... Yes, the evil that I speak of is Take a Break magazine. I can hear your shocked gasps, the sheer and utter disbelief that there is a soul under the age of 65 who will publicly confess to an addiction which makes Kate Moss' look like a minor stumble off the path of righteousness. However, ... Read review
Play your favourite puzzle games: Crosswords, Codebreaker, Sudoku and more.100s of hours ... more
of puzzling play--play to become the Puzzle Master.Adjustable difficulty level, with 10 different difficulty settings and hints and tips to help.Track your progress and unlock hidden games as you make your way from novice to master.See your progress rewarded with awards and trophies.Freestyle mode, puzzles at your own pace youre in control.
Postage & Packaging:Free! Availability:Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Take A Break's Puzzle Master is an enjoyable, entertaining and engaging puzzle game as you ... more
battle to become the ultimate Puzzle Master! Play your favourite puzzle games: Crosswords, Codebreaker, Sudoku and more!100s of hours of puzzling playPlay to become the Puzzle MasterAdjustable difficulty level, with 10 different difficulty settingsTrack your progress and unlock hidden games as you make your way from novice to masterSee your progress rewarded with awards and trophiesFreestyle mode, puzzles at your own pace - you're in controlHints and tips to help
Advantages: It's cheap. Disadvantages: It may turn your brain into a viscous liquid that will slowly seep out of your ears.
...that I speak of is Take a Break magazine. I can hear your shocked gasps, the sheer and utter disbelief that there is a soul under the age of 65 who will publicly confess to an addiction which makes Kate Moss' look like a minor stumble off the path of righteousness. However, I feel that acknowledging my 'problem' amongst friends will be the first step on what will no doubt be a long and arduous slog to recovery (and the return of Vanity Fair to my ... ...into the murky world of Take a Break, shall we?
Take a Break is published weekly (my issue's from the 19th January) by H Bauer Publishing, who should really know better. It costs the princely sum of 76 pence, and is available everywhere you find middle-aged women and pensioners doing their shopping. And what exactly does 76 hard earned pence buy you in the way of bottom of the barrel journalism? Well, you'll be glad you asked, because ... more
Once upon a time, my dear and lovely friends, I was like you. I read respectable magazines; I'd even go so far as to say that some of them were 'cool'. My coffee table warmly embraced Marie Claire, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Face. Visitors to my house were impressed by the quality articles, the cutting edge photography, the current events reportage.
But no more. As of the last few months I have consigned myself to a hell which is entirely of my own creation. Yes, the evil that I speak of is Take a Break magazine. I can hear your shocked gasps, the sheer and utter disbelief that there is a soul under the age of 65 who will publicly confess to an addiction which makes Kate Moss' look like a minor stumble off the path of righteousness. However, I feel that acknowledging my 'problem' amongst friends will be the first step on what will no doubt be a long and arduous slog to recovery (and the return of Vanity Fair to my coffee table). With that thought in mind, lets press on and delve into the murky world of Take a Break, shall we?
Take a Break is published weekly (my issue's from the 19th January) by H Bauer Publishing, who should really know better. It costs the princely sum of 76 pence, and is available everywhere you find middle-aged women and pensioners doing their shopping. And what exactly does 76 hard earned pence buy you in the way of bottom of the barrel journalism? Well, you'll be glad you asked, because I'm about to investigate on your behalf (with no thought to the damage this kind of idle perusal could do my already addiction-weakened self. Nothing if not selfless, me).
On the front cover we have a large photo of an unknown blonde girl, surrounded by tantalising teasers of the stories contained within. With titles like 'Mastectomy Mum Gives Birth; Now I'll Fight My Cancer' and 'My Lover And His Mistress', how could you not want to read on? Inside the cover we have 'Take a Break Street' - a section where (seemingly exclusively menopausal) women grab the opportunity to send in photos of themselves, their families and their pets doing utterly random things in the desperate hope that someone, somewhere might be interested. Case in point, this week's issue contains a photo of a pug dressed up as Dracula (I kid you not), a baby sleeping on a dog, and some pensioners holding umbrellas.
Next up we're into the good stuff - the stories. In this issue Suzanne Peters seems genuinely shocked that her lover was two-timing her. I fail to see how this can be a total surprise, bearing in mind that she's evidently a bit of a moan and has a face like a well slapped a*se. Next up is a story entitled 'Mastectomy Mum Gives Birth', which does exactly what it says on the tin really.
After this comes my favourite bit - the 'Brainwaves Roadshow'. This is where bored and possibly lobotomised housewives feel the need to share their handy household hints. This week we have Lynn Newsham who recommends turning motorbike crash helmets into unusual hanging baskets and says, 'Passers-by always comment on our unique hanging baskets'- oh, they certainly do Lynn, and their comments generally involve the words 'demented' and 'will die alone with only 17 cats for company'. Also featured in this section of unparalleled genius is advice on how to get leaf marks out of car upholstery (use toothpaste), how to remember your mobile number (get it inscribed on a dog tag, or alternately and for the less mind-numbingly stupid amongst us, store it in your phone's memory) and how to stop paint cans leaving nasty marks on the carpet (use toothpaste - no, not really, I jest. Put them inside a carrier bag).
The next chunk of the magazine is occupied by the 'Mum's Army' bit. You'd be forgiven for thinking that this was some kind of UKGold reworking of the terrifically bad TV show, 'Dad's Army', but no. It is, in fact, Take a Break's incredibly self-important attempt to start a new political party, composed entirely of, that's right, you guessed it, mums. They're so worried about 'yob culture' that they've even managed to get a candidate onto BBC2's 'The Daily Politics'. Must have been a slow news day, then. They've handily included a candidate list should the urge to vote for any of them completely overwhelm you. I'm aware that I'm setting the Feminist movement back about 30 or so years here, but the vast majority are unsmiling butch heifers who wouldn't look out of place on Prisoner Cell Block H.
Returning to the stories and we've got one about a woman who didn't know her boyfriend was a rapist, some sisters who shopped their dad for being a paedophile, a girl who fell in love with a man dressed in a tiger suit, a mum who died, a surprise baby, a baby who died, a man who was killed by reckless drivers and a man whose wife died. To summarise, an awful lot of dead or dying people. Sandwiched in-between all of this is a handy health section which features, amongst other things, the very dandy Dr Knott who deals with someone who is in proud possession of a rectal polyp ('proud' may be the wrong adjective there, 'dismayed' may well be more appropriate) and a person who feels like there's something crawling in her armpit (words fail me). There's also a recipe section, a lot of puzzles, a beauty SOS and a makeover clinic where 2 middle-aged women with bad hair in drab clothes become 2 middle-aged women with bad hair in dresses.
Good grief, I've left out the holiday review section (Florida - it's really quite nice. Apparently), David Hale's true secrets (agony section with a resigned looking bloke in a cardigan), horoscopes, an advert for the army, fashion special (this week featuring a selection of knitwear which my gran wouldn't have been seen dead in), Coffee Break Fiction which is just too, too awful for words and the letters section at the end where there seems to be no stopping middle-aged women from writing in and drivelling on pointlessly, often along the theme, 'Oooh, my husband's a right card. Once he tried to do the ironing and knocked it all over. Men, eh?'
In summary, Take A Break is journalism at it's absolute worst. You will not learn anything from this magazine, it isn't particularly visually pleasing, the puzzles are so easy as to be laughable and you are likely to face some very derisory comments from anyone who happens to spot it in your house. And yet it's bizarrely compelling and has a high readership. And I, to my eternal shame, read it (that'll end soon though. I'm now on step 2 of the 12-step programme and I'm feeling strong). I can only explain its incredible popularity by the following: - It's very cheap. - It's the magazine equivalent of Last of the Summer Wine - there is absolutely no higher order brain function required to plough through it. - The stories tend to feature a lot of the dregs of humanity and/or people with horrible diseases which is appealing in the 'well, at least I'm not as badly off as THEM' sense. - Unlike other magazines of a similar ilk, there is no 'Poet's Corner' section. I simply cannot emphasise how much of a blessing this is. There is nothing worse than a bored woman with waaay too much time on her hands who feels that the absolute best way to express herself is through poorly punctuated poetry which is contrived and doesn't scan.
Go on, have a read - it'll make me feel less alone and if nothing else you'll find a whole host of unusual uses for toothpaste.
Advantages: Cheap, Good Read, Variety Disadvantages: Similar Stories Every So Often, Can Be A Bit Far Fetched!
...figure and hollow cheekbones, no, Take A Break take a bit more of a 'real' woman's image, thankfully.
The cover is also emblazoned with previews of the stories inside and for the purposes of my Ciao review I have taken the cover stories of the May 31 issue, so you may get a feel of the type of stories covered in Take A Break:
'3 Days In Hell' 'The Naughty Nurse Awards- She Showed My Tony Her Bedside Manner'
Readers Reality:
'Dad Got Better To ... ...right hand corner.
INSIDE TAKE A BREAK:
On the inside cover the reader can find a helpful index which is split into sections:
Your Lives
Your Health & Vitality
Your Looks
Your Favourites
Your Dream Holiday Your Prize Puzzles
The cover stories are all marked with a * against them in the index, so if you are looking for a particular story, then it is easy to find.
Aside from real life stories, what else will you find in Take a Break?, well, ...
memphisto_chick 05.06.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Advantages: A good read, true life stories, fiction stories,win competitions, cheap as chips Disadvantages: may not want to put down!
Take a Break (TaB)
-----------------------
This is a great magazine for women, but ladies hide your copy from your hubby/bf or you'll find all the puzzles done before you get your hands on it!
At 74p (this has slowly gone up in price over the last couple of years) This is still a cheap price for everything you get packed into one magazine
This is a weekly magazine which is available every Thursday from your local newsagents, or buy in your weekly ... ...can ask your newsagent to deliver it for you (ideal if you are not able to get to shops often)
Ok now for the regular features of the mag
---------------------------------------------------
• As you open the magazine to the inside cover and next page you will find a double page of photos that have been sent in by readers, These are often funny and interesting to look at, especially if like me you are a nosy sod hehe.
• There are then ...
missy0303 03.10.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Advantages: Stories by real people Disadvantages: Advertisements
I started reading Take A Break from the very first issue and haven`t missed an issue since. This is the only magazine that I read with regularity and at 66p it`s well worth every penny.
The reason I like this magazine is because it`s full of stories about real people and real lives. Most other women`s magazines are full of stories about celebrities and what`s happening in the soaps, all articles that you will have read in other such magazines.
... ...Another good thing about Take A Break is the lack of tacky sex articles and surveys, you won`t find many of these in here.
All in all an excellent read at a fairly cheap price, I truly recommend you give it a try.
Ps For the people who want to know, no I haven`t won a bean. :0( ...
sue26 22.10.2001 (24.10.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Advantages: Good Value, Entertaining Disadvantages: n/a
...you may ask.. well it's Take a Break day. This is a magazine which is out every Thursday and unlike a lot of magazines it's interesting, it seems to have filled a niche in the market which was desperately needed, unlike most magazines it is not full of fashion tips, make up tips, how to do the house work tips yawn. So what does it contain you may ask well let me tell you.
TRUE STORIES
**************
Jerry Springer eat your heart out you will never ... ...issue.
Take a break has stories about real life in it some will make you cry, some will make you laugh, happy or sad but the thing is they are real storys about real people. For example:
People write in telling tales of how their hubby/wife ran off with their best friend or how they have got revenge. But on the serious side some stories are about how people have overcome adversity these stories can be quite moving because it can range from someone ...
SMAGGS76 15.08.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Advantages: Loads of competitions, good fshions advice, some great stories Disadvantages: .....some not so great stories, never win the comps :-(
Take a Break is by far my favorite weekly magazine. I used to buy Heat and OK Magazines religiously every week but grew tired of their usual celebrity drivel and so looked for a more fulfilling alternative. I had never really considered Take a Break. I always thought it was a magazine more suited to the 'older generation' and presumed it would include the latest knitting patterns and 101 useful things to do with your doilies. Why I had that impression, ... ...The 'first' week I bought Take a Break. I didn't buy any others after that!....
**Why did I choose Take a Break first?**
My local Asda, where I buy all of my magazines from have a vast selection of magazines from parenting mags to Fishing. Although I did a bit of fishing in my younger days at the local grotty pond with my dad, that type of magazine just isn't my cup of tea - I'd rather not discuss the finer points of Rainbow Trout, thank you! I ...
jayandfoo 16.06.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Value for money
Quality of journalism
Quality of features
Quantity of advertising
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Take a Break"
Advantages: cheap, lots of stories and puzzles Disadvantages: not high chances of winning the prizes due to amount of readers!
I having been buying Take a Break for as long as I can remember. Every week I buy it with the intentions of doing the puzzles and sending the little form off but I often miss the deadline and end up thinking ''I'll do it with next weeks issue!''
However nowthe magazine have started allowing you to enter online - brilliant! Now I never miss an issue! I'ts an easy system to use simply by registering once and then every week to enter all you need to do is log in and select which issue you are entering and then inout the answers from all the quizzes into each little box provided and click submit! bob's your uncle!
Anyway for those who aren't familiar with this weekly magazine let me give you an insight into it.
The magazine was started in March 1990 so already has been around for a staggering 17 years and is edited by a Mr John ...
frankiecesca 18.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Advantages: Really good real life stories & some fab recipes Disadvantages: The chance of winning a competition is very low
I work on average 6 days out of 7 and work some really strange shifts so when it comes down to my hour long break a day I really don't know what to do with myself.
As a child I used to always get a copy of Shout magazine from my gran she used to buy me one from the local paper shop and give it to me every Tuesday when I stayed at her house but as I grew older I got really bored if it and wanted some thing new to focus my attention on so I started reading my mums Take a Break and I loved it! It was always full of competitions (which I loved) and real life stories that where really interesting. After that I became totally hooked and now I get my gran to get the magazine for me every Monday they night I now sleep round.
HOW MUCH and WHERE FROM?
You can pick up a copy of Take a Break from any decent newsagent or from anywhere that ...
gemax2 06.11.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
Advantages: Great reading at a great price Disadvantages: None
I would say that this has to be one of the best weekly magazines available. Each new edition is available every Thursday from all good newsagents or supermarkets.
The magazine starts with a double page feature called Take a Break Street which is full of readers photographs and funny captions, a great mix is found here from cute to funny. The page also has the magazne contents.
Going on through the magazine we have loads of great stories. All of the stories featured are from real readers and have real names and photos. I do find that the majority of the stories are about illness and death but do show how couragious people are in overcoming their problems. Take a Break do pay a fee for every story used and published.
They have a page called the Brainwaves roadshow which is full of ideas and solutions from readers, things you might find ...
sewbizzie 03.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Take a Break
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