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.5 s Kori Potenzone891 85

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 s 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!2 s Lucy861 12

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.

Thank you NetGalley and Matador for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for a honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.1 Hannah30

With thanks to NetGalley and Matador for the digital ARC.

I was drawn to this book, as - Molly, the protagonist and narrator - Dartmoor is my happy place. The moor is an extra character and is beautifully formed and perfectly described, and I was with Molly on every step of her walks up the tors. I also now want to go and discover Letterboxing! I am very grateful that my first journey to the moor was for much happier reasons than Molly’s.

I am also drawn to books with child narrators where the intended reader is not the same age of the character. This is most definitely not a book for children or young teens. I can’t imagine being able to comprehend much of Molly’s experiences before I went to university. And again I am grateful that I cannot relate and empathise.

I read the book in 2 sittings, although I often felt I would need to put it down and clear some of the images being burned into my mind. Molly’s life, the moor, has been vast and bleak, despite her being younger than 11. She has suffered terribly at the hands of her drug-addicted mother, and the paedophile’s she has been given to in exchange for her mother’s fix. Her only respite is found on the expanse of Dartmoor.

Unintentionally, my break between readings coincided with a pivotal point in Molly’s life. I was hopeful that on my return it would be a more joyful, survivors tale. But Mellanby packs no punches and Molly’s continued life is no more a bed of roses than her younger years. Uncomfortable to read, but I am sure sadly very much more realistic than a Disney-style happy ever after would be.

Despite it’s bleakness, there is humour within the book - Molly’s attitude to her “cardy-carer’s”, and relationship with the African soldiers are 2 examples of this wry humour.

I really can’t say I enjoyed reading Not Forever, and it feels wrong to award it 5 stars on my personal review scale, as it is so harrowing and disturbing. There is some hope at the end, but we will never truly know how Molly’s forever works out. The book will, however, stay with me for a long while, and I am not sure I will ever see mine and Molly’s beloved moor in the same way again. A solid 4.5*s and one I will recommend selectively to friends of a less sensitive disposition!lll-book-challenge-2022 netgalley Billie5,713 66

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.

Marie Rutland77 8

Incredibly harrowing book with possible triggers for people. I have to admit there were times near the beginning of the book that I didn't want to finish it but I'm glad I did as it is a well written, thought provoking and engaging book. I don't think that right thing to say was that I enjoyed the book but I found I wanted to read it more and wanted to know more about Molly's life.

Molly is a little girl who has an incredibly abusive and disturbing childhood with a mother who cares more about her next fix then her daughter. Having a child myself I can't get my head round this but I know it unfortunately happens. We follow Molly's life and her trying to survive all the horrible things that happen to her.

Great book but with possible triggers for people so be warned.

Would recommend but you definitely need to be in the right frame of mind.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Emily Burrows356 14

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. Codie McNutt54 2

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 I could really connect with Molly until closer to the end. Stories 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 I was invested in the story. I did find Molly’s perspective of the way she was treated “a poor thing” or “damaged goods” very eye opening though. At the end of the day we all just want to be treated human beings regardless of what we’ve been through.kindle Karen10 1 follower

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. Aileen (Ailz) Grist749 13

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. Louise Gray856 19

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. Sam Law253 7

This is a superb story.
I really d the main character, and how she approaches life and survival.
The landscape where she ultimately finds herself is fairly bleak, yet when she explores there is brightness and hope. This is parallel with her life.
Some parts of it are a little implausible, but not so much so that it disrupts the enjoyment of the story.
Really recommend this!2022-reading-challenge coming-of-age emerging-author ...more Robin Price926 25

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. Shaye.Reads284

3.5???



- the book honestly got me hooked from the first pages, until i wasnt .
it gotten to the point that it has to be combine with two scenes that i couldnt understand and nearly dnf.
Apparently , i tried to finish it and it was worth it the end .




+ thankyou netgalley for the opportunity .

??shaye.reads Adrienne136 4

Reviewed on Netgalley

I did enjoy this. It isn’t the usual type of book I go for but I did enjoy it. Some bits were tough going due to the nature of the content but you can’t help but root for the young girl. I would recommend this book and will keep an eye out for more titles Bookaholic564 2

DNF Eleanor428

3.5 stars, review to comenetgalley Katharine Daukaus140 5

Autor del comentario:
=================================