Review of If You Are Ready
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Review of If You Are Ready
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "If You Are Ready" by Michelle Richey.]
If You Are Ready by Michelle Richey is a concise blend of a personal memoir and a self-help book. Richey alternates between recounting private dark moments and sharing encouraging ways that helped during those trying times. Several issues during and after her first marriage led Richey to fall into a deep depression. In addition to her marital problems, or rather because of them, she struggled with the unhealthy habit of stress eating, which only contributed to her low self-esteem. She found it hard to open up to other people - loneliness and stress became a constant in her life. For her children, Richey mustered the courage to overcome her depression and regain her self-worth. The most important support in getting her life back on track was her faith in God and her connection to him through prayer. Praying gave her a sense of forgiveness and strength. Furthermore, meditation and Tai Chi have helped her gain more focus and create a better balance between body and mind. Keeping in mind that past mistakes can not be undone, she tried to learn from them and started setting attainable goals for her future to become a better version of herself.
Michelle Richey encourages readers in similar situations to reclaim their strength and courage and presents methods that helped her find her purpose and worth. Among other things, she addresses very private and, unfortunately, common issues in society that many readers may be able to relate to - toxic relationships, infidelity, loneliness, low self-esteem, or homelessness. Considering the author has found a powerful source of support in her faith, this book would particularly appeal to Christian readers. On several occasions, Richey quotes psalms and proverbs that have helped her gain a more positive outlook on her life. And while the author’s religious approach may not resonate with everyone, she still provokes readers to reflect on their values and purpose by addressing them directly. This straightforward approach in her writing gave me the feeling of being in a direct conversation with the author.
As I mentioned at the beginning, If You Are Ready is a blend of a memoir and a self-help book. The author continuously switches between recounting personal experiences and giving encouraging advice. This constant alternation somewhat bothered me while reading, since it resulted in a lot of repetitions, especially in relation to her previous marriage. In this regard, I would have wished for a bit more structure throughout the book, similar to the more methodical breakdown of the stages of grief in the Chapter “The Stages” and the systematic achievement of goals in the Chapter “What’s Next”. Overall, I had the impression that the author often put her thoughts into writing without revising them further. I also found various typos and grammatical errors that could have easily been avoided with professional editing.
To summarize, Michelle Richey shows with If You Are Ready that it is possible to get out of dark times in our lives and encourages her readers to try different methods to regain their self-worth. The book contains several errors and could be revised structurally, so I give it 3 out of 5 stars. As the author addresses heavy topics, this book is only suitable for adults. I recommend it above all to people who might be able to relate to the author.
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If You Are Ready
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
If You Are Ready by Michelle Richey is a concise blend of a personal memoir and a self-help book. Richey alternates between recounting private dark moments and sharing encouraging ways that helped during those trying times. Several issues during and after her first marriage led Richey to fall into a deep depression. In addition to her marital problems, or rather because of them, she struggled with the unhealthy habit of stress eating, which only contributed to her low self-esteem. She found it hard to open up to other people - loneliness and stress became a constant in her life. For her children, Richey mustered the courage to overcome her depression and regain her self-worth. The most important support in getting her life back on track was her faith in God and her connection to him through prayer. Praying gave her a sense of forgiveness and strength. Furthermore, meditation and Tai Chi have helped her gain more focus and create a better balance between body and mind. Keeping in mind that past mistakes can not be undone, she tried to learn from them and started setting attainable goals for her future to become a better version of herself.
Michelle Richey encourages readers in similar situations to reclaim their strength and courage and presents methods that helped her find her purpose and worth. Among other things, she addresses very private and, unfortunately, common issues in society that many readers may be able to relate to - toxic relationships, infidelity, loneliness, low self-esteem, or homelessness. Considering the author has found a powerful source of support in her faith, this book would particularly appeal to Christian readers. On several occasions, Richey quotes psalms and proverbs that have helped her gain a more positive outlook on her life. And while the author’s religious approach may not resonate with everyone, she still provokes readers to reflect on their values and purpose by addressing them directly. This straightforward approach in her writing gave me the feeling of being in a direct conversation with the author.
As I mentioned at the beginning, If You Are Ready is a blend of a memoir and a self-help book. The author continuously switches between recounting personal experiences and giving encouraging advice. This constant alternation somewhat bothered me while reading, since it resulted in a lot of repetitions, especially in relation to her previous marriage. In this regard, I would have wished for a bit more structure throughout the book, similar to the more methodical breakdown of the stages of grief in the Chapter “The Stages” and the systematic achievement of goals in the Chapter “What’s Next”. Overall, I had the impression that the author often put her thoughts into writing without revising them further. I also found various typos and grammatical errors that could have easily been avoided with professional editing.
To summarize, Michelle Richey shows with If You Are Ready that it is possible to get out of dark times in our lives and encourages her readers to try different methods to regain their self-worth. The book contains several errors and could be revised structurally, so I give it 3 out of 5 stars. As the author addresses heavy topics, this book is only suitable for adults. I recommend it above all to people who might be able to relate to the author.
******
If You Are Ready
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Missionary’s Wife by Jonathan Hoke Barclay
