Thank you for this gifted copy of The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters by Joanna Gaines.

My review is short in the fact that I thought this book would be more of a memoir, but was more of a self help book, and I felt like every chapter was the same.

I am a fan of Joanna Gaines and her husband, Chip, and their Magnolia company of shows and products. I've read their other book, The Magnolia Story, and was deeply interested in their story and how they came to be the people they are today. So I was hoping this book would give more insight into Joanna and her life story, so as to better understand her beyond her tv persona.

This book gave me a little of what I was hoping for. She shared some stories from her past, which I enjoyed. However, much of this book felt more "self-help" in helping readers discover how to write their own story. This concept was great, but the execution of this was a little lackluster. The prose gets very repetitive throughout the short book, and I found myself becoming bored very quickly while reading. It seems as if the same few ideas are repeated throughout, just in different ways. While that may be appealing to some, to me it did not work. I wanted more of her story, and less of a how-to in writing or finding my own story. I appreciated her vulnerability and willingness to share; I just didn't care for the self-help portions of the book.

To say I was disappointed by this book would be very true. It was a mediocre read that I wish had done more. My thanks to Harper Select for an e-ARC of this recently released title.

Ahhhh I really and thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook a lot! I learned so much about Gaines in this one, and it was an easy listen.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

In Joanna Gaines' latest book, a semi-memoir semi-self help book, Gaines explores her journey to finding self-acceptance and joy. She opens up about her identify as a mixed-race child, and the bullying she endured during her school years-- mourning the loss of her individuality during that period and celebrating the chance as an adult to find herself again. Gaines also delves into the struggles of running the massively successful Magnolia Farms (and other businesses) while being present with her family.

While I was craving more anecdotes from Gaines, I appreciate how difficult a book like this is to write. Anytime someone takes time to be vulnerable it should be respected. However, Gaines' writing does feel repeatitive and shallow-- making reading it feel tedious at some points.

Overall, this is a great read for fans of Joanna Gaines and Magnolia Inc.!

I went into this book blind, which is always risky. I think what I expected was something akin to Michelle Obama's becoming with a biography of sorts mixed with some life lessons. This was not that. I think my own headspace was not great when I started this book which is why for me the beginning really dragged and I felt like I was being preached to. That being said, once I continued on I saw the value, and saw a bunch of the stuff I was going through reflected in this book.
I think the overall chapters are well laid out, I loved that in the conclusion Jo explained that she'd noticed that each chapter got longer as she had more to say to bring everything together. I had the same experience as the reader.
Where I think the book didn't quite land with me were three points. The first is that it reads very USA-centred, which as a non-american is not always enjoyable. Next, I wish she has referenced therapy from someone licensed. I think the messaging is great, but not everything can start this work without seeking professional help. I get it, she didn't - but to tell people to sit and think is over a lot of people's heads. Lastly, the angle is very mom, family, family, family. I appreciate that she *has* memories of her childhood to dig through - I don't have memories before age 25. So I can't relate and can't do the kind of work that she has.

I am a big fan of Joanna Gaines so getting to read this book means a lot. This book is very inspiring it inspires and motivates me. This book also taught me that We are all different and that's okay just love one another as we are and love ourself.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨
The Stories We Tell
By Joanna Gaines

I love Joanna Gaines, I have all of her books. When I saw this one was coming out I was so excited to read it.

I was hoping this one would be more about her story, on an intimate biography level, but it came off as more of a self help book instead which shocked me.

I admire the rags to riches story she shares, and there’s no doubt she’s worked hard to become the design icon she now is, but the theme of this book was extremely repetitive unfortunately.

If you’re a Gaines fan like myself, you’ll most likely still enjoy this. Just know going in what to expect.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

QOTD: Do you watch home shows? If so, who is your fave?

Thanks to @netgalley and @harperselect for the e arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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For a book with the word "stories," in the title, there are surprisingly few stories in this. I'm not sure if I'd even truly classify this as a "memoir."

This book focused more on Joanna's thoughts on things like vulnerability and living in the moment. These were sometimes loosely paired with a short few sentences on a related experience, but Joanna's personal experiences definitely wasn't a focus here.

However, this book was the strongest when it focused on Joanna's personal stories. I don't really know much about the Gaines family, and I've only seen a handful of episodes of Fixer Upper, but I really enjoyed the brief stories Joanna shared.

I don't want to totally knock this book. I could tell that Joanna had put a lot of thought and love into this book, and I did enjoy her writing style. I think I would really enjoy a memoir by Joanna Gaines that had a more balanced ratio of story to reflection.

I think people who are huge fans of the Gaines family, particularly those who are in a similar life stage to Joanna, will probably get a lot out of this, but for people like me, it might not be the right match.

Really enjoyed this book! This is not a memoir but more of a reflection/journal that Joanna has written. Very insightful book! Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an ARC

I'm very new to Joanna Gaines. I know, I know, I'm late for the train. I actually just started watching Fixer Upper and Joanna's cooking show on HBO Max. So I was pretty stoked to receive this book to review.

While her stories about being half-Korean and the guilt she felt as a mom juggling her career and raising her kids were personal and intimate, it still felt like something was missing.

I never could figure out if the book was a "guide" to writing your own stories with a sprinkling of Joanna's tales or if it was meant to be a memoir.

Nonetheless, the glimpses of how much her and Chip struggled with their business and family life were interesting. I find Joanna to be very calming because her personality is not super showy and out there like other television influencers.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Select for an e-copy of THE STORIES WE TELL to review.

I rate THE STORIES WE TELL three out of five stars.

This is a slow read, meant to be digested. I enjoyed Joanna Gaines vulnerability, insight, and what appears to be realness.

I absolutely love Joanna Gaines and this book was such a nice way to get to know her more. I think she is so sweet and iconic. I would read anything she wrote.

I am a huge fan of Joanna so I could not wait to get ahold of this book! Overall, this book was definitely different than what I had anticipated. It was a lot more self-help and advice driven than I thought it was going to be, but I did still really enjoy it. I loved that we got a deeper look into Joanna’s mind and what she goes through on a day to day basis. The way she told her stories felt very raw and vulnerable which I really appreciated.

I did feel like quite a few of the stories mentioned had been talked about previously in The Magnolia Story, so I was hoping for a little bit more variety. I also felt like at times the book got pretty repetitive and could have used a bit more editing.

Overall, I think this book would be very useful to a wide range of people. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who was looking for a little bit of inspiration or guidance, no matter what stage of life they’re in.

Such an interesting read! I expected a memoir, and it is, but it's also more: part inspirational book, and also figuring herself out. During the course of writing her life story, Joanna is also taking the time to really dig deep into her motivations on life, and areas she needed to work on and heal from.

This really had an intimate feeling to it, more so than a traditional memoir. You feel like you are having a conversation with Joanna, like your best friends and she's sharing her deepest secrets with you.

Full review to come, but as a longtime Chip & Joanna fan it was nice to learn more abt Jo personally and have her get so candid on her personal journey. I felt I was reading a close friends story. Highly recommend this one.

———

Readers will be inspired by Gaines' desire to find strength in self-discovery." —Publishers Weekly

Joanna Gaines invites us on an authentic and vulnerable journey into her story, a story of doubt and belief, shame and acceptance; a journey from insecurity to self-discovery, and finding truth on the other side of lies.

Star of Fixer Upper and New York Times bestselling author, Joanna grew up in a multiracial family, the product of a unique and beautiful love story between her Korean mother and her American father. Experiencing regular teasing as a child because of what made her different, it wasn’t until later in life that she started to see those differences as the most beautiful part of her story.

From stories that brought shame and her soul’s deepest insecurities to the page to stories about healing and hope and having just a little bit more fun, join Joanna as she journeys through the years of becoming a wife, mother of five, and business owner—looking back to mend what’s broken and gain clarity in places that are cloudy so she can look forward with grateful and certain eyes, believing that every chapter has its purpose. The Stories We Tell reminds us that every piece of our story matters to who we are today and who we’ll become tomorrow.

"This book is not an autobiography. I still have too much to learn and discover about myself, and I feel as though I am only halfway there. This book also is not a how-to, because I certainly don’t have all the answers. What I hope this book is for you is an invitation to come as you are. To join me, with a vulnerable and open heart, as we connect the chapters of our life stories, and figure out where we go next, learning to move forward from within.

The only way to break free was to rewrite my story. Because something would happen every time my pen stopped: it was like my soul was coming back to my body. Like the deepest parts of me that got knocked around and drowned out by all the crap I let the world convince me about who I was came back to the surface. And what was left was only what was real and true. I was, finally, standing in the fullness of my story. I felt hopeful. I felt full. Our story may crack us open, but it also pieces us back together. I’m grateful to have found truth on the other side of lies. Vulnerability on the other side of fear. Empathy on the other side of pain. This is how I know that every season has a purpose, and that holding, even when it leads to letting go, is what clues us into the bigger story being told."

—Joanna Gaines

I received a free copy of The Stories We Tell, by Joanna Gaines, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have always liked Joanna Gaines, since watching on hgtv, to her now having her own network. It was nice to see that famous people deal with anxiety, just as much as the rest of us do. Joanna wants to help us write are own stories, that we should tell.

I definitely wanted more from this book. As a lifelong lover to Fixer Upper and Joanna Gaine's aesthetic, I was hoping to hear more personal stories from her. I did appreciate her opening up and sharing about her struggles as a working mom. I empathized with her guilt and her feelings of awe looking at her toddler. I truly did enjoy the moments of the book where she shared those personal stories. However, what I was not a fan of was then the generalizations that followed. It began to feel like a self-help book that told me to get a hobby or practice being in the moment. The extrapolation to life lessons was a bit much for me.

If you are looking for a book that is a mix of personal stories and self-help, this is for you. That is not for me.

I feel that Joanna Gaines is such a lovely individual, and she wrote a very lovely and motivating memoir of the story we tell ourselves and how to embrace and show others who you really are. I did find out more about Joanna's background, the adversities she faced that led to the insecurities she has. While sharing more of herself I just felt she was skimming the surface and I wish she could have been more vulnerable and sharing some of the dark parts of her experiences.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Select for the ARC!

I have enjoyed Joanna and Chip Gaines' books in the past and was very excited to read more from them. This one has a different tone and comes from journals that Joanna has written over many years. She imparts great wisdom in this book along with deep insight regarding balancing work and home. Joanna and I have similar personality types, so this book was written for me! She is talking straight into my brain and heart. I would recommend this book to anyone who has past baggage, is burnt out, or just needs some encouragement. Everyone has a story to tell. The bad in life makes the good parts even better. Joy comes from being present and not taking small blessings for granted along our journey, and much more. I know I did not catch everything during this first read, so I will need to read this again and again. I am going to try the audiobook next so I can hear it straight from Joanna herself.

“The Stories We Tell” by Joanna Weaver is a collection of personal reflections. As she examines her personal timeline, Joanna reflects upon the themes of motherhood, business management, and personal growth. Kindness and empathy are woven into each chapter. Her words are penned as self examination and encouragement for all stages of life.

Gratitude is woven through the book. The journey of a mother and wife, often under the scrutiny of her celebrity status, is told from a wise heart. She brings her life story into a sentimental history, packed with lessons about slowing down and enjoying the smaller things in life.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley.