Name: Archita Birla's review of You're Not Special by Meghan Rienks
Item: You're Not Special
Rating: 2
Author: Archita Birla

Meghan Rienks

In her first-ever (sort of) memoir, the beloved actor and YouTube sensation gets personal about everything from mental health to drunken debaucheries. As an only child raised in a town of less than 8,000 people and without a Starbucks in sight, Meghan Rienks has always been pretty good at entertaining herself. Then one day—cue the dramatic voiceover—her life changed forever. On June 12th, 2010, Meghan was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Mono is basically just a really bad case of the flu, right? Wrong. To a party crazed sixteen-year-old, mono is social suicide. More than anything, it’s just plain boring. So, Meghan opened up her 2009 MacBook, used the webcam for something other than a bad Andy Warhol–style photobooth session, and recorded her first YouTube video. Since then, Meghan has shared the ups and downs of her life with the internet, documenting her teenage years for the whole world to see. Now that she’s (mostly) through her awkward stage, Meghan’s here to tell you that it gets better. You’re not alone in the thoughts you think. Sometimes a bad hair day feels worse than a punch in the gut and asking a boy out seems about as difficult as achieving that perfect dewy glow. But despite what you’ve been told, your problems are not unique, your struggles have taken form in everybody else’s life too, and somebody else has felt the way you feel right at this very moment. You’re not special. But you’re also not alone on the bumpy road to adulthood.

A (Sort-of) Memoir

You're Not Special

Archita Birla

i honestly only started like this book around chapter 19 (depression). probably because i couldn't relate to meghan's high school experiences (about drinking, partying, boys) and also because i don't feel like they are that relevant (as a reader). as a fan of her youtube videos and her podcast, it feels more interesting (and exciting) to hear about her life in recent years? 

i also think that starting chapter 19, the book takes on a more honest, raw, and real tone, that lends it credibility and makes you more invested. i really admire the way that she was so real about her family life and her flaws, i think everyone could benefit from that!

i didn't like the negative, self deprecating tone that is so heavy in the beginning of the book, but the later end of the book loses most of that.

anderson elizabeth

I love Meghan and absolutely loved this book. It's like an extention of her channel and the podcast rolled into one beautiful child. It felt exactly like what she intended it to: a combination of a chat from a sister and friend that everyone needs. I like the balance between telling lessons through stories and actual lists.

Inga Often Flø

Kendall Mermuys

Taylor Hunter

In her first-ever (sort of) memoir, the beloved actor and YouTube sensation gets personal about everything from mental health to drunken debaucheries with this “brave, behind-the-webcam look at self-discovery” (Kirkus Reviews). As an only child raised in a town of less than 8,000 people and without a Starbucks in sight, Meghan Rienks has always been pretty good at entertaining herself. Then one day—cue the dramatic voiceover—her life changed forever. In 2010, Meghan was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Mono is basically just a really bad case of the flu, right? Wrong. To a party crazed sixteen-year-old, mono is social suicide. More than anything, it’s just plain boring. So, Meghan opened up her MacBook, used the webcam for something other than a bad Andy Warhol–style photobooth session, and recorded her first YouTube video. Since then, Meghan has shared the ups and downs of her life with the internet, documenting her teenage years for the whole world to see. Now that she’s (mostly) through her awkward stage, Meghan’s here to tell you that it gets better. You’re not alone in the thoughts you think. Sometimes a bad hair day feels worse than a punch in the gut and asking a boy out seems about as difficult as achieving that perfect dewy glow. But despite what you’ve been told, your problems are not unique, and somebody else has felt the way you feel right at this very moment. You’re not special. But you’re also not alone on the bumpy road to adulthood.

Archita Birla &
You're Not Special by Meghan Rienks

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Archita Birla &You're Not Special by Meghan Rienks

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You're Not Special by Meghan Rienks