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A Fine Mess: An Odd Little Book on Surviving Life's Disasters
Is life getting you down? Does it feel like one bad experience after another? Are you ready to fight back? Then arm yourself with Kim Duke’s new book, A FINE MESS, as she shares gritty, funny, and odd advice about life’s ups and downs with snarky tongue-in-check wisdom. Filled with amusing photos and quotes about life, you’ll soon be laughing at any fine mess that life throw’s your way.
International writer, speaker and author Kim Duke is known for her easy, humorous style when talking about the tough stuff. She’s appeared on NBC, CTV, CBC and has been featured in Cosmopolitan magazine. Fresh and witty, her writing will appeal to aficionados of Jen Sincero.
International writer, speaker and author Kim Duke is known for her easy, humorous style when talking about the tough stuff. She’s appeared on NBC, CTV, CBC and has been featured in Cosmopolitan magazine. Fresh and witty, her writing will appeal to aficionados of Jen Sincero.
84 pages, Paperback
Published July 30, 2020
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 29, 2020
A Fine Mess by Kim Duke is not at all what I had expected to read when I picked up this book, but in the very best possible way. It is so much more. When life feels like it is falling apart around us, it is common, and human, to assume that we alone are suffering while everyone around us is continuing to live their best life. But Ms Duke reminds us, with large doses of humour and compassion, that finding yourself in a 'fine mess' from time to time is all a part of the experience that is being human. This is a book about perspective, and the message is hugely relatable. We will all find ourselves struggling with life's hurdles, from not getting the dream job, to coping with a painful illness, to enduring the unbearable grief of losing a loved one, but it is often a positive mindset that will determine our success in coming out on the other side.
Many thanks to NetGalley and BHC Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Many thanks to NetGalley and BHC Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.
July 23, 2020
This bills itself as "an odd little book" and it delivers on those things. It feels like a conversation with a friend who is trying to give you a pep talk, but can't help retelling her own story. The phrase "a fine mess" gets repeated ad nauseum, but the message is clear--acknowledge what is traumatic to you and have some compassion for yourself. As I write this in month number 6? 7? of our coronavirus nightmare, the message didn't really connect with me, but as with all self-help books, I sincerely hope that it does help some others out there.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.
June 13, 2020
A mini-book, means a mini review! A Fine Mess by Kim Dukes was a quick read - it only took my about 45 minutes to get through the entire thing.
Essentially a collection of essays, Dukes writes about finding your way out of “your fine mess.” In her case, that fine mess is breast cancer. The first few collections were a bit choppy, but the second half I found funny, insightful, and poignant. I know many of us are still trying to cope and grieve over the atrocities the year 2020 has brought us, and I found this book to be incredibly relevant to the current state of the world. I will say I thought the pictures were a bit odd and a random jumble. I’m not sure if the ebook wasn’t properly formatted, but there were a lot of text flow oddities and bizarre spacing.
Overall though this was a nice pick-me up and I leave you with two of my favorite quotes.
“And just as people will leave your life (bye-bye!), others will become much closer to you-because they stepped into the fire with you when others stepped out.”
“Remember - even shit has a job.”
3.5🌟
Essentially a collection of essays, Dukes writes about finding your way out of “your fine mess.” In her case, that fine mess is breast cancer. The first few collections were a bit choppy, but the second half I found funny, insightful, and poignant. I know many of us are still trying to cope and grieve over the atrocities the year 2020 has brought us, and I found this book to be incredibly relevant to the current state of the world. I will say I thought the pictures were a bit odd and a random jumble. I’m not sure if the ebook wasn’t properly formatted, but there were a lot of text flow oddities and bizarre spacing.
Overall though this was a nice pick-me up and I leave you with two of my favorite quotes.
“And just as people will leave your life (bye-bye!), others will become much closer to you-because they stepped into the fire with you when others stepped out.”
“Remember - even shit has a job.”
3.5🌟
June 9, 2020
Its a Short book. I finished in 1 sitting. Book explains how every individual will enter a fine mess at one point of other. Everyone's mess is different and everyone will have that at one point of time.
This book explain the different scenarios and how we need to own up and come out of that. Its in no particular order. its a Club of several scenes. it contains several pictures and certain pointers on how to overcome those scenarios.
In my Personal opinion Author has overused the word Fine mess, several times in each scenario. I didn't find this humorous while reading. No order, depth and background for any scenes. May be it would have been good if some one narrates the same instances but as a book it lagged severely.
This book explain the different scenarios and how we need to own up and come out of that. Its in no particular order. its a Club of several scenes. it contains several pictures and certain pointers on how to overcome those scenarios.
In my Personal opinion Author has overused the word Fine mess, several times in each scenario. I didn't find this humorous while reading. No order, depth and background for any scenes. May be it would have been good if some one narrates the same instances but as a book it lagged severely.
June 25, 2020
A Fine Mess by Kim Duke is a breath of fresh air.
Anything can be a fine mess. A car breaking down is a fine mess. Losing a job is a fine mess. Finding yourself homeless is a fine mess. Even cancer is a fine mess.
And along comes Kim Duke to tell us that any fine mess we find ourselves in, one way or another that fine mess is part of the journey. A bump in the road. There is no comparisons. A fine mess is a fine mess. We all get into them and fly, walk, and/or crawl out of them. She is uplifting, encouraging. She shines a beacon of light and hope to those experiencing fine messes everywhere.
The cover alone is what hooked me. Who in their right mind can scroll past a book cover of a women with cake? smeared all over her face. I wanted to participate in the food fight. What fun to have during a fine mess.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Kim Duke for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Anything can be a fine mess. A car breaking down is a fine mess. Losing a job is a fine mess. Finding yourself homeless is a fine mess. Even cancer is a fine mess.
And along comes Kim Duke to tell us that any fine mess we find ourselves in, one way or another that fine mess is part of the journey. A bump in the road. There is no comparisons. A fine mess is a fine mess. We all get into them and fly, walk, and/or crawl out of them. She is uplifting, encouraging. She shines a beacon of light and hope to those experiencing fine messes everywhere.
The cover alone is what hooked me. Who in their right mind can scroll past a book cover of a women with cake? smeared all over her face. I wanted to participate in the food fight. What fun to have during a fine mess.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Kim Duke for an ARC in return for an honest review.
June 9, 2020
Witty. Pragmatic. Reminiscent of Ann Lamott.
Read
February 9, 2022Given to me by my mom, as I am struggling through a very rough period in my life. 💜
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews