Life Lessons from Remarkable Women | BOOK REVIEW

Inspirational essays written by inspirational women of our time - one to read when you need a pick-me-up.

Can I firstly just say, I am very happy that I received this book from Penguin for review; it's probably one of those books that I would highly recommend to each and every women. 

A bit of background info - 

Life Lessons from Remarkable women began as a fifteen minute series by Stylist magazine, where inspirational women would speak and impart a bit of wisdom on the world. It was very successful so they thought, why not document all the lessons in a book? I mean, what a great idea! I personally had not heard of this series before seeing the book, so I'm very glad they did so more people could find out about it. 

Why I love it

The book is full of 25 short essays from 25 women, like Bobbi Brown saying it's okay to leave something and start anew; Katie Piper reminding us that everyone can learn to be confident and Clara Amfo who says we should all be our own best friend. 

It was the first essay by Lisa Smosarski, Editor in Chief of Stylist that really resonated with me. 

Lisa explains how when she first had a child, she tried to be the perfect Mum, the perfect housewife and the perfect career woman but she quickly learnt that it simply isn't possible; it's all about compromise. There may be people who look like they have the perfect career but they're probably compromising something; maybe not seeing their family as much; something has to give somewhere. 

It's not possible to be perfect in all aspects of your life. You can have it all but something has got to give somewhere!

This struck a chord with me as I quite frequently try to be perfect in too many parts of my life now that i've become a full-time blogger. I'm always trying to have the house as spotless as I can; cook the best evening meals; churn out the best content as is possible; be present on social media; keep up with family and friends; spend time with Fabio in the evenings, but it's really not possible. I have started to become tired and when you're tired, you're not really enjoying life as it's meant to be enjoyed! 

I've decided that I'm going to stop trying to be perfect; stop trying to have it all and just let life flow, enjoying every second that I have. That's all that matters. 

I'm very grateful that I get to do this full-time therefore I should take the time to take a step back every now then, just to see how far I've come. And not stress about the fact I didn't get 2000 blog views that month. Life's too short. 

If you'd like to become inspired like me, Life Lessons from Remarkable Women, published by Penguin is available on the 1st March. You can buy a hardcover edition on Amazon UK* for £6.79.

*This is an affiliate link, meaning I'll receive a small profit if you buy from it.

This book was sent to me by Penguin UK for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

Do you have any life lessons you can impart on readers? Let me know in the comments! 

Weekly Meal Plan | Full of Flavour

I hope you've all been enjoying your Monday so far! Last week was a slow one or was that just me? I think it might have felt like that for me because I was thinking a lot about an interview I did on Friday with an author (more to come on that later this week!)

So how were last week's meals?

Well on Monday, the beef goulash (see last's week's meal plan) was super yummy and easy to make too! I just love paprika so it's was an instant hit. 

On Tuesday I tested Albania's national dish, Tave Kosi; a lamb dish baked with yoghurt/egg topping. It was surprisingly really nice! I wasn't too sure about the yoghurt and egg combo at first but I really liked it in the end. I'll post the link here once it's gone up on the other blog - jesseatsandtravels.com

We made pizza's from the Two Greedy Italian's cookbook (pizza delle alpi). They were made without a tomato base and with creme fraiche and gruyere cheese instead. Omg it was so good! Although Fabio made his dough too thin and it sorta started leaking through the bottom. I had to clean up the cheesy mess from the bottom of the oven yesterday! 

Now the grilled sardines were a bit of a disaster. I had bought them from Tesco, reduced, and stuck them in the freezer. I defrosted them and they smelt fine. However after grilling, we tasted one and it was just so metallic-y! Honestly it was vile. We had to throw them all away unfortunately! Well I actually gave a few flaked bits to the cat, so she was happy! Next time i'll definitely buy fresh and eat straight after!

On Friday we had a cheeky Dominos! 

Next week I'm going back to cooking more recipes from bloggers, so here's what i've got planned:

Monday

On Monday, Fabio and I are off out for a dance festival that his school is performing in, so i'm going to prepare these chicken adobo and black bean tacos from the Bearded Hiker in advance, so we can munch them quickly when Fabio gets home from work, before running out the door! 


Tuesday

On Tuesday I'm off out for an event/course on Pinterest, so we'll be having pizza again. It's an easy choice because we've got some more of that ready-made dough in the freezer! 

Wednesday

Nothing to do in the evenings on Wednesday, so i'll try out this belly pork chilli con carne from Fish Come From The Sky. I'm intrigued because it's made with Guinness and dark chocolate!


Thursday

Fabio really wanted to contribute to the cooking this week (he always does but i'm a little bit controlling when it comes to the plan.. oops!) Fabio is going cook something he's done before which we both loved; a salad with crispy bacon, avocado and black pudding. Its inspired from a salad he had out in a pub once in Canterbury. 

Friday

I'm testing out the recipes for my cook-around-the-world mission! You might already know about it but I'm basically going through all the countries alphabetically, developing recipes and writing them up for my food blog. This week it's food from Algeria! Algerian food is very similar to Middle Eastern food since it's in North Africa; lots of spices, lamb and yummy bread made from semolina flour. Look out for my posts next week!

Do you have anything interesting planned this week? I'd love to know!

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Let's have a chat... Jessica Cantell

Happy Sunday to you all! Are you ready for another blogger interview?? Because I am! I never read the answers until I actually write the interview up, so it always excites me when I come to do this. 

Today's interview is with the lovely beauty Youtuber & blogger from Devon, Jessica Cantell who I am happy to call a friend of mine! Also, what a great name! Haha. But really, she's an amazing person who runs a Youtube channel under her name, Jessica Cantell where you'll find lots of gorgeous make-up tutorials, reviews and chatty videos; she really is an expert. She mainly focuses on Youtube these days but she does also have a beauty blog - http://jelacablogs.blogspot.co.uk

Jessica also has an amazing insta profile where you'll find lots of her make-up looks! Great for inspo. Follow her at: https://www.instagram.com/jessicacantell/

The stunning Jessica! Credit - Jess Cantell

So go grab yourself a coffee (i've got one in a big mug) and take a few minutes out of your day to relax. Let's start the interview!

First things first, how would you describe your blog?

I would say it's a mixture of make-up looks, flat-lays and my cat!

Oh my gosh, your cat is adorable! So, how long have you been blogging for?

I'm not sure exactly but I suppose about 6 months properly.

Full time or spare time blogger?
Definitely spare time. I'm an Estate Agent so I have to fit it in around that. 

Oh that's cool! I always thought being an Estate Agent would be a  fun job. I love nosing in other people's homes. What was your main reason for starting your blog then?
I've always loved make-up and sharing my passion! I wanted to join a community who do too!

The blogging community is the best. Do you have a blogging schedule or do you write what you fancy at the time?
I try to do a Youtube video once a week minimum. It always ends up being when I've got a spare moment!

Are you a sofa blogger or do you prefer to sit in an office?
On the sofa all the way!  

The sofa is the best place! I always start off at the table but always end up on the sofa! Describe your ideal place to blog.
I suppose I would say in a lovely bright (styled) room..or something completely different like in the countryside for lovely landscape photos. 

Sounds lovely! What's your blogging daily routine? How do you manage your time?

It's tricky sometimes! But I usually try and give myself one night a week to work on my Youtube or make-up looks. It's the editing I find the hardest to fit in because it's not so fun! 

Oh I love the editing part! I'd happily do it for you! We've been chatting for a while now... do you want a cup of coffee, a brew or something herbal? 
Coffee is probably my favourite! I like a cup of normal milky tea in the morning though. 

Yes, another coffee-lover! So let's talk about future plans. Where do you see your blog in the next few years?
Ooh well the thought of that is exciting! I hope to just continue growing my channel and meeting new lovely people along the way. 

Jessica hopes her blog will grow and that she'll meet more people! Credit - Jessica Cantell

Meeting new people is one of the perks for sure! If you could develop your blog in anyway, what would you do? 
Wow, well I'd love to bring out a new make-up palette or something, but I imagine that would be a longggg way off! 

Ooh but never say never! Where do you find inspo to write a blog post?
Well I don't Youtube videos rather than blog posts, but I usually take inspiration from videos I would like to watch myself!

Ahh yes, you're my first Youtuber to do this interview! Do you always find it easy to come up with ideas?
Sometimes no! It can be tricky but other times it comes easily!

Any advice for those who find it difficult to get inspiration?
I would say don't put pressure in yourself. It should be something fun that you enjoy, not a burden. I'm sure lots of bloggers would love to help if there's something specific you're struggling with!

Definitely; we're all really helpful! So, how do you interact with other bloggers? 
I have only recently discovered the wonderful blogging community. Twitter is probably my favourite place to chat with everyone; they're all just so lovely and supportive! 

Twitter is my fave place too! Have you ever collaborated with another blogger? How would approach another person to collaborate?
I would really like to do a collab on my Youtube channel but I'm not sure yet! Going to have a think! I would just say ask people. The worst you'll get is a no, but it's a good way to start a conversation too! 

Exactly! Do you have a blogging idol?
Ooh well I wouldn't say idol but someone I am inspired by is Youtuber Jaclyn Hill. She's great and very talented!

I'll have to look her up! Do you think it's better to blog about everything and anything or to focus on a niche?
Whatever suits you!

Let's talk about money now. What do you think is the biggest cost in blogging?
Probably my urge to buy more and more make-up...

Haha, I can imagine that! So, have you attended any blogging events?
No I haven't. It would be really cool to but I find it difficult with time.

Time is precious! Do you feel it's difficult to be in know about events?

Yeah I think it can be hard to be in the know about them if i'm honest.

Do you feel that there should be more acknowledgement and promotion of bloggers in the press?
I suppose so. I mean, blogging seems to be very much its own little world sometimes, so if we were included in more magazines or something, that would be cool!

That would be great! Blogs are used a lot these days to talk about issues such as mental health. If you could use your blog as a platform to talk about something perhaps taboo, what would you talk about and why?
I would actually love to talk more about mental health because I can get anxiety about I don't talk about it much, so it would be a good way to encourage others.

Yes it definitely would! Any tips for a novice blogger starting out?
I would say just go for it! Don't worry about friends from work or school seeing your posts. I know I was at first but it's okay! It's a lovely place to find new friends with the same interests!

Thank you Jessica! Great advice that I wish I'd heard when I first started out!

I also asked Jessica if she would tell us her top 3 beauty products that she's loving right now, so here you go - 

One of Jessica's magical make-up looks. Credit - Jessica Cantell

Three beauty products Jessica is loving right now

1. Anastasia Beverley Hills Aurora Glow Kit

2. Juvia's Place Masquerade Palette

3. Revolution Ultra Face Base Primer


Go check out Jessica's Youtube channel: Jessica Cantell, to see her using these products / she also tweets at @jessicacantell 

Next week I'll be talking to a lifestyle blogger who focuses a lot on mental health topics. She'll also be sharing some travel tips for her home state in America! Be sure to come back next Sunday to check that out!

If you want to take part, drop me a tweet at @fessjarmer with your email.

The Trip of a Lifetime by Monica McInerney | BOOK REVIEW

A story that had me laughing out loud, becoming totally invested in the characters and speed-reading just to find out how it ends (not just because I was reading for review!)

Here's a little breakdown of the plot - 

The story follows a grandmother named Lola and her family as she slowly but unwillingly unravels her secrets of the past. Lola, who lives in a beautiful wine valley in Australia, must visit her birth town and face what she left behind 60 years ago.

The story is written from the point of view of a few of the characters: Lola, her journalist granddaughter Bett and other granddaughter, the dippy but fun-loving Carrie. As you may know already, I really like it when books are written this way because it helps you connect with many of the characters rather than just the protagonist. 

So what did I think?

At first, from looking at the cover, I was quick to dismiss it as being only for the 'older reader', however I was wrong to think that. From reading the first chapter, I was hooked. This is really rare for me as it often takes me a good few chapters to draw me in. I definitely will be more accepting of all of books from now on. 

Lola's humour is one of the aspects that had me reading on; for an 85-year-old, she's pretty funny. One of those grandmothers who don't care what people think, wears flamboyant clothing and is able to get you doing anything and everything! You know the kind!

I think I connected with the story well because my own Mother also emigrated to Australia with my brother when she was younger (before she had me), and my sister was born there. I'm definitely going to give this to her to read as I know she'll love it.

Who's it for?

The Trip of a Lifetime is for anyone who enjoys reading light-hearted stories packed with humorous and quick-witted grandma's! No, but really, if you're into women's fiction then you'll enjoy it. Also anyone who enjoys reading books from authors such as Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes and Cathy Kelly. Monica's writing style is very similar. 

It's a great book to take away with you on holiday this Easter! 

The Trip of a Lifetime by Monica Mcinerney, published by Penguin, is available now. You can buy a paperback copy from Amazon UK* for £7.99.

*This is an affiliate link meaning I will receive a small profit if you buy from it.

I received this book from Penguin for review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Have any of your family members ever emigrated like Lola and my Mum? Let me know in the comments.

It's Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs Hendel | BOOK REVIEW

A book that will guide you through understanding your emotions, as it's not our thoughts that affect our emotions but as Hilary states, the other way around. 

Before I get into the book, It's not always depression is written by Hilary Jacobs Hendel, a certified psychotherapist who has published many articles for The New York Times. She also has a very popular blog, The Change Triangle - a method she mentions in her book.

Hilary's book is unlike some other self-help books I've read, as it follows a format where she explains the methods through the therapy sessions of her clients. For example, the second chapter on Releasing Emotions follows 'Fran's Anxiety, Panic and Grief'. You read about Fran's background and why she attends the therapy sessions. You learn of Fran's progress through what is known as 'the change triangle'. I'll explain further - 

The Change triangle basically represents the mind. Each corner of the triangle is a different aspect - core emotions, defences and inhibitory emotions. 

You use the triangle to indicate how you are feeling emotionally. The aim is to get to the bottom of the triangle where there's 'calm and clarity'. 

This might all sound a bit bonkers but Hilary explains it so thoroughly using an example from her own life as well as her client's. I wouldn't dare explain it on here - i'd just get confused, haha. 

The book also includes quiz's and activities to help you track your progress throughout reading the book. There are also helpful information boxes throughout, such as 'things to know about panic attacks' and 'the perfection myth'.

I'll highlight the chapters below and the issues than come up in the case studies, to give you an idea of what sort of areas the book is helping in - 

• Getting to know the change triangle
• Releasing core emotions (anxiety, panic and grief)
• Identifying trauma (depression & navigating conflict; science of attachment; giving yourself compassion; self-parenting)
• Core emotions (rage)
• Inhibitory emotions (social anxiety, shame, guilt; joy and gratitude)
• Defences (moving through trauma to peace)
• The open-hearted state (the authentic self).

I'd recommend this book to someone who is currently attending therapy and wants some extra reading to help them through their personal challenges, or anyone who is interested in reading about their emotions, to learn how they can listen to them and not just cover them up (with a defence) - see I learnt something from the book!

It's Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs Hendel, published by Penguin Life, is available now from Amazon UK* for £10.11. 

*this is an affiliate link meaning I receive a small profit if a purchase is made. 

I received this book from Penguin Life for review. All opinions are honest and my own. 

Have you heard of The Change Triangle before? Would you consider buying this book?

Weekly Meal Plan | Mediterranean Cuisine

It's the end of half-term already! This week has flown-by! We have managed to do some lovely things though, like go to the cinema to see Black Panther (HIGHLY RECOMMEND); a trip to Suffolk Road to get out of the house (a cute little street in Cheltenham with some nice, independent cafes); a day out in Cirencester, enjoying a fabulous lunch at Jesse's Bistro and a longer excursion to see what Hereford has to offer.

On Monday we decided to eat light in the evening, after having visited Cirencester and eating a big lunch. We just had bits and bobs with the lovely cheeses we picked up at Daylesford Farm in Kingham.

Tuesday's minty lamb steaks went down well with the veg. Definitely will be getting them again. We had the pancakes for breakfast before Fabio's parents left, with lots of Nutella on them. We ate them like Italians eat pizza - with our hands!

Wednesday we ended up in Hereford and I enjoyed a lovely full-English breakfast from Die Koffie Pot. For dinner we had the Caribbean chicken (see last week's meal plan for the link) which was really good! I think I'd probably add less onion to the salsa next time though. 

On Thursday we had the Afghan meal (A kidney bean stew) for lunch as I cooked it overnight on the slow-cooker (genius!) - post coming this week on my food blog www.jesseatsandtravels.com For dinner we were naughty and had our favourite Indian takeaway - Delhi Heights in Cheltenham.

Friday we celebrated Chinese New Year and had another takeout! I went for Chinese Chow Mein which was delicious but kept me up all night! Anyone else find Chinese does this to them?

Here's what we have planned this week - 

Monday

We've got some stewing beef in the freezer so i'm going to try this Easy Beef Goulash from Bobsy's Mum.

Tuesday

Today will be a day of recipe-testing and this week is Albanian week! I'm going to be cooking their national dish of Tave Kosi which is very similar to a mousakka  Look out for my recipe on my food blog (link above).

Wednesday

I bought some pizza dough last week to make some pizza's with Fabio's parents. We didn't end up making them so we'll do it this week instead.

Thursday

I've got some whole sardines in the freezer so i'm going to try and make this recipe of Grilled Sardines with Lemon, Garlic and Paprika from Serious Eats. It looks super yummy and reminds me of being on holiday by the sea! 

Friday

I always leave Friday blank because we usually eat out or get a takeout to celebrate the weekend! 

Do you have any interesting meals planned this week? How easy do you find it to stick to a plan?

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Let's have a chat... Adam Lewis

I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday and are sitting down, nice and comfy ready for another chatty interview with a blogger. I'm currently feeling a bit like I'm getting the flu if you didn't already read on my latest insta (instagram.com/jess_cantoni). I've got a mug of cinnabun flavoured coffee to fuel me through writing this! It's something I love doing though, so it's no hardship.

Today's interview is with a foodie from the county of Gloucestershire (no, i'm not interviewing myself...) Adam Lewis from the mouth-drooling food blog that is lewisloves.com (who he also runs with his wife, Sarah Lewis) is known for discovering the best places to eat in the county. I mean, just check out their insta (instagram.com/adamlewisloves) !  I get serious food envy every time I look!

Sarah and Adam Lewis Credit - Adam Lewis

Okay, so let's begin!

First things first, how would you describe your blog?

My wife, Sarah and I write about everything we love about the Cotswolds and South West, focusing on food, lifestyle and events.

So, how long have you been blogging for?

It's been about 18 months now.

Full time or spare time blogger?
Spare time. We write because we love sharing our absolute favourite places and events. If we were constantly worrying about paying the bills, I think the content would suffer as there would always be that temptation to follow the money. 

I think it is hard to find that balance once you start treating it as a business. What was your main reason for starting your blog?
We wanted to share the best of our region with people and help them find those lovely little independent shops, restaurants and events that they might otherwise miss. It's such a shame when people just go to the same chains time and time again. 

I'm with you there. I try to avoid chains if I can. Do you have a blogging schedule or do you write what you fancy at the time?
We pretty much just write as and when we feel like it, depending on where we've been and what we've found to share. 

Are you a sofa blogger or do you prefer to sit in an office?
Typically on the sofa, although Sarah sometimes blogs on her phone during our morning commute. If I can't sleep, I occasionally blog in bed in the early hours of the morning, although I try not to as it can't be good for my health. Surprisingly, it's still pretty lucid though and a few of my favourite posts have been written this way.  

What's your blogging daily routine? How do you manage your time?
Having full time jobs, there's no set blogging routine. Typically though, we will try to do social media a few times a day and then write blog posts in the evenings or at weekends. 

We've been chatting for a while now... do you want a cup of coffee, a brew or something herbal? 
I drink coffee and tea, although I still can't get my head around green tea. I can't be the only person who thinks it tastes like pond water. I'm a big fan of loose leaf Russian Caravan tea which I get from a lovely little tea emporium in Bath. 

Haha, well I'm not the biggest fan either. I prefer a Matcha latte if it's going to be green! So let's talk about future plans. Where do you see your blog in the next few years?
Ooh that's a good question. Hopefully we'll still be growing and finding more wonderful places to blog about. There certainly isn't any shortage of new openings at the moment so we're not too worried. And of course, the main thing has to be that we are still enjoying writing content and sharing it. 

The food scene is certainly growing in the county, that's for sure! Where do you find inspo to write a blog post?
Living in the beautiful Cotswolds, and working in thriving Bristol, there's no shortage of amazing places to try,  and the list keeps on getting longer and longer.  We're so lucky to have so many talented artisan producers, independent restaurants and exciting venues. 
Agreed. My list is never-ending! Any advice for those who find it difficult to get inspiration?
Just try sticking to what you know and love, and you'll find the content comes naturally. Eventually your following will grow as people will enjoy the passion in your writing, but in the meantime, just have fun and don't worry too much. 

Exactly. So, how do you interact with other bloggers? 
We've become really good friends with a number of local bloggers since starting, especially through the Cotswolds Bloggers group. We meet up regularly but in-between we're often swapping local news and views on social media. 

Yes, I love the Cotswolds Bloggers group! Have you ever collaborated with another blogger? 
We've not worked with another blogger yet although we've collaborated with lots of businesses we like who are keen to share their brand with the world. We'd definitely be happy to work with other bloggers though. 

Do you think it's better to blog about everything and anything or to focus on a niche?
There are a few mainstream bloggers who are more like a brand, and it still amazes me how much people want to know about every aspect of their life. For smaller bloggers though, I personally think it's better to keep it focused so that people understand what you're about. That's why we just cover the Cotswolds and South West 

That sounds sensible. Let's talk about money now. What do you think is the biggest cost in blogging?
The biggest cost is definitely time. It takes a lot of effort to visit places, take and edit photos, write a blog post and then share it afterwards. In monetary terms, the only cost has been hosting our website which wasn't too bad. 

"it takes a lot of effort to visit places and take and edit photos" - Adam Lewis

I don't think people realise how long it takes sometimes! So, have you attended any blogging events?
Aside from the local Cotswolds Bloggers group, I've not attended any other blogging events. To be honest, I'm not hugely aware of them, and I've always assumed they were more focused on the larger, full time bloggers. 

I used to assume this too but I think they're open to all blog sizes. Do you feel it's difficult to be in know about events?

We spend a lot of time talking to local people about what's going on and what they are loving at the moment. That's definitely the best way to keep your finger on the pulse. 

Do you feel that there should be more acknowledgement and promotion of bloggers in the press?
I think there is a lot more awareness than there used to be, although I guess to some extent, bloggers and the press are competing against one another, particularly when you are focused on local events and venues. There's plenty of room for everyone though, especially when people have such varied opinions. 

I agree, we are sorta competing aren't we! Blogs are used a lot these days to talk about issues such as mental health. If you could use your blog as a platform to talk about something perhaps taboo, what would you talk about and why?
I think it's great that people are raising awareness of things like mental health on their blogs. I'm currently completing a challenge to run the distance of 30 marathons in a year, ending with the entire 102 mile Cotswold Way. I'm raising money for Maggie's Cancer Centres and Winston's Wish, and trying to use the blog to raise money and awareness of these great charities.  

Wow, that's big distance! Good luck! Any tips for a novice blogger starting out?
Enjoy yourself and don't worry. Even if nobody reads it, you'll find the writing cathartic, and one day when you least expect it, people will start to take notice. Also don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it; most bloggers tend to be pretty friendly. 

Thanks for the advice Adam. We bloggers are a friendly bunch, always happy to help! 

I also asked Adam to recommend to you guys some lovely places to eat in his home county (even if he did cheat and add one extra, but in the name of food, I can let him off!)

Adam's top 3 places to eat in Gloucestershire - 

All in the name of research! Credit - Adam Lewis.

1. Koj, Cheltenham - Firstly we love Koj.  It's Japanese food and cocktails at its best, cooked by former MasterChef winner, Andrew Kojima. 

2. The Bottle of Sauce, Cheltenham - Secondly, for something a bit more casual, you can't beat The Bottle of Sauce in Cheltenham. They do the best dirty burgers, wood-fired Neopolitan pizzas and a great atmosphere. 

3. Prithvi, Cheltenham - Thirdly, Prithvi does some incredible Indian fine dining. Unusually, they have a seasonal menu with things like venison which you wouldn't normally see on an Indian menu and an immense truffle naan. It's definitely worth a try even if you think you don't like curry. 

THE ADDED EXTRA!!

4. The Bell Inn, Langford - I'm going to cheat and add The Bell at Langford. It's just outside Burford so technically it's in Oxfordshire, but it's a proper country pub with homely food to die for. Giles Coren went a few weeks after it opened, reviewed it and said the bone marrow garlic bread was the best thing he'd ever tasted. 

Okay so now I'm getting really hungry after reading/writing this! Thanks Adam..! I'm still yet to try Koj, Prithvi and The Bell and I'm ashamed! I fail as a local food blogger, haha. 

You should all go and check out Adam and Sarah's wonderful blog lewisloves.com / Adam tweets at @AdamLewisLoves

Next week i'll be talking to a beauty blogger who will also be sharing her top 3 beauty products at the moment, so be sure to come back! 

If you want to take part, tweet me @fessjarmer with your email.

The Zanzibar Wife by Deborah Rodriguez | BOOK REVIEW

An intriguing tale of 3 very different women from very different backgrounds. The Zanzibar Wife is all about the difference between cultures but how in the end we are all the same.

Before I launch into the review, here's a little background info (no spoilers) -

The story is set in the Middle East, in Dubai, Zanzibar but mainly Oman where all three characters end up. The three women are all very different. You have - 

Rachel: An American women who previously worked as a war photographer and who ends up in Oman on a job very different to what she usually does.

Ariana: A Pakistani women living in Dubai who is too afraid to go back home to the UK as she is afraid her family will think of her as a failure. She's endlessly trying to keep up with her peers despite having little money and an unstable job, until she meets Rachel.

Miza: A women from Zanzibar who ends up in Oman, leaving the little family she has left back home, as the second wife of her Husband, Tariq.

I had partly read Deborah Rodriquez's previous book, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul and really enjoyed what I had read, so I jumped at the chance of reading this book when I saw it. 

It usually takes me a while to get into books if I find the beginning to be quite slow, however I didn't find this title to be like that. I think this is due to it being written from the point of view of not only the 3 women but also Miza's younger sister Sabra; it really helps to break the story up and not get bored of certain characters. 

I love finding out about different cultures and despite already knowing quite a lot about the Middle Eastern culture, I found this book fascinating. It really does talk about the culture in truth of what it's really like and informs of things you might not have known, especially when it comes to Islam. 

The characters are all really interesting and have there own little story to follow. I really love it when stories are like this rather than following one character. I particularly liked how Miza was portrayed as the author has got it spot on when describing the troubles second wives go through in their culture. Having personally taught men and women from many countries out there, I have heard many things similar to what Miza goes through. 

I recommend this book if you're looking for a story you can get your teeth into but perhaps if you're wishing for a bit more mental stimulation. It's not as an 'easy read' as other women's fiction I've read due to some of the themes (violence) but I still found it a 'happy' read (it's not too sad).

The Zanzibar Wife by Deborah Rodriguez, published by Sphere, is available now. You can buy it on Amazon UK* for £3.99.

*this link is an affiliate link meaning I gain a small profit if you buy from it.

I received this book for review from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

Have you read any of Deborah Rodgriquez's other titles? Do you prefer reading books to simply get away or do you like learning things at the same time?