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imalahakhund's review
dark
fast-paced
3.5
While the details can be a bit hard to stomach for some, this is the kind of transparency and vulnerability I have come to like in memoirs.
Very interesting and well written book detailing a woman's struggle with her body, her self-worth, her addictive patterns and tendencies towards porn, masturbation and sex leading to self-sabotaging behaviors towards herself and also towards seemingly working relationships.
When you hear about sex and pork addition, there is a general assumption that it's a men's problem, so the book does a pretty good job in dispelling the myth that this is a gender specific issue, especially now that excess to such content is widely accessible and freely available to all.
Though the book maybe good in providing "empathy" to someone going through similar stuff, I am not sure if it provides "answers" or "solution", although Garza doesn't claims to be "cured" or anything but just saying...recommend to those who are curious to read about human behaviors and are not bothered by explicit content in memoirs.
Very interesting and well written book detailing a woman's struggle with her body, her self-worth, her addictive patterns and tendencies towards porn, masturbation and sex leading to self-sabotaging behaviors towards herself and also towards seemingly working relationships.
When you hear about sex and pork addition, there is a general assumption that it's a men's problem, so the book does a pretty good job in dispelling the myth that this is a gender specific issue, especially now that excess to such content is widely accessible and freely available to all.
Though the book maybe good in providing "empathy" to someone going through similar stuff, I am not sure if it provides "answers" or "solution", although Garza doesn't claims to be "cured" or anything but just saying...recommend to those who are curious to read about human behaviors and are not bothered by explicit content in memoirs.
amjammi's review against another edition
2.0
Notwithstanding the sex/porn addiction, she has lived a privileged life, with what seems like a lot of travel, very little work, and very few consequences.
dogeared88's review against another edition
4.0
I never. EVER. Ok, fine.
I RARELY finish non fiction, so it was really neat to get to the end of this one. We need more transparency in life
I RARELY finish non fiction, so it was really neat to get to the end of this one. We need more transparency in life
lauraew333's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
To preface, I've never reviewed anything like this before. Normally, I review relatively clean books and I've never reviewed anything that directly confronts sex and porn like this book does. When a representative from Simon & Schuster approached me for a potential review, however, I felt that it was an important topic to take on. I'd also like to mention, that if you are someone who suffers from this same addiction, a trigger warning is in order. I would also suggest 18+.
1. The content (the journey itself). The first portion of the blurb is beyond true. This book offers a good long look through a window into the house of sex addiction and it's probably a house not many have seen unless they've become trapped into the house themselves. Quite honestly, I found myself crying at one point because what the author has chosen to reveal is heartbreaking. Personally, I don't know too much about addiction of any kind so the feelings the author expresses are all new to me. She walks you through her shame and guilt and feelings of worthlessness which is so hard to read. I think Garza did a fantastic job of illuminating her personal struggle through these feelings and her journey of coming to understand herself and accept herself.
2. The cultural implications. One aspect I'd like to mention before I get to far into this review are the cultural implications of a woman addressing her own sex addiction. As Garza states in the book (and backs up with evidence), sex addiction is often seen as a man's problem and one that isn't really taken too seriously (at least, not as seriously as drug or alcohol addiction) and it isn't as nearly widely publicized for many reasons. Our culture today is still struggling to break free of the idea that only a man's pleasure counts during sex and sex is predominantly a man's world. This novel addresses this in several scenes which I found to be particularly relevant.
3. The big picture. The only large issue I had with the book was, in fact, the big picture. The blurb promises a book that will link the struggles of one woman to the larger issue of sex addiction itself and how the Internet plays into this. While Garza does refer to several studies and mentions these big picture ideas once or twice, I found the supposed connection flimsy and inadequate. Her personal narrative is compelling, but her connection with the rest of the puzzle wasn't enough for me.
The Final Verdict:
Though this is different from anything else I've read, I'm glad to have experienced it. The narration is poignant and very near flawless though the focus seemed to be only on a single puzzle piece.
4 stars
To preface, I've never reviewed anything like this before. Normally, I review relatively clean books and I've never reviewed anything that directly confronts sex and porn like this book does. When a representative from Simon & Schuster approached me for a potential review, however, I felt that it was an important topic to take on. I'd also like to mention, that if you are someone who suffers from this same addiction, a trigger warning is in order. I would also suggest 18+.
1. The content (the journey itself). The first portion of the blurb is beyond true. This book offers a good long look through a window into the house of sex addiction and it's probably a house not many have seen unless they've become trapped into the house themselves. Quite honestly, I found myself crying at one point because what the author has chosen to reveal is heartbreaking. Personally, I don't know too much about addiction of any kind so the feelings the author expresses are all new to me. She walks you through her shame and guilt and feelings of worthlessness which is so hard to read. I think Garza did a fantastic job of illuminating her personal struggle through these feelings and her journey of coming to understand herself and accept herself.
2. The cultural implications. One aspect I'd like to mention before I get to far into this review are the cultural implications of a woman addressing her own sex addiction. As Garza states in the book (and backs up with evidence), sex addiction is often seen as a man's problem and one that isn't really taken too seriously (at least, not as seriously as drug or alcohol addiction) and it isn't as nearly widely publicized for many reasons. Our culture today is still struggling to break free of the idea that only a man's pleasure counts during sex and sex is predominantly a man's world. This novel addresses this in several scenes which I found to be particularly relevant.
3. The big picture. The only large issue I had with the book was, in fact, the big picture. The blurb promises a book that will link the struggles of one woman to the larger issue of sex addiction itself and how the Internet plays into this. While Garza does refer to several studies and mentions these big picture ideas once or twice, I found the supposed connection flimsy and inadequate. Her personal narrative is compelling, but her connection with the rest of the puzzle wasn't enough for me.
The Final Verdict:
Though this is different from anything else I've read, I'm glad to have experienced it. The narration is poignant and very near flawless though the focus seemed to be only on a single puzzle piece.
4 stars
thematinee's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. A paper boat launched into the water in the hopes that it will reach anyone who has ever looked in the mirror and felt themselves to be "lesser". Deeply confessional, often tragic, always honest.
scaryslut's review against another edition
4.0
She has a ton of really valuable things to say about codependency, fears of intimacy, addiction in general, & trauma. Extremely worth while read, would recommend to anyone struggling with intimacy issues, addictions, or anyone looking to heal their relationship with sex & their body.