Unfortunately, I could not finish this one. I liked the premise but there was way too much time spent speaking on how this will help vs getting to the actual helpful parts and something about some of the things said seemed from a place of judgement versus being helpful. The “this will guarantee change your life” vibe seemed like she was trying too hard to convince me or sale me something. I’d rather decide that for myself. Reading other reviews made me feel better about not finishing. Overall, what I read wasn’t what I was hoping for.

I wanted to love this but I wish there were more practical takeaways and less preachy-ness. It felt really privileged and I wanted something more for everyone without hating on everything Western

In "Muse: The Magnetism of Women Who Stop Abandoning Themselves," Dr. Amanda Hanson offers a bold invitation for women to break free from patriarchal constraints. Through a blend of psychology and ancient practices, she creates a roadmap for women to reclaim their authentic power. What makes this book shine is how Hanson weaves research with personal stories, making complex ideas accessible and actionable. Her concept of the "inner Muse" resonates deeply - it's that wise, untamed part of ourselves we've been taught to silence. Whether you're just beginning your journey of self-discovery or looking to deepen your connection to your feminine wisdom, this book provides both the why and how of living a life defined by your own terms rather than external validation. The best part is that Dr. Hanson narrates herself! She does an amazing job.

Thanks NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks

Thank you NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

As a standard at Read With Lindsey, we do not give full reviews to books with ratings under 3 stars, so this will be short. Muse by Amanda Hanson sports the tag line “The magnetism of women who stop abandoning themselves”. Having been in a dark spot recently, I was immediately drawn to this book both by this tag line and by the publisher’s blurb that discussed “rituals and practices to reclaim our womanhood”. I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting, but this was definitely not it.

I give Muse 1 out of 5 stars. This audiobook is approximately 8.5 hours long and for the first 3 hours, Dr. Hanson discusses what this book will do for you, leading this to feel more like a speaker at self-help conference that is only interested in signing you up for some program to get your money. It isn’t until you’re nearly halfway through that Hanson delivers her first exercise to help you connect to your womanhood. Additionally, at around the 6-hour mark, Hanson touts the need for natural childbirth…and only natural childbirth. In one sentence, she laments the statistic that the US has the highest maternal-fetal mortality rate, and yet immediately afterwards turns to telling women not to allow medical intervention in childbirth. While I agree that medical intervention should be much less than what we see today, I am a mother who is only here because I received medical intervention during both my pregnancies. To hear her state that most women would feel like I was raped because I did so? Offensive. That medical treatment saved both my life and that of both of my children. I also found it down right abhorrent and irresponsible to make women feel like seeking medical help made them “less than” – this is right up there with making moms who choose formula or anyone who seeks medical treatment for depression feel less than. Additionally, if you’re going to attack a religion by quoting its scripture, it would be best to learn how to pronounce the name Leviticus properly.

I cannot in good faith recommend this book to my readers. I was impressed with Dr Hanson’s therapeutic record and license, and also with the publisher’s blurb stating research would be including along side clinical and holistic practices. However, I call into question Dr Hanson’s qualifications after reading this book. There also was minimal clinical research to support her claims. Please save yourself the time and frustration with this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Greenlead Audiobooks for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

DNFed at 25%. I don’t usually review books I DNF but this one rubbed me so wrong I wanted it documented. The first 10% of the book came across as arrogant and self-aggrandizing, with the author consistently telling you how much this book would change your life, including a “warning” that once you heard what she had to say you’d never be the same. Immediate ick. Then I almost DNFed when the author ranted about how nauseously angry she got 10 minutes into an action movie. It felt overly aggressive and excessively anti-patriarchy (I get that the patriarchy is pervasive and destructive but can’t a girl like action movies too? The author seems to indicate no, they’re just brainwashed if they do). I finally DNFed at 25% when the author began speaking of how no woman gets Botox or goes on a diet for her own good, it’s really just the patriarchy, which I find narrow minded and one sided and eliminates a lot of real experience that real women may have. The authors reference to Botox in the forehead as apparently numbing the third eye chakra and then saying that wearing shapewear “not only harm[s] their internal organs and digestion, but they disconnect from and torture their womb space, the most powerful portal where endless inner wisdom reside.” Sorry ma’am, the instant you mention my “womb space” as being a requirement to any sort of feminine identification I’m OUT.

This book gives some very valuable information that I think would be invaluable to woman of any age but specifically those reaching perimenopause and beyond. We are a society that bases so much of a woman’s value in her looks and youthful appearance and isn’t it time that we start to find beauty that is soul deep. This book deepens our understanding of breaking free of those societal norms.

I like the premise of the book. I'm glad to see a shift in challenging our patriarchal society to allow women to be themselves, for themselves. Well done to the author in addressing that.

The downside of the book, for me personally, is the inclusion of some eastern religious beliefs. An early example is her going to a healer, where she is told she "must believe" for her son to be healed. At the end of the book she shares her story about breast augmentation, and the process to get them removed so it would no longer block her chakra to her heart. She talks of apologizing to her body for toxins from breast implants. As a previvor myself, who has had a double mastectomy, and now I am reconstructed with breast implants, it seems rather insensitive and "higher than though".

As women, yes, let's encourage ourselves to stop abandoning ourselves. To age as we wish. To get cosmetic surgery *if you want*. What is right for the author is not necessarily right for others. Let's aim to keep the balance between letting go of "musts" of the patriarchy, without jumping to "musts" of the all-natural group-think (cultish).

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book really gives you plenty to ponder, especially about how our perceptions began and how they’ve evolved throughout the years. So much food for thought!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Greenleaf Audiobooks | Greenleaf Book Group Press for this ARC.

#Muse #NetGalley

“In Muse: The Magnetism of Women Who Stop Abandoning Themselves, Dr. Amanda Hanson examines the history and current systems that put women in the position of living their lives based on their worth to men. She then guides us through exquisite rituals and practices to reclaim our womanhood and build our most beautiful lives. 
 
Weaving together research, personal stories, and insights from Dr. Hanson’s decades of helping women through her unique method that combines clinical psychology and ancient holistic practices, Muse gives us the power, built on matriarchal consciousness, to reconstruct our lives.”

What I was promised was not what I got. This book is mostly a “womanifesto” of Hanson ranting about her personal experiences and perspectives, and much less about the ‘rituals and practices’ to reclaim womanhood.

While there were some points made that felt sound, reasonable, and I am 100% behind, this book has some ableist culture woven pretty deep. At one point, Hanson says that women using Botox on their foreheads are “freezing their 3rd eye chakra and freezing their intuition” - what about those that are using it for extreme migraines? Do they not deserve the treatment that’s available with the lowest side effects?

Just after, she suggests “surrendering to” instead of suppressing our natural cycles. What about those with terrible endometriosis and adenomyosis? Should they surrender to becoming so riddled with pain that they can’t function on any level?

The talk of breast surgery completely glosses over how important that gender-affirming care can be to our trans family.

By the end of chapter 3, things get dangerous. I’m so glad that she found a magical healer for her son, but to say to only go with your thoughts? There are too many scam artists - and folks without sound reasoning skills and education - to live in that world for folks who don’t have the means to risk it.

All in, this isn’t a book that I would recommend. There are some much better books out there that speak on the system that we live in with actionable changes that can be made.

Thank you NetGalley and Green Leaf Audiobooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.