Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
i’m a huge fan of @jvn and now i love him even more after reading his book! his story is really inspiring and i love his honesty (and sense of humor!) and i really feel like i learned so much more about the reality (and stigma) of HIV. i really love when a book makes me laugh and learn at the same time
This book was raw and real and everything I needed during quarantine. Highly recommend!
For the Queer Eye lover, a must-read especially the audiobook version, so you can listen to JVN tell his truth. I enjoyed getting to know JVN through his journey of self-discovery which wasn’t always an easy one.
I love JVN, and I think his presence in the world makes it a better place. I hate reviewing memoirs and autobiographies because it feels like I'm rating someone's life rather than the book itself. I found Jonathan's book to be honest and compelling, and I loved how he kept his optimism through the many trials he's faced. He really found a way to instill his spirit into his writing. That being said, I can't say I really enjoyed my read. I think it could stem from the fact that I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Jonathan. Sometimes it felt like his relentlessly cheery voice made some parts of the story ring inauthentic, which is crazy because it's not like I found the book to be fabricated at all. Something about the book just didn't draw me in. That being said, I have a lot of respect and appreciation for him and how openly he shared his story.
I finished this in like two days. I CACKLED at some of the things Jonathan mentions in this story.. he has such a unique sense of humor. I also cried. There is a lot of tragic moments in this book as well. It was amazing. Loved it.
My heart is so full reading this book. The audiobook is a must - JVN's personality and light shines through.
I enjoyed reading this. It was funny and insightful. Though the cover wasn’t lying about it being raw and it might not be for everyone. Language, open talk about sexuality, and talking about abuse/drugs. But I did appreciate the open look into Jonathan’s life.
This is one of my favourite biography to date, I gobbled it up so quickly.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s written in his voice, the frequent ‘queen’ and ‘babe’ throughout, it just made it feel like my friend was talking to me and it was so comforting and real.
What mostly moved me though was his honesty in vulnerability in talking about his sexual assault at a young age, his addiction/relationship with sex as a result (hyper sexuality) and going to rehab. His journey on working through that trauma, I found incredibly relatable and it’s something I’m currently exploring with my therapist, so it felt like a friend was there comforting me on my journey.
‘I didn’t have the language to explain what this acting out was about. This was my traumas way of working its way out’
‘Part of me was fixated on recreating these situations to give me this sense of power, because now I chose where, when and how my space was entered.’
This was a book I didn’t know I needed, and I love Johnathan even more now (I didn’t know that was possible). His resilience is inspiration and he’s definitely on my role model list now.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s written in his voice, the frequent ‘queen’ and ‘babe’ throughout, it just made it feel like my friend was talking to me and it was so comforting and real.
What mostly moved me though was his honesty in vulnerability in talking about his sexual assault at a young age, his addiction/relationship with sex as a result (hyper sexuality) and going to rehab. His journey on working through that trauma, I found incredibly relatable and it’s something I’m currently exploring with my therapist, so it felt like a friend was there comforting me on my journey.
‘I didn’t have the language to explain what this acting out was about. This was my traumas way of working its way out’
‘Part of me was fixated on recreating these situations to give me this sense of power, because now I chose where, when and how my space was entered.’
This was a book I didn’t know I needed, and I love Johnathan even more now (I didn’t know that was possible). His resilience is inspiration and he’s definitely on my role model list now.
He's so cheerful and upbeat that, when he says really tough things, it's easy to read them lightly rather than with awe and appreciation for this man and all he's been through.
5 stars
GCA 2019 Read
I though this book was the right amount of poignant, funny, and heartbreaking. There were alot of feelings that I connected with and I admire him alot more, knowing how much he went through and he is still able to be so positive.
GCA 2019 Read
I though this book was the right amount of poignant, funny, and heartbreaking. There were alot of feelings that I connected with and I admire him alot more, knowing how much he went through and he is still able to be so positive.