Let's Be Real: Living Life as an Open and Honest You

by Natasha Bure, Sadie Robertson (Foreword)

From singer, model and YouTube celebrity Natasha Bure, the daughter of Candace Cameron Bure, comes a real, honest conversational book that doesn't hold back. Everywhere she goes and every video she posts has one basic this is real, this is life, and we all go through it. Whether it's acne, boyfriends, faith, stress, or having fun, Natasha's view is to simply be honest, simply be real, no matter what you face. Natasha's real and relatable tone paired with personal notes and stories will help readers see that living a "real" life is the best life.



The dust jacket features embossing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Biography, Memoir

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2017

About the author

Natasha Bure is the daughter of actress and New York Times bestselling author, Candace Cameron Bure, and former NHL All-Star forward, Valeri Bure. Natasha’s passion for music and entertainment began at the age of 10. She has appeared in ABC Family’s hit show Make It or Break It as well as in Hallmark’s The Heart of Christmas. Natasha’s unique vocal style and creative songwriting have been featured in national performances on ABC’s daytime talk show, The View, and she was a participant on NBC’s top-rated reality singing competition, The Voice. In addition to Natasha’s core values of faith and family, she enjoys playing tennis and staying active with her friends. She grew up in South Florida and now happily resides in Southern California with her family.

Reviews

[Sc2424 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I have a daughter who is almost 17 and one who is almost 13. I thought that this would be a great book for them to read and learn from. My expectations were high.

Well...here's the thing. I don't really like to write negative reviews. I mean, look at this girl on the front of the book! She's so cute...and her mom is Candace Cameron!

Okay, enough dragging my heels...here's my review.

This book is a kind of "self-help" book for girls, full of ideas of how to overcome different challenges that teen girls face. Different topics are addressed such as dating, style, makeup, skin care, friendships, faith, parents, communication, and more. The author fills the book with stories of how she met these challenges head on and overcame them. Not much rhyme or reason as to how the topics are organized that I could discover, but they do cover a vast swath of teenaged life.

So -- what did I like? I liked the message to be real, be yourself, be the person God made you to be. I liked her positive outlook and tone.

What didn't I like? She's just out of high school. And sounds like it. Remember all of those valedictorian speeches? The ones that sound like they have just about got the world conquered? Yeah, this is like that.

Does that sound shallow to you? Take it in the same vein as not wanting to take parenting advice from someone who has no children or a 1 year old.

I thought maybe I was being too hard on the book, so I had my daughter read it as well. She noted some different things that she wasn't a fan of...such as the author seems to give all kinds of advice, but not really back it up with Scripture, so it was just pretty much her own life stories, suggestions, and ideas. My daughter also said that she would rather take advice from someone who has more life experience.

I applaud this young woman for her sincerity in wanting to help others, that is a great heart attitude. The book is nicely made, with a nice dust-jacket. If you are a young person who likes to get advice from a peer or near-peer, this would be a great book for you!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natasha has been on The View, The Voice, has her own YouTube channel and has done modeling. Natasha has wisdom and courage beyond her eighteen years. Raised by parents who have made family and faith more important than money and fame. The teen says, “I’m grateful for strong values my parents instilled in me. But figuring out what made me who I am was something I’m still working on.”

I liked how her book was laid out and that she talks about topics everyone deals with. For example, some of the tools she’s uses and things she wants readers to think about are: The real value of family – five ways to gain parents trust; how to negotiate with your parents – Parents situation and solutions, journaling out frustrations; play it safe on social media, ten top reasons it rules to be single; how to make new friends – friends situations and solutions; how to be a good friend; how to build confidence, achieve goals, (And much, much more. It’s real, hopeful and practical help)

I’m a fan of her mom Candace Cameron Bure and wanted to see what her daughter had to say about life and the challenges she faced growing up. This young lady honestly shares from her heart and encourages teens to look at life, failures and hard times in a different way; hoping that they take a look at what’s going on inside themselves and in the world around them. All the while giving readers courage and motivation to be transparent. It’s done in an honest and non-preachy way.

We’ve seen so many young child stars go wild and lose their way because they’ve tried to be everything to everybody. This young lady encourages teens to be true with themselves and others; about their strengths and weaknesses. She says, “I can’t let social media run my life – instead, I had to learn to look at life for what it really is:…..Once we break down the facades and let our true selves out – blemishes, embarrassing moments, mistakes, and all – we welcome others to connect with us on a real level.”

This is a refreshing, encouraging and informative read everyone can learn from.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLookBloggers site. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine
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[Jenifer Metzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be real honest. There are not many celebrities that I want my kids looking up to. Like a really, really small number. So when our family comes across a Christian celebrity that is outspoken about their faith, stands for what they believe in and gives us a good, Godly role model, we are thrilled. This is how we feel about the adorable Natasha Bure. Name sound familiar? It should! Natasha is not only the daughter of actress Candace Cameron Bure and hockey star Val Bure, but she has made a name for herself on social media. Natasha loves helping young women and girls learn to embrace who they are, fears and flaws included. She teaches us to just be real.

In her brand new book Let's Be Real: Living Life As An Open and Honest You, Natasha shares that whether it’s acne, boyfriends, faith, stress, or having fun, just be honest. Simply be real, no matter what you face. Chapters include:
-Finding the Real You
-Embracing the Real You
-Real Friendships
-Real Conviction
-Real Talk About Guys & Relationships
-The Real Value of Family
-Real Health
-Real Beauty
-Faith in Real Life
-Be True to Yourself.

Let's Be Real: Living Life As An Open and Honest You is a must read for your teen girls and young adult girls, but truthfully, you will learn so much from Natasha's wisdom too. I know I have! This book will make a great addition to an Easter basket and will be the perfect graduation gift.
Let's Be Real: Living Life As An Open and Honest You releases today! Go pick up your copy and help your daughter learn to be real.

[Cecily Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

Going into this book, I had no idea who Natasha Bure was. I then googled her and realized who her parents are and watched her audition for The Voice.
At first I thought it was pretty cool to hear from her but as the book went on, it was a little too religious for me and clearly targeted for young girls. It was basically a manual written for children by parents on all the things you should do to be the perfect little daughter and human. Not that those are bad things but as a 29 year old woman I was totally rolling my eyes and could not wait for it to be over. Not necessarily a bad book just REALLY not for me.

[Jalynn Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the Book:

From singer and social media celebrity Natasha Bure, the daughter of Candace Cameron Bure, comes a real, honest conversational book that doesn’t hold back. Everywhere she goes and every video she posts has one basic message: this is real, this is life, and we all go through it. Whether it’s acne, boyfriends, faith, stress, or having fun, Natasha’s view is to simply be honest, simply be real, no matter what you face. Natasha’s real and relatable tone paired with personal notes and stories will help readers see that living a “real” life is the best life.


My Review:

There is a lot to be said for authenticity. Many people have a lot of trouble just trying to be "real' and transparent but Natasha Bure is not one of those people. She takes what has been given to her and she lives it out. It's not enough for us to simply know the right things to do as God commands us but it's in the living it out that we truly learn what it is He wants from us. I believe this young lady knows all about that.


Natasha gives us the speil on how each young girl in todays world should present themselves and how they should behave. She seems to be a real authority on the matter and I really enjoyed reading her views. I feel that while she has already went a long way in her short life that it is only up from her for this up and comer. She has a great set of parents, as well because she seems very grounded in her relationship with God and overall life.


**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book for young adults.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, great messages, it was just a little "immature" for me because it discussed situations in middle/high school and I'm already out of school

[Jenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

From singer, model and YouTube celebrity Natasha Bure, the daughter of Candace Cameron Bure, comes a real, honest conversational book that doesn’t hold back. Everywhere she goes and every video she posts has one basic message: this is real, this is life, and we all go through it. Whether it’s acne, boyfriends, faith, stress, or having fun, Natasha’s view is to simply be honest, simply be real, no matter what you face. Natasha’s real and relatable tone paired with personal notes and stories will help readers see that living a “real” life is the best life.

Inspirational.

I did not know much about NATASHA BURE , not until I read this book. I had no idea that she was on The Voice . One of the main reasons I picked up was due because I am fan of her mother, Candace Cameron Bure. I was curious about her daughter and when I came across it on Amazon, decided to check out. Now that I have read it, I’m so glad that I did, LET’S BE REAL is such an inspirational book, or at least it was for me. I think that it is a non-fiction that everyone should read, especially the teens. NATASHA BURE not only talked about her life, her struggles but also offered advice as well; I loved how she was talking to her readers. As a reader, I felt as I was communicating right with Natasha. I loved how positive Natasha was as she gave the advice and just reading, it was as if I felt positive myself after reading it.


I loved that NATASHA BURE gave so much different advice, and it made me find what I needed to work on, and what I need to change. After reading LET’S BE REAL I found myself thinking about it for quite some time. I plan to take some of the advice that Natasha talked about, and I already put some of the advice into action. I have read quite few celebrity memoirs that were also self-help books as well, LET’S BE REAL is one of my favorites. I feel as if I learned a lot just from reading the book. This is a book that I would highly recommend for everyone, a book that will help you have more positive outlook on life and feel better about yourself.

[Maya Yeboah · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!
Such wisdom and such grace; I am truly impressed.
I love reading a book that not only tells a story, but that motivates me to examine myself and question myself. Natasha's book truly did that. In her debut novel, eighteen-year-old Natasha Bure discusses the struggles experienced by young women as they strive to live up to the picture-perfect world that we live in. As she talks about her own struggles and past experiences she motivates girls to find it within them to do all in their power to be real. She describes this "realness" as an asset to happiness and true satisfaction in spite of the world's difficulties and the challenges and trials we are sure to experience.

I loved it. To think that this young women who is my age, wrote this book blows me away. The maturity with which she writes is outstanding. The way she describes her passion for her faith and the love with which she cherishes her friends and family really strikes me. I know for myself that I feel the same, and having another "peer" of mine write that out is so inspiring.
I can only say thank you for this book. Reading it was soothing, funny, and above all inspiring. it feels good to read a book that encourages me to be better and to do better in everything, but above all for God.
Thank you Natasha Bure, and I hope that there is more to come from you in the near future
I highly recommend it!

[Amy Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an inspiring book and I really loved reading it and getting to know the real Natasha Bure! This book covered everything from dating and relationships to self love and makeup tips. I thought it was such a fun and energetic book. I can honestly say that I really learned a lot form the advice and pointers that Natasha gave me. As a 17 year old I found the book very relatable and informative and even helpful for younger girls like me who are trying to find they're way in the world. One of the big things that Bure focused on in this book was her faith and the subject of Christianity in general, I thought was really interesting to read about. She talked about how important it is to stay strong to what you believe no matter what religion or belief that is. She also brought up why it was highly important to educate yourself about what you believe with I just loved! I would highly recommend this book for any women but especially girls ranging from 13-25 and wanting to grow in their faith or even just learn some cool fun things about music, makeup and other arts!

[Ashley Marie Lukosunas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for teenage girls or even girls in their early 20s. I am 29 and enjoyed it but would have gotten more out of it when I was younger. Natasha talks about keeping your faith in all aspects of a young lady’s life including friendships, romantic relationships, family and personal values, goals, trends as well as how to maneuver through the tough parts. She also has advice on fitness, a healthy lifestyle, fashion and makeup. Being a teenager is hard enough especially today with all the pressure we put on girls and they put on theirselves. Natasha has so much great advice that I wish I would have heard when I was younger.
Another thing I liked is that I did this on audiobook and Natasha narrates the book and I love when celebrities narrate their own stories.
I would totally recommend this to any girls between the ages of 12 to 23. Those are the age groups that can really take some positive feedback from it.

[Lyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

I wanted to like this book. As a devout Christian and mom of two teen daughters (15 & 17), I was hoping there could be something in here for them. And I’m willing to learn from people at any age, myself. Annnd I love Candace Cameron Bure and her lovely family and want to support them.

I’m glad Natasha is a Christian and appreciates her upbringing and wants to inspire and encourage other teens. But this book was a bunch of filler fluff; I’m not sure I know of a teenager who needs the advice to play with their look or change up their personal space (bedroom) to explore their tastes and grow.

I’m aware she was 18 or 19 when she wrote it, and that could account for the lack of any real perspective or maturity. But the editing was worse. It doesn’t flow well. It’s broken up in weird ways, with random interjections on things like starting a family tree / research project ( ??) and doesn’t seem to know what it message it really wants to proclaim.


Would not recommend.

[Lovely Loveday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s Be Real: Living Life as an Open and Honest You by Natasha Bure was released March 28, 2017 by Zondervan. Natasha Bure is the daughter of Candace Cameron Bure. She as created a book that brings young girls godly answers on how to deal with many of the problems they face growing up. Natasha does not stand in her famous moms shadow, she has been on The Voice, and has her own YouTube channel with videos that show the real person she is without holding back. This book focuses on friendships, faith, beauty, health and so much more that every women or girl will face at some point in their lives. I highly recommend this book for teenage girls. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from Book Look in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.**

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest: I only read this because it's Candace Cameron's daughter. I had no idea going into this that Natasha was a YouTube star or on The Voice, I just knew who her mother was! After reading this, though, I found myself really liking Natasha herself. I loved reading about her faith and she just seems so genuine and down to earth.

That being said, I think she's too young to write a self-help book like this. She JUST graduated high school and still lives at home, so it's hard to take her too seriously when she talks about working hard for your dreams. But, her personality more than made up for any reservations I had.

This is more like a 3.5 star book, but I like Natasha so much that I'm rounding it up.

[Sammy Ochoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Natasha, daughter of Full House's Candace Cameron Bure didn't stop at anything when writing this book. Anything you could imagine it was in here. I felt like this book was aged specially for girls younger than eighteen but it really showed that her pictures on Instgram isn't all the real Natasha Bure. It isn't all filters, likes and comments. It's bad hair days, relationships and friends and even health, faith and family. This is the all in one book. I loved this and will read it again. Natasha has such a good way of writing it felt so uplifting and happy even when she was saying "Be conscious of how much you're eating and workout!" In all honesty, this is a fantastic book! Wish she would come out with a second book for her older fans and audience.

[Lauren Cali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like mother like daughter! I wasn't the target audience for this book but I felt a lot of the advice Natasha gave could still apply to someone like myself in the mid 20s age range. She spoke eloquently. I enjoyed reading the book, but, I am not a religious person and she references Jesus often. I am not citing that as a bad thing whatsoever. It's great that she has faith and is devoted. Because I am not religious, I wasn't able to enjoy the chapter and parts of the book where Jesus is mentioned. I wish I had this book when I was in high school. I thought it was great she wrote a book. I also got insight into her which was interesting because having read all her mother's books, It was a pleasant surprise to find out her daughter wrote a book as well.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

review written by 17 year old daughter

LET'S BE REAL is written by Candice Cameron's teen daughter who just got out of high school so she's about my age. Natasha is being honest with people talking about her experiences and how she became a singer and struggled with impatience.






I couldn't relate to her because she's out-going and not quiet and shy like me, but it was fun to read. I really don't know how I feel about it. I don't want to share it with my friends, it just feels like a feel-good book but I'm feeling ho-hum about it.






I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

[Laura McAninch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read every book by her mother, Candace Cameron Bure, and thus I was very curious about what Natasha would share.
Sadie Robertson wrote the foreword to Natasha's book. They both speak from a very similar and grounded place. Both of their voices are who I would like our daughters to hear and be guided by.
I encourage all moms to add this to their collection for books their daughters need to be exposed to in their teen years.
No, Natasha and Sadie do not live a day to day 'normal' life like us, but they shine their Christian faith in a very admirable way -- a way all of us should strive to do so in our daily walk.

[Samantha Cornwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

I want to buy a copy of this book for every teenage girl I know! 🤣🙂 When I started, I didn't realize it was directed at young women, as I am several years older than Natasha and the book is about 10 years old, but even in my 30s I could relate to it and found tons of value in it. I think other women will too!

This is a book I'll be purchasing and keeping back for my daughter's bookshelf. It'll be years before she's old enough but the value in this beautiful book will never grow old or stagnant. Thank you for this book of encouragement, and direction- leading young women back to God and to be themselves in Christ.

It was a great read!

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been a short pamphlet and I would have gotten them message clearly and taken away the main ideas. It is just kind of boring and repetitive. I didn't realize it was so heavily a self-help book. I'm not really into self help books to begin with, but as I read chapter after chapter it felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over again.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so insightful, I loved it!! It reminded me of some of my favorite ways to keep in touch with God that I have forgotten or simply neglect to make time for. I highly recommend this book to all girls (middle school and older) because of truths we can sometimes find hard to put into words. ❤️🤍

[Veronica Marquardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! This is an extremely well written. It’s also full of practical and wise advice! So, if you want to embrace who you are, make your own path in life, all while following Christ, than I suggest you give this book a go!

[Chloe Diaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that this book had good ideas in it, although overall the book was not that entertaining, nor was it a "good read". I've highlighted in the book the few good ideas it had, although it would not be something I would want to re-read again.

[Rachael Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly can not give a review about this book. it started out ok for me in the first chapter then the rest I couldn't read. I'm really starting to think "autobiographies" just aren't for me!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. My favorite chapter was Real Health.

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I attempted reading this book even though it is way below my age range. I like Natasha’s YouTube videos. This book, however, is for pre-teens.

[Stephanie Zeuli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I’d had this book to read in high school and college. It’s still worth the read as an adult. The message can’t get any clearer than when it’s geared towards a teenager.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! She is such a good role model for girls!! I can’t wait for my daughters to read it!

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more of an autobiographical book but this book was more of a self-help book for teens.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. It is definitely written for teens but I still enjoyed her message about how to be the real, authentic version of yourself.