Review: Queen Bee

Title: Queen Bee

Author: Ciara Geraghty

Publisher: 2nd February 2022 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Pages: 432 pages

Genre: contemporary, menopause

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

She’s earned her stripes. But the hive’s misbehaving . . .

Insomnia 

How do I have three extra adult males – and a small yappy dog – living in my house when I need to grow into a graceful and sexual midlife woman?

Rage 

Am furious.

Anxiety 

What’s going to happen to my career if I can’t get out of this rut? 

Feel invisible.

What is happening to me?

Fifty-year-old Agatha Doyle loves her empty nest – until hot flushes, a pair of killer heels and an overbearing man who won’t stop talking conspire to change her life. In one moment of madness, she unwittingly becomes a heroine to women everywhere.

But can she become the heroine of her own life?

Sometimes you just have to wing it.

My Thoughts

‘I hate the word ‘menopause’. Something battered and forlorn about it, like a pulpy, dog-eared paperback in a charity shop.’

Queen Bee is a hilarious yet perceptive read as Ciara takes her readers on a wonderful menopausal journey. If that ‘m’ word resonates with you then you are sure to completely identify with the lead character, Agatha. This is the book to read, not only for the humour, but for the absolute truths provided as Ciara rips away all the myths surrounding this time of life for women. 

‘I am a menopausal woman, standing here before you all in a lather of sweat, terrified that I might forget a word in the middle of a sentence with the threat of brain fog that looms over me on a daily basis … I have insomnia, none of my clothes fit me, and there’s a chance I’m more irritable than I used to be. Although my husband may have a different view on that.’

This is a story that speaks to women and it is sure to capture attention as it makes women feel no longer alone on this often silent journey. Yes, on the surface it's about a woman coming to terms with the changes taking place in her body, however, it is that and so much more. Always open to reads about menopause, this was the book I needed to read as it provided a healthy tonic to this condition many of us experience at varying levels of discomfort. It’s full of laughter and sarcasm but there are real moments that hit home and will cause readers to pause and ponder. Ultimately, the message is that you are not alone in this life changing period. 

‘ME: What is happening?

AIDAN: I think you’ve touched a collective nerve? 

ME: I didn’t mean to.

AIDAN: It’s a good thing.

ME: How is it a good thing?

AIDAN: From the comments, it looks like there’s a lot of

people out there who are glad you’ve come out as

menopausal.’

Agatha is a wonderful character who captures all the many and varying aspects of experiencing menopause - not only on a personal level but also to those nearest and dearest. I loved the style of writing and the way the narrative was laid out, my only complaint being that it might be a tad too long in places. 

‘… there must be a reason it contains the word ‘pause’. Normal service will resume presently. I thought I could just wait it out. Wait for normal service to resume.

But no.’

If the main theme of this book speaks to you or women you may know, then I cannot but highly recommend you read it. I am so very happy to see more and more books being written about this topic in both non/fiction. It is well overdue to deliver credence for these women and debunking any myths or misconceptions about this critical time in a woman’s life. 

‘Just because you’re middle-aged and menopausal, it doesn’t mean that it’s all over.

There are still things to learn. Relationships to tend.

Dances to perfect.

So that’s what we did.

We danced.

We kept on dancing.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Garnett Girls

Title: The Garnett Girls 

Author: Georgina Moore

Publisher: 1st February 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 322 pages

Genre: women’s fiction, contemporary

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

In this brilliant debut novel full of heart and warmth, three very different sisters--and their free-spirited mother--must grapple with life, responsibilities, and family secrets.

Forbidden, passionate and all-encompassing, Margo and Richard's love affair was the stuff of legend--but, ultimately, doomed. When Richard walked out, Margo locked herself away, leaving her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha, to run wild.

Years later, charismatic Margo entertains lovers and friends in her cottage on the Isle of Wight, refusing to ever speak of Richard and her painful past. But her silence is keeping each of the Garnett girls from finding true happiness.

Rachel is desperate to return to London but is held hostage by responsibility for Sandcove, their beloved but crumbling family home. Dreamy Imogen feels the pressure to marry her kind, considerate fiancé, even when life is taking an unexpected turn. Wild, passionate Sasha, trapped between her fractured family and controlling husband, is weighed down by a secret that could shake the family to its core.

The Garnett Girls, the captivating debut novel from Georgina Moore, asks whether children can ever be free of the mistakes of their parents.

My Thoughts

"Those Garnet girls. Lookers all of them - brains too. Hard to decide which one I fancy most."

The Garnett Girls is a wonderful debut narrative that explores the dynamics between a mother and her three daughters. Theirs is no ordinary relationship due to a dysfunctional upbringing but there is never any doubt about the love they hold for each other. The story traces how their childhood affected them in the choices and actions as their lives evolve over the years. 

This is such a well written tale that is highly character driven. But gosh! How well are these characters portrayed as real life and personal shortcomings come into play. Margo the matriarch is a force to reckon with and her parties would have been an eye opener. The interactions between the mother and each of the daughters is reflective of the ups and downs in life. Add into this their partners and the wider community from the Isle of Wight and it makes for engaging reading. It just goes to show how much of an impact the loss of their father had on each of them individually and as a family unit.

‘The only place she found certainty and conviction was in her writing. The rest of the time she quaked in the face of the Garnetts passionately held opinions.’

The setting of the Isle of Wight is wonderful and adds another rich dimension to this tale, as does their home. Here is an old house (needing some repair) that holds so many memories - both good and bad - for them all. In many ways, it's what calls them back time and again. The house has stood witness to so much and has a story to tell. I am not sure whether I found necessary some of the passages that went back in time explaining events prior to the current storyline. I felt that the author did such a good job of the contemporary timeline that in many ways, it was not needed. 

The Garnett Girls is a debut novel I highly recommend for readers who love strong family, character driven tales. The writing flows effortlessly as it weaves a story full of the light and dark moments in life - there will be loss and there will be laughter. Most of all, this is a tale about family relationships, mistakes made and how, through love, a family can make it through it all. 

"I'm not sure we'll ever really understand. We might have to accept that some things about our family can't ever be known."

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Mrs Van Gogh

Title: Mrs Van Gogh

Author: Caroline Cauchi

Publisher: 30th January 2023 by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Pages: 484 pages

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Who tells her story?

In 1890, Vincent Van Gogh dies penniless, unknown, a man tortured by his own mind.

Eleven years later his work is exhibited in Paris and his unparalleled talent finally recognised. The tireless efforts of one woman gave the world one of its greatest creative minds.

But twenty-eight year old Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, Vincent’s sister-in-law and the keeper of his immense collection of paintings, sketches and letters, has, until now, been written out of history. This beautiful, moving novel finally gives this extraordinary woman a voice…

My Thoughts

‘I’m going to bring Vincent van Gogh’s art to the world. I’ll let others see his genius.’

Most of us know, of course, of Vincent Van Gogh. Many of us know that his work did not become famous until after his death. Then why - I ask myself - have I never asked the question: who was responsible for presenting his art to the world? This book answers all that and more in such a way that will stay with me … probably for my lifetime. 

‘If it takes until my very last breath, one day, every single artist, art lover and art critic in the world will know the name Vincent van Gogh.’ He laughs. ‘You’re as mad as the earless painter.’

I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone who is even slightly intrigued by a fictional narrative on this topic. In the words of the author herself: “.. shocked and bewildered that despite her key role in the growth of Vincent’s posthumous fame, Johanna’s story had been all but ignored … I’m neither a historian nor a biographer, I had little choice - and much pleasure - in writing an imaginative reconstruction of a brief marriage and the story of how a young widow changed art history … this novel offers a creative account of the remarkable woman who became “the guardian of Vincent van Gogh’s legacy.”

‘He’s one of the most progressive painters alive. He has to keep painting,’ he says. ‘He forces us to surrender conventional ideas when viewing his art. But Jo …  Can I hope that one day he’ll be understood?’

Johanna was only married to Theo for a short two and a half years - mind blowing in the big scheme of things. To consider that in such a short time she met and became engaged to Theo, witnessed Vincent’s mental collapse, married, had a child, witnessed Vincent’s death then, sadly, Theo’s mental collapse and death. ‘A former schoolteacher who stepped into two and a half years of madness, love and grief. After that, aged only twenty-eight, some might have turned their back on the Van Gogh name. But nevertheless, Mrs Van Gogh-Bonger persisted. She spread him over the world, selling at least 195 paintings and 55 drawings by Van Gogh, including Sunflowers to London’s National Gallery of British Art in 1924, the year before she died.”

‘I’m at a loss for words. I’ve stepped into a world where madness and art seem to hold hands to dance. I’m not sure I know how to exist here.’

In light of this, Caroline has penned such an incredible story. It’s raw, it’s heartbreaking but it’s filled with resilience and fortitude that moved me beyond measure. It’s a massive undertaking and Caroline does it with such poise and panache that it truly is one of the most remarkable fictional narratives I have read. I don’t even have the space to go into the ease of her writing, the depth of her research and portrayal of artists of the era or the days in Paris (love the weekly Eiffel Tower photo) and especially, the nod to the role of women in the era. Just do yourself a favour and go read this book! You won’t be disappointed - the tale of such a remarkable woman who became the caretaker of the Van Gogh legacy.

‘For in the routine of daily life there is so little time to reflect, and sometimes days go by when I don’t actually live, but let life happen to me, and that’s terrible. I would think it dreadful to have to say at the end of my life: “I’ve actually lived for nothing, I have achieved nothing great or noble”…’ Johanna Bonger, aged seventeen (March 26, 1880)’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Perfectionists Guide to Losing Control

Title: The Perfectionists Guide to Losing Control

Author: Katherine Morgan Schafler

Publisher: 31st January 2023 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 294 pages

Genre: non fiction, self help, personal development

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

From psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler, an invitation to every "recovering perfectionist" to challenge the way they look at perfectionism, and the way they look at themselves.

We've been looking at perfectionism all wrong. As psychotherapist and former on-site therapist at Google Katherine Morgan Schafler argues in The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control, you don't have to stop being a perfectionist to be healthy. For women who are sick of being given the generic advice to "find balance," a new approach has arrived.

Which of the five types of perfectionist are you? Classic, intense, Parisian, messy, or procrastinator? As you identify your unique perfectionist profile, you'll learn how to manage each form of perfectionism to work for you, not against you. Beyond managing it, you'll learn how to embrace and even enjoy your perfectionism. Yes, enjoy!

Full of stories and brimming with humor, empathy, and depth, this book is a love letter to the ambitious, high achieving, full-of-life clients who filled the author's private practice, and who changed her life. It's a clarion call for all women to dare to want more without feeling greedy or ungrateful. Ultimately, this book will show you how to make the single greatest trade you'll ever make in your life, which is to exchange superficial control for real power.

My Thoughts

The Perfectionists Guide to Losing Control provides a fresh perspective on perfectionism offering numerous ideas, case studies and life changing ‘aha’ moments that will have you highlighting furiously. Through practical tips and tricks, women are encouraged to embrace their perfectionism in order to free themselves.

‘All perfectionists chase that which is unattainable, ‘unrealistic’, an ideal …. ideals are not meant to be achieved, they’re only meant to inspire.’

The first half of the book breaks down the understanding of the meaning of perfectionism - there being more than one type, which is in itself interesting to consider. This book successfully lays out perfectionism in all its glory allowing the reader to gain a more in-depth understanding in order to learn to work with it. The second half of the book gives you concrete ways to restructure old habits so that they work for you and not against you in attaining your life goals and dreams. This is about trying to reach a mindset that is both healthy and productive. 

‘The more present you are internally, the more you recognise perfection externally’.

As a perfectionist in many ways (falling into the classic category with a touch of some of the other varieties outlined), this book I found to be so enlightening and refreshing with its very honest approach. There are many solid ideas from which I learned and will hopefully weave into my everyday living eg. replacing the word time with the word energy; and, experiencing my ‘Dorothy’ moment ... realising I had the power all along and it was just a matter of learning it for myself.  This book now resides close by as a handy reference when needed. 

‘We put such pressure on ourselves to know exactly who we are and what we want in every moment; it’s okay for some things to be fuzzy’.

I will always love planning and organising - it’s who I am! Reading this made me realise that I do it because I want to and not because everything may fall apart if I don’t! I will work towards going with the flow and not seek to curate each and every experience. As a restored perfectionist I will define success on my own terms ‘understanding that it’s not that you long for some external thing or for yourself to be perfect, it’s that you long to feel whole and to help others feel whole’. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Shelter from the Storm

Title: Shelter from the Storm

Author: Penelope Janu

Publisher: 4th January 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 413 pages

Genre: women’s fiction, romance, contemporary

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

When Patience Cartwright is stranded in her home town, the last thing she expects is a second chance at love...

Fiercely independent naval officer, Patience Cartwright has never had a place to call home, but she knows where she doesn't belong. After an unhappy childhood and a badly broken heart, she'll never return to the country.

But to save her career, Patience is forced to accept a secondment - to an environmental team working near the town where she grew up. There she encounters once more the infuriatingly attractive biologist Hugo Halstead - the very man she's sworn never to forgive.

Given their history, Hugo, as self-assured and honest as Patience is secretive and self-contained, has vowed never to trust her again, but that doesn't stop him feeling just as helplessly drawn to her complicated mix of courage and fragility as he ever was.

As Patience recuperates from a life-threatening illness in the small country town of Horseshoe Hill, she realises the beauty of the landscape and close-knit community promise something very different to the future she's mapped out.

But could the secrets she keeps and the shadows of her past, send her adrift all over again?

My Thoughts

‘Prim said we remind her of a Jane Austen novel. Have you read Persuasion?’

Penelope always guarantees an engaging read with her books and I am excited to say that Shelter From the Storm is my favourite of hers thus far. There is just so much to this tale which kept me engaged from beginning to end, especially if you love second chance romance with flavours of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. 

‘If I were on the ocean, I could search the stars to navigate. I’d know where to look for the lights. How do I navigate now?’

With much on offer, this really is more than your standard rural romance. Of course, there is a super relationship with a wonderful leading man but it is clearly evident the research that Penelope has gone into for this book. There is an engaging mystery with the environmental issues which I always loved about Peneolope’s books. As always the Australian Outback is on display and I have added a few more locations to my bucket list. There is small town rural living and the whole community that comes with that which is always fun to read - I really need a Greta in my life #loveGreta. A special aspect that Penelope often includes is for all the animal lovers out there - especially those who love horses. 

‘There are fences to keep things in, and fences to keep them out. On what side of the fence do I belong?’

Yet for me I was enamored with themes concerning confronting childhood trauma and facing/overcoming fears with the inclusion of Patience being a math genius. This was a wonderful novel with a story of self-discovery, healing and being brave enough to go after your dreams. With tensions brewing, family dramas, environmental issues, Shelter From the Storm is a must read. 

‘A river, a creek and a sandstone house. A shelter from the storm, a place to call home.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.