This will be a perfect new year, new me read for all the self-improvers, self-haters and self-questionners out there! And honestly, isn’t that all of us?

Our heroine is Nina, or Nins, a just-turned 30 British Indian woman who, after a sleepless night in jail, starts a journey to self-love. Her life falls apart multiple times in the course of the year and honestly I’m a little frightened for what lays ahead, but I know Nina, who is phenomenal, brave and honest with herself, will make it through fabulously.

Despite all the shame, the tears and the sleepless nights it’s a beautiful journey. I’m drawn to the metaphor of a caterpillar who gets into its cocoon, all gooey and icky and comes out a beautiful butterfly when I think of Nina’s story.

It’s a great story, very relatable in so many ways and I think the author hit the nail on the head about so many things. One of the themes of the book that was important for me was about friendship, more specifically new adult friendships. Nina is clinging to friendships with school friends who are in different places and life spaces than she, and although it hurts, it proves positive for Nina to look elsewhere for companionship and she finds bosom friends in return. These friends support Nina in her new life and journey, rather than clinging to what was.

That said, a late-moment friendship revival is a nice way to see part of the story come to a close, but I felt like it wasn’t genuine and I worried about Nina when perhaps I should have finally felt at ease. Maybe that’s me being paranoid about end-of-story back stabbing or public humiliations (which still happened but for other reasons – read the book!)!

I also believe strongly that Nina’s journey has a profound impact on those around her and I’d have liked to see a bit more of that – maybe there’s a sequel in the works! I do recognize that this is Nina’s story though – so I respect that it focuses on her.

I also like how the author incorporated astrology and the star signs into the book’s divisions as well as the content and storyline. As if Brian is into astrology!?

A solid 4☆ because the author challenges us to get through the rough patches with Nina, cringing and grimacing as she faces another letdown, another humiliation, another loss – and we’re rewarded with the promise of better things for Nina in the future (thank goodness!).

Would this even be a review if I asked you if you could come up with a list of 30 things you love about yourself? I can’t on the spot, but this book has certainly got me thinking that I can probably do it – and deserve to! I just hope I don’t have to spend a night in jail to kick start the adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the ARC!

This isn't the kind of book I normally read as I prefer psychological thrillers. But I did enjoy this book even though it was a little quirky. I used to live in England and have "brown" family members so I was intrigued by the description. Nina finds herself in jail on her thirtieth birthday and decides to review her life and choices based on a self-love book she is given in jail. She has just left her boyfriend and is now back home with her mother and depressed brother. She sets out to find thirty things she loves about herself before her next birthday. This becomes quite amusing as things don't work out too well for her and her life becomes even more miserable.
A good, laugh-out-loud, feel good book that can be enjoyed by anyone (white, black or brown).

Well, I never say no to a book promising so much fun and inspiration at the same time centered on self discovery, respect, learning from mistakes to embrace life fully!

Especially the first chapters of the book was fascinatingly hilarious!! I told myself, this book would be my cure with its witty dialogues centered on mother and daughter relationship after stressful week at job.

It opens with Nina’s arrest whose falafel craving resulted with her attendance to a protest about refugees and unfortunately when the police surrounded around the protesters, she was the only one get caught. Now at her thirtieth birthday, she’s in jail, spending her only phone call to her once upon a time her best friend Jo who was selfish enough to talk about her engagement and hanged off the phone on her without listening a word she tried to say.

At least good hearted guardian is nice enough to serve her hot chocolate. Poor girl celebrates her special day without carbs, alcohol, internet, phone, all alone! ( total definition of hell for me! )

And after spending a night in jail, she’s taken by her mother ( the lovely guardian thought he was helping her by calling her mother: but he made the worst mistake)

Nina is driven her mother’s house because she ended things with her fiancée, she doesn’t have anywhere to live! This means she has to spend her time with 24/7 criticizing mother Rupa and her clinically depressed brother Kal who already moved to her childhood room.

Nina still nurses her heartbreak after breaking up with Nikhil and she is not satisfied with her freelance writing job: she wants to write about more important, thought provoking things that matter instead of talking about her personal life.

But luckily she stole a self book from prison which suits with her feelings perfectly. The book’s titled: “ How to fix your shitty life by loving yourself” which makes her form a list to find best 30 qualities of herself.

When she hits the rock bottom, the rituals the book advises help her to become bolder, taking risks, joining yoga, meditation classes, having tantric sex ( yeah, that part was interesting), an astrology session ( actually she makes a new friend Meera who is astrologist and as she spends more time with her, she interestingly realizes, they have more common grounds than she has with her old friend she gets estranged)

The beginning of the story was so promising: especially the part Nina goes on a date with herself made me laugh aloud!

But when I reach the half of the book, it started getting repetitive and I just got tired to read the same inspirational learn to love yourself quotes.

Astrology parts picked my interest because I took astrology lessons for three years so I know how to read charts ( in my opinion as a fiery Aries woman, reading about extra earthy heroine was a little exhausted experience) so I had fun to read the comments about how signs define the person’s character.

Quick note : I just actually found a mistake at the pieces season of the book: it mentions about cancer full moon which is impossible: because when the sun is at pieces, the moon should be at the opposite sign to be full which means it could be only Virgo full moon!

Overall: this book started as a five starred reading but repetitive cycle of self loving, lack of romance ( because this book is about self love) made me lose my interest. I’m giving three stars but it doesn’t mean I didn’t like it! It was still feel good, smart, entertaining novel. But I wish it could go strong just like how it started!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

When Nina gets arrested for accidentally joining a protest that gets violent, she rings in her 30th birthday in tears in a jail cell. Until one of the officers gives a book that will change her life.
From then on, Nina goes on a journey of self love and improvement, challenging herself to come up with 30 things she loves about herself. She has some major highs and lows on her journey.
Like Ninas journey, this book had some highs and lows. I thought it started really well but by the end I was honestly done with Nina and tired of hearing passages from her self help book. Also at some point it felt like the author gave up trying to write convincing dialogues and had characters just spewing out Nina’s life philosophies. There was a conversation towards the end between Nina and Meera that just felt so unnatural I couldn’t stand it. I think this book could have benefited from feeling less like we had to read Nina’s self help book with her, being less preachy about certain topics (educating the troll date, do we have to?) and by being a bit shorter.