readingwithhippos's review against another edition
3.0
I’ll admit, at first blush I wasn’t sold on Retta’s memoir even though I love Parks and Rec more than any other show in the history of ever. There’s a lot of page space spent on topics I don't personally care about. Designer handbags? Duke University? Keurigs? Meh. But then the last chapter was about her Hamilton obsession, and I officially bought in. This is pretty much a standard celebrity memoir—a little about her life growing up, stories of her struggles and challenges trying to make it in Hollywood, and snapshots of what her daily life is like now. It’s the kind of book you read when you’re in the mood for something light and fun, and maybe a little voyeuristic. I always like to do books like this in audio because when people act for a living, you know their delivery will be on point.
vibecalledjess's review against another edition
4.0
This was so fun! I had the book from the library but had to hear the audio of Retta reading her book, and it’s a must if you loved her like I did on Parks & Rec. Also she confirms the power of social media - never underestimate the power of your own voice. Fun read!
kristen_eden's review against another edition
4.0
Fun, funny, and light. Definitely go audiobook on this one.
coverjudger's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! Most of the memoirs I read are by people I don’t know but have kickass cover art. I have known Retta from P&R and her new show Good Girls. I loved learning about her life and hearing how she went from living in a two bedroom apartment with 6 people to killing the game. It is filled with great stories and because she’s a comedian they are often comical but also great advice. I loved reading about her obsessions because even though I couldn’t care less about hockey, she loves it so much you just care about how much she cares about it. Black girl magic at its finest!
bookscreentalk's review against another edition
4.0
Know her from parks and recreation fame. Her accent itself makes me laugh. Hilarious.
Surprisingly, we have something in common which was revealed towards the end of the book. Our obsession over Hamilton, the musical :)
Surprisingly, we have something in common which was revealed towards the end of the book. Our obsession over Hamilton, the musical :)
flying_monkeys's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
"stop wasting time fearing the worst. Living through the worst is never as hard as fearing it. Fight the fear and go do what you gotta do. That's what you came here for."
Being a big fan of Parks & Rec (my personality is more like a mix of Ron and April than Donna), I had to read Retta's essay collection. She didn't disappoint!
Retta's personality jumps off the page and her enthusiasm for her passions is contagious. This collection feels very much like she's sitting across the table telling you about her adventures. I don't even like carrying a purse, so collecting ($15,000) designer handbags is not my thing. Nor is coffee or football or hockey. But her stories are entertaining and funny, which is what I had expected from this book.
My favorite essay is "Membership Has Its Privileges" in which Retta recounts meeting Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba. But I also appreciated the first essay's message about talking oneself out of big opportunities.
4.5 stars
I bet the audio version is even better!
Being a big fan of Parks & Rec (my personality is more like a mix of Ron and April than Donna), I had to read Retta's essay collection. She didn't disappoint!
Retta's personality jumps off the page and her enthusiasm for her passions is contagious. This collection feels very much like she's sitting across the table telling you about her adventures. I don't even like carrying a purse, so collecting ($15,000) designer handbags is not my thing. Nor is coffee or football or hockey. But her stories are entertaining and funny, which is what I had expected from this book.
My favorite essay is "Membership Has Its Privileges" in which Retta recounts meeting Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba. But I also appreciated the first essay's message about talking oneself out of big opportunities.
4.5 stars
I bet the audio version is even better!
ela_lee_'s review against another edition
3.0
Welp…This is the first time I’ve ever read someone’s autobiography and liked them LESS afterwards. My first red flag was an entire chapter listing her favorite purse brands and telling us about the time she dropped $15,000 on a bag. She straight up encourages people to splurge on materialistic items claiming you’ll regret it if you don’t. Overall, I found her to be incredibly wasteful, greedy, and consumerist. It also seems like she never grew out of her high school Mean Girls phase. Retta was still fighting people in college? Throwing drinks and causing scenes at parties and continues to laugh about it? That’s not funny…it’s embarrassing.
I can’t even count how many names were dropped in this book; she idolizes celebrities to a fault and is completely obsessed with the idea of Hollywood. (Great, I guess she’s in the right place.) I was just hoping for something deeper. If anything, I was more curious about her African upbringing and more stories about how she got started.
I am glad I listened to the audiobook instead of reading, because most of the funny parts come from the inflection and drama in her voice that I imagine didn’t translate on paper. I give the book 3 stars since it wasn’t slow to read, but I’d give her personality 2 stars.
I can’t even count how many names were dropped in this book; she idolizes celebrities to a fault and is completely obsessed with the idea of Hollywood. (Great, I guess she’s in the right place.) I was just hoping for something deeper. If anything, I was more curious about her African upbringing and more stories about how she got started.
I am glad I listened to the audiobook instead of reading, because most of the funny parts come from the inflection and drama in her voice that I imagine didn’t translate on paper. I give the book 3 stars since it wasn’t slow to read, but I’d give her personality 2 stars.
sab4's review against another edition
4.0
A previous reviewer wrote the book gets good after the first six chapters and I'd agree. This was a quick, easy, and breezy read. I wasn't all too familiar with Retta beforehand but I was drawn by her story and background. The Duke references and homages really helped guide me along as an alumna as well. Overall, a nice and relaxing read.
nlindberg's review against another edition
4.0
After watching her host Ugliest House in America and getting to see her personality outside of her acting jobs, I went straight to Libby to grab the audiobook from my library. I love when a celebrity narrates their own book and Retta has a great voice to listen to, so I highly suggest this on audio. Retta is a gem. I can relate to her on many levels and hearing her tell her stories felt like I was sitting and chatting with a friend.