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13braincellsonly's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It was exactly what the title states: a Raw Journey to Self-Love. It was a roller coaster ride that brought an array of emotions. I love watching Jonathan Van Ness on the show Queer Eye and I absolutely wanted to hear his story, specifically from the author himself. I'm very glad I made the choice to not only read this book, but listen to Jonathan give the narration. He told his story in such an inspiring way that was empowering while also giving the reader pause to reflect about their own journey. I was rooting for him the entire book, through all of the soaring ups and the very lows. I highly recommend this book to my fellow Queer Eye lovers, but also to anyone who is looking for a gorgeous memoir about a gorgeous person that will absolutely enthrall you.
kendramantz's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, maybe JVN isn’t the best writer. But this book was so candid, honest, raw, and heartfelt that I didn’t care. I’ve watched all of queer eye and actually saw JVN on his standup tour last year, but I still learned so much about him in this book that makes me love him even more. His book and his voice are so important for learning self-love and destigmatizing so many negative stereotypes. I recommend.
whimsical_pixel's review against another edition
I don't like to judge this kind of books, because it is his life and he can chose how the shares it - so I am assuming the position I saw in another review and stop giving stars to memoirs/autobiographies.
Jonathan is a good narrator - he narrates his story as he is talking to you directly and I liked that. I also appreciated that in some points of the book you can listen to the emotion in his voice... However, Jonathan is Jonathan, so I think he's too bubbly when narrating some events....
However, he has an amazing life-story that I wished he had told us more about...
Jonathan is a good narrator - he narrates his story as he is talking to you directly and I liked that. I also appreciated that in some points of the book you can listen to the emotion in his voice... However, Jonathan is Jonathan, so I think he's too bubbly when narrating some events....
However, he has an amazing life-story that I wished he had told us more about...
aschwartau's review against another edition
5.0
I did NOT know whether or not I would enjoy this (audio)book or not because (a) I didnt know who he was and had never even heard him talk and (b) I have not seen a single frame of the new Queer Eye show. So why read this book, you say? Well, I love memoirs, I love celebrity memoirs, it was recommended to me by several people, and I'm revisiting the IFS therapy model and someone said he talks about it in his book, which I found interesting since I've never really seen the IFS model discussed anywhere in the mainstream outside of the movie Inside Out.
When I first started listening to the book, I was worried his 'over the top' persona might start to rub annoying at some point, or all of his flip little "honey"s and verbal quirks. But very quickly, his story sucked me in and his willingness to show vulnerability in the sharing of his life story endeared him to me. I loved this memoir so much and am now really interested in trying out the show! JVN has a new fan!
My only real criticism is that for a book whose opening chapter discusses the IFS model and his various "parts", implying the whole book would be structured on discussing his various parts, it doesn't really refer back to his 'parts' very often. When they did pop up it was like "oh, right! Totally forgot you had kicked things off talking about that." I think a little more could have been done to tie the narrative into the conceit that had been brought up in the opening chapter. And he ended too many sentences with "honey", lol. In the audio version, this came off forced; starting the sentences with 'honey' would have felt more natural in most of those instances.
But seriously, this is a fantastic memoir.
When I first started listening to the book, I was worried his 'over the top' persona might start to rub annoying at some point, or all of his flip little "honey"s and verbal quirks. But very quickly, his story sucked me in and his willingness to show vulnerability in the sharing of his life story endeared him to me. I loved this memoir so much and am now really interested in trying out the show! JVN has a new fan!
My only real criticism is that for a book whose opening chapter discusses the IFS model and his various "parts", implying the whole book would be structured on discussing his various parts, it doesn't really refer back to his 'parts' very often. When they did pop up it was like "oh, right! Totally forgot you had kicked things off talking about that." I think a little more could have been done to tie the narrative into the conceit that had been brought up in the opening chapter. And he ended too many sentences with "honey", lol. In the audio version, this came off forced; starting the sentences with 'honey' would have felt more natural in most of those instances.
But seriously, this is a fantastic memoir.
ebats's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. the conversational tone of this made for a light, quick read, despite some of the traumatic topics. it made me glad that someone like him has the platform he does because there are surely folks out there who need to see and hear this story. i read a few of the big profiles that came out after this was released so knew what to expect a little (it was hard to avoid those stories, he isn't kidding about hiring a better publicist!)--which may have contributed to me feeling like i wanted a little more detail, about almost everything? i also thought the tone of the ending was a little odd.
i honestly liked all the asides about gymnastics and figure skating but...there were a lot of them.
i honestly liked all the asides about gymnastics and figure skating but...there were a lot of them.
heathergrayyy's review against another edition
4.0
Just when I thought I couldn't love this beautiful ray of sunshine any more, he made me fall even deeper in love. I listened to this audiobook so I could hear him narrate (and feel like we were best friends) and I absolutely recommend you do the same. He is so funny, sweet and charming while still speaking frankly about the tough things he's been through. I loved it.
tmschafer's review against another edition
5.0
Strongly recommend listening to the audio book - listening to JVN tell his story was so beautiful and powerful.
becki_bee's review against another edition
4.0
This book is literally exactly what I would have thought Jonathan Van Ness's book would be, based on my limited knowledge of him as a human. Funny, fierce, authentic, brave, and also a little bit scattered and tangental.
The thing about strong people is that they typically became strong as the result of painful experience, and JVN shares his trauma and struggle pretty transparently in this book. For me, this book wasn't life-transforming, but it was a beautiful look into a story of perseverance and growth. Great job, Jonathan!
The thing about strong people is that they typically became strong as the result of painful experience, and JVN shares his trauma and struggle pretty transparently in this book. For me, this book wasn't life-transforming, but it was a beautiful look into a story of perseverance and growth. Great job, Jonathan!
emdonn13's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good casual read. It was interesting to learn more about his life but in my opinion the story kind of jumped around a lot and read as if he was just dictating stories of his life and writing them down. Which is fine, I just would’ve preferred a more coherent line of thought.
I also felt like some things were built up and not resolved like he talks a lot about his struggle with being a sex addict and like all the times he failed at getting better and then when it came to his actual recovery it was covered very quickly.
Additionally, I did not like the renaming of everybody with Russian names. I understand that some people’s names need to be changed for privacy reasons but literally everybody’s name was changed besides his parents and the Fab Five, which in my opinion made it feel less genuine.
Good insight into his life though and very much keeps JVNs voice throughout.
I also felt like some things were built up and not resolved like he talks a lot about his struggle with being a sex addict and like all the times he failed at getting better and then when it came to his actual recovery it was covered very quickly.
Additionally, I did not like the renaming of everybody with Russian names. I understand that some people’s names need to be changed for privacy reasons but literally everybody’s name was changed besides his parents and the Fab Five, which in my opinion made it feel less genuine.
Good insight into his life though and very much keeps JVNs voice throughout.
gelysium's review against another edition
5.0
I loved Queer Eye for the Straight Guy when it first came out and sparkles and rainbows shoot out of my eyes when I try to explain how much Netflix's Queer Eye reboot in 2018 means to me. I've never felt so sure that the world around me and everyone in it who is out there hustling hard on their own self-journey is beautiful, inside and out. The closest I've been to the person I aspire to be in this world exists in a space while watching this show and even days later in its sexy afterglow.
Jonathan Van Ness: this resplendent unicorn is just, gah. The first thing he asks you in this autobiography is if you will still love him if you learn more about who he has been in this world: flawed and having learned lessons the hard way, sometimes over and over again. Perfection is a myth, henny, but unabashedly sharing your truth and hoping it will reach someone else going through it is as close as you can get.
Jonathan Van Ness: this resplendent unicorn is just, gah. The first thing he asks you in this autobiography is if you will still love him if you learn more about who he has been in this world: flawed and having learned lessons the hard way, sometimes over and over again. Perfection is a myth, henny, but unabashedly sharing your truth and hoping it will reach someone else going through it is as close as you can get.