Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy via Amazon
Aged 15, Jordan was a happy-go-lucky girl; having fun with friends and loving life. In one fateful moment, everything changed. A car accident left her paralysed from the chest down and shocked her into deep depression. She was on the brink of giving up. But gradually Jordan realised there is hope beyond utter devastation, and life beyond disability.
Painstakingly re-learning how to apply her beloved make-up, Jordan began to rebuild her sense of self and empowerment. Her body may have been broken but her spirit was not. She is now a successful beauty blogger and her journey of positivity inspires millions around the world.
MY BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE is the incredible true story of how one young woman overcame immense challenges, of inner strength that lies beneath outer beauty, of how to believe in yourself and find the light when it feels like all hope is gone.
Okay, let me just start by saying, I don't usually read autobiographies/non-fiction (I know, I'm bad), so to not only read one but be moved by it, is a first for me. I just couldn't not review this book as honestly, it's changed my perspective on life and the way that I view things.
I only received this book yesterday and I finished it in a day. Jordan truly knows how to captivate the reader and even though it's a book about some very deep and serious topics, she still somehow manages to make it one of the most positive books I've ever read. To be that positive, after such a monumental life change, I feel everyone could learn something from this book.
My Beautiful Struggle focuses on Jordan Bone; beauty vlogger, blogger and tetraplegic. Jordan was in a car crash when she was 15 years old and left paralysed from the chest down. This book is her journey; starting from just after the crash, where she was unable to do anything, apart from lay on her back; all the way up to becoming a successful, inspirational beauty blogger. Watching her videos, you don't understand quite how far she has come but reading this story changes that. She couldn't even sit up after the crash; now she's teaching people to do make-up online; it really is incredible.
This book is about her overcoming her fears, her worries and her struggles and through it all, coming out a stronger, better person. The book is full of motivational quotes. Honestly, I was tearing up almost every other page. She gives you an insight in how she overcame the darkest of times, in ways that you can apply to your life.
One of my favourite things about the book was the chapter names. They were different stages of a beauty routine, like concealer, contouring etc. And she'd link each named beauty chapter to a part of her life; such as concealer was a chapter on how she hid her fears and her worries from everyone and contouring was the way she shaped her life after the accident. At the end of each chapter, she'd also explain how she did each stage of her make-up. I found this a really clever, fun way of keeping the reader engaged.
I also loved the last few pages whereby she gave us a list of her favourite products and what she uses to complete each look; which I will definitely be taking note off, may I just add!
I think a lot of people's first thoughts when someone isn't "normal", is to pity them. I'm all too familiar of this, being out of work and house-bound at the moment due to my heart conditions. This book completely blows that thought out of the water. You almost forget Jordan is a tetraplegic by the end of the book because she has achieved so many wonderful things in her life and that's how it should be. A disability (or anything, for that matter) can't stop you achieving what you want in life. Jordan says in the book that if there's something stopping you doing things the "normal" way, invent your way; which is a message I will carry with me from now on.
This book was sensational and just what I needed in my life right now; so Jordan, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!
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