Challenge Corner discussion

Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. And it is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is.

I have this coming from the library! But not until June 6th... maybe if we can keep the thread alive until then? Who's reading this one? :D

I just started the audio so the thread will be alive!

20% Less than a quarter way through and there’s things I want to look back on. I may need to get the physical copy to reread and put post it’s in

Kim wrote: "20% Less than a quarter way through and there’s things I want to look back on. I may need to get the physical copy to reread and put post it’s in"

That's fine with me; I can't start yet! But I have an audiobook coming through on the 6th; maybe I'll need a physical copy too... We'll see!

I got the audio from the library too! I’m like Glennon’s reading of it

I have the physical, but also have the audio version for my commute!

I'll wait to start around the 6th

My audio has come through early from the library! (this morning!). I am finding reading quite difficult, so might start on the audio version a bit early - I don't know. I'm ill (again), and even typing is an effort so i don't know how much I'll be contributing... or if I have the effort to even listen. WHY!!?!
Sorry for the self-pity fest, just tired of feeling like this :(

it's okay to give yourself a break!! doing something else that you enjoy, taking a long shower, watching a show, listening to music.

we will be here for when you feel better! I hope you feel better soon, sending best wishes !

Haley wrote: "it's okay to give yourself a break!! doing something else that you enjoy, taking a long shower, watching a show, listening to music.

we will be here for when you feel better! I hope you feel bett..."

Thank you lovely, you're so kind <3 Music sounds nice (I find TV so overwhelming! There's so much on, and most of it seems kind of... dark? I never know what to watch)

I think I might read some children's books lol. Or even listen - thank you for the 'permission' for a break, it really helps actually xx

I also can't do TV, I feel like I use all my energy to find something to watch that I make it about 15 minutes.

Anytime you "need permission" for a break, we've got you!

Kim wrote: "I also can't do TV, I feel like I use all my energy to find something to watch that I make it about 15 minutes.

Anytime you "need permission" for a break, we've got you!"

Bless you, you're so kind *cries again*

(and with you about TV, all my spoons go on making a decision :P)

I'm actually starting this one because I just need something to listen to that's not violent or too complicated... join me whenever you can/want to :)

I'll try and start this sunday :) new month so perfect for new book

Okay, you guys are going to think I'm a hermit who lives in a hut without internet or TV or anything (except how would I be typing this), but... here's the confession.

I'd never heard of Glennon Doyle before you guys requested this thread. Oop. But the book had a pretty cover (sue me, I don't usually get sucked in by covers lol), and the library had it coming up and I just LOVE buddying.

So, I literally went in blind - I didn't even read the synopsis, just liked the title and trusted you guys, and off I went. Yup!

Part I

(view spoiler)[ I guess it's not really a spoiler-y book if you actually know who Doyle is but there we are, I thought I'd use the spoilers anyway.

I was like - cool, this is read by the author! And then realised that she has a podcast AFTER listening to the first part, and also realised how fricking famous she is, so yeah. Anyway, she reads it very well - but I guess you guys know the podcast? So, you probably know that rofl.

I'm not one to read self help-y/self empowerment type things because I tend to find them grating but I'm really happy with this. And I'm atheist but her description of God not having to be GOD, but this... thing inside you that has the answers about how to make your life more beautiful and more you - yeah, I can get behind that.

I loved the way she described meeting Abby - who I now realise is also famous :P (I don't follow sports either...) Also, that whole conference was really lovely - I loved the idea of giving authors each others' books to read instead of having to talk to each other - I could get behind that! Mingling is not my jam either!

I get that it's kind of strange coming at this from my angle with not knowing about her journey before this, but she seems pretty damn cool to me :) The analogy with the cheetah and the pink bunny rabbit was a very visual, immediate way to 'catch' the listener.

Anyway, I think this is probably a good thing for me to listen atm, and she isn't being preachy (I don't mean in the religious sense, more like 'this is what I did and NOW YOU SHOULD ALL DO IT NOW TOO, OKAY' which some of this genre is) and she seems nice. So yeah :) (hide spoiler)]

I look forward to hearing what you think on Sunday Haley!

Part II

I have no idea on your thoughts on Glennon, so I don't want to offend either of you but... (view spoiler)[ I don't know how I feel about this atm. She's very... self righteous? It's basically making me feel very uncomfortable - she's waaaaay too intense. Maybe it's just me. (hide spoiler)]

The only reason this was on my TBR was because a friend recommended it. I’m still not clear who she is but I like her perspective. The first part I enjoyed so we shall see if I continue feeling connected

by doing the audio it's hard to pick places to enter my BR comments so i'm gonna do it when i think of it lol.

43% (view spoiler)[ I love Glennon's love with Abby. is that real life?! idk but I hope it is because that's so wonderful!! I am not a mother so some of the parenting advice is wasted on me, but I can appreciate the journey she is going on. I definitely enjoyed the first quarter more so we will see where this goes. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Kim wrote: "by doing the audio it's hard to pick places to enter my BR comments so i'm gonna do it when i think of it lol.

43% [spoilers removed]"

Interesting that you didn't know who she was either - I just assumed that both of you were already fans! Haley, how did you come across this?

I've finished this now (trying to write up a review so it can get points for the anniversary challenge before I fall asleep - I'll write a better one later :P ) and I'm not quite sure I'll be totally at the same point as you, but it's not exactly a spoiler-y book so hopefully it's not a problem.

43% ish (view spoiler)[ Yeah, Glennon and Abby's love seems so perfect that it's almost performative. Maybe I'm an incurable cynic, but it feels so... fake. Sorry! And the parenting advice is, um, problematic - for me, at least. I'm not a parent either, but the idea that she was a 'good parent' to her first child but had got tired of fulfilling the role of 'mother' according to society by the time she had her third kid that she just 'handed her an iPad and wished her Godspeed on her journey'?? Um... no. Sorry, for me that's not good parenting. You can be a feminist and a mother at the same time!

I kind of wildly veered between thinking that this was meaningful and had things to say, and then thinking, wow, she is actually incredibly selfish. I know that being selfish can be a good thing - but she takes it too far imo. I mean, I am not judging her life - I'm really happy that she's happy and managed to recover from bulimia and alcoholism and leave a marriage that made her unhappy, but do I want her as someone I look up to as a feminist icon? No. It's an interesting story, but I just... I wanted to strangle her at times; she's so self-righteous!
And hypocritical. She gives her youngest kid an iPad to get on with life, but then has a SERIOUS conversation with her older son about how his phone is stifling his 'creativity' and basically bans him from using it. Ummm... But she manages to tell it in a way that makes her sound likes she's amazing and holier-than-thou the whole time.

But then (later), she makes some really sound points (particularly about racism, but also with some problematic bits there too...), so I'm just all over the place with this woman! (hide spoiler)]

Anyway I'm gonna relisten to some of this, and see if I can sort of detangle my overall thoughts.

Sorry!! I’ve started but only 35% in, I’ll add my update once on a computer lol.

But I came across this one at a thrift store I believe & truly saw the pretty cover and it was a goodreads choice nominee (I believe) so. Said oh why not check it out! Didn’t really see it was a memoir at first LOL I have no idea who the author is

notes from part 1 (view spoiler)[ interesting start, blowjob chapter with the therapis really threw me off. Honestly sounds like a TERRIBLE THERAPIST... what even.. (hide spoiler)]

Haley wrote: "notes from part 1 [spoilers removed]"

Interesting that you didn't know the author either - did you know she was famous? From the way she talks, it seems like she's very famous, but that might be her perception of course...


On your part 1 notes (view spoiler)[ Oh, YES. Terrible therapist. I've had some terrible ones in my time, but that takes the biscuit. Jeez... (hide spoiler)]

I think what I am currently struggling with is living in the US and hearing a similar narrative everywhere and so in my casual reading time, it's hard to hear even more about how women are held back by our society and all this. Like I know! I'm trying to disassociate over here 😂

HAHAHA agreed Kim! It’s kind of a soap opera in a way… nice story for her but nothing I haven’t really heard before

Kim wrote: "I think what I am currently struggling with is living in the US and hearing a similar narrative everywhere and so in my casual reading time, it's hard to hear even more about how women are held bac..."

Haha, that's interesting! Obviously being in the UK makes it at one remove, but I do get what you mean to a lesser extent.

62% Emotionally taxing but worth the listen. I think I find it hard because I like reading to escape but it’s important to take some time to be present

Kim wrote: "62% Emotionally taxing but worth the listen. I think I find it hard because I like reading to escape but it’s important to take some time to be present"

I'll be really interested to hear your overall take on this as I suspect it's going to be quite different coming from a US perspective... I ended up feeling a lot of conflicted emotions about Glennon Doyle and her way of 'being' in the world... It was certainly an interesting listen.

Kim wrote: "62% Emotionally taxing but worth the listen. I think I find it hard because I like reading to escape but it’s important to take some time to be present"

Yeah I can’t say it was a favorite.mabye if I found it a few years ago I would have found it inspiring, but it’s all things I’ve heard before…

Haley wrote: "Kim wrote: "62% Emotionally taxing but worth the listen. I think I find it hard because I like reading to escape but it’s important to take some time to be present"

Yeah I can’t say it was a favor..."

Same... I need to read your review - sorry! I actually found myself feeling pretty ambivalent towards the end...

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Kim wrote: "by doing the audio it's hard to pick places to enter my BR comments so i'm gonna do it when i think of it lol.

43% [spoilers removed]"

Interesting that you didn't know who she was eit..."
Finally getting around to responding to this!! (view spoiler)[ the parenting and overall her personality about it all seemed a bit over the top… she’ll start off good,but then I find I’m becoming bored & yawning with how she repeats herself. It’s a nothing new and yet she’s written it like she’s the first to come cross (hide spoiler)]

I got sucked into Fourth Wing but back into this one!

85% the mental health and self-care is more of the message I can connect to. I like how she explains the up and down and the advice to write the other side of you a reminder or something.