Love the concept but the F*cking has been overdone and is too much. The spirit of this book is right but the trend is difficult to get behind except for a linimted audience. Looking forward to seeing more from this author.

As a huge fan of her first book, this second one follows along nicely with her great story telling and overall very helpful methods.

What I found most captivating about both Glow and Lilies is Tara's dynamic, almost chatty writing style. Immersing yourself in her books feels akin to exchanging secrets with your closest confidante! Prepare to experience a rollercoaster of emotions, from hearty laughter to heartfelt tears, all the while feeling truly understood and acknowledged.

“Glow in the F*cking Dark” by Tara Schuster was the perfect sequel to her “Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies”! I am honored that Penguin Random House reached out to me to review an ebook copy of this book! I've additionally purchased the hardcopy and Audible audiobook. Thank you!

What do I love the most? How f*cking REAL Tara comes off to her readers. She talks directly to us, the reader as if she were our legit friend. As an OG Lillies reader, I was 100% excited that Tara was back with a follow-up on herself as well as even more honest, hysterical, and real-world advice that anyone can and should implement into their everyday lives. If T$ ever writes a book 3, sign me up! Lastly, if you can, check out the audiobook(s) as well - they're self-narrated by Tara Schuster herself!!

This review was also left on Amazon.

Tara's humor and wit is the best. I loved her first book and enjoyed reading this one slowly over time to get the maximum effect of her experiences.

I adore Tara and her writing and look forward to her email newsletters even! Everyone, regardless of if you’re going through some shit or chill, would benefit from her writing. Women maybe more so but it doesn’t matter. It feels like learning together with Tara through hard things.

A story of self-love, however this one missed the mark for me. There might be a few gems that others will find helpful within this book.

Poignant and really endears the reader to the author. Easy and quick to read. Glow in the f*cking dark!

One of the things that separates Tara’s book from other self-help books is the way she talks to you. Reading her books feels a lot more like chatting with a friend than reading. By the end of the book you’re left feeling not only motivated and on top of the world, with new tools to help you to continue to heal your past trauma, but you’re also left feeling like you’ve gained a new bff.

I love Tara Schuster. She has a way of breaking things down in an easy to understand, relatable way. This book is one of the ones I refer back to often.

𝑰 𝒓𝒆-𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔, 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒕-𝒐𝒇-𝒕𝒉𝒆-𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚-𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒄-𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒌-𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒎-𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆.

If only there were a book that could give me more time. I am writing this review a few months late, but I won’t go into the boring why of medical appointments and all the time suckage that keeps happening. This self-help book isn’t your usual practices for restoring mental health, and Tara is candid about the hits she has taken, from the crushing reality of losing her job at Comedy Central, to the painful wounds she still carries, despite her success. As most of us grow up, we take a tough skin, tight lip approach to the past, and often the present, pushing through the demands of our days without time to stop and deal with how we are feeling and what going through the motions is doing to us. She touches on the different meanings of trauma, and that burying problems doesn’t mean they are dead, those creatures are still screaming at us. I agree with her on this one, our emotional state will be felt in our children, partners, friends and others, it is important to confront ourselves. You can only fake perfection for so long. We have to learn how to do more than just endure life at any age, easier said than done.

Most people can’t leave their lives to attend a retreat, or afford it, but we can read about Schuster’s experience in Ojai, California and take or leave the tips for meditation. She approaches the memory with humor and those who struggle with silencing their mind can relate. Anxiety is a beast, it’s depressing how many children are overwhelmed in these times, I don’t think of my childhood as idyllic in comparison, but there seems to have been a shift, we are bombarded by far more information and those who grew up with technology those my age didn’t have often struggle to be silent, still. Is it any wonder they feel like they are spinning, unable to unplug as they reach adulthood?

Covid aside, there was already a distance growing, it is a connected and yet lonely world at the same time. This book, which for me reads like a memoir, is more for a younger audience, someone in their 20’s and 30’s, I am far past those days, not to say her advice isn’t helpful- I’ve been journaling since I was 9 but I am in a different place. I know there are readers who prefer a self-help book minus the personal stories, but I enjoy reading how she relates her life to the mental anchors she provides. I know I may not be the audience for this book, but we can glow at any age. If you didn’t grow up feeling safe, Tara speaks a language you may relate to. A book about setting boundaries, attuning oneself, facing your emotions that cause anxieties, opening yourself to your potential, as well as how to define what a full, rich life means for you, not what we’re sold to believe.

Published July 31, 2023

Random House Publishing

I recieved an early copy of this book and my initial thoughts were it wasn't as quick as her first book, BUT this is a deeper book. There is almost a homework feel that helps you breakdown your feelings and get to the root of some of your trauma and emotions. An amazing follow up to BYTFL!! Love Tara's energy.

I read Tara Schuster's first memoir, Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies, and instantly fell in love with her sarcastic charm. When I saw she wrote another one, it was an automatic yes for me. This one takes place after the COVID pandemic in which Tara lost her job, which was pretty much her entire identity after her traumatizing childhood. One day, she was driving down the highway and disassociated a little too much and decided that was enough and she needed to do some more healing. I just love how raw and open she is with everything. Nothing is too much for her to say. I'd say this book is part memoir, part self-help because there are some truly great ideas in there that anyone can use, but it's wrapped up in her telling about her life and how she came to each conclusion.

Love her approach about listening and becoming more yourself through all of life’s biggest transitions. So pivotal for me in my current season. I appreciate her honesty, her humor and her advice after healing her own trauma. Would definitely encourage you to pick this one up.

This didn’t hit as hard for as Buy Yourself The F*cking. Lilies did, but I still found some useful advice in it and will definitely be putting aside to read again in another season of life.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy to review.

Once upon a time, there was a girl born in the late '80s. She loved dinosaurs, Beanie Babies, and listening to the Spice Girls. She had a decent childhood, but her adolescent years were filled with feeling like a burden, especially to her dad. She grew up to be a somewhat insecure person who would cry at the drop of a hat, jump from guy to guy, and still didn't feel good enough.

She had many meltdowns while driving in the Arizona sun. She listened to Taylor Swift's White Horse on repeat for months after a hard breakup. Taylor was and still is always there for her. She even went alone with a coveted floor seat on the 2nd night of Tay Tay's epic Era's Tour.

She struggled with depression and even did the dance with suicidal thoughts on more than one occasion. She began to heal by reading self-help books, going to therapy on and off for 2 decades and taking medications, Wellbutrin being her savior. She struggled to find her purpose after losing her job and had invasive surgeries in the hopes of conceiving one day.

She would eventually make amends with her dad but still feel left out as others around her accomplished things or grew their families. The changing point in the relationship with her dad was after a seizure in Flagstaff revealed he had a brain tumor.

Eventually, she went on to write a book. Ok, scrap that...she didn't actually write a book although you would've thought she did by these events. However, that she is me...and Tara Schuster pretty much had her process a difficult past and have less worry for the future. Once again, Tara had me thinking I was reading MY life story. Here's waiting for her third book so I can see what this creeper next covers in the story of my life.

Tara Schuster has done it again. Tara has a way of writing that makes you feel like she is your best friend, giving you the kindest, warmest advice that comes from a place of understanding and empathy. She's been there, so she knows what you're going through. And she wants to help you get through it. Tara will make you laugh, cry, and say "YES! EXACTLY!" multiple times throughout the book. But more than anything, she'll make you feel like growth is possible, like GLOWING is possible, even in the darkest of times. Even when you feel like it'll be dark forever. She makes you believe that you can make your own light, not only for yourself, but for those around you.

The book was a bit long for my liking and I felt there were too many personal anecdotes. It read more like a memoir vs self-help/improvement. The advice woven throughout the pages felt very generic and self explanatory.

Glow in the F*cking Dark is a guide to healing your deepest wounds. In this book you learn to recognize trauma and the reactions you have to it, understand your anxiety better, learn to repair your relationship with your body, and find purposed in something bigger than yourself in life. There are practical baby steps outlined throughout the book that you can take each day on your way to healing. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

This book by Tara Schuster is a self-help/memoir all about how to make it through the difficult times in our lives. The author's conversational style is fun at times, but a little cringey at other times. I did find some of her advice to be helpful though. "When you can't figure out what you want, simply ask, 'What is the best choice I can make for myself right now?' What's the first thing that comes to mind? Even if it ends up being a mistake, you're getting it so right because you're building your ability to hear yourself clearly." Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.