Review: Chill Out and Cheer Up by Grace Grossmann

Title: Chill Out and Cheer Up: A Ten-Step Guide
Author: Grace Grossmann
Genre: Nonfiction, Self Help, Mental Health
Find it on: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon BE
Rating: 5/5★

You're on your healing journey. You've done the work.

The journaling. The yoga. Therapy. Even the green smoothies. The late nights researching how to feel better. But some days, guilt still creeps in the moment you think you should be doing more.

You've survived a world built on hustle, comparison, and burnout. You've played by the rules, and now you're asking the bigger questions: What's my purpose? What actually brings me joy? Who am I outside of everything I've been told to be?

You deserve to chill out and cheer up — not stress out and give up.

Grace knows exactly how you feel — because she has lived every word of this book.

She has been through the burnout, the self-doubt, grief, the anxiety, and the quiet desperation of trying to hold it all together while falling apart inside. She has navigated the systems that told her to keep going, keep achieving, keep shrinking — until she finally stopped, breathed, and chose herself instead.

Grace wrote this book because she needed it first. And now she is handing it to you.

"This is your very own portable wellness coach" — a warm, no-guilt companion that meets you exactly where you are, not where you think you should be. Whether you are five minutes into your healing journey or five years in, these pages will remind you that your peace was never something you had to earn.

Inside, you'll discover

• Practical, bite-sized tools you can apply to your life immediately
• Simple mindset shifts to quiet the inner critic and silence the guilt
• Strategies for managing stress, building resilience, and bouncing back
• A fresh perspective on personal growth that feels human, not hustle-driven
• Real guidance to reconnect with your purpose and rediscover what lights you up
• Daily encouragement to build healthy habits — without the pressure and with an eJournal

Readers are calling it a game-changer:

"From the first page, it pours out so much positivity and encouragement. The author has a remarkable way of breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-understand, bite-sized pieces that are immediately applicable to everyday life. Each chapter is filled with insights that helped me shift my mindset and approach challenges with a new perspective."

[5 stars] Verified Purchase · United States

"An uplifting read that will leave you feeling empowered and ready to take on whatever life throws your way. I find myself returning to certain sections time and again for a boost of motivation and encouragement."

[5 stars] Verified Purchase · United States

This is not another book telling you to hustle harder, wake up earlier, or become someone you are not. This is Grace permitting you to breathe. To rest. To remember that you are already worthy of a joyful, peaceful, purpose-filled life. To treat yourself with grace and slow down your pace.

You are not broken. You are not behind. Your peace and power have been inside you all along.

It's time to chill out, cheer up, and come home to yourself.

I first read Chill Out and Cheer Up five years ago in 2021 (seriously, where does the time go?!), but when I learned that Grace Grossmann had released a revised edition, I knew I had to read it again. And I'm so happy to say that I enjoyed it even more the second time around. I even bought myself a physical copy so I could highlight with some bright colors and annotate the book a little. I had so much fun with this that I ended up reading it in one single sitting!

I feel like taking care of yourself whether it's mentally or physically has become even more important in 2026. I know I've been working even more on it. Life can be hard in so many ways, which is why I think we need books just like this one.

One of the things I appreciated most about this revised edition is how open and honest the author is. She didn't shy away from letting her readers know that even she goes through hard times, as we all do. It only shows that we're all just human, that no one has everything figured out all the time, nor do we need to. I also loved how she added comments in italics as a reflection on what she wrote five years ago. These were really great to read!

I enjoyed rereading all the tips and tricks that I found helpful the first time around. Some of them I still practice to this day, while others I’d like to start implementing again like more positive thinking, connection with nature and maybe a little less scrolling on my phone.

Once again, I found Chill Out and Cheer Up: A Ten-Step Guide by Grace Grossmann inspiring and incredibly helpful. I just know that other readers won't regret picking it up and will get just as much out of it as I did.

About the author:

A passionate-driven mentor here to spread awareness on Mental Health and mindfulness after dealing with grief, heartbreaks, and mental breakdown. She aims to grace your life with positivity. Her books are “guides you don’t see every day but are like a conversation with a friend”.

Since losing her best friend at 21, she has honed her ability to lead with love. As a writer, well-being coach, yoga instructor, and kindergarten teacher, Grace believes we all have the power to lead a happy and healthy life. Her mission is to show people it is OK to not feel OK; emotional intelligence and healing can lead the way.

Her non-fiction books include humorous and humble accounts of Grace's spiritual journey to show that reality is always going to hit, but you can get through it. She connects with the reader in an encouraging and
lighthearted way through a steady flow of engaging content including practical exercises, food for thought, poems and good laughs.

Amazon | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Gorgon's Guide to Getting a Life by Ellen Meny

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read.
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A Gorgon's Guide to Getting a Life by Ellen Meny
Expected publication: May 11, 2027 by Ace

Sometimes your sisters won’t talk to you. And sometimes a goddess gives you snakes for hair and a lethal stare. And sometimes the only way you can face your demons is by leaving the cave you call home. . . even if the outside world is filled with idiots. Just another day in the life of a gorgon.

Fifteen years after Athena turned them into gorgons, Medusa and her sisters’ relationship has gone from inseparable to impossible. Euryale is annoyingly perfect, and Stheno has disappeared. Guilt-ridden and traumatized by the past, Medusa spends her days hiding in her cave, enduring patronizing visits from Eury, slamming a bottle of ouzo (or six), and turning wannabe heroes into stone. Fun!

But when some kid named Perseus tries to behead her to save his mother from a wicked king, Medusa sees an opportunity: take Perseus under her wing (literally), rescue his mother, and finally prove to her sister that she definitely has her life together. But the journey across Ancient Greece quickly brings fresh horrors: screeching, topless harpies hound their every move, a hot demigod keeps trying to kill her (or worse, date her), and Medusa’s newfound crew wants to…be friends. Ugh.

This gorgon’s got a decision to make: go back to her safe, sad life or finally take off the bedazzled sunglasses and face not only gods and monsters, but her worst enemy yet – herself.

I first came across this book on a post by Tammy at Books, Bones & Buffy. And of course I had to put it on my wishlist right away. Greek mythology, Medusa + it sounds hilarious. I can't wait to read it!

What book are you awaiting today?

Review: Slay by Jasmine Elmer

Title: Slay: Ancient legends of female slayers and the hidden mythology of dragons
Author: Jasmine Elmer
Publication: July 2, 2026 by John Murray Press
Genre: Nonfiction, Mythology
Find it on: Amazon | Kobo | Google Play | Waterstones
Rating: 4/5★

'A groundbreaking reclamation of the forgotten women who slay dragons. A must-read for dragon fans.' Professor Daniel Ogden

A seminal chronicle of the hidden history and mythology of female dragon slayers from ancient world expert and author of Goddess with a Thousand Faces Jasmine Elmer.

The dragon is a monster with a rich history of symbolism in almost every culture. In the stories that have been passed down through time, dragons lurk in the great wild, in dark, unknown and mysterious lands that exist on the periphery of human civilisation. Only the bravest of souls dare venture into the darkness to vanquish the dragon - and so often the tales have only shone light on the men. But what if there is so much more to this narrative?

Jasmine Elmer shifts the spotlight to the daring and victorious female dragon slayers that have been written out of history. Slayers such as the sorceress Medea. Combining historical research with mythological retelling, Slay is a celebration of the dragon - and the woman that conquered the monsters - that has never been done before.

Slay is a distinctive and revelatory historical and mythological exploration of dragons, the stories and cultures around them, and the fierce women who slayed them.

Praise for Goddess with a Thousand Faces

'Fascinating, fun and thoughtful and enlightening' Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

'A beautiful weave of history, myth and storytelling by one of our most exciting new classicists' Dan Snow, historian and TV presenter

'Gorgeous. Jasmine Elmer has a fierce passion for these women, and this shines through in her writing' Lizzy Tiffin, author of Bad Girls of Ancient Greece

'If you love history and feminist retellings, this is your next must-read' Rachel Blackmore, author of Costanza

'Jasmine Elmer's sparkling debut offers up a refreshing, inclusive and powerfully feminist manifesto for what it means to be a goddess, ancient and modern' Emily Hauser, author of Mythica

In Slay, classicist Jasmine Elmer uncovers the forgotten women who conquered dragons, blending history, mythology, and captivating storytelling. She gives these fierce female figures the recognition they deserve and revealing the hidden myths surrounding dragons across the world.

As someone who’s always loved learning about the forgotten women in history and mythology, I knew there was no way I wouldn’t enjoy this book. Add female dragon slayers to the mix and it was even more of a hit for me. I really liked how each chapter opened with a story told from the first-person perspective of a different female dragon slayer.

Elmer started with the Ancient Greek story of Medea, definitely the most famous one of the bunch. She then introduced Thákane from South African folklore, Tokoyo from Japanese tradition and concludes with the medieval Christian legend of Margaret of Antioch. My favorite out of these was the story of Thákane!

I loved how different these stories were and how they came from all over the world, yet they all shared the same theme of women overcoming whatever adversary lay in their path. Beyond these stories, I also really enjoyed Elmer’s exploration of dragon mythology and how dragons have been portrayed differently across cultures and around the world.

Overall, Slay: Ancient legends of female slayers and the hidden mythology of dragons was absolutely fascinating. It was my first book by Jasmine Elmer but it certainly won't be my last. I'm already looking forward to reading her prior book, Goddess with a Thousand Faces. Slay is definitely getting a spot on my favorites shelf!

About the author:

Jasmine Elmer is a mythologist and storyteller who brings ancient tales to life with a modern, feminist twist. Fascinated by the magical and the mystical, she dives into the worlds of goddesses, witches, slayers and rebels, showing how their stories still shape - and challenge - our own. With a background in ancient myth and history, Jasmine combines research with passion, breathing new life into myth and turning them into living manifestos of women’s power for a modern audience.

Her debut book, Goddess with a Thousand Faces, is a bold and lyrical journey through global goddess traditions, blending storytelling with historical insight to reclaim the sacred feminine. Her second book, Slay: Ancient Legends of Female Slayers and the Hidden Mythology of Dragons, champions forgotten female slayers and establishes them as emblems of strength, resistance, and liberation.

Of Pakistani and white heritage, Jasmine grew up in East London and now lives in Devon with her husband, son and five unapologetically adored cats. A passionate advocate of slow living, she spends her time meditating, enjoying nature and a savouring a sip of coffee.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads