Blog Tour: Afterland by Lauren Beukes

Today is my spot on the blog tour for Afterland by Lauren Beukes! Thank you so much to Sriya at Michael Joseph for a digital copy and for inviting me on the tour! 🙂 Here is my review…

Summary:

A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A CHANGED WORLD. A MOTHER AND SON ON THE RUN.
It’s been three years since a highly contagious virus called HCV wiped out 99% of the men on earth. With no cure found, the new world is one where women are barred from procreation, and society is desperately trying to rebuild. The few men who are resistant to the virus have become a hugely valuable commodity. At the centre of this brave new world are a mother and son, Cole and Miles, on the run. All they have left is each other. But is one person enough to protect a boy from the many who would kill to get their hands on him?
A suspenseful thriller exploring motherhood, loyalty and the lengths we’d go to for those we love. Set against the backdrop of a hostile world in recovery from a global pandemic, and artfully subverting gender norms and society structure, AFTERLAND is a novel for our time.

About the Author:

Lauren Beukes is the award-winning and internationally best-selling
South African author of The Shining Girls, Zoo City and Broken Monsters, among other works. Her novels have been published in 24 countries and are being adapted for film and TV. She’s also a screenwriter, comics writer, journalist and award-winning documentary maker. She lives in Cape Town with her daughter and two troublesome cats.

You can follow Lauren on Twitter @LaurenBeukes!

My Review:

Afterland is eerily similar to the world in which we live today, which makes it all the more haunting and compelling. I adored the pacing of this book, it was fast-paced and incredibly engaging, and at times I genuinely struggled to put it down. I can honestly say I’ve never read a book like this, and it’s fantastic in the way that it defies being restricted to a specific genre; at times it political, and tackles some important and serious issues such as gender politics etc, whilst also being a Dystopian and Thriller. The characters were so realistic and well-developed, and the setting was fantastically haunting. I absolutely adored this book, and I am sure that so many other readers will to.

❤

Thanks so much again to the publishers for having me on the blog tour for this fantastic book! AFTERLAND is out now in eBook and hardback, and is out on 24th September on audiobook! ❤

Blog Tour: Ordinary Hazards by Anna Bruno

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Ordinary Hazards by Anna Bruno! Thank you so much to Random Things Tours for having me on the tour, here is my review…

Summary:

Everyone always wants to know why relationships fail. It’s a spiteful curiosity thing, schadenfreude, but also a self-preservation thing. People want to understand how to avoid the fall.

The answer is complicated. There isn’t one reason, one event. It has something to do with smoking cigarettes and drinking all night. It takes into account thousands of hours of labour on a small house, projects finished and unfinished. It is late-night conversations and inside jokes and making love and having a child. The answer is wrapped up, shrouded and ensconced in prioritization, ambition and work. Caring about these things is not the problem. Not caring about them is death.

Emma has settled into her hometown bar for the evening. It was in this very room that she met Lucas a few years back, on a blind date. Nine months ago, in unimaginable circumstances, they divorced.

As Emma listens to the locals’ banter, key facts about her life story begin to emerge and the past comes bearing down on her like a freight train.

A powerhouse in the business world, why has she ended up here, now a regular in the last bar on the edge of a small town? What is she running away from? And what is she willing to give up in order to recapture the love she has lost?

As Emma teeters on the edge of oblivion, becoming more booze-soaked by the hour, her night begins to spin out of control with shocking results.

About the Author:

Anna Bruno is a writer and business communications instructor at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, where she coaches MBAs on developing and delivering presentations. Previously, Anna managed public relations and marketing for technology and financial services companies in Silicon Valley. She holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, an MBA from Cornell University and a BA from Stanford University.

My Review:

This was an interesting read! What I enjoyed about this book was the unique plot and style; it takes place over one night in a bar called The Final Final, and each chapter is divided by hour, which is a really interesting structure. I really enjoyed the tone and atmosphere of this book, the bar itself felt very vivid, realistic, and easy to imagine. Another aspect that I enjoyed about Ordinary Hazards was the way in which the author writes – there were some really powerful moments and descriptions that were really moving.

Overall though, this was an enjoyable read that I think many people would thoroughly enjoy!

Ordinary Hazards is out now! ❤

Blog Tour: The Last to Know by Jo Furniss

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Last To Know by Jo Furniss! Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Random Things Tours for providing me with a copy of the book, and inviting me on the tour! Here is my review…

Summary:

A family’s past pursues them like a shadow in this riveting and emotional novel of psychological suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of All the Little Children.

American journalist Rose Kynaston has just relocated to the childhood home of her husband, Dylan, in the English village of his youth. There’s a lot for Rose to get used to in Hurtwood. Like the family’s crumbling mansion, inhabited by Dylan’s reclusive mother, and the treacherous hill it sits upon, a place of both sinister folklore and present dangers.

Then there are the unwelcoming villagers, who only whisper the name Kynaston—like some dreadful secret, a curse. Everyone knows what happened at Hurtwood House twenty years ago. Everyone except Rose. And now that Dylan is back, so are rumors about his past.

When an archaeological dig unearths human remains on the hill, local police sergeant Ellie Trevelyan vows to solve a cold case that has cast a chill over Hurtwood for decades.

As Ellie works to separate rumor from fact, Rose must fight to clear the name of the man she loves. But how can Rose keep her family safe if she is the last to know the truth?

Author Bio:

After spending a decade as a broadcast journalist for the BBC, Jo Furniss gave up the glamour of night shifts to become a freelance writer and serial expatriate. Originally from the United Kingdom, she spent seven years in Singapore and also lived in Switzerland and Cameroon. As a journalist, Jo worked for numerous online outlets and magazines, including Monocle and the Economist. She has edited books for a Nobel laureate and the palace of the Sultan of Brunei. She has a Distinction in MA Professional Writing from Falmouth University. Jo’s debut novel, All the Little Children, was an Amazon Charts bestseller.

Connect with her via Facebook (/JoFurnissAuthor) and Twitter (@Jo_Furniss) or through her website: http://www.jofurniss.com/

My Review:

I know you’re not really supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I LOVE this cover, and it definitely helps that the story inside is just as amazing.

From the get-go, I found the atmosphere of this book to be so chilling and atmospheric; there is something really haunting about the town in which the book is set, not to mention the somewhat strange inhabitants. One of my favourite things about this book was the layers – one minute you saw the story going one way, only for it to be completely turned on its head! This was such a compelling thriller, and I genuinely struggled to put it down at times!

I would highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a dark, twisty, psychological thriller with some super interesting characters, and a truly unique plot! I absolutely loved this fantastic book, and really urge you to read it.

❤

Thank you so much again to Jo Furniss, Lake Union and Random Things Tours!

Thank you for reading. ❤

Blog Tour: The Witch House by Ann Rawson

Thank you very much to Red Dog Press for a digital copy of The Witch House, and for a spot on the blog tour! Here is my review…

Summary:

Who can you trust, if you can’t trust yourself?

Alice Hunter, grieving and troubled after a breakdown, stumbles on the body of her friend and trustee, Harry Rook. The police determine he has been ritually murdered and suspicion falls on the vulnerable Alice, who inherited the place known locally as The Witch House from her grandmother, late High Priestess of the local coven.

When the investigations turn up more evidence, and it all seems to point to Alice, even she begins to doubt herself. Can she find the courage to confront the secrets and lies at the heart of her family and community to uncover the truth, prove her sanity, and clear herself of murder?

My Review:

This was such an enjoyable read. I found myself completely sucked into the story within the first few pages, and really struggled to put it down at times. All of the characters were so incredibly well-developed and realistic, and I particularly loved the interactions between them.

The Witch House was thrilling, exciting, and suspenseful, and I would highly recommend it to anyone that loves a compelling and twisty page-turner!

❤

Blog Tour: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

I am thrilled to be part of the blog tour today for Fredrik Backman’s latest novel, Anxious People! Thank you so much to Michael Joseph Penguin for providing me with a gifted copy of the book – I am so excited to share my review of this BRILLIANT book…

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In a small town in Sweden it appears to be an ordinary day. But look more closely, and you’ll see a mysterious masked figure approaching a bank…

Two hours later, chaos has descended. A bungled attempted robbery has developed into a hostage situation – and the offender is refusing to communicate their demands to the police.

Within the building, fear quickly turns to irritation for the seven strangers trapped inside. If this is to be their last day on earth, shouldn’t it be a bit more dramatic?

But as the minutes tick by, they begin to suspect that the criminal mastermind holding them hostage might be more in need of rescuing than they are…

This is the first book that I have read by Fredrik Backman, and I absolutely loved it. I’m definitely going to read more of his books in the future!

From the first few pages, I found myself so drawn in by the quirky writing style and wittiness, and the unusual but intriguing plot! What I found most striking and enjoyable about this book was the multi-layered narrative style – there were so many interesting, awkward, and hilarious characters that were gradually introduced, making it a real page-turner.

Whilst Anxious People was at times incredibly comical and light-hearted, there were also so many heartwarming moments that explore the nature of humanity and all of our vulnerabilities. There is so much dry humour and charm packed into this incredible book, and Backman honestly is such a brilliant storyteller – I can guarantee that you will experience a roller coaster of emotions when reading this beautifully crafted story, but by the end, you’ll most definitely have a massive smile on your face!

Whether you’re an existing Fredrik Backman fan, or are completely new to his books like me, Anxious People is well-worth the read – it is fantastic!

❤

Anxious People is out on the 20th August!

Blog Tour: Clouds of Love and War by Rachel Billington

Many thanks to Bookollective, Unicorn Publishing and Rachel Billington for providing me with a complimentary copy of Clouds of Love and War, and inviting me to join the blog tour – today is my stop!

Summary:

Occasionally panoramic, more often intimate, in Clouds of Love and War author Rachel Billington balances a detailed and highly researched picture of the life of a Second World War Spitfire pilot with the travails and ambitions of a young woman too often on her own. The result is both a gripping story of war and a sensitive story of love, a love that struggles to survive.Eddie and Eva meet on the eve of the Second World War. Eddie only wants to be a flyer, to find escape in the clouds from his own complicated family. However, the Battle of Britain makes a pilot’s life a dangerous way to flee reality. Eva has her own passionate longing: to become a painter. When Eva’s Jewish mother disappears to Germany, she is left alone with her elderly father. Both Eddie and Eva come of age at a time that teaches them that happiness is always fleeting, but there are things worth living – or dying – for.Through the connecting stories of these young people and their wider families, and against a background of southern county airfields, London, Oxford, Dorset and France, Rachel Billington brings the world of war time England, now eighty years in the past, back to life.

Author Bio:

Rachel Billington has written over thirty books. In 2012 she was awarded an OBE for Services to Literature. Her most recent books were the historical novels, Maria and the Admiral and Glory: A Story of Gallipoli. As a journalist, columnist and reviewer, she has contributed to numerous newspapers and magazines worldwide, including the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Daily Mail, the New York Times, The Spectator and The Oldie. She is Associate Editor and contributor to Inside Time, the national newspaper for prisoners. She is a trustee of the Longford Trust and the Tablet magazine. She was President of English PEN from 1998-2001. Rachel is married with four children and five grandchildren and lives with her husband in London and the oldest continuously inhabited house in Dorset.

My Review:

I absolutely love historical fiction, but an era of this genre that I’ve never really delved into is World War II, so when I received an invite for Clouds of Love and War, I was really curious to read it!

Rachel Billington does an excellent job of taking the reader back in time through expert scene setting, a compelling writing style that has a really enjoyable flow, and well-developed characters. I really enjoyed how the narrative is balanced between both Eva and Eddie’s perspectives – this gives the story a lot of depth and allows it to feel realistic.

This book feels very well researched, and I did feel truly transported back to this era. The author explores lots of themes, from love, war, relationships and self-development, which keeps it layered and interesting. I would really recommend this book for fans of historical fiction!

Click here to buy the book!

Thank you for reading. ❤

Author Interview: Laura Jane Williams

Back in May, I was approved for The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams on Netgalley and absolute loved it – full review here!! Today, I am super excited to have Laura here to answer a few questions all about The Love Square, what it’s been like releasing a book during a pandemic, and which celebs she would cast in a film adaptation…

The Love Square is a rom-com, is this your favourite genre to read as well as write, and would you ever consider writing something entirely different?

Rom-com is definitely my favourite thing to watch on screen, and I do read a lot of rom-com too. I think I naturally prefer uplifting fiction, so the trend for “up-lit” is perfect for readers like me – but then I do love a romp through historical fiction as well. I can definitely see myself trying my hand at something other than straight rom-com when the mood takes me, especially after seeing how somebody like Adele Parks has traversed the literary landscape of “chick-lit”, then historical fiction, and now sort of domestic noir. I think once readers know who you are it’s easier to pivot. I’m still establishing my brand, so I won’t be doing that any time soon… but that doesn’t mean I won’t!

We’ve all heard of a ‘love triangle’, but where did the inspiration for a ‘love square’ come from?
Actually, it came from Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd! But the idea of a woman being financially independent and so taking a lover not out of “need” but for pure pleasure still felt so fresh. Imagine writing a love square in the nineteenth century! Iconic. I’ve never really dated more than one man at a time, so exploring what that would be like through my fiction was really exciting. Half the time that’s why I write – to try all these experiences I haven’t otherwise been able to have. In that way, it’s an entirely selfish pursuit. I only get one real life, but I get a multitude of others through my work.

Which aspects or characters of The Love Square did you enjoy developing/writing about the most, and why?
I think it was fun to find redeeming qualities in all the love interests. I couldn’t write one perfect man and then two less perfect men, because otherwise why would Penny, my protagonist, be interested in them in the first place? The character of Thomas is based on a man who sat next to me for a full English at the cafe I sometimes used to write in. He had silk Gucci jogging bottoms and a designer t-shirt on, with a big shiney watch, and whilst he wasn’t my “type”, there was something about him that made me wonder if he could be Penny’s. I might have written him off as a bit of a player, a bit of a casanova with all his fancy things, so it was joyful to examine what traits he might have that a woman would find irresistible – playfulness, say, or a sense of adventure. Then the other love interests were developed to be in opposition to that, but still attractive. So the opposite of playfulness isn’t being boring, then, it’s stability and maturity, which can also be very hot to the right person…

What’s it been like releasing a book during a pandemic?
Interesting! I’m excited to see what it’s like to do all the virtual events we’ve got lined up for August, and if that feels any less “real” than meeting people for stuff in real life. Certainly in the run up I haven’t been on a train to London every week like I might have been otherwise, so without travelling for work I’ve been able to keep up a fitness routine and get the right amount of sleep. It’s going to be interesting to see how “going virtual” affects the publishing industry. We’d never really thought about Zoom bookclubs or online launches, but it’d be great if they could become part of the norm. They could be much more inclusive that way.

Do you have any interesting writing quirks or methods?
I don’t know if I’d call anything about my process “interesting”! Urm… I wrote most of my 2021 novel in my knickers, because there was a heatwave and getting dressed was just too much effort. And I’m definitely a planner – I’m quite meticulous about plotting out the unfolding of events in my books, so that when I sit down to write I know exactly where I need to start and where to finish. Planning frees up my brain to focus on other details of the story, and means I have more fun with the process – which I definitely think shows up on the page.

How have you changed as a writer since releasing your first book?
I’m changing all the time! I think I’m getting a better grip on where the beats of a book go, and getting braver at the topics I cover too. I hope I never stop learning, to be honest. The whole reason I do this is for the challenge of it – I haven’t like, learned to write a book and so just repeat the same steps every time I’ve got a deadline. Every book has its own challenges and quirks, and there’s always something new I want to try, whether it’s setting, the point of view, the tense… there’s always a way to push the boundary of my own skill.

If The Love Square were made into a film, who would you cast for the leading roles?

Great question! Okay. Urm. Maybe Daisy Edgar Jones as Penny Bridge. I’d have John Boyega as Francesco, Dev Patel as Priyesh, and somebody like Harry Styles as Thomas… oh god. That’s a dream cast right there isn’t it! Sign me up!

What do you hope that readers will take away from The Love Square?

That straying from your path doesn’t exclude you from the race. We all screw up, we all get side-tracked, and that’s not a moral failure – it’s just humanness.

And finally, where can readers purchase The Love Square from?

All good bookstores! Apple Books, Waterstones, Audible… whatever format you prefer, it’s available!

❤

Thank you so much to Laura for answering all of my questions – The Love Square is OUT NOW!

❤

Blog Tour: Moonlit Dreams Moonlit Nightmares – edited by Laura Seeber

Thank you very much to Blackthorn Books, Laura Seeber, and all of the contributing writers of Moonlit Dreams Moonlit Nightmares for providing me with a gifted copy, and inviting me to join the blog tour!

About the book:

The moon has always been with us — tempting us, enticing us, and enthralling us through the ages. Here you’ll find thirteen stories involving this heavenly body — sometimes tragic, magical, and other times mysterious, or horrific, but always, memorable.

Contributors include both veteran and first time authors alike, and hail from around the world, including the United States, India, United Kingdom, and Greece. The collection was compiled and edited by Laura Seeber.

Contributing Authors:

Laura Seeber (“To Make a Violin”)

Laura Seeber actually performed double duty on this anthology, acting both as a contributor and editor (so any typo complaints- send her way!). When she’s not writing horror, mystery, or dark science fiction, she spends her time divided between her young son and husband, her freelance writing business, and Antimony and Elder Lace Press

Todd Taylor (“The Experiment”)

Todd Taylor teaches high school ELA, Creative Writing, and Theater in an inner-city Memphis-area School. His short story, “The Experiment,” was published by Laura Seeber in the summer of 2019 in an anthology called, Moonlit Dreams / Moonlit Nightmares. He has also written a play for his theater class that is being performed at 3 different high schools, and has 2 completed novels he is looking to publish. When Todd is not writing, he spends his time coaching track and field, playing guitar in a local band, woodworking, performing weddings / funerals, or relaxing with Sudoku.

Shaun Avery (“The First Victims Club”)

Shaun Avery writes fiction in a number of different mediums, normally with a dark or satirical slant, and often both at once. “The First Victims Club” comes from questions raised by watching horror movies. A LOT of horror movies. He also loves comics, and has co-created a self-published one, more details of which can be found here: http://www.comicsy.co.uk/dbroughton/store/products/spectre-show/ Unsurprisingly, this is also a horror.

A.P. Sessler (“The Sound of Stars”)

A resident of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, A.P. frequents an alternate universe not too different from your own, searching for that unique element that twists the everyday commonplace into the weird. When he’s not writing fiction, he composes music, makes art, and spends too much time trying to connect with his inner genius.

His first novel House of the Goat came out in January. It’s an homage to the Satanic Panic genre of the ’70s-’80s. https://www.amazon.com/House-Goat-P-Sessler/dp/1945940735

Lori Tiron-Pandit (“Receiving Room”)

Lori Tiron-Pandit is a writer, editor, and Web communication professional. Her work celebrates women’s lives and work, of both mystical and mundane significance, as well as their ancestral and contemporary imprint on the world. Growing up with the “great” “classics” of literature, all men, only very late did she realize that the male perspective was not all there was, that it was skewed and small, and it ignored women’s views. Her work is rooted in the worlds of women she’s been lucky to cross paths with.

Thomas Vaughn (“A Consultation by Moonlight”)

Thomas Vaughn is an author of literary horror and dark magical realism. He came from the debris field of rural Arkansas where he persists in uncertainty. When he is not writing fiction, he poses as a college professor whose research focuses on apocalyptic rhetoric. For him fiction serves as a tool to mediate the terrible reality that encompasses all humanity. These works represent his clumsy efforts to seek awareness in the face of a stillborn universe. And so he pulses, waiting for a reply in the void.

https://www.brokentransmitter.com/about

Cara Fox (“Anamnesis”)

Cara Fox is an English author trying to write her way out of the dark. She favors steampunk, horror and Gothic romance, but you can find her anywhere that the stories sink their claws into you and the wine flows freely. Her work has been published by Tales To Terrify, Empyreome, Broadswords & Blasters and Horror Addicts, amongst others, and she is working on her debut novel, The Strange Case of Doctor Magorian.

Parineeta Singh (“A Visitation”)

Parineeta Singh currently lives in Delhi, India, and has earned a Ph.D in Creative Writing from the University of Surrey, as well as a Master’s Degree in the same field from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Her work has appeared in many international magazines and anthologies, and we’re thrilled to have her talent showcased here as well.

Dawn J. Stevens (“When the Moon is Full”)

Dawn Juniper Stevens is the fiction pen name for Kara Kelso. She has been writing short stories and poetry for nearly 30 years, with the past 20 years spent writing an assortment of business, hobby, and nonfiction articles for a variety of businesses, websites, and projects. There aren’t too many types of writing she hasn’t dabbled in at least once, but fiction remains her favorite. “Kira’s Tale: Descend into Darkness” was released in 2013 and is currently available on Amazon.

In her spare time, she enjoys mostly non-fiction books for their source of education and learning from another’s beautiful experience, as well as spending time with family and children. She also enjoys sustainable gardening, music with soul, real life magic, and simply being surrounded by nature. She lives in the Midwest.

For news and updates, find Dawn J. Stevens on both Facebook and Twitter.

https://dawnstevensfiction.wordpress.com/about/

Jesse Moak (“One Stormy Night”)

Jesse Moak is a lifetime writer and dreamer who has been perfecting his craft and pursuing the dream of becoming a professional writer for some time. When he isn’t actively searching for an agent or writing other stories, he spends his time exploring his other passion of retro gaming at his blog retrorevelations.blogspot.com

Jamie Ryder (“Eleventh Hour”)

Jamie Ryder is a short story writer and pop culture content creator from Manchester, England. His short stories and poetry have been published by Hyperion and Theia, Colp, EastLit Magazine, AEL Press and more. You can find his other work on The Comic Vault, Yamato Magazine and The Rum Ration.

Sarah Walker (“Phosphene”)

Sarah Walker is an author and mixed media artist who currently lives in Lebanon Oregon. When she isn’t busy writing, she spends her time creating art that explores the boundaries of reality.

Dimitris Psomadellis (“The Magic Circle”)

Dimitris is a life-long writer that has been perfecting his craft in Mytiline, Greece for a number of years. “The Magic Circle” is his first published story with a professional publisher, and we have no doubt it will be the first of many.

My Review:

I haven’t read an anthology in so long, and Moonlit Dreams Moonlit Nightmares really caught my interest. Though each story differs in style, genre, and tone etc, it is fascinating how they are all connected by their focus on the moon, and I thoroughly enjoyed the various ways that this theme is explored.

Some of the stories were incredibly creepy and oozing with suspense, leaving you on the edge of your seat, whilst others focused primarily on supernatural elements, dreams, and the darker side of humanity. I really enjoyed the variety, and though I enjoyed some stories more than others, each one had aspects that were compelling and intriguing. Some of my favourite stories in the Moonlit Dreams Moonlit Nightmares were ‘A Consultation by Moonlight’, ‘Phosphene’, and ‘To Make A Violin’.

There’s definitely something for everyone in this collection of short stories, and I would highly recommend it!

Click here to buy the book!

Thank you for reading! ❤

Book Review: Older and Wider by Jenny Eclair

Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Quercus for providing me with a proof copy of Older and Wider in exchange for an honest review!

I recently read and reviewed comedian Jenny Eclair’s new non-fiction book, Older and Wider: Menopausal musings from the midlife, and absolutely loved it. I read it as part of a buddy read with a Bookstagram friend – it’s a really fun book to read and discuss!

Shining a light on a string of different issues faced by menopausal women, Jenny Eclair hilariously documents an A-Z of symptoms, shares anecdotes, tips, and adds a humor to what has, for the longest time, been a taboo subject. Though I am nowhere near the menopause and therefore couldn’t relate to many parts of it, this book was nonetheless hilarious, and I actually laughed out loud on numerous different occasions. Older and Wider is really well written, is incredibly witty, and whilst acknowledging how difficult this stage of life can be for some women, Eclair reminds us to laugh about it where we can, which I think is a mindset that can be applied to so many different issues and problems.

Older and Wider is out now!

Thank you for reading! ❤

Blog Tour: A Little Pick Me Up by Katie Portman

Thank you so much to Love Books Group, Katie Portman, and Hall Good Books for gifting me a copy of this book, and allowing me to be on the Blog Tour!

Summary:

Since the beginning of time, women have been made to feel bad about themselves. From our dress sizes to our careers, from our parenting skills to simply having an opinion, modern women come under immense, relentless pressure to look and behave in certain ways.

The stories we tell ourselves can lead to some dark emotions. They can even result in us hating ourselves – and other women.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. We just need to realise our power, our value and our worth.

In a deeply personal book, award-winning blogger Katie Portman (www.poutinginheels.com) talks candidly about her own challenges as a woman and shares the tools she uses to overcome them. She invites fellow females to open their eyes to the beauty, power and potential that exists within them.

Covering subjects such as self-confidence, self-acceptance, ageing and identity, Katie holds up a mirror to gender imbalance, she lightens the mental load of mothers, and empowers everyone to practice self-love, not self-hatred.

With an ever-increasing focus on mental health, Katie’s messages should be relayed in schools, universities, on relationship apps and in mothers’ groups across the land. The book can be enjoyed in its entirety, or readers can dip into the ‘little pick me ups’ again and again and again – whenever they need a reminder of how wonderful they really are.

❤

My Review:

A Little Pick Me Up was such a refreshing read! I rarely read books like this, but this was so easy to pick up, read a little, put down, and then come back to. It’s really digestible, well-written, and there are some really great messages and themes explored.

The book is broken up into seven chapters, each focusing on a specific theme/emotion – Jealousy, Fear, Guilt, Dread, Powerlessness, Regret, Hate/Love. Some were more relatable than others, but nonetheless, Katie Portman really does make you think about things that maybe don’t affect you, in a different way. Her primary message is to encourage women to feel good about themselves, and recognise societal and external pressures that maybe we had never really identified before.

A Little Pick Me Up is incredibly intimate, candid, and honest, and I found it really helpful and eye-opening at times. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on ‘Fear’ – Katie, like myself, is a freelance writer, and I really related to the section where she describes the tension between loving words, but also being fearful of them. It can be so nerve-wracking sharing your writing with people, but sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith and use fear to your advantage!

This was a wonderful, insightful read about unlocking your value, power, and potential, and I can highly recommend it!

❤

Author Bio:

Katie is an honorary Yorkshirewoman; she originally hailed from Lancashire and moved to Barnsley with her headteacher husband, Jamie, a couple of decades ago. They have two beautiful children, Elsie and Leo. 

Katie is on social media, you can connect with her there.

Facebook: @poutinginheels

Twitter: @KateLPortman

Instagram: @poutinginheels

Buy A Little PickMe Up!

Thank you for reading! ❤