You're Crushing It: Positivity for living your REAL life

by Lex Croucher

Sometimes life can be pretty amazing. But other times it feels A. Your heart and stomach have been steamrolled into a grisly organ pancakeB. You are being put through an emotional spiralizer that creates human courgettiC. Both of the above. You're a courgetti pancake No, Instagram filters won't make it look any better. And, yes, we all feel this way.An honest, thoughtful and hilarious survival guide for young people by social media sensation, Lex Croucher. Learn that you can face whatever today throws at you, because it has terrible aim anyway. And realise that only you scrutinise your flaws – seriously, no one else is paying attention, there's far too much interesting stuff on Netflix. A must-read for anyone who wants to embrace their actual, real, unedited life. Just always remember … YOU'RE CRUSHING IT. Lex Croucher's frank and candid text is THE survival guide to help you make it through the crazy, topsy-turvy, whirlwind ride we call life. Brace yourself! Topics family and friends, body confidence, technology and social media, relationships, mental health, success and more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Feminism

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 13, 2019

About the author

Lex Croucher grew up in Surrey, reading a lot of books and making friends with strangers on the internet, and now lives in London with an elderly cat. With a background in social media for NGOs, Lex now writes historical-ish rom coms for adults (REPUTATION, INFAMOUS) and historical fantasy rom coms for teenagers. GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE is their YA debut.

Reviews

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I allowed to rate & review this? Is this cheating? Am I going to get arrested?

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won a copy of You're Crushing It as part of a prize pack from Bloomsbury UK!

Lex has a YouTube channel which up until reading her book, I had never watched. However, I loved You're Crushing It. It is designed for teen audiences but as a 21-year-old, I did find myself totally engrossed by her life advice on social media, falling in love and friendships. I talk about my reading experiences more on my Instagram at www.Instagram.com/alicetiedthebookish...!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! I didn't realise the author was a youtuber until half way through so now I'm defintely going to watch her videos!

The advice in this book was great and the title is a perfect description - 'Positivity for living your real life'. The layout was unique and made it really entertaining + easy to read. The full page quotes every now and then were great for segmenting the different parts of the book within each chapter. It made it all flow nicely with reasonable breaks. My favourite thing about this was how it really dipped into every topic from body image to living ethically yet it didn't get too serious and remained light-hearted.

As a 16 year old girl, I really enjoyed reading the author's insight into all these topics and it was quite inspiring. The take-aways in this book were really simple yet powerful and there were so many! One of my favourite quotes from the very end of the book: "You should never feel guilty or beat yourself up about having limits as a person."

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and it probably won't be the last time I do. :D

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I wanted to give this book 4 stars, but I think that, within its genre, it's one of the most uplifting books I've read so far. Lex Croucher gives really positive and humorous advice which seems attainable, unlike some self-help books which seem to set the bar too high. Lex describes very recognisable situations in a light and funny way and no, it wasn't life changing, but it has given me exactly what the cover describes: positivity for living your real life!

[Wouter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been following Lex on Youtube for about 6 years now so when I heard she wrote a book I knew I had to read it because I ADORE her. I'm not really into self-help books and I didn't learn anything new per se, but this book was very enjoyable, and Lex is a great writer - her sense of humor that I know from her YouTube videos generally translates really well to her writing.

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably would have enjoyed You're Crushing It more if I hadn't been reading it as an eBook, as I've seen some pictures of quotes online and the constant repetition seems quite effective when it's stylised. However, as an eBook I just found myself getting annoyed: every page had a huge bold quote that was then repeated halfway through the paragraph, and most of them were that faux-inspirational bullshit that graces 90% of motivational Instagram pages.

This isn't a bad book - Lex Croucher is trying to shake young people out of their funk and get them feeling a bit more optimistic about life and the world around them - but I think I'm just a bit too cynical to appreciate it as much as I had hoped to. I'd read all of the advice before, and the 'humour' barely had me cracking a smile. I felt as though I was about ten years older than the intended audience, which was quite demoralising when I realised the author was a YouTuber who is a few years older than me...

If you are having a bad time with your mental health (I know there are a lot of us who start struggling as soon as the nights draw in and the weather gets colder) then give this a shot, because if there's a chance that it might put a smile on your face it is worth it! Just don't expect this book to move mountains or shake your worldview.

[Harrison Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not the target audience for this book but I can appreciate that it is probably great for people who are.

I read this because I'm making a new friend and they said it's their favourite book so 5 stars for friendship!!

[loenaah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK.
A light and funny read written by a twenty-something American women who gives you all sorts of advice on various topics such as bodypositivity, dating.

Just go buy it, you won’t regret it.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted to www.rebeccasravereviews.wordpress.com

I was sent a copy of You're Crushing It in exchange for an honest review, so thanks to Bloomsbury publishers. 

I don't mean this in a negative way but there is nothing mind blowing in this book - it's a run down of all of life's hassles, from body image, social media, friendships, dating, all that good stuff, with some mental health tips, funny anecdotes, and lots of reassurance that it's okay. You'll be okay. But it's Lex's charm that makes this book what it is. In the theme of a lot of her YouTube videos, and other online content, she's very honest that sometimes, life does go down the pan a bit. But that doesn't mean it's the end of the world! There's always something to fix things, make things right, or just cheer you up a bit, and her voice really comes across in her writing. Following her online for ages, I know that she's a big advocate of talking about mental health, body image, toxic relationships, and all the things she cares about she talks with such passion in her book. 

[Jaselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! While it is probably aimed at someone a big younger than me (I’m 27), I still really enjoyed reading it. Sometimes it’s just nice to read 271 pages of things you agree with.

I really think people who are still finding themselves or are growing into themselves will get great value out of the way Lex talks about life!

[Rebecca Farren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review on my blog here: https://rebeccafarren.com/review-your...

An uncorrected proof copy was gifted to me by Bloomsbury.

When Lex announced she was writing a YA, positivity, life advice book I was, well, a little surprised. She has a dark sense of humour which often matches the tone of her YouTube videos so I really wouldn’t have expected her to write this type of book. Reflecting on it more though, I was so intrigued to read what she has to say, and I suspected that it would actually be very good. I wasn’t wrong.

You’re Crushing It covers a myriad of issues from friendship to body confidence to succeeding at work (even if you have the dullest job in the world!) It jumps straight into the advice with short and direct tips on each topic. This works so well and makes it very accessible an easy to read. You can choose to either blitz through it all or pick it up and read a chapter or two whenever you feel like it. Its layout and typeface are also very inviting, with big swirly chapter titles and key messages blown up for each point. This makes it even more pleasing to take in.

The advice itself is actually properly useful, common sense and followable. Lex doesn’t patronise the reader or expect them to take on a whole new lifestyle. I can’t say that I learnt loads from the book or that I had any epiphanies while reading it, but it was good to have reminders of stuff I kind of already knew all in the one place. It was also incredibly validating to see certain ideas written down in black and white, in a published book, particularly around choices about sex and relationships and privilege, or lack of it. It made me quite emotional at times! It’s not ground-breaking advice but it’s not trying to be; it’s a collection of accessible, enjoyable pointers trying to help the reader through life as a human.

Lex has a very strong, authentic voice in her videos, and this carries across to the book seamlessly. She’s naturally very funny and it doesn’t feel like she’s trying too hard to write specifically for young adults; you can tell she’s just writing as herself. One element I really appreciated is that Lex knows exactly when to clarify a point and to acknowledge that not everyone has the same experience, and when to be unequivocal in asserting that certain behaviour really is or isn’t OK. The confidence of the writing is so refreshing.

As with any advice book I didn’t agree with every single word, and I would have liked more depth in a few of the points, but the short, punchy format works so well for the vast majority of the book that I think it was the right decision to go with that style throughout.

This is a great, readable, fun and believable advice book that I think every young adult (or even old adult) could use as a manual in their life. I’ll definitely pop back to it if I’m having a bad day and I honestly wish I knew a teenager to buy it for!

9/10

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to “youtuber” books I’ve never really been that into them… wait no that is a bit of a lie, I have bought into them before, I own a few “youtuber” books but I have never really sat down and read them, I just bought them because every other person who was interested in the beauty side of youtube bought them and I just had to follow the crowd.

But this, when Lex announced that she was releasing a book I knew that this would be one of the books I would want to get my hands on- so I was extremely happy when I saw a proof of it at NYAlit fest, I think I almost dove across the table making grabby hands because I needed it.

I have watched Lex on and off for a while now- I say on and off because I have had a love-hate relationship with youtube in general so I did stop watching a lot of people, but Lex is one person I will always watch at some point- even if the video is a couple of months old and probably not relevant any more. I’m a netflix or a book kinda girl.

“You’re crushing it!” is basically a self help book without being a preachy self help book, I actually just felt like I was talking to a friend… OK I would like to clarify that I wasn’t talking to the book, but it flowed so well and had so much of Lex’s humour throughout- you couldn’t accuse her of using a ghost writer, I swear it’s ALL Lex (of course I am saying this as someone who only knows of her personality via videos).

I found myself nodding along, laughing out loud, taking pictures of certain pages- I cannot bring myself to write in a book, so often my phone will be full of pictures of pages from books.
Luckily the formatting of this book makes it great to take pictures because on every few pages you can find some brilliant (and humorous) inspirational quotes.

(Pop on over to my blog if you want to see some of these quotes as I included a few images)

I can’t even say “I wish this had been around when I was a teenager” because hell I needed it now as a 30 year old woman, Lex knows her shit, and I love how open she is with her opinions, although I am hoping that the younger generations do pick it up when it is published as it is one hell of a book, that may not change your entire world but it may prompt you to look at some of your current actions and decisions.

Not only does this touch on friendships, relationships, mental health, periods (because people have them folks, it’s time we ditched the stigma, they aren’t dirty or wrong, they may be a little painful though, but everyone is different) but it also touches on privilege, politics and so much more.

If I hadn’t had to stop reading to go to work I would have definitely read this in one sitting, I will definitely be purchasing this when it is published (I may have to add tabs to that copy so I can easily locate sections that I may need) and I may have to buy copies for friends as well.

[Arta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only book I think about every day. Each section resonated deeply with me. Each chapter was like looking at something that was clear to understand, but you only understand it when you look at situations, things, and people from the outside, as if stepping outside of yourself.
Unfortunately, I can't say that there is only one thing I took from this book. There are several, starting with three things you can do. Considering that I often devote little time to myself and my happiness, it was pleasant to read this, continuing with a quote that I often remind myself of: "Occasionally, of course, there's someone who really is bothering to text you back or make plans with you. In that case, it's not so much you being worthy of their friendship—you have to ask yourself if they're worthy of yours." This gave me understanding and allowed me to stop beating myself up and weed out toxic people and situations from my life.
The entire book made me realize that when you do good for yourself, there is no need to think about other people, that by believing in yourself you can achieve more, and that by prioritizing yourself you are doing good rather than harm. After reading this book, a lot changed in my life of course, the change didn't happen overnight, but I read this book a couple of years ago and it's still my top 1. Even though I didn't think self-help books could help, this one definitely did. It lifted me to a new level and opened my eyes.
Thank you not only for being helpful, but also for the humorous tone, which made it much easier to understand what I should have understood long ago.

[idreamofallthebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could not have come at a better time. After having a little bit of a rough week (and certain individuals making some quite unrealistic demands), Lex Croucher’s words of wisdom (and wit!) were a much needed reprieve from some of the negative and exhausting thoughts taking up residence in my mind.

By the book’s design (and Croucher’s own admissions), it is a series of thoughts and positive self talk that can help all those who read it to be a little more kinder and a little more real towards themselves. The combination of run-on sentences and humour make this book such an easy read – seriously, it is like she is in the room with you, sitting on your couch in her comfiest pajamas with a glass of red wine in hand, listening to you and being there for you. Her thoughts are accurate and read true, to the point that it feels like she has gone through everything that you are going through.

I can’t wait to share this one with some of my senior English students! Especially as they near their big, final exams!

Thank you @bloomsburypublishing for gifting me a copy to review!

[Roan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book! There's a lot of solid advice for all people, especially young teenagers. The pages about consent and self care were great and the gender neutral language is also really nice. Some parts of the book were quite funny too! I found the jokes and analogies a little bit excessive and unnecessary, but some were still good. I feel the book could have been condensed a little. I have been informed of the existence of "shag bracelets" on page 229 and it is indeed horrifying, hahaha. This book was very comforting when I felt sad and I looked forward to reading it every day! I'm happy I found this in my library and I'd definitely recommend it to people my age and younger.

Favourite pages
Since I got this book from the library, I took photos of my favourite pages and these have either helpful advice, an uplifting message, a nice analogy or some funny lines!
137, 145, 159, 163, 223, 226, 234, 237-239

[Zogguz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a lot of cool quotes from this book which I've put on post it notes to make me feel better. While there are a couple of chapters that really resonated with me, I feel that this book was not written for my demographic. Lex tries to be as inclusive as possible here but I think it's ultimately written for teen girls rather than 20-something year old men (oops). I usually enjoy Lex's sarcastic humour on YouTube, but felt it a bit strange translated over to written text and came across a little ramble-y. I did enjoy reading this book and getting an insight into Lex's inner monologue and it was always nice when I needed something that was positive and wasn't super heavy. I know my mum and sister are keen to steal this book off of me after I was done with it.

[Abigail Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout this book Lex keeps you entertained but also helps you out through her genuine advice. I love how at some point on every other page you’re given the genuine opportunity to giggle and relate to something.

From general day to day life, to work, relationships, friends, food, and being kind to our planet, Lex has written a fantastic book that keeps that smile on your face & know exactly how to feel empowered.

Her words are powerful and helpful, and I couldn’t recommend this enough for anyone who is going through a bit of a tricky or challenging time. It’s lighthearted, with a touch of seriousness, but all in all an absolutely fantastic book.

Will definitely pick this up again.
Thank you, Lex.

[Amy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this! It's so good to read a book that's about realising how bloody great your life actually is as it is, not telling you that you'll only be happy and reaching your full potential if you are basically perfect. Lex talks about things like dating, social media, family and friends, body confidence and mental health with heart and wisdom - and a LOT of jokes. It's also really beautifully designed - not just the cover, but the way text has been formatted inside makes it a really lovely object to read. This book is meant for young people but it felt like a balm to me at 30, too. I'm going to be buying a copy for my niece, who is 15.

[Kezia Newson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book feels like a pat on the head and an understanding ‘you’re bonkers, but I am too’ nod from a best friend when you’re going through the smallest or largest things in the wild ride that is growing up. It's laugh out loud funny, but what shouldn't be underrated is how much comfort I think it will bring. The honesty Lex shares by letting us into pockets of her life makes you feel trusted as a reader, and that you can have these kind of open conversations with your own friends, parents and partners too. Putting the reader, especially a young person, on the same level as the writer is an art, and Lex has nailed it. Buy this for every teen you know, I wish I'd had it to navigate life.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look at me actually readed a non fiction for non fic november (instead of just buying them!)

This was a funny, easy read of some pretty base level advice. It was clearly written for a 'younger' audience and because of this, the lack of reference to teenage hood and general fouces on more adult topics (like committed relationships) felt weird and a bit boring. It general the book was very tame. I also desperately wanted more actual anecdotes, the witty one liners got old pretty quick.

I've followed Lex online for years and enjoyed hear her voice in her writing. Overall this was .... fine. I am looking forward to reading her fiction work soon!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly it's really good...for a self-help book. For a self-help book being the key bit here. Funny, but too vague at times and though I can appreciate the attempt at including everyone it means the book is vague and doesn't really take a stance on anything. It tries to tackle too many things and its attempts to please everyone wash it out, reducing complex topics to a couple pages and obvious "motivational statements" I could have googled. Granted, I don't think I'm the target audience and it's still honest and authentic and doesn't make you feel like shit for not being a billionaire at 25, even if the humour is painfully millenial.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has really helped me get out of the sluggish mood I have been feeling the last few weeks.

I was hooked in the book as soon as I read “wrap yourself up in love like you’re a delicious sausage roll, and just hope that nobody eats you”.
I laughed more than I thought possible at that and it just kept coming throughout.

This is the first book of self development I have read where I can actually say I relate to this hugely and feel I can put action into my life from this book.

I highly recommend it.

[Mariko - · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got around to reading this book and I’m glad I did - the short length and easy readability helped me get out of a reading slump of feeling like I couldn’t finish anything.

I’ve watched Lex on YouTube for years and have always loved their sense of humour. I think the e-book format doesn’t work as well as it would in print but regardless I still was laughing out loud at various points. It’s delightfully weird and I think I really would have loved and appreciated it so much when I was a teenager.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a good third of this book trying to think about what the writing of Lex Croucher reminded me off - their YouTube channels that I used to watch, a podcast I'd listened to - then I realised. Myself. Croucher's honesty and realism while avoiding toxic positivity reminds me a lot of my own columns, which is probably why I liked this book so much. Croucher writes in such an accessible way that reading it felt like having a WhatsApp conversation with my best friend, who incidentally also reminds me that my friends don't hate me and I'm not a burden.

[a dog who learned to read · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fun and cute, although it felt a little bland and maybe just something that is more relevant and entertaining for a younger demographic. That said it was entertaining and quite sweet. I imagine I would have preferred a more comedy-focused book from Lex because that's really the draw for me, but her voice came through in this book really nicely, it just isn't quite my type of book tbh. Lex Croucher book of cat limericks when???

[Pushon Bhattacharya · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dull and cookie-cutter entry in the self-help genre. While none of the advice is harmful, it's nothing life-changing and blends in with million other books in this category. There is also way too much emphasis on humour which becomes irksome fast. This book does have plenty of funny moments, so it certainly isn't bad comedy. However, this is a self-help book, so taking a more serious tone is a must. Skip this and get Feel Good 101 by Emma Blackery instead.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, honest, brilliant. There are no books out there for young people purely about positivity so I hope school librarians everywhere stock this when it's out. There was so much in there that I related to and some thing I definitely needed to hear.

[Sara Simonazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun, relatable self-help book that doesn't profess to be an expert on the issues it covers, but still manages to make you feel like you can face whatever life throws at you. Lex is also a really funny and skilled author, and I can't wait to read more of her future works! 😊

[Annelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Lex, for making me laugh while discovering that my life isn’t as imperfect as I sometimes tell myself. This gave me hope, a wide grin on my face and the will to go on and live my life in a fabulous way!

[Kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. So similar to my own humour, so I could relate very much to the author. I too, believe in the power of positivity. Very good topics and perspectives to give us all a good think. This book really brought me a good laugh and a good read. Thankyou Lex.