Best friends since school and now in their forties, Amy, Lenore, Susan and Carole are all feeling a bit fed up with their lives. Their big dreams haven’t quite turned out as planned and there seems to be one common element that has stood in the way - men. When they decide to take matters into their own hands and make a statement to the community, the Graffiti Girls are born. This is a story of strong female friendships, family dynamics and a big call out for women everywhere to believe in themselves and stand up to the powers that be. A lighthearted, uplifting read with some lovely characters that get its message across in an original way.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

Really enjoyed this book and the story it shared. The dynamics of friendship with the highs and the lows plus where they want to put things to right!

I loved this book. It’s totally different from other books, and I love that it’s set in Scotland with realistic Scottish women who are the best of friends.

The friendship between the four girls is at the heart of of this novel and they go on a rather unconventional way about finding themselves and getting to a happy place. The title may be a clue how they get there. But you need to read it to find out what they do. You’ll be cheering for them all the way.

Four friends from school are very different people now in their 40's. One married with four kids, one divorced, a single mother and a lesbian who has recently had a break up. They are all rather stale in their lives without realising it until Amy suggests a way of getting back at those who have caused them injustice. Fast paced fun

This is a brilliant book! It's a story of 4 women who have been kicked about by men and a society that values male over female. It's set in Hamilton, a town in the west of Scotland where those old time values are still very prevalent.
In a bid to fight back, Amy, Carole, Susan and Lenore decide to graffiti a local building with messages of female solidarity and it goes on from there...
I loved the friendships between the women who had known each other from school, and the message that just because we're over 40 (I'm 44 at time of reading), it doesn't mean we're over the hill.
Thanks to HQ, Elissa Soave and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a story about four women who are disappointed by the way their lives have worked out and the way the world around them behaves. Their anger spills out through the act of graffiti on local buildings where they aim to teach others that they are worth more and deserve respect.

The book is well written and easy to follow. However, despite being a similar age to the main characters and having empathy with their complaints, I didn’t really connect with them. I needed a little more emotion and they felt stereotyped with a fairly predictable ending.

It’s a fun, easy read, but probably needed a little more depth for me!

I almost didn't get past the opening, as it was rather boring and did nothing to pull me in. However, I decided to push ahead. It took me a few chapters to get engaged with the storyline. While nothing was overly memorable, it was a pleasant read as it started to unfold. I really enjoyed the setting. Characters were realistically flawed and realistic. I loved the premise of four women who stick together through thick and thin. I also appreciated the fact that the main characters were a bit older than is typical.

This is a feel good book that deals with the reality of life. At some point we all reach a point where we wonder what if , why is our life so mundane compared to someone else. This is your inner voice let loose within a close knit group of long term friends who actually challenge you to take control back of your life, not always by legal means. The raw emotion filters through the story and everoyone grows. If only my life was that simple. Thank netgallery, publisher and author for this cracking 4 star read perfect for anyone needing a pick me up.

Graffiti girls by Elissa Soave
Includes: childhood friends, fighting for equal rights, graffiti artists with important messages, women who deserve more than they're given

This is a book about women who refuse to conform to the stereotypes society gives them.
It's about feminism and standing up for yourself. Graffiti artists with strong words and messages that everyone should read and absorb in

It follows four women, Carole, Amy, Lenore and Susan. They have a realisation that they're not happy with life and want to, no...need to do something about it. I liked that this book was split into 4 parts, one for each woman and to learn more about their lives. Super easy to read with a strong message throughout the book

Not my usual genre but I was sent a widget by the publishers. A story about four now grown up school friends supporting each other and standing up for women in general. They decide to use graffiti to draw attention to the societal expectations of women particularly in the West of Scotland ( traditionally a male dominated environment) . Although the book is set in Hamilton Lanarkshire, it could have been set anywhere. I didn’t get a Scottish vibe from it. I was a bit confused as to when it was set as there is mention of Strathclyde Police which ceased to exist in 2013. While cliched and stereotypical regarding the roles of the women ( a lesbian, a single mum, a stay at home mum and a single woman) it is a ‘nice’ story. Liked the mention of Neil Lancaster - a favourite author of mine! Maybe a book for a younger demographic
( I am a 70 year old woman from the West of Scotland) . I think it would be great for a book club read.

This is a book for every woman who's ever been told she's "too much," "past her prime," or expected to fade quietly into the background once she hits forty.

Amy, Carole, Lenore, and Susan are the kind of friends you want in your corner—real, flawed, fierce, and full of heart. Their journey from frustration to rebellion is both relatable and inspiring, and their graffiti-fuelled feminist revolution is as cathartic as it is clever. Through their eyes, we see the toll of everyday sexism, the power of female friendship, and the magic of finding your voice again—no matter your age.

The writing sparkles with wit and warmth, and the pacing is perfect. There's rage, yes—but also humour, hope, and a lot of joy in watching these women reclaim their lives.

A lighthearted easy read of a book.
The four friends are in their forties and fed up with their lives so they stage a rebellion in their home town.

This is a tale for women who are a bit fed up with life. It serves as a reminder that we are in charge of our own lives, but sometimes we need a kick up the butt from a friend to remind us how amazing we are and make the changes we want to happen.
The friendship between the 4 women is a lovely relationship, spanning 20+ years. They've been there through it all. Through relationships, breakups, childbirth, careers, a true friendship group.
There's some darker things mentioned or referred to, which I wasn't expecting, but did give you some clarity around why they were the way they were.
My only criticism is the book is split into sections, each focusing on one of the friends, there aren't chapters within those sections, so there's no natural stopping places and when you are like me and must complete a chapter before putting the book down at night this is frustrating.
There was a lovely ending, which completed a story I really enjoyed.

A group of four women in their early 40s feel that their lives are out of control. Their lives haven't gone as planned. There are things that have torn them apart and other things that have torn them apart. They have all known each other since the good old school days but they have very different lives and its these differences that fascinate.
Hamilton is a small town in Scotland this adds to the overall feel of the story- feeling trapped in a small place and living somewhere where you no longer feel is home.
A bit Calendar Girls with added bite.

A lovely lighthearted story, around friendships and life in general. It was a nice, gentle read and I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I was offered the chance to read The Graffiti Girls by Elessa Soave, I wasn’t sure if it was the type of book I would enjoy, but decided to give it a go. How glad am I that I read it. I enjoyed it so much. It is the story of four school friends, Amy, Carole, Susan and Lenore, who are now in their forties. They feel life is passing them by in a male dominated society, where they feel women do not have equal opportunity of the same promotion as men do. They rebel. You will have to read the story to find out how they try to solve this problem.
The story is told with humour and feeling. We learn about the everyday lives of these girls and their families. I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ publishers and Elessa Soave for an arc of this enjoyable story. I recommend you read it for yourself.

Set in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, the four main characters of the book (Amy, Carole, Lenore and Susan) have been friends since school. Now in their early forties they are reconsidering their lives and particularly being taken for granted. by family and looked at in a different way by society as they age. After a particular incident the women turn to graffiti in a local public spot to get their message across. As they view the reaction of other women within their community the Graffiti Girls use this medium to post more comments. In a humorous way Soave looks at the attitude to women as they age and grapple with changes in family and society. You find yourself rooting for all four of them as they face their own challenges.

I hope Soave considers revisiting these ladies again in years to come, I'd like to see them deal with Menopause too!

The Graffiti Girls is set in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire which is just the next town to mine and where my daughter stays. It was interesting reading a book about an area you know a lot about.

This book follows four friends Carole, Amy, Lenore and Susan. They feel that life is passing them by and that men get the better end of everything. So they decide to become the Graffiti Girls.

This book was an enjoyable chic lit type book. That was all about women supporting women. It was an easy read and enjoyable.

Susan, Amy, Lenore and Carole have been friends since school, now in their 40s they are struggling with life, marriages and children. As an act of rebellion they decide to express their rage in an act of vandalism and so the graffiti girls are born. Their acts bring notoriety but through them the women are able to reflect on their lives and move forward.
Soave's first book was a great read and this is just as good. The rebellion is rather small scale and the endings for the women are rather predictable but the journey is great. There are some huge issues explored, not least sexual assault and the #metoo movement, but these are dealt with deftly and the streak of humour throughout is delightful.

An enjoyable light book which was fun to read. A group of school friends now in their early 40s are all in a bit of a rut perhaps realising the patriarchal society they are stuck in. Well developed characters the reader will surely know from their own lives plus the situations the women find themselves in. Set in a small town in Scotland, Hamilton, where the group have lived all their lives. A feelgood heartwarming story which is a little different.