abbyreads8 's review for:

Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness

3.0

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Short and sweet. Not the best celebrity memoir I've ever read (or should I say, listened to), but still very entertaining nonetheless. I highly recommend listening to this in audiobook version - JvN reads the book himself, meaning that the story is incredibly thoughtfully, emotionally and energetically told. With this revealing memoir, van Ness opens up about his HIV-positive status, the sexual abuse he suffered as an adult, and his struggles with drug abuse and sex addiction. Some parts of him discussing his recovery and healing brought me to tears - namely "Joyful accomplishments exist next to painful memories. I found a lot of my healing when I realized my suffering didn't undo my joy." 3 stars - an enjoyable read, but not stellar.