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sarahp85's review
3.0
Difficult to rate this one so leaving it in the middle.
Thing is, I LOVE Karamo on QE. He is always making me cry. And I didn't know anything about him at all, never watch those reality shows on MTV, didn't know who he was before QE. So it was super interesting to me to find out more about his life.
But... I don't know what it is exactly that made me not love this book. Sometimes it came across a bit like: hi look at how amazing I am
Eventhough I don't think he means to do that. I think it is more about overcoming obstacles/struggles/addiction and learning from them, using it for the good.
But like I said, there were moments where it came across like a show-off "look at me, I'm amazing, I did all of this and that and I am the best". So for that reason I couldn't fully love it. If that makes any sense
Thing is, I LOVE Karamo on QE. He is always making me cry. And I didn't know anything about him at all, never watch those reality shows on MTV, didn't know who he was before QE. So it was super interesting to me to find out more about his life.
But... I don't know what it is exactly that made me not love this book. Sometimes it came across a bit like: hi look at how amazing I am
Eventhough I don't think he means to do that. I think it is more about overcoming obstacles/struggles/addiction and learning from them, using it for the good.
But like I said, there were moments where it came across like a show-off "look at me, I'm amazing, I did all of this and that and I am the best". So for that reason I couldn't fully love it. If that makes any sense
barnesbookshelf's review
5.0
Karamo is one of the most emotionally healthy people I've ever interacted with. He has done a lot of soul searching, and his wisdom from that comes through clear as day in his book. I would like to thank him for being so honest and open, sharing his story like this. There were a lot of moments where he casually mentioned something that shocked me like the fact he used to do cocaine but he has accepted that it's part of his life and he willingly shared it. Many of the things he said, especially about following your dreams, really resonated with me and made me feel empowered to go after my dreams. I also appreciate that he took the time to explain little bits of queer culture that not everyone who reads this book would know about at first. And I appreciated that he took his loved ones wants and privacy into account and didnt share stories that weren't his. I think Karamo is doing a great job, and when he finally becomes a TV host, I'm gonna try to watch every episode❤.
bohemiangem's review
4.0
Thanks for sharing your beautiful self, friend. I loved hearing your story, and the audio book version was the perfect way to take it in.
emilyhwinn's review
5.0
I am a big fan of Queer Eye, and before reading I was a big fan of Karamo just from watching the show. I was shocked and inspired to hear his story of how he got to where he is now - beloved by many and often proclaimed on social media “everyone’s therapist.” His road so far has been rocky, and I love his candor in admitting his faults, owning his issues and seeking to be better and still reach his dreams. I could stop listening to this and I truly do wish karamo was my therapist and friend as well!
laila4343's review
3.0
Read this if you're a fan of the show. I admire Brown's candor about his past mistakes, and towards the end I enjoyed the glimpse into the casting of Queer Eye. Good for him sticking to his guns about what his role on the show should be - I think his approach (addressing the "hero's" inner life and emotional state) is central to the show's success and appeal.
rachcannoli's review against another edition
4.0
I utterly adore Queer Eye and every one of the fab 5, each book gives you a little more insight into the man and what turned him into the person we see today, and this is no different. Karamo goes into his childhood struggles such as having a non-anglican name, father issues, and grappling with his love of the church and his own identity as gay man. Similar to JVN's book, he's also had a very turbulent relationship with drugs, addiction, and abuse and recounts how these trials have shaped him and how he's bettered himself. There's a lot of really dark stuff in here, it makes you see things differently, such as how terrible his time on the Real World Philadelphia was, how the media has portrayed him, or how he is shown quite sparingly in season one of QE. It also hurts my heart reading the parts that should be happy about his now ex-fiance, it obviously doesn't reflect poorly on the book, it was just sad to read.
I find it truly commendable the amount of hardship Karamo has faced and is still able to come out with such a beautiful, positive attitude. He's brutally honest throughout the entire book, even for the multiple moments that didn't portray him in the best light. I do kind of wish he weaved in the show and his life coach abilities a bit more throughout the book. Especially considering all he's done to shape the culture category of the show in the amazing way he has, I wanted even more about it. It's a quick read and his prose reads just as he speaks so I was definitely engaged. I would've read another 100 pages of him just waxing philosophically about how he's taken all of these hardships and twisted them into the person he's become today. Basically if you love Karamo you will certainly not be disappointed with this read at all and will glean a further understanding of this incredible person from this glimpse into his head.
I find it truly commendable the amount of hardship Karamo has faced and is still able to come out with such a beautiful, positive attitude. He's brutally honest throughout the entire book, even for the multiple moments that didn't portray him in the best light. I do kind of wish he weaved in the show and his life coach abilities a bit more throughout the book. Especially considering all he's done to shape the culture category of the show in the amazing way he has, I wanted even more about it. It's a quick read and his prose reads just as he speaks so I was definitely engaged. I would've read another 100 pages of him just waxing philosophically about how he's taken all of these hardships and twisted them into the person he's become today. Basically if you love Karamo you will certainly not be disappointed with this read at all and will glean a further understanding of this incredible person from this glimpse into his head.
darkpsychereads's review
5.0
Really enjoyable, heartfelt autobiography. Huge fan of the show Queer Eye and this was such a good and easy read.
As a student counsellor who's really battling inner demons, self-doubt, holding worries about existence in a capitalistic/restrictive / exploitative world. I really needed the advice and experience of a human in this field, and also just shares a lot of the values I do about authenticity, honesty, justice, understanding, harmony, and healing the world. Knowing Karamo is also a bit of an authentic and stubborn rebel helps dispel some of my people-pleasing anxieties of having to fit in. If there are cracks in the world and I see them and can do something about them- I feel more empowered to go with my heart and not just what's always been done. Turns out not everyone can see the emotional scars of the world and connect those dots like I can, so I can use my abilities more confidently. I found Karamo's stories really relatable and I couldn't put this down.
As a student counsellor who's really battling inner demons, self-doubt, holding worries about existence in a capitalistic/restrictive / exploitative world. I really needed the advice and experience of a human in this field, and also just shares a lot of the values I do about authenticity, honesty, justice, understanding, harmony, and healing the world. Knowing Karamo is also a bit of an authentic and stubborn rebel helps dispel some of my people-pleasing anxieties of having to fit in. If there are cracks in the world and I see them and can do something about them- I feel more empowered to go with my heart and not just what's always been done. Turns out not everyone can see the emotional scars of the world and connect those dots like I can, so I can use my abilities more confidently. I found Karamo's stories really relatable and I couldn't put this down.
jamesmata's review
3.0
This got better over time, though it was consistently mildly annoying in the standard celebrity memoir way. I found myself not liking him very much, while he was painting himself in a very flattering light, so… But, unique background and voice and I learned some things.