Stay Mad, Sweetheart

How do I review a book that is so current, so now and more importantly a book that everyone should read?<br /><br />The start of this story is quite sombre. We hear all to often about the bullying and trolling that can go on, on line, of which Emily finds herself victim to. My heart went out to this woman who I had only known for a brief few moments.<br /><br />As the story goes along, we get to meet Laura, Suki and Claire. All very much career women and good at what they do. It was actually an eye opener to see different scenarios of sexual discrimination through the places that they work.<br /><br />The storyline actually took my breath away. It sent my head in a spin as we see how men in power use that power without thought of anyone but themselves. I was wholly routing for these three different women, coming together for justice.<br /><br />Stay Mad, Sweetheart is an exceptional story of women doing it for themselves. I loved the combined strength of these women and all that they brought to this novel. It is a fresh and enthralling story that really hits home with the reader. Bravo to the author. An outstanding read.<br /><br />My thanks to Red Dog Press for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

This is my second time reading this books – I thought I would re-read for a fresh updated review ahead of this blog tour.<br /><br />Firstly, let’s talk about the amazing cover, it certainly draws you to the book straight away, making you want to judge a book by its cover.<br /><br />This book was filled with beautiful descriptive writing, with one of my favourite paragraphs being ‘I loved how authors used words – the perfect words – to convey a thousand emotions and take me on a journey from which I could emerge simultaneously drained and invigorated to take reality again’ – and Heleen Kist certainly has a serious talent with words.<br /><br />The main theme of this book is feminism – the three main characters Laura, Suki and Claire want equality and justice for how they have been wronged, and I think it is the perfect book for everyone to read in this current day we are living in.<br /><br />Laura was instantly likeable and my favourite character by a mile, an introverted, avid reader, what is there not to love about her right? I felt an incredible connection to Laura and loved how her character progressed throughout the pages, starting from an isolated quiet reader to making bold choices to right her wrongs with her new set of friends.<br /><br />This book is a fantastic thrilling read that will keep you hooked.<br /><br />

'Stay Mad' this was my mood the whole time reading Stay Mad, Sweetheart, it sparked a thought provoking interest in themes that are entwined into this anger inducingly gripping novel, I fell down a hole of podcasts to understand the themes further and that only solidified how important I thought this book is, it needs to be read - it's not only a book, it's the experiences of women in a world where they are deemed as the lesser sex, where they are clawing to survive in a misogynistic riddled society and what they endure on a scarily daily basis. I will recommend this book to everyone and you will certainly be seeing it on my top reads of the year list.<br /><br />In a time of the #MeToo movement, reads such as Heleen's are both raw and for me, made me realise that the way society treats those who have experienced sexual assault is disgusting - we need a damn word with ourselves if you ask me. One thing that initially angered me while reading Stay Mad, Sweetheart was how the survivors of this type of abuse aren't named, where this may be a 'protection' thing, doesn't it dehumanise the survivor? Doesn't it devalue their feelings concerning the attack - the pain, loathing and confusion? The whole book was not only a shocking read, but it was also highly informative using a variety of female characters who each experienced some sort of harassment, whether sexually, racial or sexist, in the workplace.<br /><br />First, we meet Emily, who becomes the bullseye of a violent, male dominated and grotesque social group through the medium of social media. Emily has experienced a life changing event, something that will stay with her forever - a crime has been committed and instead of her being the 'victim', it is the actual perpetrator who has become the affected party. With a huge amount of victim - blaming and everyone's 50C thrown in for extra measure, we see how the rippling effects not only Emily but those connected to her whether directly or indirectly. Another anger inducing moment, yet one that makes you stop and think is this quote:<br /><br />'How can you say non - verbal cues should be enough?' the blonde demanded. 'What is a non - verbal cue, anyway? A squirm? Does that count? Why not say 'no' like a normal person?'<br /><br />This is one of the biggest points in the book, it's a question of what counts as consent, how is the other party meant to know what means no? This is exactly the reason why this needs to be talked about, consent isn't only 'yes' or 'no' there's tell tale signs that need to be highlighted and just because a person gave consent at the beginning, they are ALWAYS within their right to say 'no' at anytime and that counts whether you're in a relationship or not, it crosses the lines between wanted or unwanted attention at a bar, or any environment. See what I mean about the thought mulling over that this book creates?<br /><br />Heleen has penned what I feel is one of the most important books of the year, a strong #MeToo read that takes into consideration a lot of individual experiences of women, from a variety of backgrounds, occupations and races, to tell a broad story of what IS experienced by women in the workplace - whether you're a waitress or a high status consultant in a highly patriarchal corporation, it's happening and if you're turning a blind eye, you're part of the problem.<br /><br />Through Heleen's words I was entranced in a personal, raw, dark and fist shaking journey in mind blowing proportion, with an allure of mystery as Laura joins forces with Claire and Suki, two other women who face everyday workplace discrimination because of their sex, to investigate the real happenings behind Emily's experience. There's heartache, hold your breath moments and also times where you want to cheer while simultaneously punching someone in the face. This is a read that will undoubtable stay with me, it's a book that will give me strength not to take the s**t some people expect me to because i'm a woman. Stay Mad, Sweetheart is a read that absolutely, no questions asked be read, shouted about and discussed - that's part of the problem right? No one is discussing it! Well read this book then start! Remember Heleen has experienced the fondling and patronising of men, she's sewn this feminist tale using the thread of some of her own experiences, she's written about a subject that she knows and THAT fact, as well as the storyline punched me in the gut so many times.<br /><br />I can't say much more, I don't want to spoil anything about this book but it is an  absolutely necessary read for a variety of reasons! It is the literary essence of turning female victimisation to female empowerment, Stay Mad, Sweetheart has taught me that just because i'm a woman, doesn't mean that I should just accept that sexual harassment, sexualised comments and cat calls are all parts of being a woman - they are not, we deserve respect and to all those men who think they can get away with it, well, their Time's up.

Hi and welcome to my review of Stay Mad, Sweetheart! Massive thanks to Red Dog Press for the paperback!<br /><br />Today I’m here to tell you… that I have no idea what to tell you ?<br /><br />I could tell you that this is a very topical and important book. Who knows, you may be someone who feels it’s important to pick up important books. Frankly, I am not. Tell me a book is important and odds are I’ll run the other way, ‘cause important books are boring and/or pedantic, right? Wrong! Stay Mad, Sweetheart is neither, yet it is important in that it holds up a mirror to society and makes the reader take a long hard look… Yes, I’m talking about #MeToo.<br /><br />Before you run away screaming, yes I’ll admit I’m pretty much fed up too with books in which women (often all the female characters) are portrayed as victims and men (often all the male characters) as the scum of the earth. I think we can all agree that, regardless of our personal experiences and opinions, #MeToo has been everywhere, and its influence has been felt in the arts as well. It was in the sudden departure of certain actors on Netflix after sexual abuse allegations were made, like Kevin Spacey, who was chucked from his leading role in House of Cards, and producer / actor Danny Masterson, who had to walk away from The Ranch. But #MeToo also left its mark on literature, to a point where I decided never to pick up a novel again if it had even the faintest whiff of #MeToo, because I had simply read too many in too short a time and they all boiled down to the same thing. Then why on earth did I want to be on this tour for a book that screamed #MeToo? Because I had faith in Heleen! I read her first novel, In Servitude, last year and I had a feeling that she would get this right, that she would make the reader ponder by means of a nuanced story. And she more than delivered, ponder I did, and actually, I still am.<br /><br />In other words, to state that Stay Mad, Sweetheart is thought-provoking would be an understatement. It made me think about the nuances of sexual harassment, it made me question more than a few things that happened to me and people I know and it made me realise that some of those things were just not okay. The crazy thing is, everyone kind of thinks it’s normal, and ignores it, it’s just men being men, boys will be boys hardy har har, when actually… it isn’t, is it?<br /><br />It’s precisely the fact that Heleen Kist tells the story in such a nuanced way, that makes it so thought-provoking. Nothing is black and white, there are good guys and bad guys, the characters’ opinions clash and morph and as a consequence the reader is tempted into consciously pondering their own opinions.<br /><br />#MeToo is not the only harrowing and thought-provoking bit of Stay Mad, Sweetheart, it also shines a light on social media and the trolls that come with it, and how detrimental to a cyberbullied person’s mental health this can all be. This is the technological equivalent of villagers forming a mob and picking up their pitchforks and torches, but it’s worse since the whole world can get involved effortlessly, having not only an opinion but also a desperate need to voice it, often in the least eloquent and most damaging ways possible.<br /><br />Which brings us to the Black Mirror aspect of Stay Mad, Sweetheart: what if data scientists could create a model to reveal who the instigators are? What if a program could determine in offices and social media alike who are the people spreading kindness and happiness, making others feel better, and who are the ones making the work floor or the worldwide web a darker place, spreading hate, making others feel worse, even in tiny ways. I’m not at all tech savvy, but I loved this storyline! And any tech stuff is explained in plain English, suitable for tech dummies like myself, yet not in a way that made me feel stupid (it’s a fine line, people!). I got curious and asked Heleen if she based this on any kind of present-day technology. She told me it’s completely fictional, yet plausible and she had a friendly data scientist check what she’d written, so I think the tech savvy should be able to enjoy this too, knowing the science adds up.<br /><br />Whichever way you turn it, from its stunning cover hinting at the various aspects of the content to the story itself, Stay Mad, Sweetheart is a gorgeous novel that I enjoyed very much, and an exciting addition to my Red Dog Press shelf, or any shelf for that matter. Recommended!

This book, I mean wow! It is totally a now book, very relevant to the #metoo movement. I’m not going to voice my opinions on this movement but I did like the take Stay Mad, Sweetheart took on this and the wider scope of cyberbullying. I found this segment of the story heartbreaking. Bullying in any form is awful but to the degree, that occurs in this book is astonishing. It’s cruel, uncalled for and you can see elements of this on Twitter in this present day. There are way too many keyboard warriors out there and no one thinks of the consequences of the words they sent out on the WWW.<br /><br />This is only the start of the story, we meet the three women that are all affected by the devastating events. We watch these women all affected in one or another by unwanted advances, being “protected” by a man and spoken down to just for being a woman. However, there is a spin on this story and I quite liked because it as not always as black and white as it seems and the men aren’t always at fault!<br /><br />This is, at times, an uncomfortable read, it really doesn’t hold back and that I do love. It shows the deep, down and ugly side to things, Kist really did not sugar coat anything and I have so much respect for her. It would be so easy to glamourise things but here we have a scenario, a very real scenario and Kist shows the very real and gritty side to it all.<br /><br />The three women in the story, Laura, Claire and Suki are powerhouses and not to be messed when they are combined. When the Avengers assemble boy do they! They are supportive and boost confidence in each other, a sisterhood that is to be treasured and I did enjoy them on the pages. Stay Mad, Sweetheart focuses on Laura and the sale of her IT company. I am a techie geek to an extent but I don’t understand all of it, so when we are told about a new piece of technology being built, it is explained in a way that helps us understand straight away. We aren’t treated as being “stupid” we are treated the same as Suki and Claire, as knowing a little bit to get by but the rest is explained. It is also a little terrifying where technology is going, however, this programme that Laura is testing is also fascinating! I mean how a programme can do what it can just wow.<br /><br />I did enjoy how everything unfolded slowly, it didn’t rush, we took in every detail and every nuisance. When everything came together in its climatic way, it was shocking and quite gratifying.<br /><br />Kist writing is compelling and enthralling. She knows how to intrigue the reading to keep the pages turning and she knows how to reveal things to the reader to shock and awe them. She is a great storyteller and I will be making sure I get to In Servitude quick smart!!!

Author Helen Kist has done it again, written book which was so in tune with the work culture of today. She has brought it out into the open for all of us.<br /><br />3 women Laura, Suki, and Claire’s lives were intertwined with Emily. Their ire was raised when they came to know how a woman was vilified by the trolls of Twitter. The emotional effects of cyber bullying led to the three standing up for themselves.<br /><br />Second book by author Heleen Kist, she has smashed this one right out of the part in a glorious win. The writing was superfluous and passionate. Evocative and clear in the wordings. The author used the right words to reveal what the women went through which also reflected each of our personal experiences. Who amongst us hasn’t gone through sexual harassment?<br /><br />Characters were few, some I didn’t like, and some I downrightly loved to hate. I loved that the prose could get me all fired up. I believed I didn’t have to like the characters to appreciate the story, in fact not liking them worked for me as I wanted to gauge how the story would pull me in. The voices of the women were strong, and they spoke for all of us and to all of us. Twists in the story especially at the end made my vengeant heart smile.<br /><br />Gender equality will take years probably decades to come into my country, so I liked it when the women decided to get their revenge. I don’t believe there is a fine line between justice and revenge, where these icky men are concerned. Why should we spare the rod and spoil them? Pun not intended.<br /><br />The story had layers which seeped into the deepest part of me bringing out what women all over the world have gone through, are going through. Heleen Kist was brilliant when she wrote a book which spoke for all of us. I would stay mad and get even, and no sweethearts ever in the work front for me.

Everybody needs to read this book! It's completely current and timely and covers a very important subject. Far from being very political this book which covers Gender discrimination and sexual harassment towards women is written in an easy to read engaging way. <br />The plot follows three highly independent, intellectual women who are all experiencing sexism, and discrimination in some way. When Laura's friend is subject to horrific cyber bullying which results in tragedy the three women's lives are intertwined as they plot to take revenge on the wrong doings of these men.<br />Emotions are high and I was completely with them the whole way through. The friendship between them that grows due to something many women experience is powerful.<br />I've read a few books inspired by the #metoomovement and this is firmly my favourite. It's engrossing and I became completely invested in the characters and the plot. I highly recommend this book.

I'm not sure how to review this novel, except to start with if you are so much as thinking about reading it, you absolutely should.<br /><br />I didn't know what to expect, but this book pulled me in and I couldn't put it down. The writing is that hard to achieve conversational tone between intelligent women, the plot is extremely well paced and not one of the characters comes across as anything less than a fully realised person. It was a joy to read, and I read it in 26 hours.<br /><br />There are a lot of novels trying to be a defining voice of the #MeToo movement, and most of them come across heavy handed and painfully political. This book felt real to me, like a genuine reflection of how sincerely exhausted women are by the systemic and inane gender discrimination and unwanted sexual attention they face every day in almost any situation. The main trio of women in this novel find their lives, their frustrations and their individual expert knowledge slowly becoming entangled and it leads to a genuinely John Hughes type resolution.<br /><br />This book deserves all the attention I'm sure it will garner after release, and I sincerely hope it is read very widely.

<strong>A thriller of justifiable revenge</strong><br /><br />25 years ago I began a career as a manager in the railway industry in the UK. One thing that struck me, after I had left, was how the management teams at every level were equally split between male and female managers, appointed on ability and experience. <br />Reading Heleen Kist's excellent novel that exposes the inherent sexism within the corporate world, made me realise how progressive the railways were, especially in an era unenlightened by #metoo and where sexism and discrimination are far more to the fore of HR departments<br /><br />Heleen Kist has written a novel that creates an entirely believable world, with well developed characters, and a strong plot that fizzes along. As a man reading the developing storyline of revenge, I gradually realised how much casual sexism occurs in daily life, without comeback or consequence (other than for the victim). <br /><br />An interesting, clever book and one that certainly gives you pause for thought.

Stay Mad...is a great read on a subject that is universal: the insidious manner in which women are undermined at the workplace. Heleen Kist negotiates the subject with ease without ever letting the narrative slide into a dark and depressing commentary or an unbelievable ra-ra revenge story. She keeps it real with her three protagonists - Laura, a data scientist, Claire, a PR executive and Suki, a hotshot finance exec. The common incident that binds is the suicide of Emily, Laura's best friend, triggered by a horrific troll attack. How they come together to fight their own personal battles against workplace discrimination and sexual harassment is what this story is all about. Kist throws in twists at the appropriate moments which gives it a thriller like immediacy.