Thank you Penguin Random House Australia and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Kasey Edward's is the best selling author of many books including “Raising girls who like themselves”. Her books have helped countless parents, providing timely advice on raising children that believe in themselves.

This brave, honest and often raw memoir has Kasey examining beliefs she holds / has held. As she faces many beliefs she questions why they exist, how they came about and if they hold any truth. The answer, no, of course they don’t. What each belief has become though is a pearl, each one creating a heavier burden as they join together as a string of pearls around her neck.

Bravely, Kasey cuts this string of pearls, releasing the weight around her neck, that has been carried for years. She does this by identifying and rejecting each belief she was taught throughout her life. These beliefs are taught by parents, teachers, even strangers. How can a stranger you fleetingly interact with for mere seconds hold so much power over your life for years?

By examining these beliefs, Kasey sees she has a choice to create a new, better belief and in doing so she transforms from the always expected good girl to a female who lives authentically, true to herself and her values. The pages within this journey are powerful and at time confronting.

I especially connected with the friendship chapter, having many moments of clarity as Kasey brings attention to how women treat one another, either silently or aloud. How we show up for others, if it isn’t authentic can never create a true friendship. Which of course leads to the big one “people don’t need to like me”.

This memoir is creative and truly engaging which sets it apart from many memoirs, being so much more than just a story of a persons life. Kasey has bought authenticity, clarity and strength to her story, which is also a very similar underlying story to many women.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I hope this reaches all the bookshelves and allows others to question their beliefs and regain the power they have given away.

A solid 4.5 stars.