This is such a good way to approach the self-help genre. It’s completely avoiding the toxic positivity route that too many take on.
Tara is hilarious and has so much courage and vulnerability. Even when I couldn’t relate to her trauma , I kept finding gems if knowledge and hearing myself saying—- yessss I can’t wait to recommend this to this client or this client ( I’m a life coach ) her humor and insight and awareness felt refreshing. Our journeys are always ongoing and it’s good to never feel arrived

Thanks Tara and Netgalley for the arc.

I just want to think NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced reader copy of Glow in the F*cking Dark. I got a lot of great takeaways and advice from the author that I plan on applying to my life.

However, since I don’t line up with some of the same beliefs the author has I found it harder to get into certain chapters and sections. Overall it was a good book though. I’m glad I read it.

I wanted to adore this book, and I think a different version of me would, and will when I re-read it. Tara Schuster has such an approachable tone to her writing, an accessibility, as if you're reading a bolstering letter from a friend who knows you better than you know yourself, one that needs to be full of harsh truths that still manage to be gentle and persuasive. I enjoyed that each chapter had some homework to it, ideas to concretely apply to your own life, questions to ask yourself and make you think beyond the page. I loved her humor. I think I am just in a phase of life where I'm stubbornly mired in my own grief and trauma and this felt so much like something that would work, that would begin to unstick my feet, that it terrified me. I'll be back for you!

Wow! Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed all of the feelings and emotions within the deepest parts of myself that this book brought to light. By the end, I was an emotional mess, but it was much needed. I added more books by this author immediately and I’m suggesting others do the same!

I think this is a great book for those who want to learn more about self improvement & the journey that entails. While I appreciated more chapters than others, I found the small tips section at the end of each chapter really helpful and achievable. Thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to see this book and be able to read it early! I loved Tara Schuster's other novel and this was no different. She has big ideas and bold actions and it was a refreshing take on typical self help ideas. It wasn't anything ground breaking but I really like the way it was brought up. I think this would also make a great audiobook!

I wish I’d had this book when I was younger. In Glow in the F*cking Dark, Tara Schuster recounts how losing her job during the pandemic triggered past trauma that she thought she had already healed. She then recounts how she engaged in deeper healing through methods such as therapy, slowing down and getting to know herself better, exploring spirituality, learning to be with her emotions, and setting boundaries. Part memoir and part self-help, this is a sequel to Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies (which I highly recommend), but it stands on its own.

Tara swears a lot and uses slang and abbreviations that might confuse or turn off some readers, and her stories sometimes ramble so much they are hard to follow, but I appreciate her authenticity and unique voice. She shares her story with incredible honesty and vulnerability as well as humor and compassion for both herself and others. Reading this book felt like having a conversation with a compassionate but foul-mouthed friend over (possibly too many) drinks.

Each chapter includes a suggested healing technique or tips and often resources for further information. Many of Tara’s suggestions might seem familiar, but you’ll probably pick up a few new tips, and repeated exposure to these ideas can be helpful. As someone who often gets bogged down trying to make decisions, I particularly loved Tara’s tips for reconnecting with your essential self, finding your deepest desires, and conjuring Future You.

I think this book could be helpful for many people who are suffering from trauma or mood disorders or just feel unhappy with their current life. Avoid if you dislike swearing, frank discussion of sex and drug use, or books that blend memoir with self-help.

I was provided an unproofed ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

This book is part memoir and part self-help and will particularly appeal to those who have suffered trauma (isn't that everybody?) Schuster's strength is her self-deprecating humor and her storytelling.

I loved Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies and knew immediately that I would purchase this one as soon as I saw it was coming out. It did not disappoint! Tara's voice is so authentic, and she shares her knowledge and experiences in the most accessible way. I hate that her childhood was so difficult, and I hate that we all have to experience hardships in life; however, I love that Tara is willing to be honest and open about things that have worked for her and is willing to share those with us. I have never met her in person but was able to receive an advance copy of this book through her Glow Getters group and participate in some Zoom meetings that she led. She truly seems like the most genuine human being, and I'm lucky to have been such a small part of the book launch. This does not effect my review in any way. I truly loved the practical ideas, personal stories, and the way that she makes things that we know are helpful for healing (i.e. mindfulness, journaling...) so much less overwhelming and simple. Thanks for another gift, Tara!

I did not connect with this book at all. There was a lot of ramblings I found myself skipping most parts.

This a phenomenal follow-up to Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies!! I highly enjoyed this and took away so many different things to try out and it just felt like I was understood. I will recommend this to everyone.

Tara Schuster is the sweet, loving, funny, and incredibly self-aware friend you’ve always wished you had. She’s done the work to deal with her childhood trauma, relationship challenges, and self-esteem issues. Glow in the F*cking Dark is an insightful extension of Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies, full of tactics, advice, and personal examples of how to deal with life and find the glow inside you.

The author of this book is a very talented writer! Unfortunately the book itself was just not for me. I was hoping for more of a general glow up of life but it was heavily trauma-focused, to almost an obsessive point. The style was also rather anxious (I'm sure due to the author's very real anxiety) and I felt more anxious reading it.

Tara’s first book changed my life in ways I couldn’t imagine and I think Glow is going to do the same. This book was a breath of fresh air after months of feeling “stuck” on my healing journey. Tara wraps you up in her stories and makes you feel as if she’s sitting beside you the whole time. Glow is so relatable, it feels like she was reading my mind when she wrote this book. So many “WOW” moments came for me while reading this and I wrote down so many notes and highlighted so many phrases! This book came at the exact time I needed it and I could not be more grateful that Tara wrote this. Feeling alone? Need that extra little push to put yourself first? Glow is all you need to get started. 5 bazillion stars and then some ✨

Schuster's first book, "Buy Yourself the F*ing Lilies" was the first "self-help" book I was ever able to finish. Somehow, she manages to address the saddest, most difficult parts of life with just the right amount of witty sarcasm and self-effacing humor. In "Glow," she touches on her crappy childhood, the isolation of the pandemic, the insanity of dating in today's world, and the constant worry that we're not living up to our potential. She shares her crazy dating adventures, her experience as a high-ranking exec at Comedy Central and her ever-evolving journey in re-parenting the little girl who never felt safe or loved by her family of origin. I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of the book and I'm so happy to recommend it to others!

Tara Schuster’s first book, Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies was like receiving the best life advice from your best friend. She helps you uncover your trauma and find practices to improve your life with humor and kindness.

I had high expectations for Glow in the F*cking Dark, and it exceeded them. I love how it’s divided into sections- Heal, Grow, and Glow. Continuing to heal the hurt parts of yourself, finding ways to become a better version of yourself while loving where you’re at, and reconnecting to your essential self to find your “glow”. With practical tips on how to uncover what’s beneath your anxiety, how to make a plan for depression, and how to cope with uncomfortable feelings around money, all with Tara’s personal stories that make you feel less alone, Glow is a guide to healing and thriving. This is a book that I will be referring to for years to come.

Good read. I’ve been trying to add more personal growth books into my repertoire, but find I get bored easily. This kept my attention and I look forward to recommending to my customers!

Absolutely love this book, especially as a continued conversation from Tara Schuster's first book! So many great discussions about handling your feelings, money, and body love - discussions you want to have with yourself!

I was very lucky to receive an advanced copy of this book and I cannot say enough good things about it. I absolutely loved Tara’s first book and this book takes you further into a journey of healing and self-discovery. Tara writes in such a relatable way and I really admire her openness and vulnerability so we can all see that we are not alone in the things we struggle with. She writes from being in the trenches and is figuring out life with the rest of us and not someone who pretends to have it all figured out.

There was not a chapter that I didn’t highlight multiple parts. In several chapters, there are questions and topics to journal on (figuring out your true desires, your future self, etc) as well as actionable steps to take to handle various struggles such as getting yourself out of severe depression. There are chapters on building habits, loneliness, imposter syndrome, anxiety, meditation, career, etc. I think my favorite chapter though is the one on depression, titled “The Hot Rabbi: Deal with Depression before it Deals with You”. It is so raw and has so many amazing messages and things to think about for anyone who struggles with depression. It ends with a letter from Tara to anyone contemplating suicide. And though the letter is addressed to people who are suicidal I think anyone who struggles with negative beliefs could benefit from reading this letter.

This book is about not settling in your life and doing the work daily to create the life of your dreams. She writes, “What are your days like? Are they aligned with who you are and what you want most in the world? Are they built to be good for you?”. She also writes, But the thing I’ve learned is that leading a glittering, liberated, bountiful life is a choice you have to make for yourself, daily. It’s not something you just stumble upon, when you’re older, or when you finally have the time, unfortch.” She reminds us all that if we want things to change, we must be the ones to make changes in our lives, and we have control. There are so many great passages in this book and it is hard to just choose a few. I can’t wait to get my hard copy of the book and re-read it, and do all of the journaling exercises. Thank you Tara for sharing your heart and soul with us. Glow on. #glowgetter

Tara Schuster has done it again! Glow in the F*cking Dark resonated with me on so many levels. From the discussion on being moneysick, to body gratitude and looking at loneliness as a superpower! She is so relatable and this book made me realize that the life I’ve always wanted and the person I’ve wanted to be, are already here and it’s up to me to be that person and live that life. She offers advice on how to be that person and live that life. She truly has taught me how to “glow!”