Review : Running for My Life - Rachel Cullen

The Very Pink Notebook is thrilled to share the review of 

Running for my Life

By runner and author Rachel Cullen

With thanks to Beth at Blink Publishing for an advance copy of the book

Published by : Blink Publishing

11 January 2018

Copy : Paperback received from publisher

The Blurb

Throughout her life, Rachel Cullen followed a simple yet effective route straight to mental health misery. Suffering from bipolar disorder, and hungry for approval at any price, she settled for flunked relationships, an ill-fitting career, and poor health to match. Whilst mindlessly seeking a utopian vision of 'normality' that she was mis-sold and so desperate to achieve, the solution seemed increasingly illusive.

Stuck in this endless cycle of disappointment with her life, and not knowing how to handle the strain of her mental illness, she put on a pair of old trainers. She'd never been able to think of herself as a 'runner', and the first time she forced herself out the door, she knew it would hurt. Everywhere. She just didn't realise how much it would heal her, too.Interspersed with Rachel's real diary entries, from tortuous teen years to eventually running the London Marathon, Running for my Life will make you laugh, cry and question whether you can really outrun your demons.

The Very Pink Notebook Review

Running for my Life is a rich, colourful and brutally honest account of one women's fight to beat her mental health demons.  Written with candid details and dark humour this book is a journey about a quest to live life in the happiest and healthiest way possible.  Chronicling all the ups and downs, the good, the bad and the downright ugly along the way.

With fantastic ditties remembering fashion disasters from her youth to the very same in winter races, the author, Rachel Cullen, lays bare the realities that subsequently have taken her on a long battle with mental health.  A fight against herself.  We read about what she thinks her life should be, to the realisation; life is never like what you think it is going to be.  Whether in love or careers and that sometimes you just have to accept your imperfections.

What I found interesting with this life journey was Rachel seemingly did everything 'right'.  But, when she thought about it - right for who?  Not herself.  And she had to find the strength to admit she had come to this realisation - which thankfully, she did.

The constant throughout the ever changing life Rachel?  Running.  Of course.  In this, she found her solace, her soul-mate, her companion.  Even when she felt it had all gone wrong (which in several incidences, it had).  Whatever happened with running she always found herself going back for more and in doing so realised she had so many more capabilities and more strength than she ever knew.  And thus, some confidence was born, confidence in herself, in her worth.

And once you have that, life becomes that little bit easier and at some point you feel you can reflect and in this case, a book was born. 

Running for my Life, the journey of Rachel Cullen, receives a well deserved Very Pink Notebook :

 

Blog Tour and Review : The Secrets Between Us by Laura Madeleine

The Very Pink Notebook is thrilled to launch the blog tour for the new release from Laura Madeleine

The Secrets Between Us

With thanks to Hannah Bright at Transworld Books for involving me in the tour.

Publisher : Transworld Books

ebook : 7 January 2018 / paperback 19 April 2018

Copy : Received from Hannah Bright as part of blog tour

The Blurb

High in the mountains in the South of France, eighteen-year-old Ceci Corvin is trying hard to carry on as normal.  But in 1943, there is no such thing as normal; especially not for a young women in love with the wrong person.  Scandal, it would seem, can be more dangerous to a young women than war. 

Fifty years later, Annie is looking for her long-lost grandmother.  Armed with nothing more than a sheaf of papers, she travels from England to Paris in pursuit of the truth.  But as she traces her grandmothers story, Annie uncovers something that changes everything she knew about her family and everything she thought she knew about herself.

The Very Pink Notebook Review

The Secrets Between Us is another sumptuous and mouth-watering offering from culinary fiction genius Laura Madeleine.

I first came across this authors work last year with 'Where The Wild Cherries Grow' and was instantly in love with her style of writing.  So I was thrilled when I started The Secrets Between Us to see that her very unique style was mirrored in this book.

With the authors tried and tested format of being written in the voice of two people; Ceci set in 1943, telling the story as it happened and Annie in 1993 investigating what happened, the two weave seamlessly unveiling the tale of Celeste Corvin / Picot (Ceci) - Annie's grand-mere and her complicated love life of the war-torn years of 1943 in a little mountain village in the South of France.

But of course, the story is not just merely the telling of a love story.  There is the side of Annie too that needs to be discovered.  Annie raised by a single mother, and always left wondering about her father, whom she never knew and her long-lost grand-mere who she had not seen since she was a child following a fight between her mother and mothers mother, Annie is lost.  With little self confidence or courage, she struggles to know who she is.  By finding her grand-mere and forcing herself on an adventure she never thought she was brave enough to take she is finally discovering her true sense of self.

Once again, Madeleine has told a gripping and engaging story in the most gentle way by infusing the most beautiful and sense-enhancing imagery into it.  This time we are tempted into this world by baking - bread of all descriptions leave you wanting to run out to the nearest baker, asking for a loaf hot out of the oven just to touch and inhale to give you the same sense of purpose as what it gives the character in the book.  It is so clever - I never knew a description of fougassette could be made so sensual - this is the genius of Laura Madeleine.

I said in my review of Where the Wild Cherries it is rare I find a book I keep because I know it will be one I return to read again and again, but in that book I had found one.  It is even rarer I find two by the same author where I will do the same.  I think the Laura Madeleine collection will be that first however.  

I think it is clear, I loved this book and as such it receives a Very Pink Notebook rating of : 

If this review as enticed you into reading this book it is on a Kindle offer of 99p for the whole month of January 2018 - I advise you take advantage!

Follow the Tour

Review : Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Published by : Harper Collins

26 January 2017

Copy : Hardback - Reviewer Purchase

The Blurb

David and Adele seem like the ideal pair. He's a successful psychiatrist, she is his picture-perfect wife who adores him. But why is he so controlling? And why is she keeping things hidden?

As Louise, David's new secretary, is drawn into their world, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong. But Louise can't guess how wrong – and how far someone might go to protect their marriage's secrets.

The Very Pink Notebook Review

This book stood in my TBR pile for a while, before a tweet #thatendingWTF, sparked my attention.

Now, from some things I have read I understand this book is a little like marmite, readers are either loving or hating it.  Just like marmite, I fall into the love category.

For me, throughout the entire novel I was thinking, WTF?  How?  Why?  What?  Gripping from the outset the writing is effortless and beautifully paced.  Told from two perspectives - Adele and Louise - the plot twists and turns and thickens.  Some reviewers have stated they feel the author shows her hand too early, but for me I did not find that the case at all.  I couldn't quite fathom out the next move or twist or 'truth' and I didn't see the conclusion coming.

If  you are someone who doesn't like reality to be messed with then maybe this book isn't for you.  But if you don't mind when literally anything can happen in fiction then you are in for a corker.  I thought the basic premise of the book was really quite unique.

Usually I can say I loved / hated a main character but I just can't do it with these ones.  I found them engaging.  And for how complex the plot and timeline is I think the author has done a sterling job of keeping it clear, concise and flowing - I would love to see the planning schedule for this!  It would be difficult to elaborate more without spoilers.

I can understand why this book might not be everyone's cup of tea.  To be honest my initial reaction to the ending was indeed #WTF and I wasn't sure if that was in a good or bad way, but as I thought about it I felt the author was actually really brave to put it out there and be confident to take the risk and go with it.

So, I am certainly in camp 'Fan of this book' and as such Behind Her Eyes receives a Very Pink Notebook rating of :