Simple and Free just didn't do it for me. I like the idea of simplifying my life, but the concept of limiting an area to 7 things for a month borders on craziness. I get the concept behind it and understand that to severely limit something for a while makes a point, but 7 articles of clothes for a month or 7 foods? I imagine that it will resonate with other readers, but I thought it was mostly silly.

Wow. I read seven back when it came out and I wasn't going to read simple and free, thinking what more could it teach me? When I was sent a copy to review I thought I would give it a shot and I am so glad I did. There were lessons that I needed reminding of. Things hit me different this time. I took away a feeling of lots of ways I can still work on my life to make it more fulfilling and closer to what God wants for me. I really enjoyed the updated commentary. It shows how far we have come and also what still holds. I recommend for anyone who likes to read what Jen likes to say and also anyone wondering how having a little less can give you so much more. #SimpleandFree #NetGalley

Simple and Free is a republishing of Jen Hatmaker's 2010 book titled 7. However, it's much more than that! In fact, my favorite parts were her 2020 asides commenting on her now 10-year-old writing. Rather than delete what she considers to be embarrassing or naive, she gently calls herself in and explains why what she wrote doesn't hold up today.

Thank you, Jen, for being a bringer of light into our world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for the ARC.

I had previously read 7 and loved it. Jen's writing always feels like talking to a friend. I really enjoyed going through this again and reading her updates. We all learn don't we? Seeing the spots that she felt were different now was unlike anything I've ever read. I will always pick up Jens books. Her writing is refreshing. I am planning my own version of "7" soon.

Pros: The first pro is that this is a Jen Hatmaker book! She has a way with words, and I enjoy following her on Instagram and reading her books. This is one of her backlist books that I had not read before, and it has been updated in this new edition. The themes in this book—excess, consumerism, waste, etc—are still extremely relevant, ten years after she first wrote the book. The timing of reading this book (a few days after being without water for a week due to a snowstorm) made it even more relatable. Being without a daily necessity made me think about those who live every day without necessities and about what things are true necessities and what I rely on for comfort and a feeling of security. Although some of the author’s practices in this book (e.g., only eating 7 foods, wearing 7 outfits, and shopping at only 7 stores for four weeks) seem extreme, I think there is a lot to learn from her experiment. Some of these ideas could be adapted for Lent or new habits.

Cons: I read an ebook version of this book, but I think I would have liked it even more on audiobook read by the author because I’ve enjoyed her other books on audio. Also, those who have already read 7 should know that this is not a completely new book. Something that might be distracting for readers who also follow the author of social media is that there are changes in the author’s family since this book was first written 10 years ago that the reader will know about. However, the author’s notes from 2017 and 2020 help catch the original stories up with the present.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars on the Goodreads scale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent books for the opportunity to read this book!

I enjoyed the updated version of this book. It was really great to see the author reflect back on things she had written previously and then almost speak back to herself what she would do or what she knows now.

This book will change your life.

Whether you think you need it or not, buy it. Let it sit on your shelf and when you are ready walk your family through it.

You will hate it, you will love it, you will be transformed! I read it in its original form as 7. It changed my life: especially in regards to food and shopping. I love the commentary in this book, and seeing how she feels about her experiences and the changes looking back is fun.

This is a good book. It's not my fave Jen Hatmaker book, but it is a good experience!

When I first read 7 I was very much involved in the evangelical community. There were ideas that struck a chord with me, but I was not in a place to understand them to their fullest extent. The one thing I know that has stayed with us (my husband and me) all these years is the recycling. I am now several years into a journey of deconstructing my faith. While rereading this book I had flesh memories from the first reading. I can remember the feelings I had reading, wanting to have the faith and priorities being talked about, but not one clue how to go about obtaining them. Looking back now, it is amazing to see the journey I’ve taken, and the role this book played in my life without me realizing it. I’m in a completely different place in my life and in my faith now. I’m incredibly thankful for a book like 7 that planted seeds in me all those years ago. So many of the topics in this book are so important to me today. We still recycle. We are more conscious about the way we eat, and while we are far from perfect, I much more intentional about what my child eats than I would have been years ago. I haven’t mastered spending, its tied so much to my emotions and anxieties, but I’m starting to recognize that and pay more attention. After rereading the chapter on clothes, it felt like I had I was seeing every single ad targeted at me in a new light. My child turned one this year and as a result I have had to actively decide how I will spend my free time (thanks COVID for the lack of extra help this year) and my TV consumption has dropped off significantly. Its either read a book or watch TV or clean the house and its usually a toss up between TV and a book, but TV just isn’t getting my time like it used to. My phone is another story, but I’m learning and making active choices to leave it on the counter during dinner and leaving it downstairs when we put our child to bed at night. I don’t want my child to grow up watching me with my face in my phone. I’m astonished how much of this book applies to 2020 like it was written this year. This book should be a reread every few years to remind us to slow down what we are consuming in all areas of our lives.

I received an ARC for my review.
I LOVE this book. The diary format is easy to read. It is funny and challenging. There is so much excess in the western world, and I forget. I went through the 7 experiments and it was life-changing. I enjoyed reading the updates and what stuck for Jen and her family and what didn't. It was also very helpful for me to reflect on where I had simplified by life and where excess crept back in. Making more space to hear God and myself was freeing. I recommend this book to everyone.

I loved Jen Hatmaker’s book “7” so much that my husband and I went through the downsizing, minimalist, less-is-more experiment for ourselves. So when I saw there was going to be a new edition called “Simple and Free,” I was excited but imagined it would be the same and didn’t expect too many revisions. But, man, did I love reading these new notes Jen has added. She is funny, she is honest, she scolds herself when she deems necessary, she tells us where she’s changed and grown. She laughs at herself from ten years ago and she forgives herself for not having all the information on some subjects. I surely wish all authors would go back a decade later and revisit their work. How fun and endearing it is to watch someone admit mistakes, shore up old ideas, and tell us what they’ve learned along the way.
If you’ve read “7”, you’ll love this new edition. If you haven’t read “7”, “Simple and Free” is the perfect place to start.