I thought this was a well written story! I enjoyed it and thought the entire story interesting. It was very impressive what she had to do and what she put up with.  I did feel like it was a bit wordy at times but it could just be all the technical aspects. Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the early copy!

I found this to be fully engrossing and entertaining. It delivered Caroline Johnson’s story in wonderful style that was fun to read. Her story made me forget about everything else and I loved that it was so informative about the world of the Navy and the steps it took to become a pilot on the F/A-18 Super Hornet. I enjoyed reading all the details about the jets, procedures for flying, and everything to do with it, and the way this book was written it never got boring. I just kept wanting to read it long past my bedtime. Anyone with an interest in the Navy and/ or flying memoirs should check this out, it’s so good. One of my favorites this year. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Caroline Johnson, and the publisher.

This was a fascinating look into the life of one of the United States’ awesome fighter pilots.
You really should read this book!

I was intrigued by this memoir from a former Navy aviator since it was written by a woman who excelled in a very stressful, male-dominated career. Johnson weaves her story by alternating chapters set in the past and more current events, giving the reader a more complete understanding of the hurdles those who choose this path face. As I read, I found myself rooting for her, feeling her pain and also laughing at lighter moments. Johnson's account feels honest and open as she shares her accomplishments as well as her struggles and brings to light the continued lack of support and equality for women serving our country.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve had a long-standing fascination with military aircraft, and in particularly, fighter jets, which has in turn extended to an interest in the people who fly them and the mentality that it takes to be a military pilot. I don’t naturally gravitate towards biographies or memoirs – especially not when I don’t even know anything about the subject – but Jet Girl caught my eye and I ended up requesting it out of sheer curiosity.

Caroline Johnson is a fascinating woman – she made the decision to join the U.S. Navy, go through pilot training and flew F/A-18 Super Hornets in the Middle East. I have absolutely nothing in common with her, but reading her path from her first day at the naval academy to the day she dropped bombs on ISIS terrorists in Iraq to the days when she questioned her place in the Navy were so vividly retold that it felt like I was there.

Told through a series of almost-vignettes, moving backwards and forwards in time to weave her story, the format took a few chapters to get used to but once that happened I was deeply invested. It’s clear the Johnson had some fantastic experiences… and also some disappointing, and even devastating ones, during her time as a pilot.

She shares tiny details that I never would have even thought of, from decorating the room she shared with the other female pilots (Jet Girls) on the carrier they called home, to how women go to the toilet in the cockpit – which she could have been in for anywhere between 2-8 hours at a time – and the continued isolation of women in the military. She talks about shore leave, her  mentors (good and bad), the rigorous training she underwent to become the best the Navy had to offer, and the mental strain that military personnel are under constantly.

I did find that the ending seemed a little abrupt, but it did leave off on a definite point for discussion – how does the Navy support and encourage the change in mentality to wards women in the military. That conversation wasn’t really unpacked (mostly because it was the most recent part of Johnson’s story and, likely, is still in progress) but besides that the rest of the book was just fascinating.

I’m very glad that I finally read Jet Girl.

What an incredible story.  Very well written and eye opening. I so admire her determination and thankful for her writing this.   It is sad that we live in a world that is still so messed up with how women and our military are treated.  She endured things that should not happen and that makes me sad.   I am thankful for the author’s service to our country and for the honesty in this book. 
I recommend this book because people need to see the changes that still need to be made in our country. 
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for my copy. This is my own opinion.

What is the first thing you think of when you see this cover? For me, all I could think was, “Badass.” (Sorry for the language, but it’s true.) Luckily, the story meets all the expectations that the cover sets up.
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Jet Girl is Caroline Johnson’s story of being an aviator in the US Navy beginning at her days at the Naval Academy through her days flying in war zones and beyond.
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There was a lot to process with this book, and I had so many feelings while reading it. The long and the short of it is: I loved this book. Johnson writes with humor, tenacity, and rawness. She doesn’t shy away from tackling the misogyny, cattiness, and sexism she faced throughout her career.
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I literally laughed out loud at her story of trying to pee in her jet for the first and last time. I felt her struggle to maintain her femininity while being in a male-dominated world. I cringed at the stories of outright sexual harassment she faced. My heart broke as she described her struggle to acclimate to life after war while being iced out by her squadron, the people that were supposed to be her brothers (and sisters) in arms.
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My favorite part of this book, however,  was how unapologetic and straightforward she is about how good at being a WSO (Weapon Systems Officer) she is. She doesn’t do it in an arrogant way, it is just simply a fact. Finally, she puts the reader in that jet with her, and it’s a freaking exhilarating ride.
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I’d highly recommend this memoir!
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4.5 stars

A brilliant read an eye opening look at life as a female aviator in today’s us navyThe difficulties challenges women face from the academy on her determination answers success wil have you cheering.Open real honest inspiring.#netgalley#st.martinspress

Incredibly engaging, right from the first sentence!  I read the first chapter but had to attend to motherly duties with my young kids, and I kept thinking about the story, wanting to find out what happens next!  Really well-written, and I'm in total awe of these heros in our world!

This excellent memoir of a female aviator's training and career as a Navy jet pilot grabbed me from the start. One of the most fascinating books I've read in quite some time. I literally could not put it down.

Especially interesting were the practical aspects she talked about, such as what she brings along when flying, surviving SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape) training, and the details behind deployment, but the portions dealing with the deaths of fellow pilots she knew really hit home.

Probably one of my favorite books of the year. Highly recommended!!

The Blue Angels are literally flying past my window as I write this review. In Seattle it's SeaFair, an annual summer celebration which brings the Navy to town with perfect formation flybys. I've always loved watching jets scream past. There's something beautiful, scary, and impressive about the level of engineering and technical skill it takes to make a jet a jet. Johnson's memoir lets us timid readers see behind the curtain into a life I could never imagine. 

Johnson's story has something for everyone to identify with: how hard work and perseverance can pay off, but also how horrible it feels to be singled out and alienated. I found myself making many connections between Johnson's experience to my own. It's hard to spend so much of your life in an environment that sees you as "other" and second guesses any success you achieve. But I haven't had anywhere near the stress or strain Johnson experienced while continuing to fight. She's a shining example of how to keep fighting, even if that fight means you need to change tactics. Adapt and survive. 

If you're on the fence, just pick up the book and start reading. I guarantee you'll get sucked in and won't want to put it down. I found myself reading for hours, forgetting where I was, thinking I was on the ship with Caroline in the Sharktank. Johnson's writing isn't poetic or overly descriptive, but it's to the point and tells you exactly what she wants you to know. 

Now I'm going to watch Top Gun. Anyone working on a gender-swapped Top Gun movie? If not, they should. Images of successful women are important, especially in the military. 

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Message/Argument: 5 stars + 2 bonus stars because it's about jets
Prose/Language: 3 stars

Memoirs are probably my favorite genre to read and this one hit it out of the park.  Caroline Johnson was a top-tier Naval Academy graduate who worked her way up (as the number one in her many classes along the way) to fly as a Weapons Systems Operator for Topgun.  This memoir was so well written that I was queasy when described her first flight in the ultimate jet: the Super Hornet.  I loved everything about this book including her takeaway that stellar female naval officers are leaving the service because of harassment to the disservice of all Americans.  Highly recommended.

This book is a generally well-written memoir about an F/A-18 Super Hornet Weapons System Officer, who happens to be a woman. The military information is just what you would expect: training, the mental game, and some unclassified deployment details. The part of the book that really hits home is the harassment and treatment Caroline gets from her own squads – the men that are supposed to be supporting her, while they expect her support as well. The Navy wives even vilify her and call her out for wearing a “too revealing” dress to a party. 
I admire Caroline for putting up with all the slurs and backbiting gossip. It’s a shame that someone with such drive, talent and patriotism should be dealing with such petty bullshit. Most of her fellow recruits treat her normally; it’s the few bad apples as usual spoiling everything. 
JETGIRL skips around from chapter to chapter, telling us Caroline’s story from first days in the Navy all the way up to being deployed in Iraq. The chapters do not proceed sequentially; once you realize that and are ok with the story skipping back and forth, the reading smooths out. The story turns a lot darker when Caroline shares her battle with depression with us. I cannot imagine staying in the Navy as long as she did, nor can I believe how badly she was treated despite excelling in her classes and as a pilot. Unfortunately, she decided to change careers to ultimately save her sanity, which I feel is the Navy’s great loss. She started to realize the stress that her body was under due to the strain of deployment even before her aircraft carrier had left the Persian Gulf. She began isolating herself once she got back to the States and was told by the flight doctor to “man up…and stop being a drama queen”. 
At this point the story got very frustrating for me, as I felt Caroline’s pain and wanted to scream at all the men that this was a real issue and deserved the proper attention. I could not believe what she was writing – that she was not properly supported by her commanding officers and her squad. The rest of the book details her downward spiral and her “icing out” by her commanders and crew, along with her guilt and confusion about what she should do with her life – leave the Navy or try to stick it out. 
The last section is an excellent example of what depression looks and feels like. Poor mental health carries such a stigma in this country and I am happy Caroline had the courage to bare her soul and share her story. Her message is important on many levels – her depression, the mistreatment she experienced, and her love for the Navy all come together in an illuminating and meaningful way. I can only hope that she has smoothed the way for other female Navy pilots with her no-holds-barred examples of how she was treated. Let’s see if the Navy can make the future better than its past.

This is not my usual sort of book. I like autobiographies and biographies, but I know nothing about jets and the people that fly them. This book grabbed on and didn't let go until the very end. In fact, I read it in three sittings, interrupted only by sleep, eating and important things like family. The author used a flashback technique that was a little jarring to get used to at first, but it didn't detract from the story in any way. And her story is a gripping one. I connected with her so easily that I wanted to kick ass on her behalf! She was treated horribly by everyone but family and a couple of special men...and not who you would expect.

My only issue with this book was the way that it ended, but in retrospect, I think she did it to get people talking. Because change won't come unless people acknowledge change is needed.

This was a real page-turner for me, and as I said, I know nothing about jets or the community of brave people who fly them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the book and share my review with you. And thank you to the author for sharing her story. I hope she finds success and happiness.

Wow. Jet Girl by Caroline Johnson blew me away. This is such a well written memoir that I never put down unless I absolutely had to. I wanted to read the whole book in one sitting. Johnson has a fascinating story that deserved to be told and she did a great job telling it. Here is a story that shows what it is like to be one of the few women in male-dominated fields and the struggles that come with that. It also shows that even your dream jobs can be less than dreamy in the wrong environment. While I flew through the first three quarters of the book, she last quarter had a completely different tone that slowed me down because it was so heart-breaking. While Johnson describes the struggles of mistreatment throughout the whole book, the last part of the book really showcases the consequences such treatment can have. I am thankful that she told her story, appreciate what she does for this country, and really hope that the changes she suggested are being made to make opportunities equally available no matter who you are.

This was a well written memoir of a fascinating woman. 
The style of writing was great - there are a handful of times when the choice of words is unusual (eg "Many of guys I’d had conflicts with had moved on to their next jobs, and the remaining junior officers were all pretty copacetic") but in general it was easy to read, fast paced, down to earth, and care had been taken to ensure that terminology was suitable for a non-military/non-USNavy reader. There was a really good mix of "work" and "personal" and there was a real sense that Caroline was sitting opposite you telling you her story.

In the first half of the book, the story switches between active duty aboard the USS George H.W. Bush & her time training at various establishments - It was easy to follow & I liked this approach as the stories about training backing up everything she was doing on active duty. The everyday details of her life, anecdotes about the people she worked alongside (never naming names, but using nicknames that those who know them would no doubt recognise) and detail of military operations give a rounded picture of her life & character. 

Caroline Johnson was one of the first US women to fly jets & she had a difficult time achieving her goal - she was passionate about her role, and driven to succeed, but being one of very few women in the role led her to experience discrimination, sexism and abuse that should never have happened. When she returned home from deployment in Iraq, she experienced a difficult time. She returned to the Naval Academy to teach the next generation of aviators and during this time focussed heavily on changing the culture from within. 

Overall, an excellent memoir giving an insight into the reality of being a woman in a very male dominated world - I really enjoyed reading her story & hope that this story & the changes she was implementing at the Naval Academy have had a positive impact for the next cohort of "jet girls" 

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book free via NetGalley, but all opinions are my own

“My Life in War, Peace, and the Cockpit of the Navy’s Most Lethal Aircraft, the F/A-18 Super Hornet” reads the subtitle of this powerful memoir by a young American hero. She truly believed the sky was not the limit, but the start of her dream job, serving her country. 

For all her extraordinary skills and accomplishments, she presents herself as a down-to-earth, fun young woman. Her openness and eager enthusiasm makes for an engaging and relatable story. Except very few people could relate to what she’s accomplished- succeeding at every goal she set for herself in a demanding environment. 

Her story begins in June, 2005, when she enters the United States Naval Academy. Every few chapters, the story skips a few years, switching to the times encompassing her training, and her years on active duty. This time sequence was easy to follow, but a chronological progression of her story would have been just as effective. 

When Caroline Johnson graduated from the Navy Academy, she entered the rigorous flight school training and then was selected to join the prestigious Blacklion squadron. She deployed on the USS George H.W. Bush to Afghanistan and Iraq for 9 months. This is a massive warship, over 1,000 feet long, with 90 airplanes and helicopters. She was the Weapon Systems Officer and flew in the Super Hornet. Her descriptions of this plane that can go 500 mph, as she took off and landed on the ship-Tailhook!-and as she flew over the Taliban and ISIS are incredibly exciting. 

 Author Johnson shares the everyday details of her life, contrasted with detailed military stories, which gives us a broad picture of what it was like for her during school, training and  deployments. Many of her school and training experiences were arduous and difficult and took great focus and determination. She was very driven to succeed, she always aimed to be #1, yet she she also enjoyed hanging with her girl friends. 

She was fully committed to her mission and believed that the evil of ISIS had to be stopped. However, when she returned home, she experienced a difficult time. She gives us much to think about as to how the military can better support women and I commend her for doing her part to make improvements.

 I always try to thank military members when I see them, and I thank Caroline Johnson for her dedicated and committed performance and for sharing her military life in a book that is even more exciting than Top Gun.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital review copy. This is my honest review.

An inside look at how the Navy treats it's female officers.  I loved the story from the beginning but became very disillusion during the last half.  the military needs to do better to keep your most skilled and brightest.

Jet Girl is a must read and a must buy. Well written, easy to understand, and fascinating. I am sure she could fill thousands of pages with her stories of service.

This book is a great view into Caroline's career in the naval air force.  It was really well written- easy to read, easy to understand, and very informative.  The book switched a bit from time frames, but it was a great way to fully understand Caroline's experience overall.  I thought it was fascinating to learn more about the training that these pilots go through, and the rush of excitement not only in training but also in flights while in combat or on a specific mission.  
The story was also eye-opening, and discouraging, to understand how women are treated in this role. I could feel Caroline's frustrations, and was rooting her on to stay strong when others tried to bring her down or minimize her impact.  I have a lot of respect for her and really enjoyed reading her story.