melissagopp's reviews
237 reviews

This travel memoir made me want to pack my bags and see all the places in the world I’ve never seen. Smith lets her curiosity be her guide as she explores the sites, culture, and people of Greece. What makes it all the more fascinating and inspiring is that her adventures take place after a traumatic bus accident in her past travels. While experiencing fabulous food, breathtaking scenes, and intriguing people, Smith confronts her leftover fears, even delving into her childhood. If you’re interested in traveling to Greece or need an example of a person traveling solo at a life stage when most people wouldn’t dare to, this is definitely worth the read.

Wow. This book reminded me so much of Melissa Febos’ writing because of the author’s searing attention to herself, her life, her body, and her words. We need more writers in the world who are brave enough to approach reality with an unflinching pen. There are so many complex truths laid bare in these pages. Anchored in her pandemic pregnancy, Steines takes us on a literary, almost spiritual tour of the hard things she has experienced and witnessed. In the process, she exposes the soft core of what it means to be human and vulnerable to hurt. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I love the witchy theme that runs throughout this memoir that relays one of the most transformative periods in wine reviewer and author Natalie MaClean’s adult life. I dove in expecting to most relate to her experiences around divorce, single parenthood, and dating in middle-age. While I absolutely did connect with her thoughts and emotions around those events, I was surprised to find myself nodding along while reading about her brutal time at the center of an online mob, spurred by her real-life colleagues. It’s an experience more and more writers can relate to, especially writers who happen to be women who write about their lives. I also appreciated her insights into the ways misogyny manifests in the wine industry and how the opposite of addiction is connection. This was such an entertaining and enlightening read, and I’m thankful to have had a chance to read it.