Cover Image: The Book of Hot

The Book of Hot

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Member Reviews

I received an ARC of this book through #Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. The thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own, made of my own free will.

It's not often that I read a book of this genre/type but the description made it sound entertaining and something that real women could relate to. Maybe help us in laughing at ourselves or inspire us to make changes in our own lives.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. If another writer had written the story, in a format that flowed more easily, it may have been much more likable. However, this autobiographical writer, made me feel that she was trying to prove something not only with her healthy life changes but with her writing style.

I am an educated woman who enjoys a story or author that uses less commonly used words in a place or two. In fact, it's even fun for me to come across a word in a book, that I have to use my Kindle dictionary on, either for pronunciation or to make sure that I'm understanding it correctly. This book, although I didn't have to use my dictionary much, was very irritating in the author's writing style and had no easy flow to it. I felt as if the writer focused mostly on finding the least commonly used synonym of at least 50% of the words and there was almost never a verb or noun used that wasn't preceded by an adjective or four adjectives.

While I appreciate the author detailing her struggles that many of us have in common, sometimes a woman coming into a shop is just a woman. It doesn't have to be a gorgeous, sophisticated, superbly dressed, middle-aged woman. The story got lost for me in the mess of "big words" and adjectives. Add that to the fact that the word "hot" is grossly overused and printed in red instead of black, it became distracting.

Again, disappointed that a good story was lost in terrible writing style.

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I don't even know where to start, but this will be long.

I thought this would be a book about one woman's road to self love. Learning to love herself becoming the "goddess" she knew she was.
While I may not agree with her process, this woman did what she needed to do to lover herself. And however she got there, I am glad she did.

HOWEVER, this read more like a womans journey through... plastic surgery. She encouraged women “if you can afford them they make all the difference... “ and if you can’t most doctors “have a payment plan” or there are “deeply discounted procedures...in Colombia and Thailand .... "
When I read that, I knew this was not the book I thought it would be.

I did not like this book, I did not like the writing, I did not like anything about it.
THAT aside. I found this book to be hypocritical and plain damaging.

It probably did not help that I read this book sandwiched between two amazing books about feminism and equality.
While I think this book was meant to be empowering, for me tearing another woman down is never empowering.

Where to start ...

There were small statements like
"Men are harrier than we are. So the less we have the more attractive we become." and describing shaving as “our cross to bear” .... So if women do not shave we are not attractive? A woman's attractiveness is based on how smooth her pits are? ok...

She encourages women to wear red nail polish, because "THAT is the color men prefer"

When talking about weight she says "A chocolate is always a welcome sensual indulgence on ones bedtime pillow. A toothpick not so much"
So sorry to the ladies who were born with a fast metabolism ... because the implication is you are not desirable in bed.

Referring to an instagram post, by what she calls a “so called feminist” and “feminazi” she says

“She was venting her fury at men in a long tirade of defiant demands. I don’t need to wear lipstick. I don’t need to be thin. I don’t need to grow my hair long. I don’t need to shave my legs...”
she goes on to say that this “sputtering red faced “feminist” " was forcing rules on women. Dictating what a feminist is.

If you call someone a "so called feminist" aren’t YOU implying that they are not a feminist, therefore dictating that a feminist is.
She ends the chapter by saying,
"To the feminazi haters for whom not grooming is a political statement. Go ahead feel free not to wash your hair. Feel free also not to get asked out. Just saying."

No where in the authors description of the instagram post does she say anything about not washing her hair ... SO in that rational a woman who does not want to shave. Or grow her hair long is ... what? Unhygienic? Unlovable?

Putting another woman down based solely on her opinions is that feminism?
Bringing down another woman’s self worth? Is that feminism?
Because the implication that another woman should change herself to be “date-able"... all I can say is if THAT is the kind of feminist you are ... then I mean call me a feminazi any day.

The very next chapter she says.
"True feminists: powerful women who make their own choices."

Am I going crazy?

She then says "true feminism is girl power. That means having the freedom to choose to wear makeup or not. To shave your legs or not. To grow a jungle under your armpits or not..."

That is exactly what the woman you JUST criticized said.
She said "I don't need to wear lipstick"
You said "Having the freedom to choose to wear makeup or not"

HOW are those two statements different?
She says I don't need to, you say, you have the freedom to choose... so WHY is she a "so called feminist" and you're a ...? true feminist?
I don't get it.

Moving onto weight
She says

"Obviously self love can extend to loving oneself at any weigh. But I’m not sure I buy all that “happy” fat people believe their own hype. Tho it’s trendy for fat people to shame fat shamers and proclaim how much they live and accept themselves, in fact they’re vibrating the exact opposite since it’s their lack of self loving choices that has made them fat in he first place.

She goes on to say.

​"​If big is beautiful. Then it follows that diabetes is beautiful. But it’s not. And that dear reader is the elephant in the room for the elephants in the room...​"​

A little further on she says to ​"​post loving messages to yourself. Like I love myself. I am beautiful. I accept myself unconditionally exactly as I am right now”
I assume she forgot to add ​in t​he disclaimer that this is NOT for the “elephants in the room” you guys continue hating yourself. And change​. Oh and don't be happy.

This book in my opinion is everything wrong in the world of feminism and equality.
Implying that a woman is not feminine because she has the " Androgynous silhouette of a twelve year old boy​" some women were born that way... they are beautiful and feminine and having another women tear them down and make them feel less than they are is the very problem in today's society.

T​he term "feminazi" to describe a woman who does not feel the need to conform to what society has told them is beautiful, to call another woman an elephant? THAT is not feminism.

The ONLY reason I would ever read this book again, or recommend another human being read this book would be to discuss how this book would negatively impact the fight for equality, kindness to our fellow humans and feminism as a whole.

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Perhaps I would have been more engaged had I been a follower of the blog, but I couldn't get into the book. The writing style just wasn't accessible to me. I did skim, and I think the "lessons" are good ones, so I'm sure the book will find its audience. I'm afraid I'm not among them. I only post reviews that are 4 or more stars, so this comment will remain only on NetGalley.

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This is a very interesting and funny read. You’ll read about sex.....having it, talking about it, planning it, finding it.....what to do and say...Then the second part you read the actual interactions of people....doing online dating. It’s really interesting!!! Read it, you’ll see. :)

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A highly entertaining about getting your hotness mojo going on. Loved it! i voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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The Book Of Hot: A Manifesto Health, mind, body; Romance

This book advocates lots of things, like finding out what your dream job is and going for it, instead of settling for a job you hate just to pay the bills if you’re like the author and of a certain age. She found herself at age 62, an empty nester, post-menopause, and feeling like she needed to stop wasting her time and life on the job she hated. The book is her sharing how she changed that, along with tips on how you can too. It’s pretty good, she quits her hated job and takes up writing, while living on savings. She also begins going to the gym again to lose a bunch of weight she’s gained in the meantime and gotten unhealthy. She starts changing to a healthier lifestyle, including eating habits and keeping active, explaining how. Now, she shares what she did, gym, exercise, changed eating, etc. which left her with loose skin. Then decides she’s unhappy with how that looks and decides to get some plastic surgery. Has a procedure on her upper lids. Then the next thing you know she’s getting the works! Boob job, upper arms trimmed, lower face, Botox and other fillers, lips done. She even had her whole lower body lifted, tummy tuck, butt lift. I’m a bit skeptical how someone living on their savings, a beginning writer manages this. Anyway, it’s a cute premise and I’m all for empowering women of this age, of which I could be included before long. So I’m fine with it as long as we keep it real. The “low interest” on Care Credit isn’t all that low, it was more like a regular credit card when I checked into it a few months ago.

I’m kind of split on this book. While there’s nothing wrong with taking care of yourself, I think she takes it a bit to the extreme. I don’t think my focus is supposed to be all about getting laid and shelling out all kinds of money to keep myself glammed up 24/7 so I’ll be ready for it either. Most people have a life, a job, family and friends and don’t care to spend so much of their time getting their hair done, facials, going to the nail salon, and for Brazilian wax jobs. While some of that is doable for some, trying to do all of it sounds like it's for celebrities with the funds to support it and the time to get it done. There are some ideas for women who want to spice up their lives after 60, and it makes for entertaining reading for that reason. And to read how the author made the changes she did that worked for her, certainly. But for the average woman, I think not so much. Of course, that’s just my humble opinion. Your mileage may vary. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Mrs. Hot, and the publisher for my fair review.

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Could not even get into reading this book. Truly bizarre. I guess a manifesto style is not my cup of tea. It seemed to bounce around all over the place and just couldn't keep focused

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Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of The Book of Hot. I found this to be an interesting read. Not sure what really to think of this book as it had some repetitive parts and for some reason thought it was going to be of a sexual read and come to find out it was not that at all. Again thank you and I am sure I will be able to recommend this to one of my reading friends..

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If Mrs Hot feels empowered by all that she does then good for her. Frankly I couldn’t be arsed with the hassle (and expense) of trying to maintain a pristine appearance 24/7. Perhaps when I hit my 60s I’ll feel differently but I very much doubt it. That said, the book is readable and better written than I expected, though I found it a bit repetitive in places. As empowered as Mrs Hot claims to be, one can’t help but observe that the menfolk aren’t pissing about with brandy snifters, corn muffin mix and an extra toothbrush “just in case”. I think I’d rather just stay up here on the shelf to be honest. As for Part Two, there’s only so much sex you can read about. Pretty soon I was just desperate for it to end.

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I really enjoyed this book. And I was surprised actually how much I liked it. To be honest when I request it I thought is going to be an erotic romance and didn't even read the blurb. So when I started it I read that is not a romance at all but more like a memoirs or even an autobiagraphy. And I don't usually read those kind of books and I thought oh I might leave it for some other time. But then I start reading a bit just to see what is about. And I was really surprised that it actually kept me reading. So later I found out that the books is more of a self help on how to live the live on full tilt without setting any boundaries even when you are a woman in your late 50s as the author said. I loved it to be honest. And I liked how the book was devide into two parts and I must say I liked the second part a bit better ;) and I also liked the writing. I think this book should be read by anyone. It was really motivating. I give it 4 starts.

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