Not quite For the Love but better than Moxie. I like Jen Hatmaker. I like Ker folksy manner and her quest to be all inclusive and eradicate discrimination in her Christian beliefs. This book highlights self help with the reference of some heavy hitters such as Brenne Brown. A dash of Jesus and relevant anecdotes about family are sprinkled through. Hatmaker is at her best when she illuminates about her family and I wish there were more in this book. Overall, a good reminder to find and serve yourself and others.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

Enneagrams, Anne Lamott, Tina Fey, RBG – these are a few of my favorites things. And they are all in this book.

Each reader will find something different here. Some struggle with being too much, others not enough. Some have had the patriarchy so ingrained in them that breaking out of that mindset seems impossible. Others have stood up for what is right, despite what their social and religious circles have insisted on, and paid dearly.

I’ve followed Jen Hatmaker for years and I have seen the vicious attacks by the religious mean girls. I remember when she lost her book deal – after the books were on the shelves – when her husband and her spoke in support of their LGBTQ brothers and sisters.

So to have the opportunity to read and review her new book has been like coming home to a remodeled home – one that breaks the mold and encourages women to take up all the space they need.

I read this book in less than twelve hours. Like I said, each reader will find something different for their life. For me, there were several things but the most resounding was the encouragement for spiritual curiosity.

By nature readers are typically intellectually curious individuals. I also firmly believe that those who do not read or at least embrace the company of readers are missing out on a big part of the world. So why should that curiosity stop with secular texts that we read?

For those of us who were raised around religion that answer is simple: because they said so. They being pastors, teachers, mentors, etc.

This book systematically reconstructed my religious experience as a youth and as an adult and then swiftly tore it down with an answer for every piece of framework it removed. The freeing part? Hatmaker didn’t rebuild anything. That’s where the curiosity becomes important. And I didn’t necessarily need someone to tell me that it’s acceptable to question Scripture but it certainly did not hurt to hear the encouragement either.

There are plenty of other points of encouragement as well which ultimately lead the reader to create 12 statements about themself. These are obviously different for everyone and I am looking forward to creating my own.

This book is perfect for nearly anyone – from the person who has been hurt by religion, to the exhausted mom, to the person who is in a career transition, to the individual worn down by the hatred in our world, or simply someone who is so tired of modern-day religion that insists that there is one belief system and if you dare to ask questions then you simply do not fit.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, and Jen Hatmaker for my gifted copy of this book, both on eNetGalley and hard copy formats in exchange for my honest review.

Bold. Brave. Unapologetic. Really enjoyed this one. Jen Hatmaker is really talented in her writing and is really real. Appreciated the authenticity in her writing and the ability to convey this message well.

I love all of Jen Hatmaker's books but this one was the most life-affirming and changing so far. Each chapter gives you a fresh take on all the things that in the depths of your mind. I found myself nodding my head and marking up the whole darn book with things I wanted to remember. This is one I will reread again and again and I legit cannot even wait for the audiobook version. If you are new to Jen you will fall in love with her through this book and if you have read her others she once again has outdone herself. A great book to buy as a gift for anyone you are doing life with.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the author because I was part of her launch team!

Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire delivers. I laughed, I cried, and I will filled with love and joy.

Jen Hatmaker writes as though she is speaking directly to you, her friend.

Reading this book reminded me why I love her books...she speaks from the heart and tells you what you need to hear for the season you are in.

This is the third book of Jen's that I've helped launch. While I'll always be fond of For the Love since it gave me an entire community of women who have stuck by me through thick and thin, I think Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire is her strongest work yet. With her trademark wit and moxie, Jen cuts right to the heart of the matter and encourages readers to live into their full selves. Highly recommended.

Once again Jen Hatmaker has knocked it out of the park! Fierce, Free. And Full of Fire is such an inspirational read. For anyone looking to step outside their comfort zone and live a life they truly adore, I highly recommend this book! I look forward to the audio version as I always enjoy Jen's lively narration.

Wow. I have loosely followed Jen Hatmaker for several years. I've read her books, listened to her podcast, followed her social media. Then I heard her speak at the Evolving Faith conference in Oct 2019. I turned to my friend and said, "I have *never* heard Jen Hatmaker sound like this!" As corny as it sounds, she was "fierce, free, and full of fire". She just did not have any effs left to give.

This book is exactly like that. By her own admission, Hatmaker is finally living a life where her private beliefs and her public voice are synchronized. I have personally been on a very similar journey over the past few years, and I also feel like I have finally learned to trust my own judgement and instincts. As much as I've grown into my own skin, this book had so much to offer in terms of wisdom and guidance, and especially in providing solidarity, as Hatmaker is not afraid to share her own short-comings.

There are some who may question whether this book is for them. My thoughts- Hatmaker is unabashedly Christian, but she offers a very wide table, freely welcoming Christians, post-evangelicals and "nones" with zero attempts to shame or change. Anyone who has followed Hatmaker's story over the past few years knows that she is a champion of social justice and is fully affirming of the LGBT community. That affirmation is a "given" throughout this book, but the book does not attempt to litigate the issue. Also, she loves Jesus, but she cusses a little. ;)

I found this book to be both inspirational and encouraging. I highly recommend it. I'm incredibly thankful to #NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. #FierceFreeandFullofFire

Jen Hatmaker is the big sister we all need.

Whether or not we, as individuals, have a big sister, we also need Jen.

I don’t want to review a book and simply say, “Oh.My.Word. You NEED to read this.” That’s not fair.
Jen has an uncanny way of laying out a situation with, “Hey, look, I’ve been there, I have literally done that thing. Here are some useful things to make it easier or better for you.”

Sometimes those words are hard to swallow. Sometimes it is not what you want to hear.
But, way more often than not, they are the things you need to hear.

To be honest, this is not my absolute favorite-Jen-Hatmaker-bookTM – that remains Of Mess and Moxie, but Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire is a very close second.

Divided into five sections: Who I Am, What I Need, What I Want, What I Believe, and How I Connect, Fierce provides a guidebook to figuring out some (or all) of those questions for yourself. Filled with personal stores, researched evidence, and supporting commentary from a variety of sources, these chapters give the reader 1. The reminder that they are not alone and they are not the only one doing that thing, feeling that thing, or going through that thing; 2. Scientific “proof” behind statements surrounding body image, eating disorders, suicide rates, among others; psychological definitions and impacts of gaslighting, loneliness, competition, success, and more; and 3. Additional places to expand their knowledge on the theme’s topic – do you want to learn more from Brene Brown after reading this paragraph? How about Sarah Bessey? Rachel Held Evans?

It’s not a road map with checkpoints of how to accomplish the task, climb the relentless ladder of “success,” or become a media mogul. This book invites the reader to look inward. Define who they are. Become who they really want to be and find the confidence to project that into the world honestly.

Favorite Chapter: Chapter 7 – I want this Dream
AKA – the chapter I needed to read most right now

How many dreams are you letting sit on the shelf because you know that they won’t work out?
If you’re like me, you’ve had this IDEA, you’ve thought about how to start it, you’ve thought about how amazing it would be at first, and then…. then you’ve thought of all the ways it will fail. Not could. Will.

Why are those dreams still hanging around then? They clearly will fail.

But that one little voice won’t let me completely let the IDEA go.
Maybe it’s time….

Stars: 5
Would I Recommend? Yes

Classic Jen Hatmaker. This book was great. Encouraging, hopeful, blunt, and cringe worthy. (The cringe worthy part was realizing the growth needed in myself, delivered only in a way Jen Hatmaker could). This book was five stars, without a doubt--perfect amount of encouragement, self help, and gut punch.

This book it knocked me off my feet. I believe that this book will serve so many women young and old. Jen Hatmaker has written something that I know I needed ten years ago.

"I’ve been so mean to my body, outright hateful. I disparage her and call her names, I loathe parts of her and withhold care. I insist on physical standards she can never reach, for that is not how she is even made, but I detest her weakness for not pulling it off. I deny her things she loves depending on the current fad: bread, cheddar cheese, orange juice, baked potatoes. I push her too hard and refuse her enough rest. No matter what she accomplishes, I’m never happy with her. I’ve barely acknowledged her role in every precious experience of my life. I look at her with contempt."

"She sure does love me and my life and family. Maybe it is time to stop hating her and just love her back."

The things in this book will bring you to tears and they will make you belly laugh. You will not regret reading this!

Fierce, Free and Full of Fire is broken up into 5 sections - Who I Am, What I Need, What I Want, What I Believe, and How I Connect. In classic Jen fashion she writes powerfully, with a sense of humour and with an occasional well-placed curse word. Thoroughly enjoyed her honesty and the way she shared stories throughout each section from her personal life. This book felt relatable and empowering.

This book is all the things you would expect from Jen Hatmaker, and so much more. This is the book we have been waiting for. If you know even a little of what Jen has shared of her story publicly, this is the book you have wanted to get your hands on. I know I had been waiting for it. She showed up and laid it all out for us.

This is the conversation we have with our closest friends when we are feeling brave and vulnerable. And some of the chapters are the conversations we wish we were brave enough to have. I was crying before I finished reading the dedication and I knew that this would be my favorite book written by Jen of all time. Chapters 1&2 spoke so deeply to my heart and chapter 3 was the one I wanted to send to every woman I have ever met. A few paragraphs into the at one, I knew I was going to buy this book for my teenage daughter to read with me.

This is the book I wanted and I had no idea how much I needed it at this precise moment in time. As soon as I finished it, I started reading it all over again because there is too much that I need to carry with me. There are few books that have meant this much to me.

If you are a woman close to me you can expect to hear about it every day until you read it for yourself and then we will laugh and cry together as we talk about our experiences.

Jen Hatmaker, Thank you.

The publisher provided an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for me to read. This is my honest review.

(I received this book from the publisher before the pub date.)

This book is so so good! Jen Hatmaker is FOR women, for a loving Jesus, for inclusion, empowerment, and all things good. She wants her readers to shed their learnt negative self-talks and replace them by love, compassion, and grace. She wants us to be all we can be -without judgment or limits.

I loved this book for Jen's sincerity and her well timed sense of humor. I sometimes wished that she talked more about how each chapter applied to herself -she does that at the beginning of each chapter but I wanted a bit more. How did she change, what resources did she use? I understand she wants people to pave their own way -she says she doesn't want to create a bunch of "Jenions"- but her influence is so great that her recommendations would be completely welcome.

I will never stop loving Jen Hatmaker and wanting to read her work, listen to her, and learn from her. So yeah... I'm an avowed Jenion!

I finished Jen Hatmaker's newest book this morning and it has blown me away. The title is a bold one and the content delivers on that promise and then some. Each chapter has a different subject ranging from finding our voices, body image, examining our religious and humanitarian beliefs, all the way to setting boundaries and honest, clear communication. Jen shares her experiences in open, honest vulnerability that left me feeling like each chapter was a conversation with my closest friends. She says she wants others to learn from her doing an amazing job of walking the line between providing guidance and giving an overly simplified prescriptive form letter to solve all the problems. She doesn't tell anyone what or how to be, but rather shares ideas for how each reader can navigate their own journey of growth and maturity of self. I have taken so much from this book and know I will keep returning to it as I continue to work becoming a better, stronger whole woman.

This is the book I’ve been longing for. My life has radically changed in the last year. I’ve discovered who I am and what authenticity really means. I’ve learned what it looks like to live lovingly and unapologetically. And I’ve longed for a way to explain what’s happened to me to others. AND THIS BOOK DOES IT.

I love Jen Hatmaker with a deep love that will last for eternity. Always have, always will. But she’s outdone herself. This is a life changing book. An absolute must read, whether you identify as a Christian or not. 10/10.

This book felt more like Jen than any other. She's somewhat in your face, and each chapter could almost be a stand alone essay (which feels more like reading her streams of thought on facebook and I love it). This was a good and hard read and I appreciate her so much for it.

I have been a fan of Jen Hatmaker for a while. Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire does not disappoint. There is a chapter in this book that will speak to every woman. I love her use of humor and her candid, no-nonsense style of writing. The chapter "I Want to Choose My Yeses" really spoke to me.
I highly recommend this book. It would be great choice for book clubs or a group of friends to read and discuss. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this fabulous book, provided to me by the publisher.

Fierce Free and Full of Fire is an anthem call to women to be one's self. Not who we think we should be, could be or need to be, rather who we really are. In an era where women are reaping the rewards of paths plowed before us by women, like Jen Hatmaker, who have stopped hiding their true selves and stepped into their identities - Fierce Free and Full of Fire is a guide book to self discovery through investigating five areas; who I am, what I need, what I want, what I believe and how I connect. Hatmaker reminds us "...we don't need to be like our neighbour, we already have her..." and that we are "well put together exactly [as] we are...," "...because there is an abundance of everything: joy, talent, love, dreams, hope, goodness, triumph, creativity, delight. Every one of these is a renewable resource....Someone else's space does not diminish [mine]."
Hatmaker dives deep and addresses some controversial topics that may be incredibly difficult for women today, but does so in her typical down to earth, lovable, big sister relatable way leaving you laughing and crying all in one sitting while also lighting a fire beneath you to go out and do the hard work so you too can come out stronger on the other side. This is a must read for all women!

Jen is a great writer. I don’t necessarily agree with some of her views and my beliefs are a bit different than hers but I do think there is a place to taking the time to take care of
Ourselves and this book is a lot about that.
I appreciate the advanced copy from
The publisher and net galley.