Hi everyone! That's right, I've got another book review for you all today. I'm really excited to share with you Notes On Being Teenage by Rosalind Jana. Like my previous book review I wrote on Sing by Vivi Greene, I did a small review on Twitter for this book too. I just can't believe that I didn't do a review on here for them. But I am now and I can't wait to share it with you. Rosalind Jana is an author, freelance journalist, poet, and model.
"How would you describe yourself? Do you like to stand out, or fit in? Are you an Instagram junkie, or is Snapchat more your thing? Are you watching Zoella on YouTube, or reading Rookie on your phone? We're all different, and no-one's teenage years are the same. But we do all have one thing in common - being a teenager is about discovering who we are, and who we want to be.
It can be tricky, building and forming your own identity and sense of self, and sometimes, advice from someone who has been there and done it in the not-too-distant past can come in useful. Enter Rosalind Jana, who's crammed more into her 20-odd years than most (including winning the Vogue Talent Contest for Young Writers AND 'Well Dressed' at the Observer Ethical Awards, but don't tell her we told you that...). Notes on Being Teenage covers all aspects of teenhood, from the serious (mental health issues, bullying, staying safe online), to the slightly-less-so (dating, style, fashion, starting a blog) and everything in between. Rooted in her own experiences as a blogger, part-time model and eco-fashion-expert, but also as a teen who struggled with scoliosis, bullying and her dad's depression, Rosalind is well-placed to offer advice and guidance to anyone navigating their teenage years.
She's also spoken to loads of teens about their experiences, too, and their stories, problems, advice and wisdom are gathered here as well, along with interviews with inspirational and interesting people like Louise O'Neill, Juno Dawson and Rosianne Halse-Rojas. All this combines to form a warm, witty, wise book not just on how to survive but how to thrive as a teen. Essential reading for smart girls of any age."
Notes On Being Teenage, looks at friendship, life online, family and body image. Basically all things that teenagers go through. From looking at the title of this book, you might automatically think that this is a book for teenagers, but this is a great read for everyone of any age. It is part memoir and part manual. This book is brilliantly written and if only I had of had this book when I as a teenager myself. There is some valuable advice within this book, even for my 27 year old self now!
One thing that I really did like about this book, was that it includes interviews and quotes throughout. I thought that this is a great idea and I'm so happy that Rosalind included these within her book. there is also a round up of the things that matter to the teens and mentors who contributed to the book too. The book is split into different sections throughout each chapters, such as Finding Your Style, Online Life, Notes On Family and Friendships and Fitting In. This book is true, honest and extremely helpful. There are so many different topics discussed. The chapter What's Inside Your Head? really stood out to me as Rosalind talks about mental health. She talks about how hard it sometimes can be to talk to someone about mental health. This chapter ends with how talking to someone can really help. To me this chapter is so important and can help so many people. Overall this is a brilliant book and definitely a must-read.
I highly recommend checking this book out.
Have you read Notes on Being Teenage? What are you currently reading?