Good morning everyone I’m excited to be on a special blog tour to celebrate The Cheltenham Literature Festival which is happening the 8th – 17th October in various venues around Cheltenham. The event truly has something for everyone with talks from author’s from all genres, proof parties for bloggers and exciting events for children which I’m taking my kids to.
There are still some tickets available so if you’d like to have a look at the program please follow the link below.
Book Synopsis:
If you are the girl, the woman who feels like she is never enough, that she will never be as strong, as good, as capable, I am here to tell you that you are enough. I am here to tell you that while it shouldn’t have been your burden, you can write a different story.
Stronger will change what you think you know about strength and, most importantly, empower you to go on your own journey to discover what strength looks like for you.
Now a competitive amateur powerlifter who can lift over twice her own bodyweight, Poorna Bell is perfectly placed to start a crucial conversation about women’s strength and fitness, one that has nothing to do with weight loss. In Stronger she challenges the notions taught to us as girls, and examines how all of us can tap into our reservoir of inner strength to make us our strongest selves mentally and physically. Describing taking up weightlifting after the death of her husband, she shows how discovering her own strength helped her to find the confidence that physical pursuits can amplify – the confidence that has been helping men to succeed for centuries – and that women can find too.
In these pages, Poorna tells not only her own story but those of a range of women, investigating intersections of race, age and social background. Part memoir, part manifesto, Stronger explodes old-fashioned notions and long-held beliefs about getting strong and explores the relationship between mental and physical strength.
Whether you’re into weightlifting, running, swimming, yoga or don’t consider yourself to be sporty at all, Poorna shows how finding strength can work for you, regardless of age, ability or background.
Stronger is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
My Review:
Wow what an amazing, uplifting and insightful book this was. I must admit I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first started reading this book but I was more than pleasantly surprised as I absolutely loved this book.
In her inspiring memoir the author discusses the subject of strength, not just of body but of mind and attitude too. I found the discussion about societies attitude to exercise exceptionally fascinating. As someone who’s perhaps a little exercise shy at times I’ve always been told I have to do certain exercises and make myself exhausted in order to get fit. Exercise isn’t about enjoyment but about working hard. The author completely dispels the idea arguing that you should do do exercise you enjoy which I found very inspirational and has encouraged me to restart Zumba classes soon as I used to love them.
The author discusses other barriers to exercise that may exist including what sports are still considered appropriate for girls to do, which doesn’t include strength training. I know this to be true as I have a friend who’s very into CrossFit who keeps getting comments about being careful not to get muscular arms as it is unfeminine. It’s a shame that these stereotypes still exist in the modern day. I often found myself agreeing with the author as I read as some of the examples she uses are very relatable and likely to have happened to you or someone you know.
Overall i really enjoyed this book which I thought was very well written and researched. Its one of those books that I’ll be encouraging everyone to read and I hope that PE teachers or sports coaches might read it in the as I feel it could help younger children get into sports.
Huge thanks to Midas publicity for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Poorna is an award-winning freelance journalist of fifteen years and a digital editorial expert, having previously worked as UK Executive Editor and Global Lifestyle Head for HuffPost. She freelances for The Times, The i Paper, Grazia, The Guardian, Red magazine, and Stylist among others.
Poorna is an experienced public speaker across ministerial health summits, corporate and consumer events, including Twitter, Ad Week, NHS, ITV and Oath. She’s also spoken on Channel 5, ITV and BBC News, as well as regularly on TalkRadio and BBC 5 Live.
Named one of Balance magazine’s top 100 wellness personalities two years running, she’s also been a judge for Mind Media Awards, Own Media Awards, British Book Awards, Sony World Photography and First Women.
Over The Rainbow Blog 