“Confused Girl” by Giovanna Silvestre was not a book I expected to read — but I’m SO glad I did!
Huge thanks to @confusedgirlla and @netgalley for the incredible ARC 💗

Giovanna touches on so many meaningful and empowering topics — from letting go of shame and guilt, to understanding that destiny isn’t a fixed point, to decoding the complexities of relationships, and learning how to be truly unstoppable. She shares personal stories and insights with such vulnerability and wisdom that it felt like having a deep conversation with a friend who gets it.

Whether you’re facing a tough chapter in your life or just looking for a little inspiration, this is a heartfelt and empowering read that every woman can take something from.

This was definitely a highlighter-in-hand kind of book. Here are a few standout passages that really spoke to me:

✨ “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the now the primary focus of your life.”
— Such a powerful reminder to slow down and be present. It inspired me to savor the little things: really tasting my food, stepping into the sun, reconnecting with nature — things we often overlook that can truly ground us.

✨ “I knew my life would never be authentic if I wasn’t willing to take bold steps and walk steadily toward change.”
— This hit home. I recently made a big career shift, and reading this felt like the universe cheering me on. Sometimes the hardest steps are the most rewarding.

✨ “Our experiences are meant to be unpredictable, and many setbacks are out of our control.”
— After facing the setback of losing my federal job, this was exactly the reminder I didn’t know I needed. It helped me accept the unpredictability of life and shift my focus to how I respond to it.

This beautiful book just released on May 13th, and it’s already getting some much-deserved love. If you’re looking for something honest, motivating, and soul-stirring — go grab your copy!

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I really appreciated all of the positivity and the encouragement. Focusing on how it’s ok to be confused. And how not knowing actually creates a big space for growth.

My favorite chapter was You Are The Goddess of Creativity. I treasure my creativity. It’s something that I use to decompress, brainstorm ideas and in my career.

The only parts I had some trouble with were references to JK Rowling. Although I’m a Harry Potter fan/reader, I can’t support this author and her views.

Confused girl is definitely outside of my normal genre but I enjoyed this self help book! The mix of real life memoirs with practical advice was well done!

I enjoyed the bullet pointed endings as a way to really dig in.

What a powerful reminder to women that we don’t have to have it all figured out!

This was a great read full of relatable thoughts and feelings as well as great advice on how to manage those thoughts and feelings. I appreciated how vulnerable the author was. It felt as though she held nothing back with sharing her experiences, failures, and successes. I think people get so much more from this type of book when you can tell that the author put their all into the story without trying to hide parts of themselves. I've been in therapy for almost 3 years, so there wasn't a lot of new tips/advice that I took from it. There was so much that I had already gained through therapy. However, having said that, this would be a GREAT book to pick up for people that are hesitant to go to therapy for any reason!

Thank you so much to Giovanna for reaching out with an early copy of Confused Girl in exchange for an honest review!

Self-reflection has this magical way of leading us to a place of self-compassion.

I’m about to out myself and confess that I’ve never read a self-help book before. (Insane, I know.) So I actually had no idea what to expect when going into this book.

As someone who often feels like a confused girl. It was really comforting to read a book that truly reminds you that you’re not alone. Going through life and feeling stuck or unworthy is something that every woman deals with. This book is filled with encouragement, love and compassion towards women who are learning to navigate an ever changing world.

Giovanna has a wonderful voice that really pulls you in. Her stories are inspiring, well told and really do give you a mindset shift. :)

I recommend this book to anyone who feels like they’re stuck going through the motions of life without feeling like they’re living.

I am not typically a nonfiction reader, but Confused Girl was a good, quick and inspiring read. Giovanna brings us her own life experiences which I loved, it makes everything so much more relatable. No matter who picks up this book, I feel that a positive, encouraging message can be found.

Start Loving the Heck Out of Yourself (chap 5) was my favorite. Self-Love and Self Compassion are big. Many of us are very guilty of playing the comparison game and ending up with a lot of shame over our appearance, success at our jobs, the size of our houses or cars, the cleanliness of our houses, weight, clothing size........and well, you get it.

How fitting is this quote from Giovanna?

"Comparison is a self-esteem killer. My tyrannical mind became a twisted tape loop where self-perceived failures played on repeat. It was as if my brain had its own Netflix channel, streaming a never-ending series of shortcomings."
This book is filled with relatable little bits like this.

Sometimes we just need to know that we are not the only ones who feel these feels. Confused Girl is basically sitting down with a friend, who sees and understands you, and getting some helpful reminders and useful strategies to turn your thinking around! If this is not a book you would typically pick up and read, I encourage you to do it anyway!

Thank you, Giovanna, for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book definitely has to come for the right time. It wasn’t entirely my favourite right now and that’s okay. I think a lot of women would benefit from this book if they’re in a particular stage!

Full transparency, I did not finish the book. Although I was enjoying her message and the advice she has learned from her experiences in life…she does compare JKR to Rosa Parks and Malala as being influential. Now, if this was published prior to the nastiness that JKR has come out with, I would have loved to keep going. However, after reading, it just left a bad taste in my mouth and makes me concerned as to why this stayed in the finished copy.

Kind of bummed because I know the author was probably trying to make a wholesome point as she reflects on her upbringing, but there should have been some hesitancy to include certain things.

Confused Girl by Giovanna Silvestre is a self help/memoir hybrid that is all about learning how to be your best self even when you are a Confused Girl.

I don’t really read any self help so I don’t have a lot to compare this one to. I thought a lot of the passages were very insightful and I really enjoyed learning about Silvestre’s life. I think sometimes I need books like this to remind me of all the strengths I have and the weaknesses I need to work on (without feeling condescending.)

I am definitely at a stage in my life where I feel a little confused about what’s next so reading this was a nice way to accept the confusion and sit with it for now. I feel like the overall concepts were easy to understand and I could see myself gifting this book to people that I think could benefit from it.

(There was one JK Rowling mention that bothered me. So this is just a warning that it is in there.)

"Confused Girl" was a super fun read. It provided a lot of insight into bits and pieces of the world I hadn't given much thought to prior. A great read!

I read Confused Girl as a digital book and gave it 3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. When I saw and read what this book was about I knew I had to read it and see if it offered me any new advice or experiences and after finishing this book I can say that I have definitely learnt some new things and experiences and mindsets that I can do to become a better me. It was really interesting reading about Giovanna and her life and experiences, especially with her travels and her active wear brand. One of the aspects of this book that I enjoyed was the inclusion of studies, and new facts that I have learnt from reading this book. I personally didnt agree/like everything that was said but do think it was an interesting and insightful book for new experiences. Would I recommend this book and reread it? I don't think that it's a book for everyone (please check TWs and CWs before you read) and I personally don't see myself rereading (at the moment anyway) but would recommend if you think it will be interesting based on the blurb. Thank you again to Netgalley and the publishers.