TGIF!
After an exhausting week, I'm so excited to finally sit back on the couch and read. But first, I can't wait to let the cat out of the bag on this one! I read Wine Witch this summer, after the author, Natalie MacLean approached me about reading and giving feedback on her manuscript. Natalie's book was such a great memoir that I couldn't wait to tell everyone about, but I needed to keep quiet for just a little while longer until she was ready to share with the world! When she messaged me earlier this week asking if I would consider posting a review now that it is officially on Goodreads, I was so excited that I could finally share about this fabulous upcoming memoir! Here are my thoughts on Wine Witch on Fire, by Natalie Maclean:
Natalie Maclean is a bestselling wine writer from Canada who finds her world going up in flames when her personal and professional lives both hit some major bumps at the exact same time. Maclean takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions as she describes the hard moments and also the successes over the course of the story. She’s honest about her emotions as well as the events that took place by giving you an inside look into how and what she experienced. Her openness is admirable as she dives into very personal and traumatic experiences, such as her struggles with addiction and mental health, difficulties being single and co-parenting a teen, and rebuilding a career after making a small but very public error that almost cost her everything. This storytelling ability allows her to make a true connection with her reader in a way many authors are unable to master. As a result, this book will make you alternate between wanting to give her a hug, scream at her to fight back and cheer her on (sometimes all at the same time). Her witty commentary and wordplay will also keep you on your toes and give the book a lightness to compliment any of the tougher moments.
I definitely learned a lot about the industry, especially from the Canadian side of things. I didn't know about Natalie or really anything about wine writing in Canada before picking up this book, and I definitely feel a lot more knowledgeable now. I might not be ready to recommend any pairings for a future dinner party any time soon, but that's ok, because Natalie has more than enough recommendations on her blog and even in the book! More than that, I learned a lot about the impact of social media on someone’s career and way of life. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to model and teach citing sources, identifying false news and the dangers of social media, but beyond worrying one of my students will get lured by a creep on rocket league or fall into some kind of sexting issue on tik tok or snap chat, I don't often consider how bad things could get for someone's career. Social media is a powerful tool that can be used for good and evil and it is so tough when justice is served in facebook comments rather than through real conversations. What we say can hurt, and when our words are online, the pain can be life changing and irreversible.
This book features stories of sexual assault and harassment, as well as sexism and discrimination. It reminds us that some work places are not safe for women and this is something that needs to change. Some portions may be triggering for some readers, but for the most part, I think that it is a really powerful and important read. I believe that this book will help women who have experienced harassment in any form, are dealing with mental health challenges, or are struggling as they get a divorce and become single parents. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys memoirs about strong, successful, independent women who are honest about the hard parts of life. Additionally, anyone with an affinity for witches and/or wine will enjoy the references.
Some other books I've read and reviewed that are similar to this book include: Wine Girl by Victoria James, Workhorse by Kim Reed, Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow, and Boys Club by Erica Katz.
Overall I found this book well written, humorous at times, heartbreaking at others. It is so much more than just a wine industry memoir. I loved it and believe that all women should read it! 5 stars for sure! Thanks so much to the author Natalie, for trusting me with this wonderful secret and for giving me the opportunity to sneak a peek at this amazing memoir. I can't wait to see what others think of it as it makes its wait to book shelves everywhere!