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wordsofclover
3.5 Stars.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Tess finds herself unexpectantly pregnant and single, she feels very much alone until she meets Gigi, a relative of a man in the same nursing home as Tess’s grandmother. As Tess continues her pregnancy, the two women battle their own personal troubles but also end up becoming unlikely friends.
This was a lovely read, and one I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for that snuggly couch read, or a book you could bring on holidays and get stuck into on the plane, or by a pool. I immediately felt warm to Tess and Gigi - the both of them were lovely characters, and I really enjoyed the different family dynamics they had from Tess’s relationship to her mother and grandmother to Gigi’s strained marriage and her close relationship to her sons. I also loved a healthy, close bond being represented between a mother and daughter-in-law as sometimes this is a relationship that tends to get a reputation as always being strained and rival-like. Gigi is definitely the kind of person I’d want as a mother-in-law, I definitely wanted a Gigi hug and pep talk throughout this book.
Tess’s story was lovely, despite the occasional dips of sadness with Iris’s illness and then her tragic backstory with her brother. I thought the romance with Ollie was predictable but perfectly lovely and I couldn’t help myself but root for it (while finding it completely unbelievable seeing as Tess was heavily pregnant with another man’s child). I had some problems with some of the language used in Tess’s passages to her unborn child, more so just the earlier ones when she was only about four weeks pregnant and there seemed to be this huge emphasis on the foetus being a person rather than just a foetus, and I feel like this could be damaging to women reading who could be pregnant and may have to choose a termination for reasons personal to them. I am overly sensitive to this kind of thing at the moment thought because of current political climate in Ireland, so this is something others probably wouldn’t pick up on.
The ending was nice and safe and warm. It more or less all came together exactly how I thought it would be. This book is nothing grand or spectacular, just an enjoyable read.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Tess finds herself unexpectantly pregnant and single, she feels very much alone until she meets Gigi, a relative of a man in the same nursing home as Tess’s grandmother. As Tess continues her pregnancy, the two women battle their own personal troubles but also end up becoming unlikely friends.
This was a lovely read, and one I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for that snuggly couch read, or a book you could bring on holidays and get stuck into on the plane, or by a pool. I immediately felt warm to Tess and Gigi - the both of them were lovely characters, and I really enjoyed the different family dynamics they had from Tess’s relationship to her mother and grandmother to Gigi’s strained marriage and her close relationship to her sons. I also loved a healthy, close bond being represented between a mother and daughter-in-law as sometimes this is a relationship that tends to get a reputation as always being strained and rival-like. Gigi is definitely the kind of person I’d want as a mother-in-law, I definitely wanted a Gigi hug and pep talk throughout this book.
Tess’s story was lovely, despite the occasional dips of sadness with Iris’s illness and then her tragic backstory with her brother. I thought the romance with Ollie was predictable but perfectly lovely and I couldn’t help myself but root for it (while finding it completely unbelievable seeing as Tess was heavily pregnant with another man’s child). I had some problems with some of the language used in Tess’s passages to her unborn child, more so just the earlier ones when she was only about four weeks pregnant and there seemed to be this huge emphasis on the foetus being a person rather than just a foetus, and I feel like this could be damaging to women reading who could be pregnant and may have to choose a termination for reasons personal to them. I am overly sensitive to this kind of thing at the moment thought because of current political climate in Ireland, so this is something others probably wouldn’t pick up on.
The ending was nice and safe and warm. It more or less all came together exactly how I thought it would be. This book is nothing grand or spectacular, just an enjoyable read.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alice is a stuck-up, middle-aged dentist on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown when her sister Melissa (who is the opposite to her in everything) treats her to a week away. Alice ends up disappointed when she finds herself not in a luxury spa, but barefoot and foraging for her own breakfast at a Viking retreat in Denmark. But the retreat could be the one thing to make Alice really take a look at herself and start changing things for the better.
This was a book with a lot of potential and unfortunately while most of the humour was there, and the overall feeling of ‘I am Woman, Here Me Roar’ was there, it just didn’t quite do everything I was hoping for.
I think if Alice had had one or two less items on all the baggage she has carrying around, this book and Alice’s character may flowed better. She was hard to read at times because she was just so tangled up within herself, and what she thought she should be and how others thought of her, she honestly made me tired. I needed her to loosen up quicker than she did and at times I definitely wanted to shake her a bit.
I would have liked more focus put on Alice’s past history of suffering from an ED, as I don’t like when they’re mentioned in books and not given the focus they deserve. There was some mention of how Alice still suffers but I just feel like if it was being mentioned, it needed focus. Alice could often be extremely critical towards other women, particularly younger, thinner women which is obviously tied in with her past and her eating, but was hard to read.
I liked seeing the camaraderie between the women on the Viking retreat (despite Alice’s constant comments towards Margot) and I really loved the heroine-worship relationship they had with Inge who honestly, seemed amazing.
Alice is a stuck-up, middle-aged dentist on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown when her sister Melissa (who is the opposite to her in everything) treats her to a week away. Alice ends up disappointed when she finds herself not in a luxury spa, but barefoot and foraging for her own breakfast at a Viking retreat in Denmark. But the retreat could be the one thing to make Alice really take a look at herself and start changing things for the better.
This was a book with a lot of potential and unfortunately while most of the humour was there, and the overall feeling of ‘I am Woman, Here Me Roar’ was there, it just didn’t quite do everything I was hoping for.
I think if Alice had had one or two less items on all the baggage she has carrying around, this book and Alice’s character may flowed better. She was hard to read at times because she was just so tangled up within herself, and what she thought she should be and how others thought of her, she honestly made me tired. I needed her to loosen up quicker than she did and at times I definitely wanted to shake her a bit.
I would have liked more focus put on Alice’s past history of suffering from an ED, as I don’t like when they’re mentioned in books and not given the focus they deserve. There was some mention of how Alice still suffers but I just feel like if it was being mentioned, it needed focus. Alice could often be extremely critical towards other women, particularly younger, thinner women which is obviously tied in with her past and her eating, but was hard to read.
I liked seeing the camaraderie between the women on the Viking retreat (despite Alice’s constant comments towards Margot) and I really loved the heroine-worship relationship they had with Inge who honestly, seemed amazing.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is probably one of the most important non-fiction reads I can recommend to any people, particularly women, in any kind of business environment. In this book, Helena Morrissey talks about how this is the time for diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.
I really loved the points Helena made in this book about a woman not having to give up her femininity to be a leader in business, and how she doesn’t have to adopt male traits if they aren’t natural to her to succeed in business. How the typical man’s world of business and success is something that needs to be eradicated and we need to create a new model of being on top that includes both male, and female characteristics.
I also thought Helena made a wonderful point when she wrote about talking to everyone about diversity and an inclusive workspace, not just people already interested in it. She’s right in saying that the group of ‘white, straight males’ should have seats in the diversity seminar because they’re the ones that most need to learn and have their eyes open, and pass it on.
I will definitely be buying myself a physical copy of this book because it’s one I will want to reread, and probably highlight, dog-ear, the lot. It’s also one I’ll definitely be buying my friends so they can read, as I think they will love it.
This is probably one of the most important non-fiction reads I can recommend to any people, particularly women, in any kind of business environment. In this book, Helena Morrissey talks about how this is the time for diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.
I really loved the points Helena made in this book about a woman not having to give up her femininity to be a leader in business, and how she doesn’t have to adopt male traits if they aren’t natural to her to succeed in business. How the typical man’s world of business and success is something that needs to be eradicated and we need to create a new model of being on top that includes both male, and female characteristics.
I also thought Helena made a wonderful point when she wrote about talking to everyone about diversity and an inclusive workspace, not just people already interested in it. She’s right in saying that the group of ‘white, straight males’ should have seats in the diversity seminar because they’re the ones that most need to learn and have their eyes open, and pass it on.
I will definitely be buying myself a physical copy of this book because it’s one I will want to reread, and probably highlight, dog-ear, the lot. It’s also one I’ll definitely be buying my friends so they can read, as I think they will love it.
I received a free copy of this book from Harper Voyager exchange for an honest review.
It’s been several years since Nona Grey was brought to the convent and began training to become a trainer fighter, poisoner, path walker and thread weaver. Now a teenager, Nona is deadlier than ever but is still set on getting revenge for the death of one of her best friends. But people want Nona dead too, and they’re coming to get her.
As per expected, I really enjoyed this book. The story and plot definitely seemed to move at a faster pace than the last one, and personally I would have loved more time in the convent and the lessons. I really enjoyed the female friendships in this book, as in the last one, but particularly between Nona and Zole in this one.
The end of this book was super fast-paced and I loved feeling on the edge, and not knowing who was going to survive and who wouldn’t. And I am VERY upset about the person who didn’t, let me tell you.
This is just a fantastic trilogy so far that has a world that’s brilliant to jump into, characters you love to root for, and ones you love to hate, and moments that really set your heart racing.
It’s been several years since Nona Grey was brought to the convent and began training to become a trainer fighter, poisoner, path walker and thread weaver. Now a teenager, Nona is deadlier than ever but is still set on getting revenge for the death of one of her best friends. But people want Nona dead too, and they’re coming to get her.
As per expected, I really enjoyed this book. The story and plot definitely seemed to move at a faster pace than the last one, and personally I would have loved more time in the convent and the lessons. I really enjoyed the female friendships in this book, as in the last one, but particularly between Nona and Zole in this one.
The end of this book was super fast-paced and I loved feeling on the edge, and not knowing who was going to survive and who wouldn’t. And I am VERY upset about the person who didn’t, let me tell you.
This is just a fantastic trilogy so far that has a world that’s brilliant to jump into, characters you love to root for, and ones you love to hate, and moments that really set your heart racing.
The Time Traveler Who Happened to be Married and the Wife Who Just Waited Around for Her Husband Her Entire Life. HER. ENTIRE. LIFE.
I received a free e-copy of this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,
Furyborn is a YA-fantasy of epic proportions that manages to span years with each alternating chapter but keep the reader hooked to each tale throughout. Rielle's unique magic means that she may either be the Blood Queen or the Sun Queen - one means death, while the other means light but which one is she? A thousand years later, Eliana is a mercenary and kills ruthlessly in order to keep her family fed and alive. But what is the connection between the two women?
I really enjoyed this book and the two different stories being told in the two different timelines. I was immediately sucked into it thanks to the intriguing prologue with Rielle and I thought the choice to suddenly backtrack a few years to Rielle finally using her powers and paving the way to the person she would become was a genius one. It immediately made me want to know what happened to her, to Audric, to the kingdom.
Eliana's chapters were also really intriguing but I definitely felt like I had read similar storylines before (such as Throne of Glass, Rebel of the Sands, etc). I enjoyed that both Eliana and Rielle are morally grey characters and they are not being portrayed as all good, or all evil. They contain the complexities that make up human character.
There were mentions in this book that Eliana has had a female lover in the past though there is no specific mention of her being bisexual. In Eliana's timeline there is also mention of characters in same sex marriages so obviously the LGBTQIA community is accepted, but it doesn't appear to be something attached to a main character yet.
There was a graphic sex scene in Rielle's timeline which I wasn't expecting but I loved AND a mention of contraception, which I also really appreciated. Any sex positive rep is good in my books.
I definitely preferred Rielle's chapters over Eliana's which meant that sometimes I just wanted to return to her,and I would be frustrated when the story would move from her to Eliana after only a chapter. I definitely have high hopes for this series, and can't wait for the next one already.
Furyborn is a YA-fantasy of epic proportions that manages to span years with each alternating chapter but keep the reader hooked to each tale throughout. Rielle's unique magic means that she may either be the Blood Queen or the Sun Queen - one means death, while the other means light but which one is she? A thousand years later, Eliana is a mercenary and kills ruthlessly in order to keep her family fed and alive. But what is the connection between the two women?
I really enjoyed this book and the two different stories being told in the two different timelines. I was immediately sucked into it thanks to the intriguing prologue with Rielle and I thought the choice to suddenly backtrack a few years to Rielle finally using her powers and paving the way to the person she would become was a genius one. It immediately made me want to know what happened to her, to Audric, to the kingdom.
Eliana's chapters were also really intriguing but I definitely felt like I had read similar storylines before (such as Throne of Glass, Rebel of the Sands, etc). I enjoyed that both Eliana and Rielle are morally grey characters and they are not being portrayed as all good, or all evil. They contain the complexities that make up human character.
There were mentions in this book that Eliana has had a female lover in the past though there is no specific mention of her being bisexual. In Eliana's timeline there is also mention of characters in same sex marriages so obviously the LGBTQIA community is accepted, but it doesn't appear to be something attached to a main character yet.
There was a graphic sex scene in Rielle's timeline which I wasn't expecting but I loved AND a mention of contraception, which I also really appreciated. Any sex positive rep is good in my books.
I definitely preferred Rielle's chapters over Eliana's which meant that sometimes I just wanted to return to her,and I would be frustrated when the story would move from her to Eliana after only a chapter. I definitely have high hopes for this series, and can't wait for the next one already.
I received a free e-copy of this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,
Cross Her Heart is a physiological thriller that definitely took me all a journey full of twists and turns. The story focuses around three main characters, all of whom are living with a secret. Lisa is hiding something from her past from everyone in her life, her 16-year-old daughter Ava is in an online relationship with a man she's never met, and Lisa's best friend Marilyn is afraid to tell the truth about her home life. When an event spirals out of control. all three find their lives in danger.
This was a great thriller that wasn't afraid to sometimes take the darkest, dirtiest route. There were definitely a couple of times during this book when I thought something would happen or be revealed, and it was actually the complete opposite. Lisa's POV was my favourite, I actually found Ava to be completely repulsive - yes, she was the epitome of a sullen teenager, but omg she was just so much. Marilyn's POV honestly bored me for the majority of the book until things really got going.
I would definitely just advise people to go into this book blind with no expectations and they think they would find themselves really enjoying it.
Cross Her Heart is a physiological thriller that definitely took me all a journey full of twists and turns. The story focuses around three main characters, all of whom are living with a secret. Lisa is hiding something from her past from everyone in her life, her 16-year-old daughter Ava is in an online relationship with a man she's never met, and Lisa's best friend Marilyn is afraid to tell the truth about her home life. When an event spirals out of control. all three find their lives in danger.
This was a great thriller that wasn't afraid to sometimes take the darkest, dirtiest route. There were definitely a couple of times during this book when I thought something would happen or be revealed, and it was actually the complete opposite. Lisa's POV was my favourite, I actually found Ava to be completely repulsive - yes, she was the epitome of a sullen teenager, but omg she was just so much. Marilyn's POV honestly bored me for the majority of the book until things really got going.
I would definitely just advise people to go into this book blind with no expectations and they think they would find themselves really enjoying it.