I found this book a really interesting stepping stone into an array of social and political issues that I am familiar with but have done little research. Some parts of this book were quite eye opening for me due to the fact that I am uneducated in the intricacies of sex, gender and queer topics. It was very interesting to read this book.

This was such a powerful, inspirational, impactful, and important read. If you haven’t already read this book I would recommend doing so. There are definitely going to be some changes in my life due to this book, and I deeply appreciate that.

"Up until now we have been bombarded with the same stories that either make us subconsciously hate ourselves or hate others. It’s time to change the narrative, and the power lies in your hands."

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it had some good quotes and illustrations that I enjoyed. On the other hand, the content wasn't anything revolutionary or ground-breaking.

I'm generally not a fan of self-help books as they come off as quite preachy to me. If you enjoy self-help books or want to go for a light & motivational reading, then you'd enjoy this book. I think I might go back to some quotes, but all in all, it was an average book for me. Perhaps the 12-year-old me would have enjoyed this much more.

"Don't f*** with people that have such a fragile sense of self that your achievements make them uncomfortable".

This book is a feminist manifesto.
I was super excited to get my hands on this one after seeing it catch fire in the UK after it's release there last year. I love the groovy colors and drawings/quote pages inside.

But at the ripe old age of 26 I feel like I'm past a lot of these things and have figured myself/my relationships out already... so this would be better for someone in high-school or college who is still exploring. A lot of this advice just didn't really apply to me at this stage of my life (relationship stuff, sexuality, female empowerment, knowing myself, marriage etc.). Things that do apply: understanding privilege, microaggressions etc. It also isn't as profound in 2021 as it would've been 5 or 10 years earlier and there's certain things I personally don't agree with.

As with most self-help books, I find myself rolling my eyes - It's very much 'i'm a cool girl let me cuss and talk about sex a lot'.... but there are some great nuggets of knowledge and this could really help a lot of people too.

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*.

Florence Given is a breath of fresh air and a promise that a new generation of female voices are coming - and they aren't taking any misogynistic BS. This should be mandatory reading for all women (and men) alike.

In Women Don't Owe You Pretty, Florence Given talks about the out-dated narratives supplied to us by the patriarchy. I really enjoyed it. I learnt a lot about where my own boundaries are and that in the past people have not always respected them. I read this book at a great time in my life where I could really reflect on some of my past experiences and learn how to be better to myself.

I think this is a perfect book if you are new(ish) to feminism and learning about some of the narratives the patriarchy, racism and capitalism are trying to sell to us.

I actually read this one with my sister and we both adored it. Its so empowering, the illustrations and page designs are beautiful- everyone should read this for a lil inspiration and pick me up

Pros: The cover of this book and its title grabbed my attention immediately, and I'm so glad I read this book. The amount of information in this book is a bit overwhelming, but the author does a fantastic job using pull quotes, section headings, lists, and graphics to make this very readable. I appreciated the author's use of trigger warnings throughout. This book covers so many big ideas that I can see myself reading it multiple times and each time something different standing out to me. During my first read of this book, I especially connected to the chapters about micro aggressions (the lists here were so very helpful--I learned new things to be mindful of), accountability, and privilege. I also appreciated the author's inclusion of a glossary at the end of the book and her way of defining things in a new-to-me way that reframed how I think of things (e.g., her definition of "capitalism" was a lightbulb moment for me).

Cons: This is not con of the book, but more a note to potential readers. There are some (many?) people out there who will see the title and automatically pass on reading this book because they do not like the title and what it suggests. Others might look past the title and then feel uncomfortable with what the book discusses. I think both groups of people are the ones who need to read this book the most. There are so many learning and growth opportunities in this book, and it is a "con" that so many who need this book will not give it a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this book!