The first time I ever encountered Melissa Radke is when she spoke to my soul about spirit week. It was then that I knew I would follow her and watch everything of hers. There was a particular video I watch where she talks about the year she decided to be brave and not say no anymore. It spoke to me on a whole new level. I am so glad she included that story in her book. I feel that the book would have been missing something had she left it out. The thing about writing a non fiction memoir type book is that you have to be able to convey what you were feeling in that moment to your prospective audience. Melissa does an amazing job of including the reader in her story. She talks directly to the reader on more than one occasion.
The writing style was what you would expect if you have seen her videos. I read it just as if she was speaking every word to me directly. Her voice echoing in my mind. (I can't wait to hear the audiobook). Personally, on books like this I like the personal flare in the writing. If it where a traditional non-fiction where the third wall isn't broken it wouldn't have worked. She knows how to appease her prospective audience.
The feelings change with every chapter she writes. The more personal chapters about her marriage I felt as though I fell on the floor with her when I heard the phone conversation. I was with her when she returned home and then returned to Tennessee. I was with her when she was on the phone with her father desperately needing a little push to get out the door and have a good time with her friends. She brought me along with her when she tried out with the voice, when she was in college, and when she birthed her first born. I felt every emotion she felt and that my friends is not easy to do when you are a new writer. However, I was there, she took me there.
Without giving too much away about the book, it is a must read. I will recommend it to every single one of my mom friends time and time again. It is ok to eat the cake when you are on a diet. It is ok. Melissa said it best, Eat Cake. Be Brave

Have you ever found yourself nodding your head while reading a book? Kind of like talking to a friend, and understanding every word coming out of their mouth? This is that book. I caught myself nodding along, and even giggling. I knew who Melissa Radke was from her podcast, “Ordinary People, Ordinary Things,” and I had high hopes for her first book. It did not disappoint! She is REAL! She is not preachy, but she shares how God has played a role in her life. She tells you the type of Christian she is, and she doesn’t hold back, but she is not preachy with any of it. Yet, somehow, I walked away from this book knowing more about the Christian I strive to be. I recommend this book to all my friends.

I am so sorry but this book was terrible... I dont' review books that dont work for us so no review will appear on our site.

Unfortunately for me this book came across as preachy, and brought religion in to it a bit too much. I was hoping for something more along the lines of a self-help book but this didn't fit the bill for me, so I put it aside fairly early on! Thanks for the opportunity to review, but I guess that this one just wasn't for me!

I followed Melissa on Facebook a couple years ago and requested the ARC of Eat Cake. Be Brave on a whim. I'm so glad I did! She's funny and insightful and imparted wisdom I didn't even know I needed. If you think you already love Melissa Radke, read this book and you will love her even more!

I loved her voice and message. Wasn't sure what to expect from the cover but the book was a mix of humor and sadness and was written with honesty. Don't expect to be able to read in public in parts because you'll either be laughing out loud or openly crying..

I have been following Melissa Radke on Facebook since the Red Ribbon Week video. She makes me laugh regularly and puts into words the feelings I often experience. I also listen to her podcast and was concerned that I had already heard her story. However, this book...is so special. She shares tough stories of love and acceptance and loss and adoption. She shares a Christian message that resonates with me. Radke writes, "I am Christian. Not the kind that protests at your funeral. Not the kind that protests your marriage. I am more the kind that laughs the loudest and jokes the saltiest. I forgive quickly and easily because that was what was done for me. I hate injustice and yet feel powerless against it sometimes. So I pray, because God hates injustice, too." Yes! That's the kind of Christian I want to be and that's the kind of Christian the world needs more of.

Melissa is so real, raw and hilarious! She will make you cry and make you laugh in the same chapter, sometimes in the same sentence. Definitely a must read!

If Goodreads allowed half stars this would definitely be 4.5 for me. The only thing keeping it from a 5 and being shelved on my "need more stars" shelf is the fact that it wasn't what I was expecting.

Melissa Radke is hilarious. Literally laughed out loud numerous times. And she is so relatable! I was screenshotting passages and texting my sister "this is me" and "so you" with double exclamation marks. Not just the funny/embarrassing high school stories either. But the heart-wrenching moments as well.

While I received an advanced copy of this book free from Netgalley I am adding it to my Amazon to-buy list because I do want to own a physical copy, even though I have the e-book and even though it wasn't a 5 star review this time. Maybe I will reread it in a few years and wonder what I was thinking with my slight negativity.

As a collection of narrative essays this was great. But I was expecting a memoir. The summary lead me to believe that this would start off with the pre-41st birthday introductory chapters, then the rest of the book would be about what and how Melissa chose to be brave that year. Instead, there are over a dozen essays illustrating some moment in time when Melissa wasn't brave, when something unfair or unkind happened and how it affected and shaped those first 40 years. Most of those essays ends on the positive, with the new Melissa pointing out what she should have done or what she hopes readers will do in that same situation or what the takeaway is; because of that I expected the next chapter to be about her taking control etc, but there are only 3 essays I think that actually discuss events after her birthday that year. Maybe what I was expecting was a more linear story I guess.

Melisa Radke is everyone's spirit animal. When she burst on the scene with her Red Ribbon week, I knew that she was a star and someone I wanted to be friends with. Her book only intensifies that.

What a fun and insightful book! Melissa Radke is someone I found on Facebook and I truly loved her perspective on life. Great book!

I wasn't sure what to expect from Melissa Radke's first book. Sure, I figured there would be some laughs. Melissa's videos led me to expect that. I also thought there'd be a healthy dose of encouragement. And, of course, she'd talk about Jesus. But what surprised me was the range of reactions elicited by her words. I laughed, cried, nodded my head and said, "Preach," identified with her on multiple levels, and had several moments of self-examination and introspection. This isn't your typical "Christian woman's book." Melissa is unflinchingly honest and candid about her life and her experiences. It seems many popular female Christian authors come off as untouchable, almost perfect. Melissa doesn't even pretend to try to fool us into buying that. She is refreshingly honest, sometimes irreverently so, but that just serves to make you love her more. This is no feel-good, platitude-filled, "Love Jesus and you'll live your best life" book. But she reminds us of our worth, that we were created for abundant life and that it won't just fall into our laps, that we have some heart work to do. And she makes it seem not impossible. She talks to us as if we've always been friends. You'll want to reread it so you don't miss out on her nuggets of wisdom (and to relive some of her funnier moments)..

#EatCakeBeBrave #ECBB #melissaradke #ECBBlaunchteam

OMGoodness! The cover drew me to this book, I mean come on a curvy girl with cake? I’m all over it. This book was so funny I was banished from my bedroom because I kept waking up the hubs I was laughing so hard. There were tears as well but that made for a good story. I have preordered this book for my Mom, sister and best friend. This book was genuine, funny, poignant and real. You can’t get any better than that. Thank you for an entertaining night. Oh and I wish I could give more than 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of this book. It resonated with me from start to finish. From the story of how she celebrated to her 41st birthday to her depression following tremendous loss; Melissa has a way of making you laugh one minute and feel deeply the next. I recommend this to anyone who has felt like they were not "enough" or felt like they had to shrink who they are to fit in. Melissa doesn't claim to have it all together and this is what makes her so endearing. This is one of the few 5 star books I have read this year.

Not even going to lie. Not even a little bit. I only requested this book on NetGalley because of the title and the cover. And how was I rewarded? With an easy and quick read, full of funny quips–including one about how people will only pick up the book because of the cover art. Oops.

Ready for some more honesty? I had no idea who Melissa Radke was before reading Eat Cake. Be Brave., her debut book. According to Google, Radke is “is a public speaker, writer, entertainer, blogger, vlogger, and the Worship Leader and Creative Director at Timber Creek Church. In her spare time, she blogs about parenting and writes a column for the local paper.” So…as someone who is not a parent and does not identify as Christian, I guess it makes sense that Radke may not be at the top of my to-read list.

Despite our differences, I still definitely enjoyed Radke’s debut book. It reads like Tina Fey’s, Amy Poehler’s or Mindy Kaling’s books–smaller (and often funny!) vignettes make up the larger story and deliver the greater message. Radke gets deep and personal, as she talks about her mental health issues, her battle against depression, marriage troubles, and her ongoing infertility issues. And yet, we also get to hear about her first date, how she uses self-deprecating humor to navigate uncomfortable situations, and how she values the other strong women in her family. Radke’s writing style is incredibly visual; you almost feel like you are in the room with her because of her attention to both visual and emotional details. And, as someone who doesn’t identify as Christian, it wasn’t too heavy on religious imagery or references–so it didn’t detract from my reading experience (although, I’m sure it would definitely add to those that do follow that faith!). Eat Cake. Be Brave. was a fast read and it honestly made me both laugh and cry. I probably won’t head out to the bookstores to buy a copy for all my friends, but, for me, it was the perfect poolside read during the middle of a hot summer day!

I believe this book would have resonated with me more if I aspired to be a mother. Even so, I was struck my Melissa's determination and resilience. This memoir in essays is written with raw honesty, her stories are insightful, inspiring, and hilarious. They are also at times heartbreaking, infuriating, and embarrassing. The overall message is a powerful one for women of all ages: to be brave and take responsibility for yourself, also to love big and forgive when it hurts. Melissa's Christian faith is clear throughout the book, but without coming across as "preachy."

This was a great book to read while waiting for appointments, or on a short subway ride. I never really got into it, but I was entertained just enough to keep reading. I was attracted at first by the cover, and by Melissa's relatable Instagram personality. I could not relate to many of her life stories, but enjoyed hearing about her experiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I didn't know of Melissa Radke, but let's be honest...I adored the title and cover. So, I dove in. Non fiction isn't usually my bedtime (truth: middle of the night) choice, unless it's a true crime book (which I do NOT recommend doing.) This book was genuine, funny, poignant and felt real. Radke has a new fan in me. I also loved that she talked about how God plays a role in her life, but it wasn't the tiniest bit preachy. This book made me think about how hard I am on myself 99% of the time, and about how we all struggle and sometimes don't realize everyone else's path/struggles. Highly recommend this one.