Review: Coming Undone by Terri White

To everyone else, Terri White appeared to be living the dream, named one of Folio’s Top Women in US Media and accruing further awards for the magazines she was editing. In reality, she was rapidly skidding towards a mental health crisis that would land her in a locked psychiatric ward as her past caught up with her.

As well as growing up in a household in poverty, Terri endured sexual and physical abuse at the hands of a number of her mother’s partners. Her success defied all expectations, but the greater the disparity between her outer achievements and inner demons, the more she struggled to hold everything together.

Coming Undone is Terri’s documentation of her unravelling, and her precarious navigation back from a life in pieces.

Review: This book comes with care warnings for addiction, self harm, suicide, abuse and sexual assault. 

Those care warnings do mean that this book is a challenging read at times but challenging in the best possible way. This is not a book you will pick up and breeze through in one sitting. You have to take this book in decent doses and sit with it a while before moving onto a new chapter. And sit with you this book will, I am still thinking about all of the things that this writer has overcome and gone through in her life. This is a very transparent account of being a recovering addict and battling with mental health issues. 

Not only did it strike me how honest this book was, something i greatly appreciated, but this book is written so well it is almost poetic at times. It is tough to get your head round how something so horrific could be written in such a beautiful way and how things which might seem normal and even nice to some people can be so incredibly painful to others. 

I loved that this memoir is not necessarily linear but more of a reflection and so therefore events and experiences link back to others. I liked that we got a full account of what it is like to be hospitalized on a psychiatric hold and how childhood trauma can have a whole host of effects in later life. This book was an eye opener for me and I really recommend listening to the audio as it is read by the author. Take the care warnings into consideration when picking this up but I do recommend this audiobook to you. 

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran

When Caitlin Moran sat down to choose her favourite pieces for her new book she realised that they all seemed to join up. Turns out, it’s the same old problems and the same old ass-hats.

Then she thought of the word ‘Moranifesto’, and she knew what she had to do…

This is Caitlin’s engaging and amusing rallying call for our times. Combining the best of her recent columns with lots of new writing unique to this book, Caitlin deals with topics as pressing and diverse as 1980s swearing, benefits, boarding schools, and why the internet is like a drunken toddler.

And whilst never afraid to address the big issues of the day – such as Benedict Cumberbatch and duffel coats – Caitlin also makes a passionate effort to understand our 21st century society and presents us with her ‘Moranifesto’ for making the world a better place.

The polite revolution starts here! Please.


Review: if you've been following the blog for a while, you'll know that I'm a massive fan of Caitlin Moran and her work. Now I wasn't so sure what Moranifesto was going to be like when I heard that this was her next project but her books are an auto-buy for me and so of course i had to get it! The book is split into topics and there are previously published columns on these topics as well as some articles she has written specifically for this book. This is a really good format I feel as it means you can pick this book up and put it down again after just reading an article or two. I ended up listening to this book on audiobook so I didn't really read it that way but it would be amazing if you are reading this on a commute because each section is short and so allows you to read in between legs of your journey.

Caitlin Moran's voice is as strong as ever in this latest book. She covers topics such as high heels and relationships, right down to rape and politics. If you've ever read anything by Moran before you'll know she tells it like it is and so if you're easily offended by straight talking, you should approach this one with caution. You know what each section or article is going to be about, however, before you read it and so if any of these are triggers, you can simply breeze last them. Equally, if you really don't fancy the section on women's clothing, you can skip it and come back to it later,

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was Caitlin's introduction before each section and each article. She had some witty comments of an anecdote that out each article into context and so you felt really like she was talking to you and only you the entire time, like the whole book was taking place through your conversation (I would LOVE to have a conversation with this lady I can tell you!) this and the structure meant that it was a fairly quick read. I felt educated on some of the areas I knew less about and learned some interesting statistics that I think had been kept hidden from me for quite a while. The section on sex workers was a particular eye opener. I would really recommend the audiobook of this one, although if you are planning on reading this over your morning/evening commute then perhaps a physical copy might be better suited. I enjoyed this book and it will sit happily with the rest of my Caitlin Moran collection and be bought for many friends as her previous books have been.

Blog Tour: Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin-Review

It's my stop on the blog tour for Holly Martin's Fairytale Beginnings today! Can we all take a moment to marvel over the cover please? And once you've read my review: don't forget to check out the next stop on the blog tour and all the previous stops of course, there are some amazing blogs on this list! 

Love is an open door…except when it keeps slamming in your face.

Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he?

When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of an historical building in the village of Clovers Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away - a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone.

As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after?

A deliciously enchanting read that will delight fans of Rachael Lucas, Lucy Diamond and Miranda Dickinson or anyone who has ever blubbed at a Disney movie. Who says real life can’t be a fairytale?

Review: aww what a lovely love story! This is just about as sickly sweet as they come so be awarded, you may have to hang up any romantic cynicism you have at the door. To begin with I did think that the story was a little improbable, but as I went on, I was swept up in the Disney-like story line and fell in love with Milly and Cameron. 

This is a classic Disney style story, boy and girl fall in love, then it looks like all might be in vain because someone tries to sabotage it all, there are even points where they hate it other, there are also points where it looks like their love might be, but I'm sure, whatever happy ending you are looking for form this pair, you will find it in some way. 

I liked Milly as a character, although she did seem a bit quick to jump to conclusions without actually thinking about the possibilities first. She is a very undisney-like heroine though becaus she is more than capable of looking after herself and doing the saving of the prince, or prince equivalent in this case. Cameron is also very quick to jump to conclusions and is rather naive when it comes to business, but we can't hold this against him because he is big and strong and wants to have lots of hot sex all the time! There are a host of other comedy characters and of course a few Disney villains along the way too, who are very easy to love to hate! 

There is quite a a lot of magic and legend in this book but Lso some interesting historical details, Holly Martin has done a good job of balancing fact and Fairytale. Overall it was a fairly easy, quick read which I enjoyed once I had turned off my cynical real life head and put on my Disney princes romance crown! 

Here's the link to grab yourself a copy now: http://amzn.to/1JztVGx

Connect with Holly on Facebook: www.facebook.com/hollymartinauthor

Connect with Holly on Twitter : www.twitter.com/hollymartin00

Holly’s website link is https://hollymartinwriter.wordpress.com  

Review, extract and giveaway: Single Woman seeks Revenge by Tracy Bloom

Now as well as my review today, I have a very exciting extract for you lovely readers. I have some of the letters that our heroine receives as part of her job in the book so scroll down past my review to read those. This beauty came out in paperback last week so I'm giving you the two alternative covers. The former ebook cover and the new paperback cover as well you lucky things! 

Luckier still, if you leave me a comment detailing the best piece of relationship advice you ever got you'll be in with a Chance of winning yourself a copy of this hilarious novel! 

Here's the blurb, remember to scroll to the end for the letters...

What do you do when you find your love-life in ruins? Get revenge on every man who ever broke your heart of course....

Suzie Miller, a disillusioned agony aunt, can't believe she's been dumped from a great height yet again (this time by text, straight after they've had sex... twice!). So she decides the time is right to make every one of her exes feel the pain she felt when they carelessly cast her aside. 

Her methods are unusual but humiliation on a grand scale is no less than they deserve.

Euphoric that she's finally stood up for herself she starts suggesting outrageous ways for her readers to deal with their relationship nightmares too. Suddenly everyone wants Suzie's advice. Finally content with being single and enjoying her blossoming career it seems as though happiness is within her grasp. That is until a man gets in the way.

SINGLE WOMAN SEEKS REVENGE is a romantic comedy with a kick: a kick up the backside to any man who believes he got away with treating a woman badly and to any woman who doesn't fight back.

  

Review: this book will have you laughing right from the word go! I loved Tracy's first book, no one ever has sex on a Tuesday and so I could pretty much guarantee I was going to like this book too. I was surprised by how different this book was from her other two novels. it was funny and light-hearted just like the others but this has a very real message about girl power and about feminism not just about women being man haters or feminists being bitter spinsters but about this main character standing up for herself and not being controlled by anyone except herself. 

Alongside this fabulous feminist vein runs a gorgeous little love story interspersed with some proper-laugh out loud hilarity! Suzie is an amazing character. She might not know everything about the world but she has just worked out how to get everything she wants. Some of her methods for getting revenge on the men who have wronged her are seriously wickedly evil but at the same time, she knows to be there for her friends and she still wants a man who will love her and respect her in the right way. I could really identify with Suzie as I'm sure a lot of readers will be able to. 

There are some very funny supporting characters in this novel. I love Suzie's best friend and Drew's dead pan humour is sure to make you fall in love with him just a little bit. The writing style and the style of humour in this novel reminds me in Milly Johnson's writing, I could almost hear her reading this out loud in her fab Yorkshire accent! I loved the fact that this wasn't set in London as well, its always refreshing to have a novel set elsewhere in the UK!

Overall this novel was a fairly quick read, I actually listened to it on audio book which was really superb. I'm sure if you're looking for a love story you'll find it here but if you're look for a book that is laugh a minute, you'll also find it here. This is full of girl power and interesting thoughts on life as well so definitely something for everyone here!

Dear Suzie,

I am sixteen years old and my boyfriend wants to have sex with me two weeks on Friday. We are going to a house party and there won’t be any parents there, so all the boys have shared out thirty-minute time slots for sole use of one of the bedrooms. My boyfriend wants to know if I’ll have sex with him, because if I won’t he says he’ll ask somebody else as he doesn’t want to waste his time slot. I want my first time to be perfect and I am worried that half an hour won’t be long enough. Should I ask him to book two time slots?

Please help me.

Sophie

Dear Sophie,

If it takes longer than half an hour please send me your boyfriend’s number! I’m just joking. Seriously, I have some very important advice for you.

DON’T HAVE SEX, YOU WON’T ENJOY IT.

Having sex with a sixteen-year-old boy can never be good. Remember, he won’t have done it very often, if at all. Consider this. Would you get in a car with him the first time he has to drive? No. He’ d be all fingers and thumbs, stops and starts, no idea what knobs and buttons to press, all of which would add up to an extremely uncomfortable ride. And an extremely uncomfortable ride is all you can expect if you have sex with him.

Now let’s get to the real problem – the sharing of time slots and his threat of asking someone else. Wake up, Sophie. This is unacceptable behaviour and you are letting these boys take advantage of you. Tell him you will have sex with him and he should book two time slots because you are convinced he is going to be mind-blowing in the sack. When you get him in the room, tell him you have been lusting after his body for ages and you want to see him naked immediately. When he has stripped off, laugh hysterically and run out of the room to the kitchen where you will have a pre-prepared chart at the ready for all of you girls to mark just how small your boyfriends’ penises are.

Good luck.

Suzie

Dear Suzie,

I met my soulmate in a bar a few weeks ago. It felt like we were made for each other. We liked all the same things, even rum and raisin ice cream – and I’ve never met anyone who likes rum and raisin ice cream. We talked all night, until eventually my mates got fed up of me looking googly-eyed at Peter (he has the same name as my first pet rabbit!) so they left me to it. I ended up going home with him and he was the perfect gentleman, even offering to make up the spare bed. But it felt so right that I ended up sleeping with him. Afterwards we both said that we had never felt like this before about anyone. The next day he had to work so I left early. He took my number and promised to call but that was three weeks ago. I’ve been to the bar that we met in nine times but he’s never there. I’ve driven past his house every night on my way home from work but he’s never in. I have even been to his local supermarket and loitered in the ice-cream section, but still no sign. Now I think something bad must have happened to him. Do you think I should call the police?

Desperately Worried of Didsbury

Dear Dim of Didsbury,

To coin a phrase, ‘He’s just not that into you.’ Nothing bad has happened to him, he just never wants to see you again.

Now the crucial thing here is how you deal with this. No tears and no feeling sorry for yourself. Most importantly what you must NOT do is walk away quietly. An entire book was devoted to giving this advice, and guess what? It was written by a man. How convenient and how devious to make women think that this route would actually give them the upper hand. What rubbish. The thing to do is make the biggest fuss possible to ensure he thinks twice before he does it again to another woman.

You are going to post a note through Peter’s letter box telling him you need to meet him secretly later that night because your boyfriend has found out that you slept together and you are very concerned for his safety.

When you meet you should tell him your boyfriend is a bouncer and you are engaged to be married. One of his bouncer mates saw you leaving the bar together and snitched on you. He has pulled a photo off the closed-circuit television which has been circulated to all the bouncers in Manchester, and there’s a reward on Peter’s – preferably very bruised – head. Suggest he doesn’t go out at all for at least three months, when maybe it will have died down. Finally, apologise for using him just for sex and wish him luck in finding a nice girl.

Let me know how you get on.

Suzie

Dear Suzie,

I am twenty-eight years old and I recently got in touch with my first ever boyfriend Michael, via Facebook. After emailing each other a few times we got together and it was just like old times. We got on so well and this time I even got to have sex with him. He said he didn’t want to be in a relationship because he’d just had his fingers burnt by his ex-girlfriend, but he thought he could manage on a ‘friends with benefits’ basis. This has been going fine for the last few months, but now he’s started asking me if I’m still in touch with any of the really pretty girls from school and if I’ ll bring them along next time we meet. I don’t want to because then we won’t be able to have sex. I don’t think he realises this. Do you think I should point it out to him or would that be too forward?

Yours sincerely,

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Please don’t get me started on the whole ‘ friends with benefits’ thing. You may as well hang a sign around your neck saying ‘FREE SEX – NO QUESTIONS ASKED’. Also the fact that you assume he’s a friend just kills me. That’s not called a friend, it’s called a client. Get real, Lisa, he’s taking advantage of you and it’s time to turn the tables. Tell him that you are still in touch with the most gorgeous person from school and that they are absolutely dying to see him again. Say you should all meet at his house because this person likes your ‘ friends with benefits’ status and is interested in a threesome. Arrive early and tell him that you think you should turn the heating up and strip down to your underwear to set the right mood. When he has stripped down to his boxers and five minutes after your guest is due to arrive, get out your phone and check for messages. Tell Michael that Gary is two minutes away and he’s absolutely gagging for it. Tell him he’s a great friend of yours and has got one very, very big benefit.

Have fun.

Suzie

Review! SECRET Revealed by L. Marie Adeline

The only thing that Cassie Robichaud has ever really wanted is Will Foret, the love of her life. But when Will discovers that Cassie is part of S.E.C.R.E.T., an underground group devoted to helping women experience their deepest sexual fantasies, Will breaks it off. Heartbroken, Cassie dries her tears and focuses on her work with helping the latest S.E.C.R.E.T. recruit, Solange Faraday. Cassie also reignites her relationship with sexy bad-boy Jesse, even though she knows he can never love her as deeply as Will did. 

     Meanwhile, beautiful, brilliant Solange, a local news anchor and divorced mom, has a great career but a wilting love life. She rekindles long-lost passions, going deeper and hotter than any other S.E.C.R.E.T. candidates before her. Can Solange find what her heart most desires? And when Will realizes he's made a tragic mistake, will Cassie be able to forgive him? 

     S.E.C.R.E.T. Revealed is the explosive, sexually-charged finale to the phenomenal S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy.

(I've included both the UK and the US covers as they're equally lush and gorgeous so you can feast your eyes on them at the same time-woo!)

Review: this was a fitting end to this wonderful trilogy! I was a little apprehensive that, being the last book in the trilogy, this book would be a bit of a let down, but it wasn't! It tied up all of the loose ends and was a good solid ending to what has been a great story! I actually didn't realise how much I was waiting for this final book but because the storyline for this series is so compelling and you always always find yourself rooting for Cassie and wanting the best things to happen for her, you too will be waiting for this final installment! 

The storyline is very much the same as in the other books except featuring a few more characters and not focusing as much on Cassie and her sex life as in the other novels. It focuses on her romantic relationships and friendships a lot more this time, and her involvement with SECRET is not as much as in the regions novels. Don't worry though, there is still plenty of SECRET action and plenty of hot and steamy sex scenes. One of the best things about these novels is that women are really and truly empowered, they get to take charge of their destiny and it is women helping each other that lead to all the fun and happy things in these novels. Although people may poo poo novels like this because of the high sex content, they really are putting a good message out there about women empowering themselves and supporting other women. 

This is the final book in a trilogy and you really do need to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one. It's a brilliant book in its own right but to understand Cassie, her relationships and indeed, SECRET itself, you need to have read the first two in the series. Not like this is a hardship though and the whole trilogy is a brilliant read and is so compelling you won't be able to out it down until you've finished the whole thing. Solange is a great addition to the cast list and the men in the novels really come into their own in this book. I honestly can't fault this, it was a fun read with just the right pace, just the right amount of sex and the just the right aww factor at the end!