Tattoos and TaTas

Chocoholics, Book 2.5

By: Tara Sivec

Narrated by: Amy McFadden

Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Claire and Liz have always had a friendship that defied the test of time, but when one of them is diagnosed with a disease that every woman fears, their bond is put through the wringer. How do you cope knowing your soul mate could be taken from you?

Filled with memories of their life-long friendship, inappropriate behavior, bad tattoos, and shaving cats, the two friends will realize that laughter really is the best medicine.

Tattoos and TaTas is not your typical love story; it's a story of friendship and learning how to let go when something is beyond your control.

©2014 Tara Sivec (P)2014 Tara Sivec

Super

The title alone was enough to intrigue me. We had listened to the Fool Me Once series and knew that the author had a great sense of humor. This book turned out to be all that I expected and more. The depth of the friendship between Claire and Liz touched me and reminded me that there is no one like your girl, no one you closer too, no one who'll stand by you without judgement like your best girl. Liz tells the story of their friendship beginning in their junior year of high school and moving through college years, an unplanned pregnancy, Liz finding falling in love, the births of their children and being business partners as well as best friends. Ironically the biggest threat to the long friendship of the two women comes from an event that usually brings friends closer together. This is a sweet, wonderful story and Amy McFadden does a great job as the narrator; this audiobook gets an unequivocal recommendation from me.

A New Perspective

What did you love best about Tattoos and TaTas?

It gave me a new perspective. I was the one with cancer, but it let me know how those around me were so profoundly affected by the diagnosis and aftermath.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Clare--I identified with her character.

What about Amy McFadden’s performance did you like?

Loved her voice inflections and ability to change her voice for the character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Clare called out Liz for not being there for her.

So good! Funny and touching all at the same time.

Loved it! I love the whole series! I think everyone should read or listen to it.

Just read it!

It teaches people to have the right attitude no matter what.. An irreverent version of Live, Laugh, Love or however you want to word it.

When life sucks, lift those up around you.

Also, the narrator is awesome.. :)

WONDERFUL....CLAIRE & LIZ BFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Tattoos and TaTas to be better than the print version?

It was awesome....but I just listened!

What other book might you compare Tattoos and TaTas to and why?

This was just a little xtra...it promoted breast cancer awareness and friendship...it was awesome!

What about Amy McFadden’s performance did you like?

I love Amy...she always delivers!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Maybe a lifetime movie....I hate this question....lol

Any additional comments?

Ahhh this was a funny tear jerker...and I loved it..Claire finds out she has breast cancer and Liz is having a really hard time with this...and so is Carter of course..but what Claire needs is her Bestie...of course she fights and wins..and gets a great new rack too...These women's friendship is special...and you got to see a little backstory... So well worth a listen!!

I RECOMMEND!! LOVED IT!!!!

Sometimes you just need a good laugh

Loved every moment of this novella, it had all the feel. Some heartfelt moments, and some down right laugh in the face of cancer.

Wish this was my family!

Tara, as always, tells a wonderful story filled with lots of raunchy laughs, beautiful friends and family and so much 💕 that it is sure to inspire all!

I'm a new Amy McFadden fan now!

Plot:
I’m a fan of the Chocoholics series, so I was happy to one-click book 2.5 in the series.

This was a good story that tackled a serious health issue without the reader feeling crazy weighed down. I could relate to Liz and her initial failure to live up to her best friend Claire’s expectation of support during her health crisis. I lost someone very close to me in 2014. I still remember how I thought optimistically and yet erroneously that she’d be fine in the end, that we’d all adjust eventually to her new normal after she got the health treatment and surgery she needed. I video chatted with her daily because I couldn’t travel out of state to support her in person. I rationalized that she had other family around her in person locally who wouldn’t be a sobbing mess like I would’ve been had I been there daily in the hospital. Instead, I talked to her nurses and to my family members for updates daily. And I prayed like crazy for the best possible outcome for her while trying to control my panic attacks. If I’d had a crystal ball, I certainly wouldn’t have taken the risk of never hugging my special someone again in person.

But in real life, we don’t get do-overs for health crises and things don’t always end well for the patient. I liked that author Tara Sivec acknowledged that fact in her “Note to Readers” in which she shared her own experience with losing her mom to leukemia in RL.

Fortunately for Liz, she got her head out of her bum after Claire set her straight with some “keeping it real talk.” Additionally, the flashbacks were nicely sprinkled in. Overall, this novella had a perfect amount of ridiculous moments to lighten and cushion how their circle of friends and family experienced Claire’s cancer diagnosis and recovery struggle. If only real life could play out as well as this for all those who have to fight a serious health crisis.

Audiobook narration gush:
Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an audiobook narrated by Amy McFadden. She was simply fantastic! I look forward to discovering more stories narrated by her.

Cancer dramedy

There’s very little romance here, other than the flashbacks to how their couple’s goals began. This instead takes a detour with the parental group in the Chocoholics series, as Liz deals with breast cancer.
There’s equal parts drama and comedy here. We should all be so lucky to have such family and friends.