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?
Finally got time to read and OMG it was brilliant. Really loved the fact that you could relate to it.Have learnt a lot about the aboriginal heritage and racism that i did not realise. This insight to their life is a real eye opener and i couldnt put the book down till i finished it. My daughters have it now and i am waiting on their opinion.
Tiddas was an amazing book, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. It tells the story of five very different women, who share a deep friendship and use a regular book club meeting as a way of catching up. The women all originate from the same country town,and have grown up in varying circumstances of culture and wealth. I enjoyed the interwoven story of these women and their trials and tribulations and found it to be very relevant to modern day society. Each is addressing their own personal battles and one by one these battles come to light at book club and through luncheons etc. It is a story of deep abiding friendship, that transcends cultural barriers or monetary status. I loved the references to landscape and the richly interwoven cultural references. Once I had read the book I took a look to see what else Anita Heiss has written, as I will seek out her books for further reading. I thoroughly recommend this book.
I am halfway through the book and would have gladly taken my book yesterday to our family Easter celebrations and just read it. It is a lovely story of best friends and how life takes you to places you may not like but friends are always there. I also appreciate the attachment to country and how we are connected to our environment whether it be a suburb, town or river. Everyone needs a copy. I can’t wait to finish it all curled up with a cuppa on the lounge.
When “Tiddas” arrived on my doorstep a few days ago I was already reading another book and I knew “Tiddas” was going to have to get my interest fast to keep me – well I’m happy to report that I was hooked by page 5!
This book reveals it’s characters over time and I’ve enjoyed how my feelings have changed towards each of the characters as I’ve gotten to know them more. I feel like this approach is very clever as it reflects how friendships are formed in real life and whilst the book is about a group of friends it also feels like a study on how friendships develop and change.
It’s not clear from the book cover or even the first few pages but this book is also a glimpse into modern Australia for aboriginal women. I’ve never read a book with Aboriginal characters before and I’ve been challenged and educated as to why that might be. The insights into Aboriginal life in this book have been well explained yet the book has also shown how issues that women an friends face aren’t limited by culture or nationally.
I’ve still got 1/3 of the book to go and I’m looking forward to seeing how relationships between the friends and their families get resolved.
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
The life’s of these woman was so well written you could find your self thinking about the story. Line after you put the book down… Wanting to get back to the book as soon as possible.. I really enjoyed reading this and will look for more by this author. This was one of the nices reviews I have done … This was brilliant as I was on a cruise and relaxing in a deck chair with the sea breeze blowing reading while having a cocktail. Thank you so much.
I have now finished the book and it was great. Some very strong characters but would of liked to of known them even more and not swap about as much. I would recommend to my friends.
I,m so enjoying this book it’s been a long time since I had a great read. I mean a read you can not put down. I love the way it wraps its self around different life’s of friends. I,m looking for to seeing how this book ends up . I,m only a few chapters in but really want to sit and read. But like tall things jobs need to be done so should be finished in about another two weeks …so full review then.. But I would tell anyone what a brilliant great read in fact my daughter wants it after me . As I took it with me to baby sit her girls oh dear ….
Well I finished this book in 2 days after starting out thinking hmm I am not sure after a few chapters in I couldn’t put it down. The characters were brilliant and the subjects covered in the novel were so close to my heart. The issues with racism the heart ache and the pain with trying to fall pregnant and carry a baby full term when you want nothing else in the world more than that, the loss and the devastation it causes and the wild child realising they do not want to be this way forever. In so many ways I felt like this book had a part of me in each and every character including the denial of problems as well. I have taken a steep learning curve and path change in my life over the past 2yrs and this novel just put a lot of great things in perspective for me even though it was written as fiction. The story was so easy and light to read but written in such a way you felt like you were there at the book club meetings with them and experiencing all the problems. Truly great and I would love to read more by this author. Great job and I will be recommending to all my reading friends without a doubt. Great Job =)
A highly engaging page turner right from the start!
A beautifully interwoven story of culture, friendship, tradition and the challenges a modern day lifestyle brings for a woman. The story of five women, who in many respects are completely different, yet share a deep abiding friendship and a “sisterly” (Tiddas)love for one another and together help each other face their own battles and inner demons. This is also a story not only of cultural identity, but also of personal identity. Set against two very differing, but equally beautiful Australian landscapes, this book is very hard to put down.
I was bored so thought I’d take another look at TIDDAS by Anita Heiss. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t get into it and found it somewhat lacking. It’s not one of those books that you’ll read from cover to cover in one go, instead, I found myself reading it here and there when I needed to fill in some time.
This book was a bit of a hit and miss for me. The story is readable but the characters are a bit flat and clichéd. I found it very hard to identify with any of Heiss’s heroines. It’s an ok book but I just felt it was missing something. Not something I’d recommend.
So I finally finished this book. It captured me initially but not exactly a page-turner that had me hooked. The characters were all highly relatable to me but we never completely get to know them all. The author’s Aboriginal heritage is on strong display here, but I couldn’t help feeling it was a bit of a crusade of hers to constantly reference the characters’ culture. Could be just me not relating to that aspect (as a white woman), although some of the historical facts were interesting. I normally read thrillers so found it difficult to get into this book, but it is a gentle, meandering story about a group of girlfriends living in current-day Brisbane.
The story line & setting was Ok & I enjoyed the mention of Brisbane Suburbs & places, but overall I found the writing lacking substance. An easy read best suited to a short story in a magazine
Well written novel with strong characters that are easily to relate to and the language flows well. I would love to read Anita Heiss’ other novels! Recommend reading, brilliant. Couldn’t put it down.
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
The life’s of these woman was so well written you could find your self thinking about the story. Line after you put the book down… Wanting to get back to the book as soon as possible.. I really enjoyed reading this and will look for more by this author. This was one of the nices reviews I have done … This was brilliant as I was on a cruise and relaxing in a deck chair with the sea breeze blowing reading while having a cocktail. Thank you so much.
I have now finished the book and it was great. Some very strong characters but would of liked to of known them even more and not swap about as much. I would recommend to my friends.
I posted a review when I was halfway through and the book got better. I loved the feeling I had when I read it and I am still raving about it. Strong characters who are easy to relate to and yes, their are some stereotypes and some clichés but for me they didn’t interfere with the story that was touching and informative. I am recommending this book to everyone and will read more from the author.
I enjoyed reading Tiddas by Anita Heiss. It was a light read, which I could keep reading even though the kids were quite noisy and in my face most of the holidays. It’s a warm engaging story of friendship, life, love and five strong women that are well written characters that just pulls the reader in. It also makes me want to go on a little holiday up to Brisbane. Liked it and would recommed it to anyone who wants a nice easy read for the weekend.
Have just finished reading this book. It’s as an enjoyable read, but I found that the author did not delve deep into each character as much as I would have liked. She jumped from character to character too quickly for my liking. However, it was certainly an easy and enjoyable read and one which I looked forward to reading each night before bed.
Tiddas was an amazing book, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. It tells the story of five very different women, who share a deep friendship and use a regular book club meeting as a way of catching up. The women all originate from the same country town,and have grown up in varying circumstances of culture and wealth. I enjoyed the interwoven story of these women and their trials and tribulations and found it to be very relevant to modern day society. Each is addressing their own personal battles and one by one these battles come to light at book club and through luncheons etc. It is a story of deep abiding friendship, that transcends cultural barriers or monetary status. I loved the references to landscape and the richly interwoven cultural references. Once I had read the book I took a look to see what else Anita Heiss has written, as I will seek out her books for further reading. I thoroughly recommend this book.
I,m so enjoying this book it’s been a long time since I had a great read. I mean a read you can not put down. I love the way it wraps its self around different life’s of friends. I,m looking for to seeing how this book ends up . I,m only a few chapters in but really want to sit and read. But like tall things jobs need to be done so should be finished in about another two weeks …so full review then.. But I would tell anyone what a brilliant great read in fact my daughter wants it after me . As I took it with me to baby sit her girls oh dear ….
Finally got time to read and OMG it was brilliant. Really loved the fact that you could relate to it.Have learnt a lot about the aboriginal heritage and racism that i did not realise. This insight to their life is a real eye opener and i couldnt put the book down till i finished it. My daughters have it now and i am waiting on their opinion.
I am halfway through the book and would have gladly taken my book yesterday to our family Easter celebrations and just read it. It is a lovely story of best friends and how life takes you to places you may not like but friends are always there. I also appreciate the attachment to country and how we are connected to our environment whether it be a suburb, town or river. Everyone needs a copy. I can’t wait to finish it all curled up with a cuppa on the lounge.
Tiddas is the story of five women who share a deep and meaningful friendship. Their culture and values cementing their bond. Tiddas shares the trials and tribulations of being a woman, relationships, love, sex, values and supporting each other with what life inevitably throws your way.
Anita Heiss offers five main characters that are share their narrative, I enjoyed this style of storytelling as I felt each character had a voice and that you could relate to them. I had a particular connection to Xanthe and her relationship with her husband and her desire and desperation for a child. This really struck a chord with me and I was engaged to keep picking up the novel whenever I could steal a minute.
A negative for me personally was the constant referal to the characters culture and where they were from. I appreciate pride of who you are and I enjoyed the historical information but I felt the references to culture were overused and detracted from the story, at times I was engrossed by the story only to be irritated by a repeated fact referencing the characters heritage.
Would I recommend this to my book group, to be honest not really. I thought the story was an enjoyable read, well written but not something I would be overly excited about enough to recommend to others. In saying that I will be asking one of my book group members who is Aboriginal as to what she thinks of the book. I think this book would appeal to middle aged women who enjoy romance/drama novels with a historical element.
I haven’t had a chance to read in ages, so I was excited to receive a new book! I’m only a couple of chapters in, but so far Tiddas is an engaging read. Whilst I’m not particularly knowledgable about issues affecting Aboriginal women in contemporary society, each of these characters resonates with me as I’m right in that 40-ish demographic. I’m excited to see how the story pans out as the blurb alone had me intrigued! Will keep you posted when I finish it.
I have really enjoyed reading Tiddas and can't seem to put it down
This novel has been one that I have not be able to set aside. Once I started reading it I was hooked and while I am half way through I am using any excuse to sit down and read it. It’s easy read and a captivating story from the get go. On a personal note as a women who depends heavily on her girlie friendships I have been able to relate easily to the five protagonists and am so far intrigued by the story.
‘Tiddas’ is an amazingly written, heartwarming story looking closely into the lives of 5 successful woman. Culturally respectful and powerfully accurate, it tells us not only of the history of aboriginal heritage in NSW & QLD but identifies how society today adapts to it’s ancestry. Growing up in an aboriginal community myself, I think I learnt more reading this book then from my own past about our native history. I loved each women’s personal journey in this book as well, unable to put it down most nights reading well into the early hours. It was a novel I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to find more by this author now. Definitely a great read!!
This book is great! I really can’t put it down! So much of this book is so everyday stuff. No one wants to read fairy tales anymore. This is the everyday, average woman book. Such a refreshing change from the drivel that’s being bought out these days. Can’t wait to turn the page!
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‘A Beautiful Adelaide Blend With A Lighter Alcohol Content!’
For lighter wines that still taste like the real deal, Chapel Hill’s Enlightened range is quickly becoming a go-to. These bottles bring all the flavour with noticeably less alcohol, which is why everyone’s falling in love with them.
Best SIPS’ Chapel Hill Enlightened Wines review team put the Rosé and Pinot Grigio through their paces, and the feedback was unanimous: both are fresh, light and perfect for summer sipping without the unwanted morning crogginess.
A rosé with summer written all over it
Chapel Hill’s Enlightened Rosé is bright, crisp and fruity, hitting all the right notes without tipping into the “too sweet” zone. It’s the kind of bottle you reach for at a casual barbecue or any get-together where you want something delicious but easygoing.
It’s exactly this balance of lightness and full flavour in an affordable bottle that has so many fans raving.
“Light, refreshing and honestly just feels like a little moment of peace in a glass. The flavour is this perfect mix of crisp + fruity without being too sweet — literally the kind of rosé you can sip while you finally sit down after a long day.”
A summer staple … on the lighter side
“Too many of these low alcohol wines just don’t taste enough like the real deal-but this is a sure fire exception. Beautifully refreshing, with a touch of sweetness that’s not overwhelming. A gorgeous colour too, which is a bonus- after all, we also drink either our eyes! Add into the mix a reasonable price point- this rose is a winner!”
“I love a nice glass of Rosé and the Chapel Hill Enlightened Rosé did not disappoint! It’s really light and refreshing and tastes like a really expensive wine. I love that this wine is really affordable, so I can enjoy a beautiful Rosé without breaking the bank more often. Definitely give this one a try!”
If your warm-weather wine rack needs an affordable new staple, this is it.
A Pinot Grigio you’ll be buying again (and again!)
For the white lovers, Chapel Hill’s Enlightened Pinot Grigio is a solid everyday white that ticks all the boxes: crisp, clean, food-friendly and affordable.
Our taste-testers repeatedly praised how balanced and versatile it feels, whether chilled on its own or alongside simple meals and casual gatherings.
“We love a white to pair with our spring/summer lunches and especially our seafood. This option ticked all the boxes …”
A versatile sip you’ll keep reaching for
“I enjoyed the first sip to the last of this Pinot. Anything with pear and citrus is something I want to try and this lived up to that, but with a lighter alcohol content – which I appreciate! Enjoyed over dinner, it paired really nicely with the food I was eating. This wine is something I’d happily recommend to others.”
“The wine offered just the right balance of fruity flavours – fresh and vibrant, but never overpowering or too sharp. It paired beautifully with both our light lunches and dinner, making every meal feel a bit more special. I also appreciated how crisp and refreshing it tasted, perfect for unwinding and enjoying good company. Definitely a Pinot Grigio I’d reach for again.”
Your lower-alcohol go-to
The team rates Enlightened wines 4.34 out of 5 and recommends them for anyone on the hunt for flavour-forward wine with less alcohol. They’re bright, modern and made for the kind of moments where you’d love a glass, but still want to feel good afterwards.
The warmer weather tends to make alcohol go to my head faster – I’m not a big drinker, but just for that reason I’d seriously consider a low alcohol wine. The Pinot Grigio particularly sound as if I might enjoy it. I might well buy a bottle or two for Christmas.
Looks delicious, would be keen to try their wines based off the reviews. Love anything local and the light wine is just an extra win – low alcohol content would be fab for nights with friends where we all still have to drive home afterwards so would be buying for that type of event!
Chapel Hill Wines do have quite a good reputation. I like the fact that it is low alcohol content. Personally, I like a very sweet wine but many would like these as they are not so sweet. I wish them well with sales and think it’s good they are doing something about lowering alcohol level.
Thanks for sharing this review. It sounds that the taste is good, the price is good and the alcohol content is really low indeed. I do like the fact that they’re light. One of the things I don’t like when you’re drinking a couple of glasses that it fills you up and it affects your appetite
I just asked the forum for recommendations on zero alcohol, but this is an attractive option as well! I do enjoy a Rose, so will try this one after all the positive reviews. It’s a shame they don’t have a sparkling in their collection yet! Would have been prefect for all the celebrating at this time of year.
I dislike rose, but the pinot grigio sounds like it might suit me. To be honest, the alcohol content doesn’t bother me all that much – I rarely drink more than a glass or two anyway – but it would probably be nice from a general health point of view to know I’m consuming less alcohol.
This sounds like the perfect glass. I do love being able to have a few drinks and not be all over the place about me. And as a bubbly girlie from Adelaide myself, I’m sure I’ll find a lot to like about this drop. Crisp and not too sweet, I’m sold and will have to try it.
It was the first time for me hearing about the chapel hill brand. And i still recall when i picked up the Pinot Grigio from my local, the staff there actually stopped me and said i picked a winner! She said that it was probably the best Pinot they had available to sell.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Chapel Hill wines and the reviews are always good. I like that they have low alcohol range as I like to have a few glasses when I finally get to have one. Not being too sweet is a bonus that suits me well.
The idea of having a lower alcohol content wine without compromising taste is really exciting. There’s nothing worse than feeling “under the weather” from the effects of alcohol. This lovely wine ticks all the boxes, lower alcohol and a refreshing flavour. I’m keen to get the Pinot Grigio in my cart and into my fridge!
This wine sounds delightful and really refreshing to enjoy on a summer afternoon. I love that it tastes fresh and crisp and still has the same punch as other wine. It sounds like an absolute delight. I will have to give it a try next time i am at the bottle shop looking for some wine.
5:19 pm
Great read
2:52 pm
Could not put this book down.
9:50 am
Hooked
3:12 pm
Hooked by page 5
1:47 pm
sounds awesome and looks great
5:23 pm
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
2:33 pm
2nd review FANTASTIC
10:41 am
Best read in a long time
8:45 pm
Great Just what I needed at this time
11:10 pm
A highly engaging page turner right from the start!
1:47 pm
sounds awesome and looks great
10:25 pm
Couldn't get into it
5:33 pm
It's only ok
10:11 pm
Light, gentle story but not entirely to my taste
2:08 pm
Ok reading for a teenager
8:31 pm
Recommend!!!
5:23 pm
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
2:33 pm
2nd review FANTASTIC
10:42 pm
Fantastic
12:29 pm
A light read for the weekend.
10:34 am
Good read.
2:52 pm
Could not put this book down.
10:41 am
Best read in a long time
5:19 pm
Great read
9:50 am
Hooked
8:39 pm
An intriguing read filled with history and drama!
11:02 pm
Relatable and engaging
7:46 pm
I have really enjoyed reading Tiddas and can't seem to put it down
2:10 pm
Captivating and interesting
1:31 pm
Amazing and realistic
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