1 HAIL-TO-THE-NO stars
This wasn't inspiring. This wasn't helpful. This wasn't meaningful. This was, at last, infuriating.
I have nothing against Demi Lovato. In fact, from time to time I listen to her music. I know about her story, and it's good to know she's getting over it. But some things in this book pissed me off way too much.
For starters, Coelho, Miley Cyrus, Eminem and Lil Wayne as source from inspirational quotes for this type of book... Is this even serious? Mixed with Jane Austen, amongst others? Well, no. I can't take that seriously. I just can't, especially if all I see in my mind is Miley's twerking on the video from the song her quote was extracted from (We can't stop, in case you were wondering.)
Then, to put it nice, the entire book was absurd. It consists in a bunch of quotes with little explanations that add nothing relevant and a diary goal that, in most cases, is almost absurd as well. What makes it worse is the fact that the quotes, explanations and goals are as repetitive as I could never imagine it'd be possible. You can sum up this book in "You're such a special being, CARPE DIEM, my darling." And that's pretty much it.
But then, what bothered me the most, was a message that appeared more than once about bullies. I suffered from bullying for years, but the worst I had to go through was when I was just nine years old. I was epileptic then, and the things I had to put up with made my seizures come back in spite of the high dose of medicine I was taking back then. In fact, I had to get my dose readjusted several times because of it. I still suffer from the psychological effects and impact bullying left at such a young age. It still hurts and it still makes me cry, not only me but also my mum. So when I read that I have to get past what I've been through by JUSTIFYING bullying, I just can't take it. Telling me that I have to forgive is one thing. Telling me that I have to forgive those who hurt me (and were completely aware about it, knew how much it affected me and they only made it worse) because "they are flawed and were probably suffering more than you" is a complete different thing. So, just because they were supposedly suffering that gives them the right to turn my life into Hell? NICE! Why didn't anybody tell me that before? That means that I can go and ruin someone else's life just because I'm suffering.
Let me tell you one thing: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH IN LIFE, NOTHING GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO HURT PEOPLE IN ANY WAY. NOTHING.
I went through psychological and physical abuse when I was nine (and later on). I went through sexual abuse when I was even younger. You can't even imagine how much pain that causes, unless you've been through the same. You can't even imagine. Fear, suffering, shame, emptiness, depression, self hatred. I was nine and I cried myself to sleep. I was nine and I feared going to school. I was nine and I had to spend a whole class with ice on my face because they punched me that hard my cheek was almost violet. I was nine and I found myself on a corridor half naked because they decided it was a good idea to pull me on a tight grasp and lift up my skirt so everybody could see my underwear.
You know what my teacher did? Nothing. Even worse: she defended the agressor.
You know what the director did? Nothing, but telling me I had a "little-star-know-it-all" complex.
You know who I was? A little girl that was /that/ terrified that hid on breaks. I was the new girl and while the "popular" clique decided they hated me, almost all the other kids decided that too. That happened the very same day school started.
Mum had reunions with the directives, with teachers, with everybody. She called many parents to talk about it. What parents did? Defending their children, in spite of all the evidence they had against their children's behavior. They blamed me. And what did I do? I'm still asking myself that, because I don't know. And I don't want to play the victim role, but that is exactly what I was. A victim.
They were not suffering. They were happy kids, with no family problems and no monetary problems. I had them, as my mum lost her job that year, and we were just alone. Now tell me again: they were the real victims? They were suffering and that's why they did that to me? They even insulted my mum when she was right in front of them.
To sum it up, the message is terrible. TERRIBLE in every way possible. You CAN'T justify this type of abuse by saying they were probably suffering too. THAT'S JUSTIFYING IT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU MUST NOT DO. You tell me to "pity them because they were obviously suffering." (I read a translated version, so I'm not sure if it's 100% accurate but it said that.) REALLY?
I had the disgust to meet some of them again. It's not like they ever said they were sorry. In fact, they showed nothing but scorn. And I'm supposed to pity them?
Guess what: NO.
And sorry for the long rant but it really pissed me off. It really angered me and of course I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.