You're Not Special

March 1, 2020
The creator of a popular YouTube channel makes her book debut. When Rienks, a lifestyle vlogger and Instagram influencer, contracted mononucleosis as a teen, her mother, one of two "save-the-world bookworm" parents, suggested that she make a YouTube channel. Once anxious and insecure, the author found her niche. In this confessional mashup of memoir, self-help advice, mildly amusing lists ("100 Things That Are Worse Than a Broken Heart" or 40 ways not to break up with someone), and cutesy chapter titles ("Pimp Yo Profile," "What To Do When Your Parents Kind of Suck"), Rienks reassures fans that while "your problems are not unique...the upside is you're not alone." Throughout the book, which is best taken in small doses, the author revisits the same handful of topics--parties, dating and sex, heartbreak, angst, depression, difficult friendships--from shifting angles, and the advice is often shopworn, obvious, or unhelpful--e.g., a chapter on confidence boils down to faking it until you make it. Underneath the buoyant performance and tongue-in-cheek vanity--"I can make an Oscar-worthy Tinder profile, formulate the perfect combination of cheeky yet engaging messages on Bumble, and can compose a seamless response to every text that leaves the recipient completely and totally enamored"--Rienks occasionally hits on genuinely gritty topics, including bullying, sexual assault, alcoholism, ADHD, and why she cut off contact with her mother (a rending portrayal of familial toxicity). Refreshingly, the author reinforces that it's OK to seek help and that life often does get better. Rienks wisely stops short of drawing a direct line from specific traumas to depression, acknowledging that there are complex factors for why certain events can affect people's mental health. Rewardingly, the book ends with the author finding healthy love. Rienks' existing audience will find the narrative to be a brave, behind-the-webcam look at self-discovery. Casual readers may dismiss it as an erratic chronicle of resilience. For the fans.

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