Speak of The Devi by Rose Wilding

Seven women stand in shock in a seedy hotel room; a man's severed head sits in the centre of the floor. Each of the women - the wife, the teenager, the ex, the journalist, the colleague, the friend, and the woman who raised him - has a very good reason to have done it, yet each swears she did not. In order to protect each other, they must figure out who is responsible, all while staying one step ahead of the police. 

Against the ticking clock of a murder investigation, each woman's secret is brought to light as the connections between them converge to reveal a killer. 

A dark and nuanced portrait of love, loyalty, and manipulation, Speak of the Devil explores the roles in which women are cast in the lives of terrible men...and the fallout when they refuse to stay silent for one moment longer.

I received a copy of this on Netgalley from the publisher John Murray press, in return for an honest review.

This started out fab, I love books set in my home town of Newcastle, I love reading of the places the characters visit, and the well known pubs and clubs of the toon. The story started out good, I was really intrigued as to what was going on, who done what to whom etc, but after about half way it kind of lagged a little bit. The ending was still good, I liked how it turned out, and was glad ‘the man’ got what was coming his way. Some fab characters inthe story, I liked Nova. There was one part where someone is reading and uses a hair from her head to mark her page! Yep, a hair bookmark haha. All in all I gave this 3.5 stars 

Thanks again to John Murray Press, Netgalley, and of course the author Rose Wilding for my gifted e-arc.

Parenting Hell by Rob Beckett and Josh Widdecombe

From the hosts of the No.1 smash-hit podcast, Parenting Hell is a hilarious look into the absurd, chaotic and exhilarating experience of becoming a parent for the first time. Fun, fast and heartwarming Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett share the challenges and madness of their own parenting journeys in hysterical fashion.

Becoming a parent is one, if not the most magical moment in your life. From the elation of seeing your gorgeous bundle for the first time to bringing them home to formally introduce into your world - it's all a bit of a wonderful, emotional blur. Then the reality of becoming new parents begins and all of the things that people never warn you about from the sleep deprivation to clearing up an endless amount of sick, the joy of their first cold, and the bore-inspiring TV that you are subjected to, become part of your life!

And the amongst all of the madness there are moments of unmatched joy and pride at things you would never have imagined - like getting them to eat solids for the first after months of having it quite literally spat back in your face. Parenting Hell by Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe is packed full of humour, empathy, and laughs from two dads overwhelmed by their own families.

I love these guys, so when my library had the audiobook, I knew I had to read it (well, listen to it). 

Josh and Rob are hilarious as usual, and there were so many times I laughed out loud listening to their hilarious anecdotes about family life and raising children. So much of it is relatable and on the mark, and I totally got it when they said it was hard work having 2 so close together… 10 ½ months between my two!

If you liked their podcast I’m sure you’ll love this. There are interviews with Rob and Josh’s wives and parents, which I thought were great, especially since Rob and Josh were asking the questions. I don’t know what else to say apart from just listen to it, it’s ridiculously funny. The banter these guys have is brilliant.

Songteller by Dolly Parton

A Recorded Books Audio Original production of songs and stories performed by Dolly herself, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics goes beyond the glitz, glamour, and rhinestones to the warmth, heart, and soul of a treasured pop-culture icon.  

In this exclusive audio performance, the 10-time Grammy Award-winning artist weaves her words with music and memories to give listeners the stories behind the stories of her most cherished songs. And with some 3,000 songs to her credit, Dolly uses her gift for lyrics to connect to people of all genders, generations, and geographies. 

Showcasing nearly 100 of her most popular songs, including “Jolene”, “I Will Always Love You”, “9 to 5”, and “Coat of Many Colors”, to name a few, this one-of-a-kind audio experience delivers answers to fans’ most burning questions: How close did Dolly come to singing “I Will Always Love You” as a duet with Elvis? How did she become an actress? And exactly who was Jolene? 

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a must-have memoir for fans of country music, music history, and (of course!) Dolly herself.

I listened to this on audiobook and I’m so glad I did. I know the photographs etc would be great to see, but the way Dolly read this was brilliant. It’s not like other audiobooks, It isn’t read as if she’s reading from a piece of paper. She talks as if she’s doing an interview, and it makes me think that maybe the audio came before the hardback.

Dolly is awesome, and this made me love her even more and want to listen to her music again. I love the stories behind every one of her songs, how they all come from something whether it be a family history, or a passing phrase she’s heard. She writes some wonderful songs, and I didn’t know until now that she had so many. I love hearing about the people she worked with and recorded with. I can’t believe how close she came to singing with Elvis, oh that would be brilliant. I just love this lady, she’s full of life and love. One line that got me giggling was when Dolly said ‘I just like horny songs’! She’s a fantastic lady with hundreds of stories under her belt, she’d be an amazing person to meet.

Ok, I’m off to sing along to Jolene, and maybe watch 9-5 movie.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

 

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor-including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother-and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called "calorie restriction," eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, "Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn't tint hers?" She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail-just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi ("Hi Gale!"), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I'm Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

Okay, so this book has interested me for a while, that title right? And my kids love iCarly and Sam & Cat, so I thought I’d give the audiobook a go. Well, I wasn’t sure what to make of this. I gave it 4 stars, but was leaning more towards 3 ½. This book starts with Jennette being at her mothers bedside. I thought ‘aw she is going to reminisce about good memories with her mom’. What should have been good memories, ended up being what I would honestly call abuse. Jennettes mom physically, mentally abused her. She would give her breast and vaginal checks until she was around 16 years old, she would shower her and wash her hair, as well as her older brother being in the shower too. I hated how manipulative her mom was, crying when Jennette didn’t want to do something until Jennette changed her mind, and the tears stopped.

I know she has loving memories of her, but I’m glad she found counselling and understands what was done to her was wrong in so many ways. What mother would limit their child’s calorie intake the way she did, trying to keep her body childlike so she would be cast more? Honestly, it made me mad. I feel for Jennette, I really do. She was forced into a life she didn’t want. I know people will say oh well she has a lot of money, had a good career, but that’s not what she wanted at all. I hope she’s doing better now.

Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

Loveday Cardew’s beloved Lost for Words bookshop, along with the rest of York, has fallen quiet. At the very time when people most need books to widen their horizons, or escape from their fears, or enhance their lives, the doors are closed. Then the first letter comes.

Rosemary and George have been married for fifty years. Now their time is running out. They have decided to set out on their last journey together, without ever leaving the bench at the bottom of their garden in Whitby. All they need is someone who shares their love of books.

Suddenly it’s clear to Loveday that she and her team can do something useful in a crisis. They can recommend books to help with the situations their customers find themselves in: fear, boredom, loneliness, the desire for laughter and escape.

And so it begins.

Thanks so much to Headline for asking me to be on the tour, and sending me a copy of the book.

I loved this! At first I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of it, the pandemic being still so fresh, but honestly this was lovely. 

Stephanie made this book not only about the pandemic, and loneliness we all felt, but about feeling uplifted and happy, and feeling included. I love all the book recommendations, and there is a list of them all in the back of the book, I’m going to try to read some of them. 

I loved the characters, Geoge and Rosemary were my favourite, I loved hearing about their lives, how they met etc, but mostly how happy they are now in their retirement. Their garden overlooking the sea, sitting enjoying a cup of tea and a book together, this is what I want when I’m older.

Thanks again to Headline and Stephanie Butland for including me in the tour and for my gifted copy of the book.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahra

The million copy bestseller, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, is an immensely powerful and heartbreaking novel of brotherly love and the limits of human endurance.

When four graduates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity.

Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he'll not only be unable to overcome - but that will define his life forever.

Where to start with this one. My life has been overtaken by this book, it has been in my head since I finished it, I want to go back to it, but I never want to go back to it. My head has been a mess. 

First off, I’m so glad I read this with a few buddies, I think it needs to be one that’s read alongside someone else so you have someone to talk to. Secondly, if you want to, I’d recommend reading up on the trigger warnings in this one, there are so many. My DMs are always open if you want to ask me anything. So thank you to my friends Sarah, Lucy and Lisa for joining me on this journey of despair and heartache.

So this book breaks your heart, lifts you up again, then throws you to the floor like a sack of tatties. I lost count of how many times I had a lump in my throat, that feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. It’s just trauma after trauma, with a little bit of happiness thrown in for good measure.

Hanya writes with such beauty, there were so many quotes, paragraphs and lines I tabbed, and then in pencil I underlined one. Now the book is filled with bright coloured pens highlighting those passages and quotes, hearts drawn around things. The book destroyed me, and I destroyed it, all in a good way. Hanya describes scenes so well, there were so many times I could picture the beauty in my head: the photographs of the boys, the light hitting the seats on the subway, the paintings in the gallery.  

My love for Jude and Willem was huge, I also loved JB (one of my favourite quotes is a JB quote), and Malcolm but Jude and Willem had my heart from the very start. Hanya pulls you in so deep with her characters, that you feel something for them, they’re like your friends, and all you want for them is good things, but you read about bad things, and you want to reach into the pages and pull them out. How many times I just wanted to wrap Jude up and cuddle him and keep him safe. Oh even writing this has me thinking about it. The other characters were fantastic, Andy being one of my favourites. Harold too, such a wonderful loving man.

Oh I could go on and on about this book. If you want to know more, or just chat in general about it please give me a shout. 

Amazing amazing story, one of the best books I’ve ever read. I can’t say I liked it as it doesn’t seem right to ‘like’ this book, but boy does it grip you and stay in your head, forever I hope.

Thank you Hanya for writing as beautiful as you do