I am so thankful to Random House Publishing Group, Desiree Akhavan, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this galley before publication day. I really enjoyed the dialogue and plot of this book and can’t wait to chat this one up with my friends!

Bold, hilarious, and unapologetically raw, You’re Embarrassing Yourself is a whirlwind of self-deprecating humor and deep vulnerability. Desiree Akhavan takes us through her awkward and cringe-worthy moments with a wicked sense of humor that turns shame into a punchline. But it’s not just laughs; Akhavan’s essays hit home with their reflections on identity, ambition, and self-acceptance. A perfect read for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t quite fit, yet still hopes for a place to belong.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.


For the first time, I felt torn about pressing "no" on recommending this to a student. It doesn't matter your race, size, or sexuality, you will likely be able to relate to something in You're Embarrassing Yourself. The Hot or Not flooded me with terrible high-school experiences and we seem to be twins in the no friend no self-esteem in our late teens and early 20s. You can feel her emotion mixed with your own and your brain becomes kind of messy for a moment. This book is a journey and I'm sure many high school seniors would appreciate its honesty.

This is a wonderful book full of essays from the author's life. She has a unique life and she tries to find humor in her life. This collection is equal parts funny & heartwarming. If you are looking for a fun read, this is it.

Did I request this because the author has the same name as me? Yes.
Do I regret it? Nope!
You're Embarrassing Yourself by Desiree Akhavan is a witty and unapologetically honest collection of essays that delves into the awkwardness of growing up, navigating identity, and dealing with self-sabotage. Akhavan’s voice is sharp and self-deprecating, blending humor with candid reflections on her experiences as a queer woman in a world that often misunderstands her. The essays are both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply relatable, revealing the absurdity and vulnerability of trying to fit in. Her ability to tackle serious themes with irreverence makes the book a refreshing read. Akhavan’s raw humor and insight make this memoir a standout in its genre.

Great on audio. Loved the author’s essays about being Iranian American, growing up feeling like an outsider, coming to terms with being queer, her adventures in filmmaking, and friendship.

I have never heard of Desiree Akhavan, but this was a fast-paced memoir that was funny while dealing with serious topics. I bet it would be great on audio.

I'm not sure who suggested to Desiree Akhavan that she should write a memoir, but after reading I wonder what its intended purpose was. I'm not sure what new perspective this book was meaning to bring to the canon of women in comedy who've written memoirs.
As always, Akhavan is very funny and self-deprecating. Her writing style reminds me of a blog entry that never really gets to a point. I really enjoyed hearing about her friendships and how they changed over time and how she has come to understand conflicts years later. As much as she writes about the specific films she created and how she felt during the process, I wish she would have more to say about film and filmmaking in general.
I definitely was entertained as I was reading, but I think I wanted a bit more, maybe something more fresh. However, I really enjoy Akhavan and her voice so I am just pleased to have more of her work out there.

Writer, director, and actress Desiree Akhavan’s 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧: 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘓𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘴 is a collection of memoiric essays that recount the uncomfortable or humiliating moments that helped define her. As the creative, extroverted, bisexual, and American daughter of Iranian immigrants, she has struggled to find acceptance and a sense of belonging for much of her life and has a wealth of anecdotes to share regarding her awkward coming of age. The book explores a variety of topics, including body image, mental health, queerness, female friendship, family relationships, cultural identity, and the highs and lows of filmmaking. Sometimes funny, sometimes raw, and sometimes both, the stories are entertaining while also exuding emotion and authenticity. A very amusing and interesting read I would recommend to lovers of memoirs and biographies. Thank you to Random House for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

"You're Embarrassing Yourself: Stories of Love, Lust and Movies" has a little something for everyone: millennials, movie lovers, the LGBTGIA+ community and children of immigrant parents. Almost anyone can relate to Desiree Akhavan and feel a whisper of '90s nostalgia, the aches and pains of relationships and family squabbles and the overall humor of growing up and finding one's way into adulthood.

**Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**

This was a fun memoir that made me laugh. I applaud the author for being so honest and not taking life so seriously. I felt the author was also very relatable and raw.

Desiree Akhavan introduces her memoir essay collection by writing "here are the stories of how I became a beast, a cutter, a bulimic, a homo, a filmmaker, a slut, an egomaniac, a woman." This is very much representative of the stories she tells from her childhood where in school she was voted Ugliest Girl, accepting her parent's recommendation to get a nose job, and making peace with her body over time. These stories are painful at times to read, but I appreciate her honesty, and many also were quite funny. I was more engaged with her stories around childhood than her later stories about her work as a filmmaker, though I think many will enjoy this collection.

Thank you to Random House for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eArc.

Always love a good memoir about a slightly unhinged woman (lol) This was pretty fun and I enjoyed the stories and tangents.

The cover alone was funny and set the tone for the book..

Some of the stories - I had to ask myself if it actually happened.

Written with honesty and it is obvious the author has no issue laughing at herself.

Fun read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of You're Embarrassing Yourself by Desiree Akhavan in exchange for an honest review. This memoir consists of funny and highly relatable stories that further validate my belief that we might never figure out what our purpose is in life and that's fine. I've been a fan of Desiree Akhavan for a while so I am excited to pick up a copy of this memoir. As a creative writer and aspiring filmmaker, I can relate to having ideas crushed by the obsession with making money. Being in that space between wanting to be creative and not wanting to be homeless is a tough spot. I felt seen in many of these stories but most importantly, I appreciate Desiree Akhavan's honesty and takes on life. It's painful but funny—a little nihilist but also hopeful. It's not the most organized but it's relatively easy to follow! It's more like a 3.5 for me!

Hello Fellow Readers,

Have you ever felt there was someone so relatable to yourself despite just being completely different than them? That's how I felt with Desiree Akhavan's book You're Embarrassing Yourself. Once I started reading this I couldn't stop, Akhavan is funny and witty, yet so honest and emotionally raw. I couldn't imagine barring myself in such an intimate way yet it seems to have been so effortlessly done here. There are so many highlights on my Kindle with this book. I felt like I was highlighting something on every page.

I also felt very connected to Akhavan (not in a stalkerish way...) even though we led completely different lives her words just resonated with me in a way that most memoirs don't. I enjoyed the open honesty in which she writes and the way she interjects humor on even heavier topics.

Overall, one of my favorite reads so far.

I am just recently getting into memoirs/ essays. This book felt like a look into the authors diary and was so raw and real. It gives me reassurance knowing that even at almost 40, you may not know what your place in life is.

I could tell this book was a labour of love for the author, but it did feel a bit unorganized at times.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eArc.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You're Embarrassing Yourself is an essay collection by Desiree Akhavan. She's been on my radar for years as a bisexual filmmaker, and her stories here tell the reader about her formative years, her struggles in film school, the process of creating her first films, and how it felt when her career took off. I loved this journey through her life, as she has an interesting perspective on the industry.

Akhavan's essays were captivating, though I'm not sure it fully came together as a whole. I definitely will keep an eye out for more of her work!

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Desiree Akhavan's since I watched her directorial debut and learned that she was adapting "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" as a film. Actually, earlier this year, I rewatched her movies for the first time in years and was reminded of how much I enjoyed them. So, when I learned that Akhavan was releasing a book, I was immediately interested.

Due to having previous knowledge of Akhavan's works, it was really fascinating to see her recount her experiences of the sets of her movies or having to navigate festivals and meetings with producers, who's main motivation is making a profit rather than storytelling. Akhavan continues to reflect on her life with both humor and earnestness. I deeply related to her stories of struggling to find close friendships in her youth and how she turned to movies/TV. She doesn't hesitate to point out her flaws or faults, even in moments where someone else would shy away. She also writes those who have been in her life with a lot of understanding and compassion. My favorite sections were when she was talking about her best friend/collaborator Cecilia, or her parents.

While this is not a new all-time favorite memoir, I appreciate Akhavan's honesty and this was clearly a labor of love. Love for her past self, for the people around her, as well as love for those she is in community with and who may need this book to realize that they are not alone.

I love love loved this memoir from filmmaker Desiree Akhavan. I loved the journey of her becoming the "it" filmmaker of the mid 2010s after her debut film. I also deeply related to her story of being a late bloomer, wanting to make and be close to art and film, and was deeply moved by the last essay which is all about her deciding if she wants to become a mother or not. As a currently first time pregnant person, at the same age as her, she was speaking all the right things to me. She is just as fantastic a writer as a director and each essay fit perfectly within the frame of the book. It's a quick read, I read it within a sitting, and really enjoyed every page. I can't wait for more from her!