Let's Be Real by Natasha Bure -- my REVIEW

I wanted to like this book.  I really did.  I have a daughter who is almost 17 and one who is almost 13.  I thought that this would be a great book for them to read and learn from.  My expectations were high.  

Well...here's the thing.  I don't really like to write negative reviews.  I mean, look at this girl on the front of the book!  She's so cute...and her mom is Candace Cameron!  

Okay, enough dragging my heels...here's my review.  

This book is a kind of "self-help" book for girls, full of ideas of how to overcome different challenges that teen girls face.  Different topics are addressed such as dating, style, makeup, skin care, friendships, faith, parents, communication, and more.  The author fills the book with stories of how she met these challenges head on and overcame them. Not much rhyme or reason as to how the topics are organized that I could discover, but they do cover a vast swath of teenaged life. 

So -- what did I like?  I liked the message to be real, be yourself, be the person God made you to be.  I liked her positive outlook and tone.

What didn't I like?  She's just out of high school.  And sounds like it. Remember all of those valedictorian speeches?  The ones that sound like they have just about got the world conquered?  Yeah, this is like that.  

Does that sound shallow to you?  Take it in the same vein as not wanting to take parenting advice from someone who has no children or a 1 year old. 

I thought maybe I was being too hard on the book, so I had my daughter read it as well.  She noted some different things that she wasn't a fan of...such as the author seems to give all kinds of advice, but not really back it up with Scripture, so it was just pretty much her own life stories, suggestions, and ideas.  My daughter also said that she would rather take advice from someone who has more life experience.

I applaud this young woman for her sincerity in wanting to help others, that is a great heart attitude.  The book is nicely made, with a nice dust-jacket.  If you are a young person who likes to get advice from a peer or near-peer, this would be a great book for you!  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”