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BASICALLY...
Blonde, bubbly and ballsy, Gemma Collins has had fans of The Only Way Is Essex glued to their TVs since her arrival in series two. Her larger-than-life personality makes people cry with laughter as she haphazardly navigates through one romantic crisis after another.
Gemma tries hard when it comes to finding 'Mr Right' - baking love pies and sexy texting - yet it never seems to work out. But does she care? Of course she doesn't. She always has the upper hand, leaving men quaking in their boots and women looking on in admiration. But finding her confidence has been a long and heartbreaking journey for Gemma.
Inside, she opens up about the life events she endured before finding fame and feeling comfortable in her own skin. From breaking up with the love of her life and miscarrying a baby, to a drastic weight gain and depression; life for a real Essex girl is far from just an endless cycle of spray tans and vajazzles.
Basically... is the touching yet riotously funny story of how a young girl with a big heart finally found what she'd been looking for. Herself.
Gemma tries hard when it comes to finding 'Mr Right' - baking love pies and sexy texting - yet it never seems to work out. But does she care? Of course she doesn't. She always has the upper hand, leaving men quaking in their boots and women looking on in admiration. But finding her confidence has been a long and heartbreaking journey for Gemma.
Inside, she opens up about the life events she endured before finding fame and feeling comfortable in her own skin. From breaking up with the love of her life and miscarrying a baby, to a drastic weight gain and depression; life for a real Essex girl is far from just an endless cycle of spray tans and vajazzles.
Basically... is the touching yet riotously funny story of how a young girl with a big heart finally found what she'd been looking for. Herself.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2013
9 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 22, 2014
I can't believe I wanted this book for Christmas.
I like Towie, its a guilty pleasure, and I love Gemma's clothing line so I thought I might actually enjoy this.
How wrong was I.
Firstly, this book needs to be checked by a publisher, its very badly written, and someone just going through and reconstructing some sentences would have helped this book massively.
Secondly, there is a lot of unnecessary fluff, there are 2 pages devoted to plot of made in Dagenham.
Thirdly, I don't think this is all true. Seems like a lot of stuff in there is for dramatic effect. Regarding her childhood, if that is true, I find it appalling, that a mother who could barely afford the rent in a tiny house, would then happily spend money on treating her daughter to things in Harrods.
This is a superficial, silly book. Quite like the 'character' who wrote it.
I like Towie, its a guilty pleasure, and I love Gemma's clothing line so I thought I might actually enjoy this.
How wrong was I.
Firstly, this book needs to be checked by a publisher, its very badly written, and someone just going through and reconstructing some sentences would have helped this book massively.
Secondly, there is a lot of unnecessary fluff, there are 2 pages devoted to plot of made in Dagenham.
Thirdly, I don't think this is all true. Seems like a lot of stuff in there is for dramatic effect. Regarding her childhood, if that is true, I find it appalling, that a mother who could barely afford the rent in a tiny house, would then happily spend money on treating her daughter to things in Harrods.
This is a superficial, silly book. Quite like the 'character' who wrote it.
March 16, 2023
This was fine. I find it hard to rate/review biographies just because I don't want it to come across like I'm judging someone's life...that being said, lets judge the life of The Great GC. Idk whether it was a writing thing or a her thing, but one of my biggest annoyances with this book was how hypocritical she seemed. It always felt like she was saying one thing but then doing another. Can't be helped I guess.
Besides this, I don't really have much to say. The book was fine, it was legible. It did seem to drag or feel like it was repeating itself at times but that's just up to meh writing. I overall had a good experience with this book, it was nice to know what Gemma was getting up to. Got surprisingly dark (or sad maybe) at times; I even cried at one point.
Besides this, I don't really have much to say. The book was fine, it was legible. It did seem to drag or feel like it was repeating itself at times but that's just up to meh writing. I overall had a good experience with this book, it was nice to know what Gemma was getting up to. Got surprisingly dark (or sad maybe) at times; I even cried at one point.
April 11, 2018
I was expecting this to be terrible, given to me by an actual fan of TOWIE, a show I've personally never watched. I was told the book was awful. I couldn't tell you anything about Gemma Collins before reading this, although I was aware of who she was.
So I cracked this open, expecting very little and as is often the case when I read autobiographies of people I don't know, found myself liking the bloody thing! To my shame, I enjoyed this, it was entertaining brain fluff.
A few people had commented when it came up on my Facebook that I was reading this, that she was an idiot etc. She doesn't come across badly in this book, but then no one is going to write (though I doubt she wrote this herself) themselves as an idiot. She's always been employed and I had no idea they got paid so little on the show! There were a few cringe moments but otherwise wasn't a bad account of her life.
It's along the same lines as a Katie Price book, so if you like that kind of thing, you'll like this! If you don't, then it's best to avoid it.
So I cracked this open, expecting very little and as is often the case when I read autobiographies of people I don't know, found myself liking the bloody thing! To my shame, I enjoyed this, it was entertaining brain fluff.
A few people had commented when it came up on my Facebook that I was reading this, that she was an idiot etc. She doesn't come across badly in this book, but then no one is going to write (though I doubt she wrote this herself) themselves as an idiot. She's always been employed and I had no idea they got paid so little on the show! There were a few cringe moments but otherwise wasn't a bad account of her life.
It's along the same lines as a Katie Price book, so if you like that kind of thing, you'll like this! If you don't, then it's best to avoid it.
January 29, 2019
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. I feel sorry for the tree that was cut down to make this book.
I lost count of the amount of times that the reader is told that Gemma is pretty and slim when she was young. All the while she is cheating on rich boyfriends and then complaining when they break up with her. I just couldn't buy the woe is me act. Completely arrogant and comes across as a pretty awful person.
I also hate people who say they are psychic. They are either deluded or lying.
That said, I am not a TOWIE fan and I came to the book with no feelings towards Gemma Collins so it probably wasn't a good one to read for me. Perhaps if you like TOWIE, then you may like this book. But it would be pretty hard.
I lost count of the amount of times that the reader is told that Gemma is pretty and slim when she was young. All the while she is cheating on rich boyfriends and then complaining when they break up with her. I just couldn't buy the woe is me act. Completely arrogant and comes across as a pretty awful person.
I also hate people who say they are psychic. They are either deluded or lying.
That said, I am not a TOWIE fan and I came to the book with no feelings towards Gemma Collins so it probably wasn't a good one to read for me. Perhaps if you like TOWIE, then you may like this book. But it would be pretty hard.
May 12, 2020
Couldn't put the book down!
This book had me in both stitches and tears. Very relatable. I found the bullying and the heartbreaks heart wrenching. I felt like I wanted to give Gemma a big hug and cry with her. I think a lot of girls and women will be able to relate and understand what she went through. There were times when I was even shouting out loud to Gemma (when she clearly can't hear me!) Telling her "Don't do it!" Lol! Definitely a good read!
This book had me in both stitches and tears. Very relatable. I found the bullying and the heartbreaks heart wrenching. I felt like I wanted to give Gemma a big hug and cry with her. I think a lot of girls and women will be able to relate and understand what she went through. There were times when I was even shouting out loud to Gemma (when she clearly can't hear me!) Telling her "Don't do it!" Lol! Definitely a good read!
December 27, 2017
Worst book ever written BUT I loved every second of it!
July 31, 2021
Basically …: My Life as a Real Essex Girl (2013) is a great read.
In the book about her life Gemma discusses her childhood, her experience of being bullied, her heartbreak in relationships, her work in Towie (The Only Way Is Essex) and her work prior to being cast on the show. She also speaks about being body confident and about her road to confidence in her life.
I really enjoyed this book. It is very relatable. There is a lot of fun moments which made me laugh. There was also a lot of heartbreaking moments which were heart-wrenching. Her honesty and openness throughout this book made it so easy to relate to her and made the book a really excellent and interesting read. Gemma comes across very likeable and down-to-earth.
An excellent read.
In the book about her life Gemma discusses her childhood, her experience of being bullied, her heartbreak in relationships, her work in Towie (The Only Way Is Essex) and her work prior to being cast on the show. She also speaks about being body confident and about her road to confidence in her life.
I really enjoyed this book. It is very relatable. There is a lot of fun moments which made me laugh. There was also a lot of heartbreaking moments which were heart-wrenching. Her honesty and openness throughout this book made it so easy to relate to her and made the book a really excellent and interesting read. Gemma comes across very likeable and down-to-earth.
An excellent read.
December 11, 2020
Gemma Collins relata neste livro a história da sua vida de forma transparente.
É uma história da vida real com os seus altos e baixos.
É uma história da vida real com os seus altos e baixos.
February 19, 2015
I was really excited to read this. I'm not a avid TOWIE watcher by any means but the times I have caught the show I've been drawn to Gemma as a sort of advocate of bigger sized ladies. She's so full of confidence and doesn't seem to care what size she is and being a larger girl myself I find her sort of an inspiration as I am by no means 'body confident'. Hence, why I was looking forward to reading her autobiography - prehaps I could gleam some tips from the pages on how to be more confident and shrug off those haters. But alas, I was sorely disappointed. This book wasn't much of a mucher for me and in truth I was bored immensely through out the book. The quickest way for me to know if I have enjoyed/liked a book is by the length of time it takes me to read it, and this book took longer then it should have for me to complete it. The writing style was slow and uninteresting as were the topics discussed through out the book. The only chapter I liked were the ones about TOWIE and that was only because I was hoping for some gossip as well as what its really like to be on reality TV! But in all honesty this was a book I could have done without reading.
I do feel so what bad for this review, but I have to be honest and not everyone's tastes are the same.
I do feel so what bad for this review, but I have to be honest and not everyone's tastes are the same.
September 7, 2016
A great read,Gemma comes across so ballsy on Towie,I was interested in seeing what's behind the lady we see on tv,this book tells a story of a young girl who always seemed to get what she wanted,spoilt in many ways,but a great close family bond,takes you on her journey through her child hood then teenage yrs to relationships which caused her much heartache,tough to read at times but what came out of it was a determined lady who knew the show would give her a great platform,Gemma is body conscious like myself,so lots I could relate too,her book was really good and if you're a Towie fan please read it,see her struggles along the way to give you a better understanding to the lady she's become.
June 5, 2014
This is the first book that i have read from the cast of only way is essexs and i had enjoyed reading. Gemma is the one that inspirses me just how she is and what has happened in her life
April 1, 2016
I loved this book. went very in detail to her family when mum and dad was little and meet to her school life and highschool ect very good biography. 4 stars I gave it .
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews