Member Reviews
Okay, I'm going to start off by saying I had no idea who Laura Belgray was when I started reading this memoir/lifestyle book. I still don't really know, but I'm not sure that makes a difference. Laura is witty, sarcastic, and laugh out loud funny, which is exactly what I was looking for when I started this book. She details her early life trying to find a job that really calls to her but where she doesn't have to work too hard. She wants a relationship, but doesn't want to put too much pressure on hooking up. This girl is full of contradictions and they just go on and on throughout the book. Her storytelling is incredible and I found myself truly wanting to know what happened in all of the stories. It's about her bartending jobs, customer service, and writing. A warning, there is a lot of sex talk in this book. Like, a lot. Very casual sex.. But, it was also hysterical and come on...the title?!
As this was a gift, I was inclined to enjoy it, so I'll begin with the positive. The author is witty and knows how to turn a phrase. However, I wish she'd used those skills to tell more complex stories.
At 50? years old, I hope she'd share these stories from a place of hard-won wisdom or at least place them within the larger social and cultural context in which she lived.
She completely lost me at "Blow Jobs I Gave In The Early 90s". That's when I gave up hope and decided not to finish.
This book only serves to prove that when you're born priviledged (as the author admits early on) you can barely try at life and continuously fail upwards.
Maybe this book would be entertaining to college students, but I do hope they're smarter than I was and reading something more profound.
I’m not going to lie I kind is skipped through this book a little bit. Some parts were just boring to me and were hard to read. Overall it was a decent book though it’s just not for everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. In full transparency, I read Tough Titties at the beginning of March, so many of the book's details escape me. However, I remember it being funny and affirming at times, while other times, *mental eye-roll*. That being said, despite the writing being a bit irksome, there were some nice takeaways.
Tough Titties is for folks looking for a quick and "quirky" coming of age/ messy girl memoir that offers tidbits of advice in a comedic package. It was a middle of the road read for me, but I can see the appeal (especially for folks familiar with Laura Belgray's prior work).
Tiresome- the book and the author. I live for satire, sarcasm, and inappropriate humor which is really what I was hoping this book would include. Alas, Laura Belgray came across as more of a spoiled brat who imagines herself clever. I find that almost every person I meet can teach us something, good or bad, and the author is a full life lesson on how not to treat people and how to endlessly mooch off your parents. As Belgray and I are of the same generation, I was hoping for a more relatable story.
I hadn’t heard of Laura Belgray before — she’s apparently a well-known “genius copywriter”, and that’s a niche service I haven’t found myself in need of — but this self-helpish memoir caught my attention (that title! that font!) and I’m happy to have taken a chance on it. I grew up in the same era as Belgray, and while that means that Tough Titties covered all the familiar cultural touchstones (from Laverne and Shirley to Donkey Kong), her life was so different from mine — and her path to success so unlikely — that Belgray’s story isn’t exactly relatable, but it is entertaining. With a self-deprecating but unapologetic tone, Belgray lays her entire life bare (perhaps too bare at points), and if nothing else, her story proves that it’s never too late to discover your calling. I found myself really liking Belgray and I liked this book.
For years, I've read Laura Belgray's fun emails and purchased several of her copywriting products, so I was excited to read this collection of entertaining essays. She tells stories with context and detail that makes it interesting and feels a bit like catching up with a gossipy friend who has the latest dirt on sordid affairs, local cult-like groups, obsessive friends, and where the cool kids are hanging out.
The topic of when you're the f-ing worst wasn't my favourite theme, since I'm the type who avoids entertainment when awkwardness is at the forefront (like reality tv, TMZ, the Office or Arrested Development - which I know people love but it just isn't my jam). I'd give this book 3.5 stars, it's an approachable, fun book for the late bloomer types. Solid message that you're not behind, and there is no timeline for doing things.
The cover is awesome, very much aligned with Laura's brand and looks like it would be friends with Gabrielle Blair's recently published "Ejaculate Responsibly" book with that 70's vibe.
One woman’s 50 is not every woman’s 50…
This book sounded funny right out of the gate, I loved everything about the look and sound of this book. It did fall a little flat for me unfortunately.
This book is a story, or stories more accurately, about the experiences the author has had and how she feels it has shaped her into who she is today. As I’m in my 40’s, I TOTALLY identified with some of these awkward kid/teen and even adult moments. I found half of what she said to be truly entertaining with some hilarity behind it. That’s why the 3 stars…there’s some good stuff in here…but the other half just drones on for me.
We learn about her Jewish experiences, awkward teen make outs (or fake outs) her college life and into her young adulthood until we get to present. Some of those experiences I connected with, most I didn’t, and that’s ok. I found the overshare as pages that just droned on and started to bore me at times. I think this book is going to delight many who share in her experiences, and had the writing been a little more engaging, I probably would have enjoyed this book much more.
A collection of stories for those of us that like to cuss, unabashedly give our opinion, and share stories that should be embarrassing…oh, and a snarky ass husband that describes your book as a loser version of something.
Get ready to relate like crazy and spend time people watching as people read the title of your current read.
This was a pretty funny book, and I thought the author’s tone was definitely matched to the content! I’m not sure it’s a feel good comedy, but still funny nevertheless!
Thank you NetGalley and Hatchet books for letting read this book in return for my honest review. I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did but I just couldn’t get into it
Overall I really enjoyed this book, but many chapters seemed excessively long to me and weren’t necessary. There’s no question that Laura Belgray is hilarious, and I really appreciated how open and honest she was about everything she’s done (and/or not done) in her life so far. I liked some chapters more than others, but it was a fun, honest peek into a very funny woman’s life and I look forward to other books of hers in the future.
I jumped at the chance of grabbing this from NetGalley based on a) the title b) her age (over 50) and c) sounded like a half-ass motivation book that might be perfect for someone like me in her late 40’s.
Wait, I should say first that I do think many people will like her book - I just didn’t. I normally read horror, thriller, true crime but I do mix in other books.
I was expecting — a fun slightly lazy and sarcastic motivational from someone that has experienced her 40’s and is reflecting with that experience. I did not know who Laura Belgray was before reading this book.
It felt like — “look at me being a late blooming awkward girl who had no work ethic and yet fell backwards ass into all the perfect things in my life. Buy my book and make me even more money.”
I wanted — to dnf many times, but kept hanging on waiting for the point of this random story of her life. I could have done without the entire chapter of her giving out bjs or the gross salsa dancer cheater relationship [I know I sound judgy here] but apparently these were both critical to her success in networking to her future job success and her finding her husband. I found the whole book just kinda ick.
Good for her for finding her success and getting her first book out there. It just really wasn’t for me which I guess is tough titties.
Ignore their review that says terrible several times. The author is fun and unapologetically entertaining. A refreshing read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
Can I just say Laura Belgray is hilarious?! I mean, how often is it that we feel like we can relate to what these famous / semi-famous people say in their memoirs on tv? But Laura truly let all her embarrassing stories be written in a book for all to see. haha.
The book was hilarious, super easy to stay engaged with, and a total blast to read. If the author writes up, i'm totally reading it.
This was well worth the read. Get it!!!
This is SO much fun! Saltiness + authenticity are SO my jam and I love how I immediately connected with this author's tales in her 20's. I have talked about this book to 3 other book lovers this week! I would just pass out laughing listening to the author narrate this audiobook!
I don’t know if I was expecting something different but it fell short for sure. The first 1/4 of the book is how the high school years went. As a 37 year old woman I was bored and wanted more of what to expect at this age. It was funny at parts but mostly dragged on. It might be interesting for others but wasn’t for me. Thank you net galley for the digital arc of this book.
In this collection of stories and essays, the author recounts different wild stories from her past, from her childhood until her adulthood.
I really enjoyed the casual and conversational style that the writing took thorough this book. It made for a fun and rather easy read. It felt like listening to a friend telling you of their lived experience and advice.
This book is hilarious - in fact, hubby, who goes to bed 3 hours before I do asked me to stop laughing so hard as I kept waking him up.
Self-care is a term that is ubiquitous and over-used as a result of the pandemic. I have heard it applied from everything from journalling to taking a walk every day to Belgray's mentioned hair removal and all the way to a spa I found in Halifax that offers everything vajayjay. (Oh damn you GOOP as you lead to a place that does facials, steaming, plumping treatments, tightening and things I cannot even stomach enough to mention!)
"Living your best life" was made popular by Oprah but this is the best approach as it lets us discover going the suggested 110% in life but also not giving a rat's ass about it. "Tough titties said the kitties and the milk went dry!" is the exact saying and I am glad that I now have "permission" to be a dork and not feel guilty about it.
This is perfect for book clubs and casual readers and I am going to promote the heck out of it!
At first the title had me thinking this was going to be a totally different book than it was! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy for the purpose of the review. 5 stars from me.
I adored Laura's writing and identified with so many of her stories. She writes in great details about her life and growing up. How difficult it is to love yourself just as you are. I thought it was interesting how she was able to pinpoint the exact moments when the shift in her mind about her body image happened. WOW!
I really want people to read these stories and I plan to give it to friends this year!