Odd(ly) Enough

Odd(ly) Enough is the journey of Carolanne Miljavac from a person who had all the odds stacked against her but emerged a stronger person. With a history of molestation, poverty, depression, drugs, poverty and tragedy she questioned whether there would be any hope for a person like her. Though she had grown up in a religious home, she did not earnestly seek God until tragedy struck her family in her adult life.

With her conversational tone, Carolanne authentically and relatably shares some of the hardest parts of her life- she does not hold anything back. But all this seems to be in good faith, for readers to learn from her mistakes and allow God to mould them into persons that He would like them to be.

The tone and writing style of the book made the reading experience to feel like they were a compilation of sermons or talks. Given its conversational style and Carolanne's wit and sarcasm, readers might enjoy the book even more as an audiobook

Carolanne Miljavac knows how to keep a person's attention. I fell in love with Carolanne as she told about growing up in Alabama. She described her life in ways that made me want to reach through the pages of the book and give her a great big hug. This book takes you through all the emotions. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, and I loved. Carolanne lays it all out there for the reader. The good, the bad, and the ugly, but does it in a way that keeps a reader coming back for more. She loves God and doesn't care who knows it. She is real about her life, and she isn't afraid to put herself out there. Reading this book has changed me for the better. If you have gotten away from God, or just need a refresher, then this book is for you. If you feel that you are not good enough, or you don't love yourself, then this book is for you. If you have had a lot of storms and fiery trials in life and are discouraged, then this book is for you. If you love God and want a closer relationship with Him, then this book is for you. I am so excited for this book’s release so that I can buy copies and give as gifts to loved ones.

I was able to review Odd(ly) Enough by receiving a review digital copy through NetGalley. I received no other compensation and my review and opinions expressed are my own.

I first learned about CA Miljavac like the rest of you - on the internet. I know her as the "I Ain't Doin' It" lady, but you might have seen her first video where she posts a video of herself breaking loose during a workout to Salt n Peppa's "Push It". Either way, her videos are funny and entertaining.

CA relies on internet pop culture (her own and others') to bring her message in her book. In Odd(ly) Enough, she brings the same style of comedy and sincerity to deliver hope and healing. In it, she shares her story as a child to act as a backdrop of her insecurities and failings in her teen and early 20s. She does not use her story as an excuse for her behavior but rather a reason for it. She also uses the story of her niece, Ansley, as her awakening where she lays it all before God and truly lets go of her past. However, she never forgets her past and rationalizes that the past, no matter how horrible, is what truly shapes us into the vessels God uses for His purpose.

The text will probably resonate best with Christians but it is CA's hope that non-Christians or those who are walking far from Christ will find value in her message.

I've remained vague for this review because I don't want to reveal any spoilers. Anyone who has read CA's blog or followed her on any form of a social media knows her story, I'm sure. I would highly recommend this book. It is a quick read, but it's a solid one. I think my only concern might be in 10 or 20 years if someone pulls this book off the shelf, will they get a lot of the internet pop culture reference? Perhaps not. But those references aside, I feel the book has a timeless message that will speak to the hearts of many women for years to come.

I was asked to review this book and I have never heard of Carolanne Miljavac before now. I am so glad I read this book. She has wrote a painfully honest book about her past and how she overcame it with the help of God. If you feel like everything is stacked against you and there is no way to overcome it, grab this book. Read how God molded her from what she was to the person He knew she could be. This is a "must" read book for everybody. Thank you Barbour Publishing, Inc Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this awesome book. This is my honest review of this book.

Great book. The author writes about her struggles that she went through life but when she learned to trust God and let God lead her life, her life turn around for the better. It is honest, raw and filled with humour. I recommend this book.

"How could you ever know just how strong you are if your strength has never been tested?" This is just one of many thought provoking questions that Carolanne Miljavac challenges her readers with in her new book, Oddly Enough. She is honest, sharing many personal stories and situations from her life, and how God helped her to not only deal with the situations, but use them for good and for personal growth. I enjoyed her style of writing, as it felt like I was chatting with a friend. The book was encouraging, but Miljavac also did not sugar coat the truth. I would recommend this book to anyone who has struggled with abuse, anxiety, poverty, or any other tough life situation. This book will help you to "let your worries go so you're left only with God."

The evil one, Satan, hates the potential and redemption of those more powerful than he'll ever be. The misfits. The oddballs. The unqualified. The ones called to defy the standards of the world and stand in his way. You can't blend in with the world when you're not the average girl. You are a child of the King with an ability to overcome your feelings. Welcome to Odd(ly) Enough - Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In, in which Carolanne Miljavac encourages primarily female, but male readers too, that you can feel joy when times are sad, be glad when you should be mad, and show love to people who have treated you bad. That's how life works. Oddly enough. 

Rediscover your God-given purpose and the life you're made to enjoy, endure, learn from and shared with others. God is always working to help you give Him control. He does this by making you still and wait. Don't let distractions disguised as opportunities, or a desire to please people, keep you from staying on the path God has set before you. When you feel you're being stretched and tested beyond your strength, you have a choice to make. Are you going to feed your flesh or your spirit? Stepping into your purpose will always make you nervous. The salvation of those struggling the most is the greatest reflection of the depth of God's love. Miljavac's book is relatable, humorous, accessible, authentic.

I received a few chapters ahead of time from the publisher for the purpose of sharing my honest review.

Carolanne shares of her life experiences growing up in Alabama. She presents her story in a way that one feels a gamut of emotions from joy to grief and back again. Her southern accent delightfully shines out in her writing. Humor is an obvious part of who she is.

The author's words offer encouragement, motivation, and hope. Many parts challenge the reader to live a more transparent life and to live it for Jesus. Carolanne is a Christian and shares the hope she has found in Him.

Reader beware that some of the personal stories may be difficult to read. Carolanne has journeyed through some very difficult things.

I found this book refreshingly real, brutally honest, and parts of it caused bursts of laughter. I give it 5 stars and encourage you to read it: you will be blessed.

I love how Carolanne's way of writing was so relatable! Like just talking with a friend. She let's the reader know about even her most vulnerable, heart-wrenching moments. All to prove that God can see value in even the poorest, most abused, most bullied...if we let him. The first half is her life story, where she finally gave all control over to God after such a tragic event brought her to a place where she could no longer live the same way. The second half is about all the things that she has learned since. It is here that I had my own A-ha moment of why God made me, yes me, with a birth defect that has affected my very being for the last 48 years. I have had a close relationship with God my whole life, but never really known why He would make me disabled.....until now. This book brought such wisdom! In my opinion, although this book is written for women, I think everyone should read it. It will make you laugh, cry, and open you up to listening to that still, small voice inside and changing your life!

If you're on Facebook, you've probably seen videos by this funny lady. She's really good at just telling it like it is! You'd never guess when you hear her funny point of view, that she comes from a very tough background. She went through some really hard times, but when her little niece was diagnosed with cancer, she realized that God had a purpose for her. He had given her a special gift--the ability to make people laugh. Her book is written in a friendly tone that makes you think you actually know her, and she's sitting across from you. At one point while reading, I laughed so hard Billy asked me what was funny. I read the passage to him, and we both laughed until we nearly cried.

The message of this book is that we all have things we're embarrassed or ashamed of. Maybe we did bad things, or something terrible happened to us. We spend so much of our lives trying to hide our past mistakes and failures. But God is so much bigger than anything we've done, or had done to us! He has a plan for all of us, and He's just waiting for us to fulfill it. He can take even bad things, and work them out for His glory. There's no need to try to hide who we are, when we are exactly who God made us to be! I found so much inspiration in this book! We can all do things for God, just by accepting who we are--mistakes and all!

This is an open and sometimes painfully honest book. The author does a good job of showing us that because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we find our worth in Him. As she shares different areas of her life with us, we can find encouragement to turn to God with our own struggles and heartaches.

I liked Carolanne Miljavac’s writing style. She’s very personable and she’s both funny and serious by turns all the way through this book. There were a couple of times that I thought she had wandered to another topic, but she always came back to make her point. But that’s part of the charm of this book. It’s much like sitting down with her and having a conversation about life and faith.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

"Odd(ly) Enough - Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In," by Carolanne Miljavac affirms what the world needs to hear. It's time to embrace the real "you" God made you to be, as you passionately pursue your God-given purpose. You will find yourself walking with courage and confidence about God’s divine purpose for your life. Following the principles outlined in this book, Carolanne Miljavac, a person with all the odds stacked against her, emerged a much stronger person, honest, authentic and relatable, using her unique style of comedy and sincerity to deliver hope and healing. Carolanne believes that the past is what shapes us into the vessels God uses for His divine purposes. She has written a raw, painfully honest and humorous book about her past, detailing her life's struggles and how she overcame it with God's help. We won't know how strong we are if our strength is never tested. As Carol tells her story, we feel a wide gamut of emotions from ranging from joy to grief. This book offers encouragement and hope, motivating readers to live a more transparent life for Jesus. Carolanne, a Christian shares the hope she finds in Christ. Because of who Jesus is and what He suffered for us, we find our worth in Him. We are encouraged to turn to God with our own struggles and heartaches. He has a plan for all of us and we just need to wait on Him to fulfill it. He can make everything work out for His glory. We don't have to hide who we really are when we are exactly who God created us to be. This book is for all who love God and want a closer relationship with Him. I highly recommend this book for God's glory.

For those that have never felt who they are is enough—here’s a book for you! So often we read about people who suffer outwardly or inwardly to varying degrees because they felt things happen to them because they just don’t have enough _________ (fill in the blank). This book seeks to expose the lies they tell themselves or are told. The author states “everything that we think makes us an outcast is actually what makes us. . .oddly. . .enough...[because] Your identity can’t be found in the minds and mouths of others.

I enjoyed how the author took the reader on a journey through her life. There are so many that have gone through similar challenges but say nothing about them—often because of shame. Yet those very incidents have made them who they are. Throughout this book, the author offers hope to those affected by their challenges reminding them that God’s grace is enough to make them enough and those challenges also provide the opportunity to help others who are facing similar challenges.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher and Net Galley. However, the thoughts expressed are totally my own.

Odd(ly) Enough
Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In

by Carolanne Miljavac

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Shiloh Run Press

Christian , Nonfiction (Adult)

Pub Date 01 Nov 2018





I am reviewing a copy of Odd(ly) Enough through Shiloh Run Press and Netgalley:




This book encourages you to embrace the person God wants you to be. We are encouraged to tune out the naysayers of the world and jump into the loving arms of our Lord. We are reminded that he walks along with us as we pursue the purpose God has set aside for us.


This book will encourage you to become a little more courageous in your walk with Christ.


I give Odd(ly) Enough five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I really loved this book. I feel as though this girl and I are related. From the abuse, the poverty, and the feelings of no confidence, I related to her.

What I mostly enjoyed is the way she used / uses humor to hide her insecurities. If I am insecure, I will make fun of whatever is causing me to think badly of myself before anyone else has the chance (or probably even noticed). I am also glad I finally found a new word that explains me. I am an extroverted introvert! LOL!

Seriously, with her humor and encouragement, this is a good, light read without too much "preachiness" (I don't know if that is a word). Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I just wish the cover showed up on my kindle so that I will be able to come back to it again. I have a feeling I will need to read this book from time to time for encouragement.

Honest and Vulnerable
Carolanne Miljavac defines herself as "a southern-raised, Jesus-saved, barely sane author, speaker, and social media goofball." She talks authentically, openly, and honestly in her book "Odd(ly) Enough: Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In" which was published by Shiloh Run Press about her life that was marked by a history of molestation, poverty, drugs, depression, and tragedy. She grew up in a religious home, but she had no hope and no relationship with God. Miljavac shows how God formed her into the person she is now and how the reader can learn from her. She treats topics such as "Who Do You thin You Are?", "Rock-Bottom Revelation," and "Mistakes and Grace."
One quote that really touched me: "And while God's love doesn't always protect us from all the evil in the world, it does help us conquer it. We conquer it through what we choose to do with our own lives and how we spend our time. We defeat it by loving others."
This is the Miljavac's first book and I was not aware about her presence on Social Media. I found her conversational tone refreshing and the book easy to read in spite of the fact that her life's background is not an easy one. I highly recommend this book to those who deal with hard issues in their lives and who are looking to God for help and are willing to get input from an author who is not ignorant of life's struggles and difficulties.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#OddlyEndough #NetGalley