I picked up this book thinking: "I wonder how much of this information will be new to me, at 40-years-old," and although I've learned quite a bit of what's offered in this quick little book, there was indeed some new-to-me advice and knowledge offered in the pages of #HowtoBeaGrownUp. . .and OH! how I wished I'd read this before having to learn all the stuff I DID already know the hard way!

With that said, this little manual packs in a ton of super-useful facts and ideals, from Mental/Emotional and Relationship Skills, to Financial and Career Skills, and I found it very interesting and easy to read—but I'm not sure I would have actually given it the time in my youth, simply because Young-Koda didn't touch non-fiction, and was even less interested in self-help topics.

I think this book is important, though...and even if the majority of young adults don't dive headfirst into its wisdom, I hope that their parents will still give it a read-through so that they will be able to do what they can to pass these lessons down to their children.

One thing I wish was different about the book is: I wish that the Financial Chapters were placed at the end, instead of in the middle. It's important to note that, while the other chapters in this book provide skills that are universally relevant, the Financial Chapters will only be relevant to Americans. I think putting this section after the Career Section would have helped market to other countries (who can skip the Financial Section unless they want to educate themselves on American Credit, Investments, Insurance, and Taxes). In the final pages of the book, the author mentions some lessons that they weren't able to fit in this volume, and the one that stands out the most in my head is: "Dealing With the Loss of Loved Ones." I think this topic could have easily merged with the mental, emotional, and relationship advice given in those corresponding chapters, and I wish the author, editor, and/or publisher would have considered splitting the financial and career pieces into another book, so that the subjects that were left out could have been included in this one, as they would marry so well with the Mental and Relationship Skills which appear in this volume, and so that people outside of the U.S. could have had a text that would have been wholly relevant to them. And to be honest, the writing and pacing of the book was good enough that I wouldn't have been mad if everything had been squeezed into the same book, making it a bit longer.

One of the best resources this book has to offer are the exercises and "homework assignments" given with each Skill Lesson. Not only does this book give great advise, but it encourages the reader to put those skills into practice, one lesson at a time. I will be very interested to see a second volume from Raffi Grinberg on "How to Be a Grown Up," because I'll definitely read it!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, Raffi Grinberg, and Chronicle Books/Chronicle Prism for providing me with an advanced copy of this vital piece of literature in return for an honest review. I sincerely hope the book does well, and that many people benefit from its wisdom—(that kids coming out of High School and/or going into College will be more interested in picking it up than I would have been at their age/s) and that Raffi DOES put out another volume at some point!

I learned quite a few things from this book and I've been a grown up for awhile now! I like that it's interactive because it helps to engage with what you're learning. I'll be giving this book out as graduation gifts for the high school/college seniors I know!

The book was beautifully written. The author made careful word choices that were very impactful. Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it.

This is a really good self-help book. I learn lots of tips and tricks that I plan to use in the future and even now. It was written, and it was a quick read with lots of insightful information.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

As a high school teacher and a parent, I highly recommend this book! I wish I could buy a copy for each of my senior students. This guide is accessible, practical, and specific; it’s a great resource for new adults. Instead of skills that can be learned from Google or YouTube (e.g., changing a tire), Grinberg focuses on important big-picture skills such as finding long-term fulfillment. I am really impressed with how thorough and thoughtful this book is; in addition to explaining a topic like insurance, Grinberg urges us to consider why such topics really matter. I appreciate that Grinberg directs people to focus on long-term fulfillment rather than immediate happiness - and provides templates to identify one’s goals and the reasons behind them. Though Grinberg may be a little too optimistic about finding one’s dream job, he is right to acknowledge that some find more fulfillment outside of work, and that is okay too. This book is chock-full of wonderful advice, and would be a great gift for a high school or college grad, or any new adult. I definitely want to buy a copy for my kids and maybe one for my classroom too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon when the book is published.