Member Reviews
One of the things I love most about Nora is her extreme vulnerability and candidness when writing about both the good, and bad, things that have happened throughout her life.
Bad Vibes Only is a series of essays covering things like friendships, previous jobs with bad bosses, maternal guilt, loss, and more.
Each essay is so well crafted and reminds us that things are both good and bad and can even be so at the same time.
I firmly believe that you will feel seen in these pages. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will realize how truly universal the human experience is.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.
I will be reviewing a physical copy of this book on my social media platforms but thank you agin to Atria for the digital arc
McInerny's wit and view point never disappoints. This book focuses on short essays examine why it is okay to embrace what is and that it is okay to drop the happy/ positive all the time because that just isn't what life really is.
Everyone should read this work.
I've largely enjoyed her other books but this one felt a little forced to me. Did she have a book deal that meant she needed to put out on last book? Some of it seemed like a retread of her earlier work and the rest seemed like essay prompt answers. One essay didn't even seem to draw on personal experiences. Maybe she's too busy to devote time to the book? It just seemed unfinished.
Interesting and raw truth.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Bad Vibes Only by Nora McInerny is a collection of essays where the author talks very honestly about her life. She discusses the grief of losing her first husband. She also discusses her feelings on many current issues including the following: "I would like to propose a radical old idea that many people have been practicing for thousands of years: nearly everything on this earth and in it is good and bad... Nearly everything you can think of is helpful to some and harmful to others. Therapists call this both/and thinking, and there's a reason why it isn't as popular as tribalism and judgment: it's time-consuming, tedious, and unsatisfying. It does nothing to elevate our blood pressure and, more important, it does not reward our need to be right." I so appreciate her honestly throughout this book and would highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
I thought I would really connect with this book, considering I can also be a bit of a curmudgeon and I also lost a loved one recently, but maybe because some of these things just hit too close to home I found myself cringing away from the content of Nora McInerny's essays. I agree with many of her observations and opinions, and her delivery is great, but I have a hard time stewing in negative feelings and "Bad Vibes," as it were. So I think the quality of this collection is excellent, unfortunately I just don't think I'm the right reader for it.
This is not my typical read, so I was a bit skeptical going into it. I will say that Nora McInerny has got herself a new fan. This book had me laughing, contemplating my everyday tasks, my screen time, and everything in between. She shed new light on how I see my everyday actions and what is really important. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC and the eye-opener. 4 stars.
This book is a chest of wealth. It gives a hilarious take on the world we live in, especially when peeking at JUST how many self-help books are out there nowadays. It will touch your heart and your mind in some way, and it will also make you laugh at yourself (in the best way of course). We weren't made to be perfect and that's what this book's main thesis would be if it had one!
I went into Bad Vibes Only knowing nothing about the author or her story. The book was ok, but probably would have been better had I “known” Nora before or listened to her podcast. The collection of stories and thoughts from her life were interesting, sometimes sad or funny, and sometimes insightful. If you have listened to and like the podcast, I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.
Nora M. can do no wrong. I listen to her podcasts and have read her other books, but this one dives into earlier parts of her life that shaped her that I absolutely loved. Really appreciate her perspective on life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
“Nora McInerny does not dance like no one is watching. In fact, she dances like everyone is watching, which is to say, she does not dance at all.”
I think this book was tailor-made for me. A middle-aged mom whose primary love language is sarcasm, with marriage vows tested by ’til death do us part’.
I felt all the emotions with this one. The good vibes, and the bad.
I found her a tad on the judge-y side, but that might just be because or parental decisions diverge in a few areas.
I don’t know how this work would hit with the younger, childfree crowd, or those whose parenting was never evaluated on Instagram, but it worked for me.
7.5/10
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.
Such a relatable book - I devoured this and could resonate in so many ways. Will be recommending this to other women for sure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Woops, totally forgot to review this for a while, life got a little crazy. Anyway, I really enjoy McInerny's view on life and humor. I have been wanting to read one of her books for a while after seeing her give a TED talk on dealing with loved ones passing and this did not disappoint. I am certainly looking forward to picking up her other books and would love to listen to these as audiobooks as I believe she reads them herself.
As a new mother, I read a lot of memoirs about early motherhood and all of the struggles that come with navigating that experience. Now that I am entering my mid-30s, I am gravitating more toward books that talk about my upcoming stages of life, and this one is a perfect example.
I am a big fan of Nora McInerny. I read both of her other memoirs, which talked a lot about her tragic experience with her first husband, dealing with grief, and finding love again. Her humor and personality are infused into all of these essays. Although her anecdotes can seem random at first glance, she masterfully weaves together ideas that fit together seamlessly, illustrating her underlying theme. Her voice comes across as effortless and perfunctory but also deeply personal and revealing. It's easy to relate to her and to see her as a friend on the page.
These essays are not arranged in a linear fashion. She talks about issues she struggles with at this stage in her life, with parenting, relationships, social media, aging, and the unrelenting passage of time. Some of the essays spoke to me more than the others, but all of them are well-written and meaningful.
I was I initially drawn to this book by its title & cute cover alone, but wow— what a wonderful collection of essays. Dedicated to “the overthinkers, the analyzers, the recovering Girl Bosses, and the burned-out personal brand,” this book is as funny & relatable as it is honest & philosophical. McInerny reminds us that we aren’t perfect humans and that that’s okay— we don’t need to peddle out faux positivity if we aren’t feeling it, especially when we’re still figuring things out for ourselves. As a woman just about to enter into her 30s myself, I truly resonated with many of the stories here, and would definitely recommend it out to others!
All things considered, Nora McInerny's humor, wit and relatability is an absolute gift. Nora consistently speaks the truth: about love, loss, motherhood, friendship, social media, child-rearing and body image, just to name a few.
My favorite chapter was Anything Can Happen because sometimes we can all use a reminder that bad things happen ALL THE TIME, regardless of us trying to stop and/or avoid them. All we can do in these instances is forgive ourselves and move through it.
As always, McInerny's words will resonate with everyone and give us all a lighter outlook on life. I so appreciate how earnest she is and comforts us as readers by uniting us in our vulnerabilities.
Oh, I really enjoyed "Bad Vibes Only" by Nora McInerny. Honest, current, humorous examination of life, love and parenthood. I literally laughed out loud in many parts! Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this book.
Bad Vibes Only by Nora McInerny is a series of essays that never really came together for me. There were brief moments of poignancy, some humor, etc, but I was ultimately left underwhelmed. Unfortunately I waited a few weeks to write this review and I honestly can't remember any details about the book. I remember having a general feeling that I'd heard it all before. But I gave the book 3 stars right after finishing, so it must have been an ok read.
Bad Vibes Only by Nora McInerny is a raw essay collection chronicling motherhood, the journey to middle age, and living online. This was my first introduction to Nora and I found her humor and tone to be fun, relatable, and engaging. Not being a parent myself, there was a lot of content within this particular collection that I felt less connected to but I could still appreciate the poignant humor and perspective. Overall, this was breezy and enjoyable while still encouraged me to think and reflect.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC - Bad Vibes Only is out now!