Thank you to NetGalley for free access to the audiobook of Something Quite Beautiful by Amanda Prowse in exchange for an honest review.

'Something Quite Beautiful' is a collection of six short stories previously published under the title 'Stories from the Heart'. Unfortunately, I had to DNF this audiobook around the 22% mark. The titular story is the first, and it dealt with quite heavy topics and I didn't enjoy the darkness of the setting. I couldn't connect to the storyline or the characters. The second short story simply didn't hold my attention, so I decided to opt out of finishing the book.

I have found that British narrators are quite hard for me to listen to at times, given that their tone and volume does not fluctuate much. The way of speaking, though quite elegant, takes away from the experience of listening to an audiobook, as I don't feel that I can accurately follow the emotions that are being portrayed on the page.

I did not know what to expect from this collection, and once I got started, I was mesmerised by the variety here. No two stories were alike - there was always some kind of twist at the end, and each of them threatened to make me tear up in public when I was listening to them.
The author has done a brilliant job of bringing her characters to life twice over, once with the written word and another time with the narration.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own listening experience.
All these stories are not very short. They span a few chapters each, enough to flesh out the characters and the plot.

Something Quite Beautiful
This was a very surprising way to begin a tale. We have three young offenders who have been sent to a correctional institution in a remote area. Each person is there for different reasons, and the building of the story is unexpected, to say the least. I will say no more about it than the fact that it made me look forward to the rest of the collection.

The Game
This was probably my least favourite story. Not because it was unrealistic or badly written but because it felt too raw, and although it ended better than I expected, it was still a tough plot to swallow. We have a loving family who adores their daughter a little too much, according to the latter. What happens next is the core of the story.

Imogen's Baby
This was probably the longest story and was an actual saga. We follow Imogen all the way from her birth to her own wish to be a mother. The chapters with a younger Imogen felt poignant and emotional, although the rest of the story was equally good.

Ten Pound Ticket
I did not know about the ten-pound ticket. I have since encountered it in other historical fiction-ish books. A new mother decides to move to Australia to take care of her newborn independently. Her life is tough, and she works hard to make the best of an almost impossible situation. Her understanding of the world at large seems to have a few holes, however, as we are soon to find out.

Miss Potterton's BirthdayTea
When this began, the people being introduced to us seemed to be too far apart to make sense together. The one secret Miss Potterton was holding was definitely obvious, but that does not take anything away from the feel of the narrative.

A Christmas Wish
A woman is missing her husband, and her children are finding Christmas to be dreary. We get to see her past, which helps us better appreciate how much she deserves a normal life. It was not maybe as powerful as some of the stories, but still emotional.

Mr Portobollo's Morning Paper:
With this story, I realised that a plot can be both predictable and not at the same time. I anticipated some things that did not come to pass, but the eventual direction of the tale made absolute sense, and I felt like I saw it coming! I obviously cannot talk of the reasons for the things that were different. Our leading lady decides to run a bookshop, and everything associated with such an endeavour and the friends she makes on the way are what form the tale itself.

I may not have gone into too much detail (with good reason), but suffice it to say that the audio version was a treat to listen to. I highly recommend this collection to anyone who likes uplifting/emotional and well-written stories.

"Somewhere in the wilds of Scotland, three boys await their fate. They have been sentenced to twenty years in Glenculloch, a remote prison for the most hopeless of criminals. The rumours say that it is run by a woman who thinks she's God. A woman who decides what is ugly, and what is beautiful. A woman who decides who lives, and who dies"

I was convinced this was a normal predictable short story, but of course I underestimated Amanda Prowse and they way she brings heart, love, meaning and warmth to all her books, and I was amazed by the ending.

We meet the Principal of the prison who was 6 simple rules to live by, including telling the truth, good manners, not wearing, working hard and respecting yourself and others.

I was convinced this was a normal predictable short story, but of course I underestimated Amanda Prowse and they way she brings heart, love, meaning and warmth to all her books, and I was amazed by the turn the book took and the ending.

My lasting memory is The Principal, Edwina's wish for the prisoners that they "Always make time to appreciate something beautiful, no matter how small".

This book is truly Something Beautiful, even though it is a small story, one to treasure for me

Loved this I think it was the ideal “break from reading, whilst reading” a lovely collection of a wide range of short stories, there’s a bit of something for everyone in here. Written and narrated beautifully by Amanda Prowse. I thoroughly enjoyed that majority of the of the short stories, especially the final one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

@currentlyreading__
Book 80 of 2022

Over the last seven days, I have listened to @mrsamandaprowse's beautiful narration of her collection of short stories 'Something Quite Beautiful'. Listening to a story each day on my commute was a lovely way to spend my time. I first started reading Prowse during my maternity leave in 2013 and her stories are full of heart and warmth. Each of these stories were great in their own right but I definitely had some favourites - Something Quite Beautiful, Imogen's Baby, Miss Potterton's Birthday Tea and Mr Portobollo's Morning Paper. There is humour, emotion and I know that if you love a nice gentle read you can dip into (or listen to) without the emotional commitment of a long book, then this collection is for you. Characters, despite the stories being relatively short, were well fleshed out and I loved the gradual reveal of how the characters are relevant to each other in Miss Potterton's Birthday Tea and the moral questions raised in Something Quite Beautiful, set in a correctional facility in the remote Scottish Highlands.


#bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #book #booknerd #bookstagrammer #kindle #instabook #reader #bookobsessed #instareads #currentlyreading #bookchat #bookish #autumnreading #books #readersofinstagram #books #amandaprowse #somethingquitebeautiful

4.5 stars

This collection really *was* quite beautiful. It’s been a while since I’ve sat down and read a book of short stories, but something about this volume interested me enough to request it, and I’m glad. The stories are a good mix of funny, serious, sad, lighthearted, and dramatic, with a couple of twists or interesting revelations at the ends. I’m not entirely sure which ones yet, but there might be a couple here I could use for some of my classes. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.

Something Quite Beautiful by Amanda Prowse
I listened to the audio version which was narrated by Amanda Prowse. What an enjoyable collection of stories. Each one was very well written, and it was easy to get lost in each one. Each story brought on different emotions of all kinds. I recommend.
Many thanks to Amanda Prowse, NetGalley, and Saga Egmont Audio for the advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very rarely give a 5 star rating. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to these short stories which were varied and full of sadness, joy, disappointment and hope. Just like real life.

They contained all aspects of the human condition but it was written which such care and insight. Truly remarkable. I got lost in the different characters. I didn't want each of them to end.

If you've never read a book by Amanda Prowse then this is the perfect book. With several short stories she has brilliant knack of tugging with your emotions.

The first story had me wondering where it was going but i totally enjoyed it. Its set in a prison with only 6 rules and is run by someone who can do exactly as she pleases. My heart melted.

Such a lovely collection of stories that pack a lot in. Very enjoyable.

This collection of short stories were healing for my bruised heart. Funny, smart, thought-provoking. This book is such a treat, life affirming without being too sweet. This would make a great Christmas or holiday gift for the readers in your life. Bonus, the narration of the audiobook was excellent.

Something Quite Beautiful is a collection of seven short stories based on relationships and life’s challenges. Each one draws the reader in and takes you on a journey with the individual characters who you find yourself championing and desperate to know more about.
This is a fantastic book and although the first story focused on the prisoners in a remote correctional facility was my favourite, each one has its own charm and was throughly enjoyable.
Highly recommended.