Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

The Blessed Girl it was really funny and intriguing at same time. I love the fact that its a lot happen in the girls life it keep me always wanting to read more from the book, also i love that the story its something very real so you can see yourself in certain circumstances. In the overall i would give this book 4 of 5 stars.

A fairly fun read, however it didn't live up to my expectations. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover but the book itself reads like something that would be self-published and available as a very cheap ebook. While there are some interesting concepts addressed in the story, the writing is a bit juvenile and that stopped me from engaging with the book properly.

The book is written in the witty manner, however it should be aimed for teenagers rather than adults. It is an easy read not requiring any mental effort.

There's quite a vibrant narrative voice here but the story, essentially a morality tale, feels done before: however much our protagonist tries to persuade us that she loves her bling lifestyle funded by the post-apartheid South African equivalents of rich, old, sugar daddies, we know there's more to her than this. The slippages seep through her story: the failed marriage to a lovely young doctor with a social conscience, the depression, the love for her brother.

The story mixes satirical social commentary with a kind of chic-lit vibe, and what lifts the whole thing is the Johannesburg background - the corruption in business, the wealth, the townships.

There are moments of almost slapstick comedy, combined with lots (and lots) of labels - but ultimately this is a harsh story of exploitation and abuse with a bittersweet ending.

I'm sure the plot is great and the characters are interesting but the writing is...gah, so much exposition. It's written a little like a teenager writing a biography. I cringed from the first few pages and really couldn't let it go. The lack of flow and of genuine voice in the writing takes you away from the story, which made me really sad, because I wanted to like it.

The concept of a Gold Digger and Sugar Daddy is not new but in South Africa the idea has morphed into something much more dangerous as high school girls have caught on to this trend.

The phenomena of the Blesser (old man with money) and the Blessee (beautiful young woman) has become so prevalent that even our government has taken notice stating that “young girls feel the pressure to be part of something luxurious and the blesser trend is an easy trap to fall into”.

The Social Development MEC shared a message to older men who prey on young girls.
“We really want to say to the blessers that they should stop it. What if it was your child?”

In a country where there is a massive divide between the haves and the have nots it’s not surprising that this trend is so widespread.

This book shines a light on this trend and even though the story is wrapped up in a light easy reading package, don’t let it fool you, this book has many layers. It also touches on very serious issues like drug abuse, AIDS and depression making this a book with a bit more substance than its initial impression.