The Woman Who Has a Strong Suit is also a very quirky look at how we identify our strongest attributes and how we use these talents in life, sometimes without even realising it. In this singular and imaginative story collection, Cecelia Ahern illuminates the myriad ways in which women overcome adversity with wit, resourcefulness and compassion. Exploring dilemmas and aspirations that women everywhere will relate to, these unforgettable tales blend magical realism and familiar scenarios with startling and often hilarious results. In matters ranging from marriage and childrearing to politics and career, the heroines of these thought-provoking stories confront problems both mysterious and mundane: one woman is tortured by sinister bite marks that appear on her skin; another is swallowed up by the floor during a mortifying presentation; yet another resolves to return and exchange her boring husband at the store where she originally acquired him. As they wrestle with obstacles of all kinds, their reality is shaped by how others perceive them -- and ultimately, how they perceive the power within themselves. Her anxiety is physical. It's all going on in her body. She feels trembling in her knees, her legs, her fingers. A heart that beats too fast, they must be able to see it vibrating through her blouse. A cramp in her stomach that tights. Nothing, nothing in her mind." One of the reasons I LOVED it can be that I am a sensitive little fool when it comes to books about women, the ones who empower and get empowered in return. Another reason for loving this utterly stunning book is how all the stories hit home. In every story, you are reminded of a woman you know, or have talked to, or the one who lives under the same roof as you. Maybe a woman you see everyday on the road or the supermarket. Maybe your neighbour. All of them like the colours of a rainbow, distinctively different individually and brilliant together.

In The Woman Who Was Kept on a Shelf, a woman's husband builds her a shelf where he can display and admire her, but over the years of her marriage, she finds the shelf keeps her on the sidelines of the life around her. The collection opens strong with The Woman Who Slowly Disappeared. The premise is very reminiscent of the season 1 Buffy episode Out of Mind, Out of Sight, about a high school girl whose peers never seem to notice her, and who ends up becoming invisible. In this story, the main character is a woman in her 50s who has gradually faded, becoming less seen over time as she ages, becoming unnoteworthy to the crowds of people around her: It goes a little murky on this is science/this is a sales pitch, and I find that seriously off putting as that makes the incentives of the author less clear. This is not a book to read on audio, which I did. I wish I owned a paper copy to use as a reference. An updated action plan for peak performance across all phases of your menstrual cycle, as there is never a bad day to perform at your bestSo many of my observations about how I feel now make sense. I workout regularly with my husband, who of course is not subjected to these hormonal shifts, who was certain these fluctuations was "just in my head." Now, I have real answers as to what is going on in my body. I know when to go with the flow, when to train hard, what to eat, drink and how much I need, and how to find and understand metrics that will help me understand what is going on in my body. I really enjoyed the story of 'The Woman Who Forgot Her Name' and particularly liked the story 'The Woman Who Slowly Disappeared'.

Roar is a collection of fantastical stories, rooted in the real world, in which the unnamed women at the heart of the different tales experience life through a series of metaphors that have somehow become reality. This book is perfect for people with busy lifestyles, in approx just five minutes you can have finished one of the stories. For those of us with not completely hectic full on lives, the entire book can be devoured in a long and lazy afternoon - with plenty of time for a few tea or (and!) coffee breaks. This book was written in 2016; a lot of what was written felt commonsense to me. Things like: don't avoid carbs (never have, never will), get enough sleep (I have walked out of gatherings announcing I HAVE TO SLEEP. You don't have to tell me twice), don't fast (duh! but also thank you for saying it out loud), and drink water, or water with extra stuff in it when you're sweating a lot (yes, though I do have to get better about fueling during a long workout). Dr. Stacy Sims is a singular voice and an epic intellectual talent in the health and fitness world. As former professional athletes turned fitness entrepreneurs, we have found that her insights into the unique interworkings of the female athletic body were a total game changer. ROAR will help athletes everywhere become faster, stronger, and healthier.” —Juliet and Kelly Starrett, New York Times bestselling author, and cofounders of San Francisco CrossFit and MobilityWODRoar is a collection of thirty imaginative short stories about women. Each story centres around an anonymous woman at a different stage of her life copying with an every day issue or facing a challenge. I found some stories very relatable while others felt too bizarre. I think that every female reader will find one or two stories she will identify with, or at least recognise someone she knows who is similar to the woman in the story. The stories are a deliberately absurd exaggeration of a different situation, cleverly written and highlighting the strength and resilience of women. Having completed over 56 Ironmans, I can say with certainty learning how your body reacts to high endurance training and racing never stops. It’s discouraging to prepare for a race and have it derailed, not because you didn’t do the work, but because your body didn’t respond on that particular day. Dr. Sims will show you how you can take the steps to toe the start line with the best chance of delivering your maximum potential!” —Meredith B. Kessler, professional triathlete A deep dive into saunas, cold plunges, and other training and recovery techniques as they apply to female physiology Billen, Andrew (10 November 2018). "Review: Roar by Cecelia Ahern — satirical short stories for feminists". The Times.

I'm very pleased to have been able to read this book and it really is all about the power of women. Dr. Sims has taken her years of experience as an endurance athlete and scientist to create the ultimate guide to nutrition and performance for female athletes. No matter what your sport of choice is, ROAR is a book that no athlete should be without.” —Shaluinn Fullove, two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Other favorites of mine are the stories The Woman Who Walked in Her Husband's Shoes, The Woman Who Was a Featherbrain, and the The Woman Who Was Pigeonholed. But really, they're all terrific. The tales are simple. You might at first glance find the premise a little obvious, but really, taken as a whole, these fables illustrated different aspects of what it means to be a woman, how we are defined by society, ourselves, and each other, and how perception and awareness can change everything. There's a lightness and humor in many stories, even as the situations, taken to their logical (or illogical) conclusion can be nightmarish. Cecelia Ahern has written an incredibly original piece of work with her latest book, ROAR. Due for release with Harper Collins on 25th October, ROAR is described as ‘witty, tender, surprising…keenly observed tales that speak to us all, and capture the moment when we all want to roar.’Evans, Martina (3 November 2018). "Roar review: Cecelia Ahern's fairy tales get real". The Irish Times. These 30 stories give us a glimpse of these remarkable women who endure more than they show and who empower themselves rather than waiting for their knight in shining armor. What I loved most about this collection is how much positivity this book can bring. At the end of each story, I felt my heart uplift a little, my chin held high and a determination to conquer everything life throws at my way.

Cecilia Ahern was one of the feel good writers for me, whose books I read and felt light and happy. However, reading Roar was a revelation to me and something I definitely did not expect. Cecelia Ahern's writing is so poignant and yet lyrical enough to keep smiling even when she describes something tragic or sad because she does it with such grace and lightness simply making it feel a natural part of life. A very beautiful natural part of life that also teaches the reader that everything that's natural is also beautiful. If you are a woman who is into fitness, whether new to it or fairly well acquainted, chances are that this book will have something for you.

Sounds Interesting. So How Does It Work?

An enlightening guide [for women] to fueling and strengthening themselves for peak fitness. . . . This book is a must for female athletes.” — Publishers Weekly Review : Thirty awe-inspiring stories that every person needs to read to understand woman, not as a gender but woman as a HUMAN BEING. Cecelia Ahern never fails to impress with her storytelling and this is what you can expect from her newly released collection of short stories. The magic of ROAR is that every woman will discover at least one story they can relate to. There is a moral attached to each tale, making it a parable of sorts. It is up to each reader how we interpret this message and how we chose to use it’s power. Yet from the first story - The Woman Who Slowly Disappeared, I could tell that this is a rather special collection. She's spent so many years sitting up here representing an extension of Ronald, of his achievements, that she no longer has any idea what she represents to herself.