
About the book:
After losing her high-octane job as an entertainment blogger, Noelle Hancock was lost. About to turn twenty-nine, she'd spent her career writing about celebrities' lives and had forgotten how to live her own. Unemployed and full of self-doubt, she had no idea what she wanted out of life. She feared change—in fact, she feared almost everything. Once confident and ambitious, she had become crippled by anxiety, lacking the courage required even to attend a dinner party—until inspiration struck one day in the form of a quote on a chalkboard in a coffee shop:
"Do one thing every day that scares you."
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Painfully timid as a child, Eleanor Roosevelt dedicated herself to facing her fears, a commitment that shaped the rest of her life. With Eleanor as her guide, Noelle spends the months leading up to her thirtieth birthday pursuing a "Year of Fear." From shark diving to fighter pilot lessons, from tap dancing and stand-up comedy to confronting old boyfriends, her hilarious and harrowing adventures teach her about who she is, and what she can become—lessons she makes vital for all of us.
While the book sounded fascinating, my first reaction was that it would be an excuse to capitalize on the whole, I'm-going-to-do-something-related-to-someone-famous-and-then-write-a-book-about it thing. I had no idea who Noelle Hancock was when I started reading this book. I don't follow celebrity/gossip blogs or magazines. I don't read US Magazine in print or online. I don't even watch television, so I don't always recognize celebrities anyway.
I was so happy to find this to be an engaging and inspiring memoir. Noelle is honest in admitting her fears and her faults. So much of what she writes, I can relate to and understand. I was once confident, but often I now find myself timid and unable to believe in my abilities.
Sitting in a coffee shop one day, Noelle found herself inspired by the Eleanor Roosevelt quote, "Do one thing every day that scares you". Realizing that she'd let herself become crippled by anxiety and fears, Noelle took this to heart and began her "Year of Fear". She went skydiving and shark diving. She climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, renegotiated interest rates, took trapeze lessons and interviewed old boyfriends about why they broke up with her.
Along the way, she read books about and by Eleanor Roosevelt and learned about the insecurities that Eleanor herself overcame. Many of Eleanor's own thoughts and experiences are included alongside Noelle's.
What I loved is that the book isn't simply an account of Noelle's adventures, but an intelligent, perceptive book about looking at one's self and discovering hidden strengths and courage. Noelle's narration is, at times, hysterically funny yet very insightful and often hit very close to home.
While I could have done without the profanity and occasional vulgarity, this is still an eloquent and inspiring account of one woman's year of discovery.
Thanks to Trish at TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Noelle Hancock
here. You can purchase your own copy
here
. You can see other reviews and tour stops
here.
Monday, July 11:
Book Reviews by Molly
Tuesday, July 12:
Bibliosue
Wednesday, July 13:
2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews
Thursday, July 14:
Melody & Words
Tuesday, July 19:
Scandalous Women
Wednesday, July 20:
Unabridged Chick
Monday, July 25:
One Book Shy
Tuesday, August 2:
“That’s Swell!”
Wednesday, August 3:
The Book Chick
Thursday, August 4:
Cozy Little House
Wednesday, August 10:
Kahakai Kitchen
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Read 7/11
* * * *
4/5 Stars