This is an enjoyable read with lots of interesting characters. It's fun to see how some of the key characters change during the course of the book. Some characters however are in denial about the need for life to change. The nature of the plot makes for an episodic style but sometimes there was a lack of detail especially near the end of the book. It is a hopeful book in that it highlights for us that whatever our age we can look to a future that is as exciting as we are prepared to make it. Some times,as in the story we just need to stand back and take the space and time to look at life with fresh eyes. Am looking forward to more by this new author.

A year long journey of self discovery; 51 weeks of unexpected challenges in the main characters 50th year of life! Rather than celebrate in the traditional fashion of throwing a party, Amy decides that she wants to step out of her cozy comfort zone and push herself to experience new and exciting things before its too late!

And so begins 51 weeks of fun, tears, exhilaration, fatigue, stunts, fear, heartache and good old fashioned laughter! I really enjoyed Amy's journey of self discovery and would definitely recommend this book to others!

I really liked this book. It's funny and thought provoking. I might even try a few of the challenges Amy, the MC, did.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publishers in return for an honest review.

I have to be honest I really wanted to like this book and I think it does have potential but it didn't quite work for me. It probably sits between two and half and three stars teetering more towards two and half because I just got to the stage that I didn't really care about the main character as the story progressed. She actually started to annoy me becoming a little bit of a victim and less an empowered character by the time her 51 weeks of adventure finished. I know many other readers have loved this story and that is the power of story telling - if you write well, which Julia Myerscough, does someone will find it speaks to them.

Amy Richards is turning 50 and has decided to take on 51 challenges - one a week to really re-discover herself and find out what she is made of. The challenges are created and off Amy sets on her adventure with the help of her family and friends. I honestly felt like some of the challenges were a little off and I really struggled with the way Amy's marriage worked - her husband was a complete wombat. I think challenge number one should have been getting rid of Geoff and start really living. The whole sex club in the neighbour's house was a little bewildering to me. I'm not a prude in any way but I really wanted Amy's challenges to be ones that made her stronger, wiser or at least lightened in some way - this really didn't happen I don't think. Don't get me wrong there were moments, chapters that were quite brilliant and I really emphasized with Amy and what she was trying to achieve but I'd turn the page and disconnect with the next challenge.

I am interested to see what this author creates next as I do think she has an interesting voice.

I enjoyed this book - it made me laugh in places but touching too. The lead character Amy is likeable and I enjoyed her journey through the challenges. Easy to read and entertaining, the story kept my interest throughout.

A charming, witty book, highly recommended. I am looking forward to the next book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

51 Weeks by Julia Myerscough is a fun book that I really enjoyed. Amy Richards decides that for her 50th year she will do a mystery challenge once a week, from suggestions her best friends Cate, Claire and Bea put in. At times this book was hilarious, educational, and inspiring. I will be reading more books by this author. If you are looking for a light fun read, I recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved the style and organization of this book with the 51 challenges. There were a few times I found the challenges a bit unrealistic (sex phone operator). Overall, a great book!

What a great book. It was really well written and very funny. I certainly would recommend it to my friends.

This completely appealed to me seeing as I’m approaching 50 and have a #50before50 list of challenges I’ve chosen to complete. However, it wasn’t quite my cup of tea and I didn’t finish it. I couldn’t really get enthusiastic about the narrator’s story despite us having a list of challenges in common. Gets good reviews though, so it’s just a mismatch of book content and reader. Thanks to Net Galley and publisher for the opportunity to review in exchange for an honest review.

Amy is unsure of how to celebrate her 50th Birthday, she doesn’t want the usual party (that she would have to organise). Suddenly she has an epiphany and decides she wants to ‘experiment and experience’. She wants to challenge herself and get to know herself better.
I initially picked up this book thinking it might be a little inspirational with some humour but unfortunately it missed the mark with me.
I found it quite easy to read but essentially it’s a typical story of a marriage stale and wife/mother feeling undervalued. (Really though...who would like a husband like Geoff!!??)
I also felt it cheapened the story in the first few chapters, when Amy has a small conversation with a man and seems to become infatuated with him. Some of the challenges were good but others left a bad taste in my mouth, I guess they would be ones I wouldn’t even go near.
I did read it all the way through and it made me very grateful for my husband but the book wasn’t really what I was expecting.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC to read.

Extremely well written with characters that were relatable. I loved the premise, as well! Definitely recommend!

As I settle in to my mid forties, I often think I should do some kind of challenge before I turn 50. I have one friend who collected library cards from the 50 United States. I know women who took all-girls vacations to tropical locales. And then there’s this book’s protagonist, who decided to do a different challenge each week for the year before she turned 50. The premise fascinated me and had my brain storming ideas from the beginning.

However.

Some of these challenges just left a bad taste in my mouth. I thought they’d be charming challenges, but they were sometimes crass, sometimes crossing moral boundaries, and sometimes just silly. Now, I realize Amy’s friends came up with the list, but even if a good friend of mine challenged me to cross a line that I don’t think a married woman should cross, well, I wouldn’t cross it. Amy didn’t have such scruples. (Maybe I’m a prude, I’ll admit it.)

Playing in the background throughout the novel is the soundtrack to a marriage on the rocks. It was just too much negativity for me when I instead expected a happy go lucky, positive tale of self-discovery.

If you don’t need all the loose ends tied up, and if you’re a little mellower than I am when it comes to following the rules, you’ll likely appreciate Amy’s fun journey, supported by her awesome friends.
NetGalley provided an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Cameron Publicity for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I loved this book! Turning 50 and decides to do 51 challenges. Amy pushes her own limits, stretches herself, learns New things about herself and her life! She grows, experiences heartache, and crazy stunts, but what a fun filled journey. Geoff is a JERK!!! I found this to be an inspiring book, and something that I could relate to. This may not be for women in their twenties, but I think even they would enjoy it. I rated this a 4.5.

<b> This is a friendly 3-star rating sorely for a refreshing new story idea … </b> … at the beginning, towards the end it just fell into the typical “husband taking wife for granted and is an asshole about it” family drama.

Amy, wife and mother of two teenage girls, writes a bucket list to celebrate her up-coming 50th birthday. Every week for one year she has to tackle a challenge that gets her out of her comfort zone.
Her friends and family are supportive, and she meets a much younger man who promises to help her with her last challenge: writing about her experiences. She has a crush on Him (his name is never revealed), which does complicate her life. Her husband Geoff turns more and more in a general belittling asshole of a guy, and strong Amy morphs into a pathetic pushover.

Amy working on her challenges was great, there were some funny ones and many that made one think. Amy always excelled in her challenges and gave inspiration to others. Back home she let her husband disparage her. That did not make much sense.
To me the first half of the book felt like bad sex … you were just coming soooo close, and then – nothing. Several times the author disappointed me in letting a potentially interesting situation peter out without a plot. The second half of the book was full of our protagonist’s angst if/why/how she should/could/would safe her marriage, while the reader had already decided that Geoff deserves a kick in his butt

I finished this book because I liked the challenges and I was curious to find out what would happen to Him. I did start skimming a lot in the second half when much of the book was Amy’s thinking about her life.

Narrative: 1st person POV female protagonist – until in the last third of the book the POV changes twice for a chapter each, which I found distracting and unnecessary.
Sexual content: lots of talk but barely any kissing.
Swear language: some, but not overly so.
Location: contemporary town in England.
Substance abuse: the female protagonist was more often drunk than not, also in front of her children.

Amy is turning fifty and decides to embark on a year of adventure and self-discovery by following the fifty one challenges that have been set out for her. What follows is a laugh out loud, must read book. A very enjoyable read.

I received a digital ARC of #51weeks from #NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and found it easy to read. There were lots of funny moments but also more serious and thought provoking points too. I found myself wondering what I would do in Amy's situation. Although the main character is in her fifties, she didn't feel old or difficult to relate to. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a funny read.

Amy is about to turn 5o and she decides to take on a series of challenges to celebrate a milestone. She wants to do fifty things she's never done before. Some adventures are chosen by her some by her three best friends. Exciting and challenging experience awaits her.
I enjoyed this very much, especially hilarious escapades like HD eyebrows. Lovely set of characters, colorful and endearing makes this book warm and heartfelt.
Good example for those who are up for a challenge or feel that they haven't lived vicariously enough.
Fun, entertaining and highly enjoyable.

The premise of this book was intriguing so I couldn't wait to dig in. 51 weeks = 51 challenges. 1 year of Adventure and Self Discovery. It started off pretty good and I liked most of the challenges and they made you "think". I enjoyed the book. This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

One year in a life...

As Amy, wife, mother and friend turns 50 she is looking for some meaning in her life. Reading the book blurb I thought Julia
Myerscough had a great idea for a woman's journey to discovery. I think I was expecting something more lighthearted and should have paid more attention to the "dark secrets" alluded to in the story details. It had more discord and dishonesty then I anticipated. I think others might think the author wrote a good story, it just wasn't right for me.
I received an advance reader copy.