I found Getting to Center extremely hard to follow. I tend to enjoy the “stream of consciousness” style of writing, however, I felt that there was a lack of organization throughout its entirety that really took away from anything Grace was trying to convey to the reader.

This is a very sweet, loving, quirky little book with a lot of gems inside. As Marlee Grace says at one point in the book, every ugly rock is beautiful inside. But then again, no rocks are ugly, because they are from nature. But the point remains that everything has its own inner sparkle.

I really liked the affectionate, stream of consciousness writing here. I first have to point out that this book contains a lot of stuff that might be considered "woo." I for one am not the person who would go about creating an altar with a tarot card and essential oil, or spend time thinking about Mercury retrograde. BUT, that is okay....because these practices are parts of larger themes of the book that are valuable for everyone. Also, Grace is not asking you to do these things or accept her same beliefs, but simply sharing a wealth of fun things that have helped her find her center. Amidst each chapter there are some really lovely revelations. I think the book is at its best and most moving when talking about Grace's coming out, which is presented in a way that relates to the theme of the book, and is very genuine and real. I also love all the creative themes and practices in the book. Among the chapters are gems such as "I don't have writers' block; I have 'sitting down to write' block" (me too) and "Belief clings, but faith lets go."

Like her Instagram, the book has the feeling of an old soul much wiser than her years. I like some of her somewhat radical ideas, like the fact that it is not bad for socially conscious people to make a "shit ton of money" (she points out that you can redistribute this in ways that help causes and people that are important to you, and bring ease to yourself) and the idea that marginalized folks can create their own ease and access in the world. Even the ideas I did not identify with (see the aforementioned tarot card altar, and protection spells) were fun to read about.

Another thing I thought was really cool was her emphasis on practice -- including thinking about practicing after your practice, and thinking about practicing before your practice. This is useful to think of in her context as a ballerina but can really apply to anything in your life. Coincidentally I am also reading a book on neuroplasticity - there have been studies where people just THINK about doing an action (such as running, jumping, or completing a task) and monitoring doctors have observed that the parts of their brain light up as if they are actually doing that task. So Grace is really onto something here and science supports her theory that thinking about and envisioning your practice is also a form of practice.

If you can keep an open mind, this is a unique and interesting escape into a creative and interesting mind. A fast and rejuvenating read which I read in one sitting. I have not read "How to Not Always Be Working," but I want to now.

Many thanks to Harper Collins, Marlee Grace and NetGalley for the advance copy of this quirky and sweet read.