Get Booked – Reading Gives Us Some Place To Go When We Have To Stay Where We Are.

Hello, I'm Hazel Butterfield and this is Get Booked for Women's Radio Station where I talk about everything that I've been reading, everything that I've been noticing, everything that's just been, uh, interesting me about books. You can also check out what I've been putting up on my new new Instagram page, Get Booked WRS. Go and check it out, like it, follow it, do all that. You know what you're doing, it's social media. Uh, on all of my book reviews, they all go up on hazelbutterfield.com. So if for some reason you'd heard a book, heard me chatting about a book, and you'd forgotten what it was called, you can go and check it out. I'll also make sure I put everything up on my Twitter @NuttyButty and make sure that Women's Radio Station's Twitter is full of everything that we're talking about. I do make it very easy for you on my website to just click on the books and order them via Amazon or wherever you want to. So it's nice and easy, and I try and find the cheapest places to get hold of the books. So I make it so incredibly easy for you. You are welcome. This week's show is entitled "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." I love that phrase, 'cause it's so incredibly true. Reading costs nothing. And for those of you who say, "No, it's expensive. There's bookshops and everything." No, you can go to a library. You can borrow a book and it's hours and hours of entertainment. You want to go into a fantasy world? Pick up a fantasy book. If you want to be scared, you go and pick up a horror. If you want to just sit sit there and giggle, because no matter how you're feeling, if you read a comedy, you will start giggling and it will lift your spirits. You get to live somebody else's life, even just for the length of that book. Now, what I tend to do in my set of book reviews is I like to make sure that there's a selection, um, different genres, just so we can spice it up a little bit, so there's something for everybody. And, um, based— I blog about a lot of things, um, From food, psychology, music, and interviews, well, and basically anything that I come across that I love, but book reviews are some of my favourite blogs to write. We're a big family of readers and it's just a great way to learn, experience, and escape. And here are some great ones to get your teeth stuck into in this week's show. Get them on your wishlist. First up today, we have An Eye for an Eye. It is a Jessica Daniels novel written by Kerrie Wilkinson. The Jessica Daniels series is, oh, it's, they're just excellent. Basically, this, the book that I read, An Eye for an Eye, is book 12 in the series. When you get to book 12 in a series, It does just feel like putting on a comfy pair of socks and settling in. I raced through yet another Jessica Daniels story with twists and good old Northern humor, banter and suspenseful crime with lots of blasts from the past, of which there are many by the time you get to book 12, that only those who've invested the time in the previous installments can truly appreciate. I do suggest possibly starting at number 1, but if you're anything like I am with these books, you will race through them in no time. Kerry Wilkinson always manages to find unique crimes and storylines to integrate and convey excellent psychological insights for everybody that's involved. Juggling friendships and silliness and police politics, gruesome loneliness, and about 8 crimes normally, kind of, Intertwined simultaneously. And I am a northerner. I've lived in London for about 15 years, and sometimes it's just a little bit like going home, hearing all the local kind of places and phrases and that kind of sarcasm that you can only really get from up north, especially that the way she is as well. And she's a little bit standoffish. There's a lot of her that I see in myself. She's incredibly caring. But she's just, she's very relatable in the Jessica Daniels series. And I just absolutely love them. The things that happen to her, and she just, do you know what? Kerry Wilkinson doesn't hold back at all either because things that you'd expect not to happen in a book, he just throws that on his head. And there's always different surprises. And it's always the last page that just goes bang. You better watch out. You better make sure that you are desperate for my next book, of which I am. I have actually, I actually contacted Kerry Wilkinson. I said, "Hey you, you're one of my favourite authors. I want you on my show." So watch this space. Hopefully he will. I did actually do a review of pretty much all of his books, and he did tweet me back and say, "Yes, I should use Hazel as a name of one of my characters in my next book." Get on with it, Kerry. I kind of feel like you've promised me that now, and I really want it to happen. So watch this space. For those of you that were listening to my first ever show, um, Get Booked here at Women's Radio Station, one of the books that I did review was by Amanda Robson, a Southwest Londoner. She is due to join us in the studio over the next couple of weeks to talk about both her books, Obsession and Guilty. Both have won many awards. They are incredible. So watch this space. I'm So looking forward to that. I wanna kind of get into the mind of how she came about these stories, 'cause some of them, I mean, the book that I read, it started off with a woman basically phoning the police and saying, "Uh, I've just killed my sister and I'm still holding the knife. Please, can you come and help?" Uh, yeah. So I definitely would like to get into her mind. Um, if you have any questions for, um, me or any of the authors I tell you are due to come in, please email me at presenters@womensradiostation.com, or you can tweet me @NuttyButty. And remember, all of my reviews do go up on hazelbutterfield.com, so you can contact me through there as well if you want to. Um, my latest book that I'm reading— haven't quite finished it yet, so I'm not at the stage where I am writing a review, but trust me, it's gonna happen. I've been so addicted to it. It is Warlight by Michael Ondaatje, and I Googled it. That is supposedly how I'm supposed to pronounce his surname. He is the author of The English Patient. I have been so addicted that I've been walking around reading it in a daze, like walking down the street and everything. And the couple of times I've nearly walked into people, sorry. And it's not like being on a phone when you walk into people and people are like, ugh, stop me in a pain. When they can see that you're reading and you're just enthralled by a book, people are a lot more forgiving and they kind of just smile and go, yeah, or, maybe they like that book too and they're like, "Yep, I remember being at that stage as well." And it's quite sweet. It's kind of a little bit of a nod. But I will not be made responsible for you being shouted at if you constantly and consistently walk into people because you are reading a book. I kind of feel like I need to do a, "Please don't do this at home." No, that's not gonna work at all, is it? No. So next up we have on our list of books to review is Anxiety Girl by Lacey London. You can check her out on Twitter, @LaceyLondon. In my opinion, this book is, is, um, it was good, I liked it, but, um, it could have gone deeper. Uh, it's all about a girl who has anxiety, it develops, and she has to figure out why she's got it and work her way through it. It seemed somewhat loose against reality, um, more of a case of it felt like she was dipping her toe into the psychological element of anxiety, of which, you know, you could talk for months on the subject. And I thought she really did it quite lightly. Um, I thought the character could have gone deeper, and therefore I didn't have the depth from her to identify as much as I wanted to. It all seemed a bit too speedy, uh, or that huge chunks were glossed over. However, if you have chosen to read this book to help with your own struggles, it will strike a chord and possibly ignite certain feelings as well. You've got to watch out for things like this, especially, uh, there were certain things that she brought up that were— they were poignant and they were brilliant. So do not get me wrong, it is still a very good book. But there was still that feel-good and positive vibe about the narrative. You know, there was coping mechanisms and excellent phrases that stuck with me. I haven't quite decided whether I'm going to read the next one yet, but then again, if I'm wanting to be able to identify and understand her more, I should. I need to possibly invest a bit more time in the Anxiety Girl series. It is a story, but it is relatable. And yet, you know what, I'm going to get in touch with Lacey London. I think I'd like to get her in and have a bit of a chat about her series. She also writes, um, there's a couple of other series that she has as well, which I haven't started on. Maybe I should. Now, um, as I said, in that, um, in that story, there was some excellent lines. Now, one of the lines that, um, I found quite excellent was in one of the self-help groups, you could hear a pin drop as the entire room falls into a captivated silence. This is a bit where the lady that's trying to help everybody, the leader of the anxiety group, she says, "You see, depression is generally connected to our feelings about past events and anxiety is associated with trepidation of the future. My aim in these meetings is to help you I want you all to start living in the present where anxiety and depression simply cannot survive. See, that is perfect. That is exactly what the, the main part that I did like about this book. It is helpful if you are having anxiety. Do you know what? Read it just for that. Um, I think it was brilliant. Go and check it out, Lacey London. Um, right, we are going to take a little bit of a break and then we're going to be back with our second half of today's book reviews. Stick with us. WRS, Women's Radio Station, voice of women worldwide. Sarah's Universal Soul Show. What does your soul or spirituality mean to you? Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station. Welcome back, I'm Russ Kane. You're listening to In Conversation With on Women's Women's Radio Station. I'm Angie. And I'm Patsy. And we're open. To see what other programs we have on Women's Radio Station, head to our website womensradiostation.com. I'm Isabelle Manivi, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? We can do this by coaching you to rewire your brain using simple visualization techniques. In 20 years of practice, I've seen this transform lives. For more information, look on Women's Radio website. Call me on 07984 422 171. I'm listening. Mirai B Limited. We are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar, We update your client database. We take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077 868 48 998 for further information. Mireille B Limited, making the life of the business owner successful. Let Women's Radio advertise your brand or business. It's so affordable and effective. Reaching out to all women. Call us on 020 7437 7066 now. Are you struggling with money? Turn to us as a national charity helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness, or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you're thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship, or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turn2us.org.uk. I'm Angie and I'm Patsy and we're open to share our own personal stories dealing with life events, staying positive through the tough times. Share your stories too. What worked? What didn't? Join us each week for Open. We know you're gonna love it. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Welcome back to the second half of today's Get Booked here at Women's Radio Station. I'm Hazel Butterfield, and so far we have been chatting about "An Eye for an Eye," Jessica Daniels novel, book 12 by Kerry Wilkinson. Jessica Daniels being the detective in the novel. Love her to pieces, great old Northern lass. And Lacey London's "Anxiety Girl." Go and check them out on my blog. It's all over social media and everything. You'll be able to recognize which blog I'm referring to 'cause the picture on there is a blue t-shirt saying, "Books make me happy. You, not so much." Today's show is entitled "Reading Gives Us Someplace to Go When We Have to Stay Where We Are." I absolutely love that. Yeah, so for previous shows that you may have missed out on, get exploring on the Women's Radio Station website and you can catch up on all previous shows, not just for Get Booked, but for all the presenters here. All the shows are up there, so you can, just listen constantly. Why do you ever need to go anywhere else? Also coming up soon, it is half term. I am going to get some kids in reviewing books. Do not worry, they're not going to be 3 and 4-year-old books. I'm going to have predominantly, oh, 9 to 13-year-olds in. So they're going to be talking about a good range of books. And if you're a little bit like me, I quite like my kids' books as well. I love a David Walliams. And there's actually another book coming up just a bit shortly, which is actually supposed to be a kids' book. It is A Wonder by R.G. Palacio, and I'm going to be talking about that now, but make sure that you get your kids involved and listen to my half a term show with a bunch of kids going on about books and probably being rude to me. Maybe join in just for that element. So yes, A Wonder by R.G. Palacio. I was actually inspired by my 11-year-old son to read this and actually make sure it was done before I saw the film. He read it before me, he thought it was brilliant. I made him promise not to tell me what happened. And you've always got to read the book before the film. We know that, don't we? Yes, yes, fellow book lovers. But then 60 pages in, my son, who likes to be the 11-year-old boy that he is inside, insisted on watching, on watching it when we were having a film night with my sister. We're a northern bunch and we like to wind each other up, but funnily enough, I still carried on reading the book after I'd seen the film. And do you know what? This is, this is quite weird of a book and a film. It wasn't ruined. Um, in fact, do you know what, the films— the film and the actual book only slightly overlapped, which I thought was quite bizarre actually. If anyone's read the book and seen the film, please get in touch and let me know your thoughts on that. Um, I mean, Julia Roberts was just incredible. The film was excellent. Um, it's never as good as the book, and I'll still stick to that. Um, And the poetic film studio adaptation license was given to the original story for sure. It was beautifully written from various perspectives. I always like that, books that are written from different perspectives because we all see things quite differently. It's a bit like in the Sky Atlantic programme, "The Affair," where they're talking about how things happen. And when two people describe an event, they see it completely differently. They remember it completely differently. So, it's good to get different perspectives in a book. There was great precepts. And even though there are some horrible incidents of bullying and single-mindedness, it still manages to be incredibly feel-good. And it's a great family read, actually. I think it's a great talent to be able to discuss and witness such horrific bullying against children, but still make it a sweet book. And it was all about strength of character. And you never know what other people are going through. And this kind of brought about the quite popular phrase now that has just gone, it's blown up over social media because of this book and because we're all focusing on just how horrific bullies are and how we need to be a little bit more aware of our actions. When faced with being right, "Or being kind. Choose kind." So true, and just a great message to get out of, to get out there. There are quite a few offshoots of this book which my son has been reading away. I might get him to do a little bit of review of them in the half term, so keep on watching this space. What I would like to see actually is why don't you send in your own 1 or 2-minute book review clip of a book pick your reading that you absolutely love, record it clearly on your smartphone, and send it to us at presenters@womensradiostation.com. Um, if you're struggling to send it through in any way, just, just direct message me on Twitter @nuttybutty. I'd love to hear your thoughts. And also, this is a show for you lot, for all you book fans out there. So if you've got something to say about a book then please do get in touch. Send in your book review clips, but also I want to hear from you about books you want to recommend to me, books that you like, books that maybe you don't like. Not all of them are great. And yeah, get in touch. Or maybe, maybe you have a friend who has just released a book, or a husband, and maybe wife. I don't know, that felt a little bit weird. Get in touch, and maybe they want to come on the show and talk about what books they like and what was the inspiration for writing the particular book that they wrote. Now, the next book that I want to talk about is called Why Mummy Drinks by Jill Sims. Now, I'll be honest, I was slightly insulted that this book was automatically suggested to me via Amazon's stupid Algorithms. How dare they suggest that I'm a mummy that drinks? Apart from all of my Amazon searches, all of my Facebook posts, all of my Instagram posts, all of my Twitter posts, everything I say in my dream, at home, and everywhere that I go. But that is none of their business. How do they manage to suggest that I might like a book that's called "Why Mummy Drinks" is just bang on. I absolutely loved it. There was a lot— sorry. Oh dear. I feel like maybe I had a bit too strong a coffee this morning. And it's— this is why Mummy drinks. There was a lot of parallels between the woman's life and mine. Do you know what? When I was actually writing a blog about this book and saying there was parallels between her life and mine, autocorrect actually changed the word mine to wine. Stupid autocorrect. I'm just going to blame absolutely everybody else. But one of the really funny parallels was especially the page 90 bit. If you've got the book, go and check it out. The coincidental fox poo debacle. The way that she was running around and trying to get things together. And sometimes as a parent, you are one mistake away from your whole day going completely up in smoke. And all it takes is that one incident of your dog deciding for that 30 seconds you let it off the lead to go for a wee, to go and roll in fox poo, goose poo, deer poo, you name it. And you know what? It's not a quick wet wipe job. It's not when your kids have accidentally spilt their ice cream scream all over themself. Fox poo is, it's gonna ruin your day. We're talking baths. We're talking, you know, intense cleans. Anyway, that's probably enough fox poo. I have had an incident this week, which is probably why I'm quite animated on the subject. The book, Why Mummy Drinks, had a variety of sweet messages and life lessons put to us in a deliciously sweary way that avoided being condescending or fake. If you do not like all the good swear words, don't read this book. It's full of them. I personally loved them all. I thought it was great. But it's all about, you know, when you're feeling like you're not doing it the way you should, or whether you work and you feel guilty, or whether you don't work and you feel guilty, or how you dress, you feel like it's not mumsy enough, or maybe it's too mumsy enough, what you drink, whether you think you drink too much for a mum, or whether you don't participate enough with all the other mums that seem to be having fun, how sensible you are, how sensible you're not. Just because you're a mum, it doesn't change your personality. You can still be who you want to be, you know. But it's all about how, you know, in the playground, the playground politics, and not quite understanding what that person thinks of you, or whether you care or not. Or maybe we just care too much and that person you think is probably looking down on you probably just thinks that, you know, maybe you're out of their league, or maybe that you're just too different that you couldn't possibly get on. They're not being standoffish, they're just probably scared to approach you, or maybe jealous or whatever. And this book is all about realizing, um, who you are and how to just get involved. Um, and I have this a lot, you know, there's the whole playground politics where people are just scared to enter because they just feel like they're not like anybody. Do you know what? It's once a year. Maybe make sure that you go to the school drinks just once a year. Say hi, get to know somebody. And you know what? Maybe you're gonna get to know somebody. Maybe that person that you didn't think you're gonna get on with, they're gonna become one of your best mates. You don't have to think the same, but maybe you've got the same sense of humour, which isn't shown in whether you wear hot pants pants or baggy jeans or a blouse or a boob tube. You know, it's all about being just a little bit more open-minded. Get to know people, judge less, make the effort to say hi, and go to the school drinks just once a year. Um, yes, so that is this week's, uh, whole lot of book reviews. Thank you for listening. Keep your suggestions coming in. And, uh, you've been listening to Hazel Butterfield, and This is Get Booked for Women's Radio Station. See you next week. WRS, Women's Radio Station, voice of women worldwide. This is Amy Liu, voice of China at Women's Radio Station. Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station. After a long day, I like to sit in my bath with a glass of wine and listen to Women's Radio. Come, Russ, Kate, you're listening to In Conversation With on Women's Radio Station. To see what other programs we have on Women's Radio Station, head to our website, womensradiostation.com. Are you looking to enhance your career? Are you looking to grow your business? Well, then why not visit visit wearethecity.com. wearethecity.com is a website for working women. It's full of inspirational stories of women that have been there, seen it, and done it. We also feature events, women's networks, and other articles that may help you to progress both in terms of your connections and business ideas. Visit wearethecity.com and take your business or career to the next level. Mireille B Limited. Limited. We are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar. We update your client database. We take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077 868 48 998 for further information. Mireille B Limited, making the life of the business owner successful. Would you like to host your own radio show? Would you love to be doing what I'm doing right now and be a radio presenter on Women's Radio Station? If you're passionate on your subject or topic, we'd like to hear from you wherever you are in the world about what's happening in your country, town, or city. It's your station, your voice to women of the world. So contact us, send an email to involved@womensradiostation.com. I'm Isabel Manivi, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? We can do this by coaching you to rewire your brain using simple visualization techniques. In 20 years of practice, I've seen this transform lives. For more information, look on Women's Radio website. Call me on 07984 422 171. I'm listening. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Radio station.