Simon & Schuster Book Review

Hello!

Every mum deserves some time out with a really great book!

Which is why we’re excited to announce the fact that mums will be reviewing 4 New Releases in the Simon & Schuster book review … We’ll be giving mums the chance to read and review one of the latest releases from Simon & Schuster Australia.

With characters you’ll love, places you’ll want to visit and inspiring true stories that will move you, we hope you’ll find these new books, from some of Australia’s finest writers, hard to put down.

This month’s Simon & Schuster book review will feature the following titles:

SAREE

SAREE

Nila wasn’t born beautiful and is destined to go through life unnoticed… until she becomes a saree maker. As she works, Nila weaves into the silk a pattern of love, hope and devotion, which will prove to be invaluable to more lives than her own.

From the lush beauty of Sri Lanka, ravaged by bloody civil war, to India and its eventual resting place in Australia, this is the story of a precious saree and the lives it changes forever. Nila must find peace, Mahinda yearns for his true calling, Pilar is haunted by a terrible choice, Sarojini doubts her ability to love, Madhav is a holy fraud and Marion’s understanding of the very meaning of love is challenged and transformed. Each teeters between joy and pain, and each is touched by the power and beauty of the saree.

A breathtaking story of beauty, oppression and freedom… and of an enduring love that can never be broken.

Average Ratings (from 40 ratings)
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STEPMOTHER LOVE

STEPMOTHER LOVE

There are millions of stepmothers working hard on their family relationships and Stepmother Love is an inspiring collection of stories  – including that of Sara Leonardi-McGrath – that will uplift, help and support any woman who is doing the toughtest parenting gig of all, as well as acknowledge their tough role and the courage it takes to make it work.

Average Ratings (from 28 ratings)
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SIMMERING SEASON

SIMMERING SEASON

Back in Calingarry Crossing to sell the family pub, Maggie Lindeman has no idea a perfect storm is heading her way until her past and present collide with the unexpected.Maggie once had a crush on Dan Ireland, now a work-weary police crash investigator, still hell-bent on punishing himself for his misspent youth. Dan has ample reason for not going home to Calingarry Crossing for the school reunion, but one very good reason why he should.Maggie is dealing with a restless seventeen-year-old son, a father with dementia, a fame-obsessed musician husband, a dwindling bank account and a country pub that just won’t sell.

Average Ratings (from 35 ratings)
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TIDDAS

TIDDAS

Five women, best friends for decades, meet once a month to talk about books … and life, love and the jagged bits in between. Dissecting each other’s lives seems the most natural thing in the world – and honesty, no matter how brutal, is something they treasure. Best friends tell each other everything, don’t they? But each woman harbours a complex secret and one weekend, without warning, everything comes unstuck.

Izzy, soon to be the first Black woman with her own television show, has to make a decision that will change everything.

Veronica, recently divorced and dedicated to raising the best sons in the world, has forgotten who she is.

Xanthe, desperate for a baby, can think of nothing else, even at the expense of her marriage.

Nadine, so successful at writing other people’s stories, is determined to blot out her own.

Ellen, footloose by choice, begins to question all that she’s fought for.

When their circle begins to fracture and the old childhood ways don’t work anymore, is their sense of sistahood enough to keep it intact? How well do these tiddas really know each other?

Average Ratings (from 27 ratings)
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Would you like to be part of the Simon & Schuster book review team?

In the Simon & Schuster book review, Mouths of Mums members selected will receive one of the four books profiled above. We’ll be asking them to read the book they receive and then post their review and ratings on the relevant book’s page.

Invitations to participate in the Simon & Schuster book review will be emailed to all Mouths of Mums members on Monday 31 March 2014 so keep your eye on your inbox so you can apply to review! You can also apply after this time by clicking APPLY TO REVIEW at the top of this page. If you’re not already a member and would like to be invited to review, you can join here.


Published 28th March 2014

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Mopping isn’t exactly the chore most of us look forward to, but like most mums, for Katrina Macilroy, it’s unavoidable.

With three teenagers, a husband, a dog, two cats and timber flooring throughout most of her home, there’s plenty to keep her mop busy.

“I thought the toddler stage was hard, but teenagers take it to a whole other level,” Katrina told Mouths of Mums.

She describes herself as a ‘full-time Uber driver’ for her three kids, but when she’s home, she may as well be a full-time cleaner.

Her husband is a concreter, the family has plenty of sand coming inside and, with teenagers touching everything, the floors quickly show the evidence of a full family life.

“I have to mop like every second day because the floor gets marks,” she said.

So when Katrina was given the chance to try the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO Mop & Bucket Set, she was keen to see whether it could actually make one of her least favourite cleaning tasks any easier.

“I didn’t have high hopes for it to start with, because I’ve used spin mops before and I’d been disappointed,” she admitted.

But it didn’t take long for her to change her mind. One of the first things Katrina noticed was just how easy the mop was to use.

Person using the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO mop system.

The foot pedal made wringing the mop quick and simple, without having to stop and fiddle with anything.

“It was so easy to spin it,” she says. “It wasn’t like you’re spinning it for hours or anything.”

She was also impressed by how quickly the mop itself could be put together, and the simple button that releases the mop head for washing.

“That simple press notion, everyone can do that. So I love that.”

It’s The Little Things That Add Up

For Katrina, who regularly finds herself cleaning up after a busy family, these little details made a surprisingly big difference. She also loved the triangular mop head, particularly when it came to getting into the corners and edges that her previous mop struggled with.

“The triangle design makes it easy to get into all the little corners,” she says.

But ultimately, the big question was whether it actually cleaned her floors. Katrina’s answer was an enthusiastic yes.

“My floor has never been so clean,” she says.

Katrina was also surprised by how light and manoeuvrable the mop felt, because at just 4’11”, she says mopping can sometimes be an uncomfortable job.

“I’m not a tall person, so trying to mop is always just a horrible experience.”

Person carrying the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO mop system.

But she found the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO Mop & Bucket Set easy to move around and able to go in different directions without feeling heavy or awkward.

And it wasn’t just the mop itself that won Katrina over. She says the bucket design solved one of her biggest mopping frustrations: accidentally tipping the bucket over.

With timber floors, getting too much water onto the floor is something she tries hard to avoid. “The amount of mop buckets I’ve tipped over and just gone everywhere,” she says.

That can turn a simple cleaning job into another mess to deal with, particularly when you’re suddenly scrambling for towels and a dry mop head.

But Katrina says the Vileda bucket feels much more stable because of its design.

And for someone who mops as often as she does, she says that has saved her time. “This thing has saved me so much time, I can’t get over it.”

The Only Mop You’ll Need

Katrina also admits that she’d previously convinced herself she needed a steam mop. She even bought one, only to discover that plugging it in every time she wanted to clean wasn’t exactly appealing.

“You have to plug it in like a vacuum. Like, that’s not fun, I don’t want to do that.”

After trying the Vileda, she says she’s no longer convinced she needs one.

“Why do you need a steam mop when you can get this one?”

For Katrina, the combination of being lightweight, easy to wring, simple to manoeuvre and able to get into those awkward corners has made mopping feel much less frustrating. And despite going into the trial with low expectations, she’s now very happy to recommend it.

“I’m not trying to sell you a product, but I’m just saying that I’m very impressed with it. It’s really good.”

Her final verdict?

“It’s been really, really good. Recommend!”

This Real Story was provided as part of a paid sponsorship opportunity. Katrina was chosen to share her story because she was sent out and tried the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO Mop & Bucket Set, and genuinely loved it! And Vileda is so confident they’ve made the best spin mop ever, they’re backing the new & improved Easy Wring & Clean TURBO with a 5 Year Guarantee. 

  • This mop so good and the views all are positive so I just purchased one on milkrun through Woolworths and it come with 2 mop head refills. Can’t wait to use it.

    Reply

  • Yes, I couldn’t agree more. The Vileda spin mop is by far my favourite mop for a good thorough clean at home. I even got the landlords to purchase one for the holiday house I clean to make cleaning a breeze and get the job done properly. I always grab a spare when they’re out for half price.

    Reply

  • Ah, I received a ‘you’re a finalist’ email from MoM for this fantastic mop but didn’t receive anything beyond that. I was looking forward to giving this a try to compare the three existing options I have but alas. Looks good, fingers crossed I can try it in the near future!

    Reply

  • Omg! Yes! With 4 dogs and 4 teens AND the guests they bring home with them LOL our timber floors and tiles don’t stand a chance! I would love to see them add some wheels to the bottom of the bucket so that you don’t have to carry the bucket around with you.

    Reply

  • I feel like I really need to try out this mop now!!

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  • This sounds like an excellent mop that makes cleaning so easy! I love a product that not only is as effective as advertised but makes a job less grueling. I gotta say though, a steam mop that plugs in sounds like an awful idea. I have a tineco floor mop, which is cordless and charges at a base, and it’s incredible on my white tiles.

    Reply

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