Sara Rosenthal

even better than I expected

Revisado: 02-04-21

I have read a lot of similar books because I enjoy the self-help and motivational genre. So I was excited to read this but didn't really have too high of expectations. I'm really glad I did because if you like witty sarcastic no-nonsense people he really packs a punch! But at his core he's really not that offensive. I think it's kind of a schtick. Which is not a bad thing because it does suck you in and it works for him. As other reviewers have criticqued, this would have been better narrated in his own voice but honestly the narrator isn't terrible so it was fine for me. He's actually a very realistic person underneath all of that caustic wit and sarcasm. Everything he says is completely logical and makes sense and I actually did not find myself getting offended at all but maybe that's just me. He's surprisingly liberal for his cowboy/ conservative image. And I' couldn't tell you what political party he votes for I just mean he isn't on any kind of moral high horse which I appreciate because I'm not religious nor am I conservative. A good quick read with a lot of helpful advice. Nothing brand new or earth-shattering but definitely good common sense reminders.

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oh Steve I really wanted to love this more!

Revisado: 02-18-20

So..even though I am a middle-aged woman and not technically the demographic for this book (I'm actually only 3 years older than Steve Aoki )and love this kind of music so I'm just inserting myself into this saying that I'm actually in that demographic after all. I was excited to read about him because it seems like such an interesting story especially considering that he also has some famous family members. I love Benihana and am somewhat a fan of Devon Aoki as well. Unfortunately after I satisfied my original curiosity the story started to get a little tedious. I realize he is a DJ and not a professional writer and I applaud him for trying to add the poetic elements of blue . And he did manage to tie it together in the end . That being said I kind of felt like he was writing a college essay with that portion of it. Funny enough, his college references were familiar to me because I am also UC Santa Barbara alumna and graduated just a few years before him.

I' AM a fan but he goes into such mynute detail about specific parts of his life that it actually started to get confusing. Maybe I'm not a big enough fan? so my take away is that it seems like unless you completely follow him as a super fan you get a little bit lost with the story. I really enjoy reading and have a pretty wide variety of subjects. Memoirs and biographies are among my favorites. Unfortunately I put this one down a few times. I did finish it because it wasn't actually bad per se,, but when I'm truly engaged I can finish something in a couple of sittings. This one took several. If you're hardcore Steve Aoki fan I think this is a good deep dive into his life but be warned it kind of drags on.

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better than I expected

Revisado: 01-24-20

This book was chosen as the selection for my book club. Admittedly it was not my choice of genre but it was a fairly quick read and I really enjoyed it. It is a aptly titled because although it is a story about some children with some unusual qualities it is also about flawed humans in society and how they try to sweep things under the rug if they are inconvenient. It was both sad and feel good at the same time. you really want to root for the main character but sometimes she seems to get in her own way not really knowing what she wants and then accepting her fate when other people don't treat her well. For me that was frustrating but it made her seem real and authentic.

It is well narrated and feels pretty realistic although at times some of the voices sound strange. However I would not critique the narration because it definitely added rather than took away from the story. I say this because some of the accents sound fake but at least you can distinguish the characters and the cadence and everything necessary to maintain flow of the story is present.

This is a little outside the box of the stories I usually read - I stick to realistic titles or nonfiction and not so much sci-fi and fantasy- but it was a nice detour and I very much enjoyed it. I totally recommend it if you just want something as an engaging diversion.

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Better than the first book!

Revisado: 09-10-19

I read Girl Wash Your Face first and thought it was fine but nothing new and definitely geared towards a younger or at least newer to the self-help audience. My expectations for Girl Stop Apologizing were low, since I read a LOT of these types of books and could somewhat see what some of the critics were saying, however with Girl, Stop Apologizing, I was blown away. This one nails it and even taught me a new thing or two.

But I do need to address the haters on this one because their critiques make me think they really are not at all the intended audience since the message was pretty much lost on them because they focused so much on things that really are irrelevant. For example, Rachel makes it very clear that this is her story and in no way insinuates that all this information is brand new or invented by her. If you have a critique that she did not cite sources or someone else made that quote in the past - well DUH! A lot of her material has been used countless times by motivational speakers and business coaches. But that doesn't make it less of a great motivational book. This is not intended as a work of literature - it is meant for the go-getters who need a REMINDER of those things and a kick in the butt to move past their own BS. It is not Shakespeare and Rachel makes no pretense about it. If you think her voice is irritating, that is fine, but unfortunate that you are missing the great nuggets over small things that are really just some people's pet peeves. However, if you can take this as a handbook for motivating yourself to lose weight, for example, and get healthy vs dwelling on some perception of fat-shaming, which makes you a victim rather than the empowered woman you are who can take charge, put their feelings aside and just do it, then this book is for you. If you want to make excuses as to why you cannot set boundaries for yourself because of society's stigma that if you say no to your friends or family that you are selfish, then you may have a LOT of criticism of this book. But if you are ready to say yes to YOURSELF and no to absolutely anything that could be a distraction to getting your goals and pursuing your dreams, this book will motivate you. If you are criticizing her or any woman like this as being selfish/self-absorbed or shallow, in my opinion, you are missing the point. She makes no apologies that she is who she is, she has a good-sized staff and her husband supporting her every step of the way. But she also cautions women not to use that as an excuse if they DO NOT have that. Never compare your beginning to someone else's middle. (And no she did not invent that saying but so what?) It took her eight years to build her empire with a TON of help -and she is not ashamed to admit any of this - nor should she be! I should also add that even though she may not cite specific sources, she in no way claims these are her original ideas, and her book is meant as a guide, not some groundbreaking new research. Not everyone has the same dreams, nor do they have the same backstory and she acknowledges that. She is very "LA" although not originally from there and some people may be put off by her voice and mentality, but I am a loud, proud native of So Cal so I totally get her and her attitude does not bother me at all. She has Texas roots and kind of a folksy way of speaking - sometimes she peppers her speech with "y'all" and calls the reader "sis" or "sister" and other times just "you guys" but I think her vernacular is a blend of her past places of residence so I am not going to be picky and call her out on that, even though it is kind of goofy. She is who she is and that is what makes her authentic.

The book is basically broken down into sections where she goes through possible excuses and behaviors most people exhibit and then at the end discusses skills to acquire on how to overcome those with anecdotes and motivational stories, ideas, instruction, and quotes. Like I said, not earth-shattering but an easy-to-follow format and relatable to any woman entrepreneur who likes a no-nonsense approach and is not going to be offended or dismiss the good advice because Rachel is not "exactly like them" or she had more resources, etc. Definitely worth a read for 2019 if you have been considering it

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Better than expected!

Revisado: 08-09-19

Full disclosure, I only listened to part of this because I also have it on my reading app and ended up reading most of it, so I can't review too much of the narration. The part I did hear seemed great though.

When I first started this book, I saw that a lot of reviewers mentioned the movie Sliding Doors, which I believe is what the authors were inspired by. Admittedly I did not see that movie and some of the wording that people used gave me the impression that there was an element of supernatural or that it was perhaps a sci-fi type novel, which is not at all my taste. I was pleasantly surprised that it really just a straight thriller about a woman getting kidnapped and the realization that her poor choices in life may have led her to her current situation.

Lila Bennett is a ruthless attorney who will stop at nothing to advance her career regardless of who she hurts. Honesty is kind of a grey area to her. As someone who is honest to the core myself, I have to admit I did not like her as a person one bit. But major life circumstances tend to change a person and Lila finally starts to wake up so to speak, to how her behavior has impacted her life and those around her. I do love how the characters are built, if not a few cliches but overall a well-woven story. The fact that the main character was such an unlikeable person, in the beginning, made it hard to settle into this but the compelling story actually kept me engaged. In reality, Lila really is just a flawed human and after many twists and turns, we finally breathe a sigh of relief as she redeems herself and the story wraps up, but not without unexpected twists that you do not see coming. A suspenseful read with a lot of build-up and a satisfying surprise ending! If you like crime dramas or psychological thrillers this one delivers!

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Marianne is my hero!

Revisado: 06-23-19

I think this should be recommended reading for all Americans regardless of political party. She is a humanitarian over everything. If you are human and you have a heart you need to read this book. She has such a great way of connecting to all types of people. People who are more strongly to the right might dismiss her because she definitely has left leaning views but be patient and really listen. She has some things to say that are truly Universal truths and such a poignant social commentary on what is happening in American politics today. An absolute must read.

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A wild ride, worth the time!

Revisado: 05-07-19

I really enjoyed this journey through the timeline of the Beastie Boys. At first the fact that it's a fairly long read made me hesitate to dive in but once I picked it up I couldn't stop. It really captures the spirit of admittedly one of my favorite bands of all time. They are quirky funny punks and reading their story made me fall more in love with them. RIP MCA. Would have been amazing to see what would have happened if he were still around. It was fun to listen to all the different narrators who really brought personality to this autobiographical work of art. If you like this kind of stuff... which I really do. A serious book critic might say it's a little disjointed but I think it captures the essence of who they are so for me I kind of enjoyed it.

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I've heard a lot of this before but still good!

Revisado: 04-14-19

A lot of people criticize this saying that she is not relatable or it's nothing new but I believe this book is still worth listening to. While this may be true it is still interesting to listen to and helpful for someone who may need a good kick in the pants or just plain motivation to move forward in their life. Yes she is successful but I don't believe she is bragging, she's just simply proud of her achievements and using herself as an example for others. This is probably more relatable to a younger audience but I think the beauty of it is she tries to empower younger people to be successful although anyone can get something out of it if they take a chance on this book.

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Go Rachel!

Revisado: 03-31-19

I have read her first book, Girl Wash Your Face, and although I have read books that were as good or better, I think the critics (readers) have been RIDICULOUSLY harsh. It was a great book, even if the information may not be relatable to every single person in every walk of life. To me, that in and of itself doesn't diminish what she wrote. I am not just like her in all aspects of life, but I was still able to find some nuggets of wisdom in her story. In this interview, she addresses the "haters" and stands her ground about her story. As she SHOULD. Her message is true and empowering, she is simply telling HER story and it is no ones's place to judge. She elaborates on some of the points she makes in the book and continues the interview with some anecdotes. There is also a reference in this interview to one of my favorite personal growth books, The Four Agreements, and that is something I really identify with. I like that this talk drives home that Rachel is just human and presents a very normal account of a successful, empowered woman and that she DOES have daily struggles like anxiety so it is very relatable in that. I really appreciated her story. If you do like her you will enjoy this up close and personal view. If you don't, maybe listen to this and give her another chance.

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Go Rachel!

Revisado: 03-31-19

I have read her first book, Girl Wash Your Face, and although I have read books that were as good or better, I think the critics (readers) have been RIDICULOUSLY harsh. It was a great book, even if the information may not be relatable to every single person in every walk of life. To me, that in and of itself doesn't diminish what she wrote. I am not just like her in all aspects of life, but I was still able to find some nuggets of wisdom in her story. In this interview, she addresses the "haters" and stands her ground about her story. As she SHOULD. Her message is true and empowering, she is simply telling HER story and it is no ones's place to judge. She elaborates on some of the points she makes in the book and continues the interview with some anecdotes. There is also a reference in this interview to one of my favorite personal growth books, The Four Agreements, and that is something I really identify with. I like that this talk drives home that Rachel is just human and presents a very normal account of a successful, empowered woman and that she DOES have daily struggles like anxiety so it is very relatable in that. I really appreciated her story. If you do like her you will enjoy this up close and personal view. If you don't, maybe listen to this and give her another chance.

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