So today’s post is going to be a little different. As you can tell from the title, it’s my first ever book review!

A few weeks ago, I was sent a copy of ‘Beautiful‘ by Naomi Katz to review on Artsy Teen. You guys know how important my blog is to me and so I’m very particular about what I post and promote on it. But, when I read ‘Beautiful‘ I knew I wanted to have a part in spreading it’s positive message.  I’ve always considered myself to be a relatively confident person. Granted, maybe not ‘super-outgoing-and-strikes-up-a-conversation-with-a-random-stranger’ confident, but I’ve always been pretty confident in who I am and my ability to achieve my goals, which I think is something everyone should feel. And that’s exactly what ‘Beautiful‘ is all about, promoting female empowerment .

I think what I liked most about the book is that it really felt like Naomi Katz was sitting right next to me and telling me her story. It wasn’t like reading a fictional novel or fact-packed textbook, but more like a friend telling me about her life. She starts off the book with a brief introduction titled ‘Why I Wrote This Book and Why You Might Want To Read It’, where she talks about her experiences as a middle school teacher in New York that inspired her to speak up about the problems that were affecting teen girls.

In the ten chapters that follow, the author explores the everyday struggles young women have to face in today’s society, from peer pressure at school to the negative influences of the media. Naomi Katz offers her own advice and insight on how to deal with issues like the objectification of women, difficult relationships with friends and family, body image, mental illness and more. Some topics I could relate to, others had never effected me, and I’d imagine that everyone who reads the book identifies with each chapter differently.

Together with short narratives from real teenage girls, Naomi Katz tells an honest story of the confusing and challenging lives of young women. I mean, how many girls do you know that refuse to go out in public without covering there face in make up? I know a few. When did expensive face painting even become socially acceptable? In a world where ‘beauty’ is too often defined by Photoshop, ‘Beautiful‘ aims to inspire women and girls to have confidence in who they are.

If you want to buy your own copy of ‘Beautiful’ click here and make sure to check out Naomi Katz’s website www.beautifulproject.net. And don’t forget to like and share this post and comment down below if you want to see more book reviews!