This is a fairy tale retelling done beautifully. It has everything within its pages - death, revenge, love, magic, history, murder, multiple time periods - the list could go on and on. I remember reading Rapunzel when I was little; this book is that story, and so much more.

I loved immersing myself in the lives of Charlotte Rose, Selena, and Margherita. These three women are complex, interesting characters, and I was along for the ride with each of their storylines. We travel through Vienna, Paris, France and Italy in these tales and it was fantastic to read about their lives during some of the most turbulent times in the history of these countries.

This book is about three women who are living in massively difficult situations and times when women were treated with disrespect and cruelty, and they are forced to survive in the best ways they can.

If you love fairy tales and historical fiction, this book is for you. This is going to be one of my favourite reads of 2025.

I received a digital review copy of *Bitter Greens* from NetGalley, and I was immediately drawn to its enchanting premise. Originally published in 2012 and recently re-released, I couldn’t resist diving into this captivating retelling of the classic Rapunzel tale.

The novel intricately weaves the lives of three compelling characters. The first is Charlotte-Rose de la Force, who finds herself banished from the opulent court of King Louis XIV of France. After enduring scandalous love affairs, she is condemned to live in a convent, where her world is forever altered. Within the convent’s austere walls, Sœur Seraphina shares the haunting story of a girl ensnared in a tower. This girl, cursed after her parents steal a handful of bitter greens, becomes a poignant symbol of longing and entrapment, inspiring Charlotte-Rose to pen what we now recognize as the tale of Rapunzel.

Next, we meet Margherita, a striking beauty with long, flowing red-gold hair. Her life is a tragic one, as she is held captive in a high tower, entirely at the mercy of La Strega Bella. With the endless hope of rescue flickering in her heart, Margherita's days are filled with dreams of freedom that feel increasingly out of reach.

Lastly, there's Selena Leonelli, a captivating figure who was once the muse of a celebrated artist. She navigates the tumultuous waters of love and betrayal in the breathtaking city of Venice, where beauty and treachery intertwine at every corner.

I was particularly enchanted by the inclusion of Madame de la Force, as her contributions to fairy tales, such as *Persinette*, which later evolved into *Rapunzel*, add rich historical depth to the narrative. *Bitter Greens* is a poignant exploration of heartbreak, love, betrayal, and the indomitable spirit of survival. I wholeheartedly recommend this beautifully crafted tale!

I really enjoyed reading this book.
It tells the story of 3 women whose paths cross. Charlotte Rose a noble woman at Versailles, Margaretha a girl promised to the witch Seraphina l
Leonelli and the nun.
The story switches from past to present which occasionally confused me, but it explained why the women acted as they did.
I loved the retelling of Rapunzel.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this book takes you right there, the grand court of Versailles and the intrigue of Venice.

Bitter Greens
by Kate Forsyth
Pub Date: Mar 20 2025

Three women bound together by the strands of fate

Charlotte-Rose de la Force, exiled from the court of the Sun King Louis XIV, has always been a great teller of tales.

Selena Leonelli, once the exquisite muse of the great Venetian artist Titian, is terrified of time.

Margherita, sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens, is trapped in a doorless tower and burdened by tangles of her red-gold hair. She must find a way to escape.

Bitter Greens is a dark, beautifully written retelling of the Rapunzel tale, interwoven with the story of one of the tale’s first tellers.

Charlotte-Rose is a French novelist sent to the convent after being banished from the court of Louis XIV following a series of scandalous love affairs. Whilst there she's comforted by Souer Seraphina who tells her the tale of a young girl locked in a tower a 100 years earlier.

Bitter Greens is told from three POVs; Charlotte-Rose (1600s French novelist), Margherita (our Rapunzel locked in the tower) and Selena Leonelli (the witch). All three main characters are given their chance to shine and tell their story, although the story does spend the most time with Charlotte-Rose, following her life through the Sun King's court, all of her escapades and eventually into the convent after her banishment. We also get to explore the witch Selena's backstory and the reasons behind her actions, as well as Margherita's childhood and time spent locked in the infamous tower.

The pacing was a little slow at times, but the writing was compelling and engaging and instead of the story dragging, it instead felt like I was given the time and space to trully understand and connect with each character. This was essentially a retelling of the Rapunzel story, but is was so, so much more than that. It was part historical fiction, part fairy tale, part fictional biography, and the author did a wonderful job of braiding them together into a really fantastic story. It felt a little like an ode to Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force and her stories, but it also felt like an original and fresh retelling of a well known tale. I adored it and I really can't wait to read more from Kate Forsyth.

Side note: please check the trigger warnings for this book. This isn't a lighter fairy tale retelling and there are heavy themes of sexual violence, illness (plague) and captivity throughout.

I absolutely loved this book, loved everything about it - the fairy tale, the history, the stories of three different women, each bold and brave and imprisoned.The writing was insightful, poignant and spellbinding, often all at once. Having read it digitally I cannot wait to run out and buy a paperback to keep on my forever-a-favourite shelf and revisit when I need a beautifully written escape.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a bit like a box of chocolates - some dark moments , some light and then....what's that inside? Lots of delicious surprises. Guess when you have a novel that retells the story of Rapunzel in more ways than one, then you are going to have some fairy like aspects and dark moments to it. This is woven very cleverly and I loved it. that cover is stunning!

The story of Rapunzel from a new perspective, taking the classic tale and adjusting in them new elements of the story, makes what we know take another sense.

In this historical fiction we follow three points of view, where we are told over the years how it developed in some ways what we know of Rapunzel with one of our narrators locked in the tower, how the witch got to that point and the last one of an author who fights for her voice to be heard.

The joining of three voices in this story, each one in a different time and personality, has made it complex to follow and slow at times, although I enjoyed it I feel that I had more expectations than I thought at the beginning and that has made it a little triggering that not being able to hook me has been so disappointing, but this is from my point of view.

I give it points for the research and how it made everything connect in a congruent way, and that fairy tale touch that the narrative has even though it is historical fiction.

It was a good read, for those who are readers of historical fiction and are fans of Rapunzel, this may be the book for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.

Charlotte has spent most of her adult life at the court of Louis XIV but, after falling out of favour, she has been exiled to an austere convent. There she learns to love different things. One story she weaves is that of Margarita, a girl from Venice who has been placed in a high tower by a witch. The witch herself also has her own tale to tell.
This is a retelling of the story of Rapunzel which brings together the original elements of the tale with the life of the first recounter. It's certainly magical at times but a little overlong.

Kate Forsyth’s Bitter Greens is a beautifully layered, historically rich reimagining of Rapunzel, blending history, fairy tale, and dark magic. The novel follows three women—Charlotte-Rose de la Force, the real-life writer of the tale; Margherita, the young girl locked in the tower; and Selena Leonelli, the sorceress with her own tragic past.

The strongest aspect of Bitter Greens is its gorgeous prose and immersive historical detail. Forsyth’s depiction of 17th-century France and Renaissance Italy is vivid and thoroughly researched, making it easy to get lost in the world she builds. The novel explores themes of female agency, survival, and power, giving depth to the fairy tale origins. Margherita’s storyline—effectively the Rapunzel retelling—was my favorite, beautifully blending fairy tale elements with historical realism.

However, the novel isn’t without its challenges. The pacing is uneven, with some parts dragging, especially in Charlotte-Rose’s sections. While all three narratives are compelling, they don’t always flow seamlessly, making the book feel longer than necessary. And fair warning—this book is dark. There are heavy themes of abuse, captivity, and sexual violence that may be unsettling for some readers. If you’re expecting a lighter fairy tale retelling, this isn’t it.

Overall, Bitter Greens is an impressive and unique take on Rapunzel, but it may not be for everyone. Fans of historical fiction with a touch of fantasy will likely enjoy it, while those looking for a more fast-paced or hopeful retelling might struggle. If you love richly detailed settings and deeply woven stories about women reclaiming their power, this is worth the read—just be prepared for a long, sometimes dark, journey.

For centuries, fairy tales have entertained and taught lessons to those young and young at heart. One of the most memorable stories was the tale of Rapunzel, the maiden a witch kidnapped because her parents stole a Rapunzel plant from her while Rapunzel’s mother was pregnant. For years, Rapunzel languished in a Tower, her hair growing exponentially until a rogue/ prince climbs her hair and rescues the damsel in distress. The witch dies and Rapunzel and her hero live happily ever after. At least, that is how the story has been passed down to us throughout the centuries, but where did the story come from and how are the stories of three women from different generations and countries connected? Kate Forsyth weaves together the stories of three women and their fates into one delightful novel called, “Bitter Greens.”

I want to thank Allison & Busby and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. When I am not reading historical fiction or nonfiction, I do enjoy reading fairy tales retold, so when I heard about this novel and how it would explore the origins of the story of Rapunzel, it was intriguing to me.

Forsyth breaks down her novel into three separate narratives based on the lives of three women. We begin with Charlotte-Rose de la Force, a woman who weaves stories on a whim at the court of the Sun King Louis XIV. Charlotte is the person who gave the Rapunzel story some of the main characteristics that we are familiar with from the Italian origin story by Giambattista Basile. Her life choices have caused the king to send Charlotte to exile in a convent. It is in the convent that Charlotte meets Soeur Seraphina and she learns the story of Margherita and Selena Leonelli.

Margherita is the daughter of a mask maker and his wife. When she turns 7, a sorceress named La Strega Bella tells her parents that it is time to pay for their crime of stealing bitter greens. La Strega Bella wants to raise Margherita as her child, so she kidnaps Margherita, changes her name to Petrosinella, and places her in a convent. When Margherita turns 12, she is taken from the convent, placed in a tower, and given her characteristically long hair.

The question is why did La Strega Bella take Margherita from her parents just to put her in a tower with such long hair? It is through Selena Leonelli’s story that we can discover the truth about La Strega Bella. A woman who had to survive in the dark days of the plague in the early 16th century when her family died, she learned how to use spells and the power of plants from a woman named Sibillia. Life was not always fair for Selena, but then she met a man named Tiziano, who we know as Titian, and she inspired his art. Selena is afraid of growing old and wants to stay young forever, so she comes up with a dark and twisted plan.

This novel is dark and full of tragedies, love, and adventures. While I did enjoy reading it, there were a few historical inaccuracies, such as the plague doctor uniform was not introduced until the 17th century, not the 16th century. If you want a dark version of a fairy tale retold with a historical twist, I think you will enjoy “Bitter Greens” by Kate Forsyth.

I really like retellings of Rapunzel and I absolutely love books set at the French court so this was the best of both worlds. Charlotte-Rose's story was really interesting and gives so much history as to the time period. I loved how the stories blended into each other with her's being the backbone.

Selena, or the witch, had a really interesting story as well. I loved seeing how she came to be who she was. Her story was equal parts tragic and horrible.

Margherita's story was wonderfully done with the darker elements expected of traditional fairytales. Her's was definitely my favourite.

This book is just so beautifully written. The descriptions of everything-clothing, characters, settings-paint such a clear picture. I'm absolutely in love with this book!

In a Nutshell: A three-in-one historical fiction: a Rapunzel retelling, a real-life author’s fictionalised biography, and a witch’s origin story. The scope is thus wide and impressive, but also lengthy and complex. I liked the three stories (to varying degrees) but am not too happy with how they were structured and with the gratuitous adult content. Recommended to historical fiction readers, as long as you are okay with reading dark, R-rated sexual content and violence. (Take this last warning seriously; it gets very disturbing.)

Plot Preview:
1697. Versailles, France. Charlotte-Rose de la Force – always a great teller of stories, now banished by Louis XIV to the convent for going a step too far. She is not prepared for spartan novice life after all the years of palatial luxury, all the more as she isn't even Catholic but one of the persecuted Huguenots. When a fellow nun starts telling her a story to while away time when gardening, Charlotte-Rose finds herself enamoured.
The tale narrated by Sœur Seraphina to Charlotte is of a young Italian girl named Margherita, who was forced away from her parents for a handful of bitter greens and locked up in a tower by La Strega aka Selena Leonelli, who has her own reasons for doing so.
The content is presented as a story-within-a-story format, with Charlotte-Rose telling us her life story in first person, Seraphina narrating Margherita’s story to Charlotte-Rose in third person, and within this narrated story, Selena Leonelli telling her backstory to Margherita in first person. Understood? 👀

This book was first published in 2012, and has been reprinted several times since. The edition I read was published on 20th March 2025.
In all honesty, I grabbed this mainly because the blurb called it a dark retelling of Rapunzel. I haven’t ever read a retelling of this fairy tale and grabbed the chance. The novel does contain Rapunzel’s story but it is so much more than that!

Bookish Yays:
🍷 The little foreword on who actually wrote Rapunzel. I had assumed that it was a German fairy tale because of the Grimm Brothers. Nope!
🍷 The book is divided into multiple sections, each named after a part/type of musical composition. (I couldn’t figure out the reason for this but it was interesting to realise!) Each section begins with an excerpt from a version of Rapunzel by different writers.
🍷 Margherita’s story – The retelling of Rapunzel, though not exactly the same as the Madame de la Force version. Loved how well this retelling combines the fairy tale aspects with the historical setting and also liked the backstory of the long hair. My favourite of the three narratives. I wish it had had greater page space, especially as the book is promoted as a retelling.
🍷 Selena’s story – The shortest of the three tales, and possibly, the toughest to evaluate as it is tragic as well as devious. It’s difficult to decide what to call Selena – a villain or a victim. Either way, it was a powerful narrative.
🍷 The real-life inclusions – amazing! I’m impressed that two of the stories contains true-life content to some extent or the other, even though only one was based on an actual woman.
🍷 The historical content, spanning almost two hundred years and covering buildings, outfits, thought processes, social mores, and actual events. The research clearly shows! I especially loved Charlotte-Rose’s timeline in this regard for its detailed depiction of the Sun King’s autocratic declarations and his philandering behaviour, the general attitude of his courtiers, the persecution of the Huguenots, and the infamous “Affair of the Poisons”.
🍷 Just because Charlotte-Rose is the main heroine doesn’t mean that she is depicted as the victim of her situation. I loved her outspoken character and the honest depiction of her strengths and flaws. From whatever little I could find about her online, it looks like the book is quite precise about her scandalous behaviour.
🍷 The vocabulary! I love it when authors know how to use different words without making them appear like random substitutions from the thesaurus.
🍷 The ending, that links all narratives and also includes a real-life Easter egg. While I had already guessed a part of the reveal, I still liked how things were brought to a smooth close, with happy endings for the fairy tales and a realistic finish to the real-life story.
🍷 The Afterword, which lets us know Charlotte-Rose’s fate after the events of this story. I was quite grateful for this considerate and fascinating inclusion.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🩸 The idea of a triple nested narrative sounds great but it gets tricky as well. The story moves across multiple timelines for the same character, but not at regular intervals. Thus we might get a long section from Charlotte-Rose’s timeline, then a lengthy section from Margherita’s story, then back to Charlotte-Rose for a extended spell, jumping again to Margherita but maybe at another point in time… By the time we return to a character, we might even forget what happened the last time we met that character. A huge test of the memory, this! (If you plan to get to this on audiobook, you better be an avid audio listener. Not for audio newbies.)
🩸 Further to the above, because the three stories are so distinct to each other in tone and setting and era, it feels like we are reading three historical fiction novels at once. Each story is fabulous, but too independent in style to feel like part of the same novel.
🩸 Charlotte-Rose’s story – Gets the most page space as it is the dominant narrative inside which the other two rest. But in impact, it isn’t as strong as the other two ladies’ stories, though it has the most historical details. At times, it feels crammed with too much data.
🩸 The filter-free depiction of the historical periods. The treatment of women in all three timelines is especially frustrating to accept from this 21st century perspective. Moreover, the attitude of the royalty towards women in general, towards the Protestant Huguenots, and towards animals during hunts, are barbaric. These are mostly accurate representations of the time, even if they make for discomfiting reading. HOWEVER, some inclusions were too gratuitous and/or risqué. This MIGHT have been necessary in certain scenes such as those involving sexual assault, but the rest of the times, I found the writing become needlessly graphic (whether in terms of violence or sexual content.) One particular racy scene stretched on for multiple pages!
🩸 The pacing is inconsistent. As this is a character-driven novel, a slow pace is expected. But some events go by quickly and others take their own sweet time to move ahead. For such a lengthy book, this random tempo gets tedious.
🩸 La Strega’s first-person narrative doesn’t completely sound a verbal recollection, being too detailed. I loved the content of her storyline, but it might have worked better as an independent narrative instead of being framed as a conversational infodump by her to Margherita.

All in all, I am impressed by the concept, the research, the characters, and most of all, the triple historical bonanza. I just wish that the nested narrative structure had been better planned, and that the writing had toned down on the unnecessary “telling” of the historical cruelty towards women and animals. The fairy tale itself was disturbing, as was the fate of women under Louis XIV. There was no call for adding more darkness through unwarranted cruelty. Moreover, if the book is being promoted as a retelling, it might attract YA fairytale lovers as well, and many of the scenes are inappropriate for the younger YA segment. There should have been a clear warning in the blurb/cover about the R-rated stuff.
I am slightly torn over my rating for this book. The concept and research are mindblowing enough, and many of my Nays stem from my preferences. However, my reading experience did get much affected by the distressing adult scenes, so I shall be rounding my rating downwards.
3.5 stars.
My thanks to Allison & Busby for providing the DRC of “Bitter Greens” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

4.25/5 stars
~
If you are looking for a sweeping historical fiction book with complex characters, romance without it being the focus of the story, a vivid backdrop, and a bit of magic, add BITTER GREENS to your TBR!

🌹 France, 1697: Charlotte Rose—-a French noblewoman and writer whose sharp tongue and Huguenot heritage leads her to be confined to a convent. Chafing against societal restraints, she finds refuge in the garden, and with it, a magical tale.

🌹 Venice, 1599—Margherita’s father stole bitter greens from a witch, and if he does not want to lose his hands as a thief, he must trade over his daughter. Trapped in a tower, visited only by La Strega, she longs for a life of her own.

🌹 Venice, 1504—-Selena seeks refuge with a witch as her only way of surviving while also maintaining her independence. Her fears of abandonment and loss of control lead her down a dark path of self preservation. The “evil witch” in Rapunzel’s tale is stunningly human, complex, and sympathetic.

This story pulled on so many heartstrings as I watched each of the women fight to write their own story. I loved seeing how the different timelines came together! I also enjoyed the excerpts of poems and other Rapunzel literature interspersed with the chapters. My only complaint is lengthy portions were spent on each woman, so I had a hard time readjusting to the other timelines when they appeared again/remembering what had happened in their previous chapters.

Bitter Greens is an ambitious and intricately woven novel that combines history, fairy tale, and magic. It reimagines Rapunzel through the lens of historical fiction, centering on three women: Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force, the real-life writer of the fairy tale; Margherita, a young girl locked in a tower; and Selena Leonelli, the witch who holds her captive.

Forsyth’s writing is beautifully descriptive, and the historical settings—17th-century France and Renaissance Italy—are richly detailed. The novel explores themes of female resilience, power, and survival in a patriarchal world, which adds depth to the fairy tale elements.

However, the book isn’t without its flaws. The pacing is uneven, with some sections dragging, particularly in Charlotte-Rose’s storyline. While the multiple perspectives add complexity, they also slow the momentum at times. Additionally, some of the darker themes may not be for everyone, as certain parts of the story are quite grim.

Overall, Bitter Greens is an interesting and well-researched take on Rapunzel, but it didn’t fully captivate me. While the prose and historical detail are impressive, the slow pacing and occasionally heavy-handed storytelling made it a bit of a challenge to get through. Worth a read for fans of historical fiction and fairy tale retellings, but not a standout for me.

*Thank you to NetGalley, and Allison & Busby, for sending me a copy of this book and allowing me to read it. This review is left voluntarily and entirely my own opinion.*

A captivating book, quite 'spellbinding'!
I'm not normally a fan of 'fairytale re-tellings', but did enjoy this one, which was both interesting and compelling.
It was very difficult to put down, despite its length!
I was interested because of the Venice angle, which is a city I know well, including the history. I am most happy to report that this was obviously well-researched! The France sections were also indicative of a lot of research, and I was quite fascinated to read the information at the end of the book.
Despite all this 'research', the story was not dry, but was well crafted, with great characters. Although the setting and timeline jumped back and forth, it was clearly stated in the chapter headings and easy to follow. The different settings and characters made it clear that you were reading about a different thread, and each of the two places also had flashbacks. But I had no trouble at all following what was going on, and the many reveals were fascinating.
I do recommend this book to those who love fantasy, history, and those like me who just like a good story!

Bitter Greens was first published in 2012 but has been picked up again and republished by Allison & Busby. I’m not sure how it managed to escape my attention for the last 13 years but I do know that I didn’t hesitate to click that widget when lovely Josie Rushin offered it to me. Historical fiction combined with a fairy tale retelling? It couldn’t be more up my street!

Before long, I realised that my spidey senses had not let me astray: I truly loved Bitter Greens! I burned through those 500-something pages like there was no tomorrow.

Charlotte-Rose’s tale was fascinating, especially her time at the court of Louis XIV, which is a time period I haven’t often encountered in fiction and which had me captivated. Selena’s storyline, her time as a courtesan in 16th century Venice as well as her role as La Bella Strega (the Beautiful Witch), was equally engrossing. I do enjoy a good villain origin story, and you know it’s done well when you don’t just hate them, but you also feel empathy towards them. Margherita’s (Rapunzel’s) tale was executed perfectly in view of the other two storylines, reading more like historical fiction with some magical realism than a true fairy tale.

I had a brilliant time with Bitter Greens. I was invested in all three storylines and while they all came to a natural ending, I didn’t want any of them to actually end. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bitter Greens to readers of historical fiction.

Bitter Greens is out now with a shiny new cover from Allison & Busby.

Massive thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

What an unexpectedly enchanting read this was! Like the movie "Ever After" was the basis for the fable of Cinderella, so Bitter Greens is the mesmerizing retelling of Rapunzal and the true historical story of the author, Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force. The story opens in 1666 with Charlotte being involuntarily committed to a convent by the Sun King for her unacceptable behavior at Versailles. While in the convent, she reflects back on her life as she endures the difficult and sometimes cruel experiences there. She develops a friendship with Sour Serephina, who shares the fascinating story of the tale of Margherita, who is taken from her parents and imprisoned in a tower and Selena Leonelli, the witch. The book is a dark, adult retelling with a prose that doesn't shy away from the violence and despair that the women find themselves experiencing due to royal capriciousness, poverty and limited choices. And yet, there is beauty, love and redemption in the friendships, loyalty and mercies extended. There is magic, the plague, religious strife and royal court life based on history. The historical details demonstrate the author's research as she creates vivid images of the French and Italian cultures and decadence as well as the bitter poverty. The 3 women's stories intertwine seamlessly and while each character is flawed, they each develop and persevere in their circumstances. There is some sexual details and violence that can be hard to read, but isn't gratuitous in nature and aligns with the times and circumstances. There is some foul language, brief same sex attempt and court life debauchery that again resonates with history. The lush story telling creates suspense, an emotional roller coaster of hope and fear, and ends with a satisfying and surprising twist. I highly recommend this 4.5 rated book for those who love well crafted historical fiction, fleshed out fairy tales, can read through some dark scenes to find the beauty of love and redemption. A huge thank you to NetGalley and publisher Allison & Busby for the privilege of the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

There has been an increase in the number of fairytale retellings and fairytale inspired stories in recent years and I have loved so many of these novels.
As a result, I jumped at the opportunity to read Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth, a retelling of sorts of the well-known Rapunzel tale. In Bitter Greens, we have three separate strands to the tale:
Charlotte-Rose fe la Force - our author
Selena Leonelli - our villain
Margherita - our Rapunzel

The storyline jumps not just back and forth between these three characters but also in time as their stories and connections are slowly revealed. I was most intrigued by Margherita's tale and found myself becoming bored at times with the story of Charlotte as she was so self-focused.

This is a slow-burn story and worth your time. Especially for the stories of Selena and Margherita which are the most interesting.

I don’t know how to my describe my feelings about this book, it was certainly interesting but I don’t know that I would say it was an enjoyable read. For me, the pace was very slow and it did hop about different years, that I had to keep an eye on the dates to know where I was in the story. The author did a lot of research and I always appreciate that. This story featured three main women characters and the times they lived in did no favours for women. There was something about the story that I felt compelled to read to the end. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.