or two others things, I loved and watched FRIENDS for a few series (until the Rachel/Joey thing but I have the boxset). I loved his character and obviously heard about his addictions in later years. The book is pretty brutal graphic and honest, he almost died and he goes into his multiple slips and battles with addiction. I also thought it was just alcohol until his passing and everything that transpired/came out.

If you have issues/triggers to do with substance abuse, self harm with substances, rehab stints, the steps towards sobriety etc. He catalogues it all and is very frank in it, it is so sad and quite heartbreaking. I think it also sheds a huge light on the whole someone can look like they have the world, fame, fortune, everything you could seemingly want and be struggling, have everything and nothing.

Lots of celebrity bits in it, his story from childhood, time on friends, things he did before and after, I was more than a bit shocked when he mentioned the loss/deaths of Heath Leger and River Phoenix yet Keanu Reaves walks amongst us (or something similar to that). Like there was no mention of Keanu before, no hint of issues they had and it was such a dark thing to put. I can only assume maybe he wrote that when in a dark place? Apparently he came out later after backlash and said he hadn't meant anything against Keanu or something and it wasn't personal, it was just so out of the blue.

I think the book is important for opening folks eyes to the battle with addiction and how much it can take from you. I felt so sad reading this and more so knowing he died because of drugs, more so because he mentions Ket in the book and how it was not for him (I think a bad experience, I can't mind now) and then for what happened, just so so sad.

He was also a bit of a Lothario, I didn't know that and he goes into reasons of why he was the way he was and some of his linked partners and romances. I feel for anyone with addictions, I think the book is really informative, emotive, shocking and eye opening on so many things, 4/5.

View all my reviews

Plague by Dean Koontz

Plague by Graham Masterton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Head of Zeus

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

-A horrifying story, a deadly prophecy

Oceans are infested, beaches turn black, cities reek with poisonous pollution. The entire eastern seaboard of the United States has been sealed off - all those attempting to flee the contaminated zones will be shot!

As men, women and children murder and loot in a world gone mad, one man and his daughters struggle to survive. The bond of love between them strengthens and grows as they fight desperately to keep their fragile hold on hope - and life.

Father and daughter - caught in a terrifying world ravaged by an unknown, virulent, super-plague. Will an antidote be found... in time?


My Review

Echoes of the stand and a crossover of Covid - despite this being written in the 1970s that is the vibes I was getting. A small child infected, potentially patient zero with what turns out to be highly infectious and huge kill rate. Set in America, kicking off in Miami, when the medics try to warn the government they of course know better and give faff and lip service to the media. By the time they actually pay attention it has spread far and wide, society as we know it has gone to pot and every man is for themselves.

Ooft guys this is a very very dark read and will have multiple triggers for folks to approach with caution. Like I read loads of horror, true crime, dark stuff (in amongst fluffy/light) but I was a bit like God this is rough. I think maybe because we went through (and even now) such a lackadaisical/selfish response/period when the pandemic hit and even now you still see people very me me and not caring about their fellow man. So I think that hit a bit hard for me. You have chaos as society falls apart, folk robbing the dead, lack of care for human life and then the degenerates who use/abuse people they come across. Like there are no morals (well some of the characters do) and there are episodes of abuse/desecration of bodies, SA so just go into it knowing it is dark/dark themes and quite brutal.

Koontz really does create very believable worlds/characters and shows the good and bad sides of humanity. I thought it was well written, kept you hooked with a mixed bag of characters but it was pretty dark, soulless and some will love how it wraps up, some not so much, 3.5/5.

View all my reviews

November Giveaway

Happy November beautiful people ❤️ November competition is now open, hurrah.

up for grabs is x1 £10 Amazon voucher. As the prize comes straight from Amazon it is UK only. Amazon won't let me gift outside my own country guys but we will get another comp up soon.

As always use the Rafflecopter below to enter, please only select entries you have completed. Good luck toots. xxx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fir by Sharon Gosling

Fir by Sharon Gosling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Stripes

Source - Gift from a friend

Blurb from Goodreads

We are the trees. We are the snow.

We are the winter.

We are the peace. We are the rage.

Cut off from civilization by the harsh winter of northern Sweden, the Stromberg family shelter in their old plantation house. There are figures lurking in the ancient pine forests and they’re closing in. With nothing but four walls between the Strombergs and the evil that’s outside, they watch and wait for the snows to melt.

But in the face of signs that there’s an even greater danger waiting to strike, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from illusion. All they’ve got to do is stay sane and survive the winter…


My Review


Teenage girl is our main character/protagonist, uprooted from her home/friends/school to a place that almost gives The Shining vibes, a plantation house surrounded by old old trees. When the snow comes you are hemmed in, surrounded by trees and something unsettling and threatening in the woods. The house comes with Dorothea, a house keeper who is neither friendly nor seemingly happy. She herself is quite a threatening force merely by her presence and hostile attitude.

We the reader learn quickly that there is more to the surrounded woods and trees and it isn't long before the family, certainly the daughter picks up on the creepy/eerie vibes. As teenagers are, actually to be fair I think most of us are, drawn to the things left behind by previous occupants the wean starts to explore and nosey about. Clearly the house and forest has secrets, there is dangerous, threats abound and the family are none the wiser.

I think the atmosphere was brilliantly done, creepy throughout and you knew the danger was pending but not overly sure why, when or how. I think a lot was implied and the reader picking up on things as the story developed. I would have loved to get more of and about the housekeeper as she certainly has seen a lot over the years and been central to some of the happenings.

The creepy forest passages/chat was different and I liked how a lot was show not tell so your imagination got to go a bit wild. I did feel I was left wanting a fair bit though too and so so many questions. I think this would be a perfect tale when you are surrounded by snow and or visiting somewhere a bit isolated, that would drive the creep factor right up. This was my first time reading this author, I would read her again, 3.5/5 from us.

View all my reviews