My List, My Rules

by Angie Counios

Raw. Riveting. Real. Convinced that loneliness would be her lifelong companion, Angie Counios was struggling to find a way forward. Then she made a decision that changed her she vowed to undertake 101 challenges over the next year. Completing those challenges—ranging from frivolous to fulfilling to downright formidable — led Angie to the life-altering discovery that the Universe has far more to share than she ever could have imagined.

300 pages

Published October 1, 2023

About the author

Angie teaches by day, and writes film scripts and fiction the rest of the time. When she’s not teaching or writing, she’s packing a bag for another adventure, completing a goal list, playing with her camera or practising yoga.

Reviews

[Toby Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes - I don't think I've read a memoir more exposed and vulnerable than this one. Usually books in that genre feel a tad curated to me, which takes away from the authenticity you want in a memoir. But not this one. Counios laid it all out there for us and it is magnificent!

The layout of this book is genius. I incorrectly assumed that since Counios was going to do 101 things in 365 days, she would just list them and tell us how she tackled each one. Wrong! The 365 days weren't a calendar year, they were one birthday to the next. So the book is categorized into months, starting with her birthday month: November. I loved that she laid out the book that way as it flowed perfectly with each month having eight or nine random items from her list. (For those of you who like seeing the list in numerical order, you can find that at the back of the book.)

This is catalogued as a memoir but it could also be considered a self-help or motivational read. While Counios was just sharing her journey with no shred of preachiness, a side perk is that it comes across as an inspirational tale. By the time I was a few pages in, I was moved to start making my own list. I hadn't even reached page 50 when I vowed to finish my Christmas shopping by November 30th. By the middle of the book, I promised myself that I was going to send someone a card just to make them happy and I was going to get a reflexology treatment. By the time I finished the book, I had a rough draft of my own 101 intentions. I copied some of them from the list Counios had crafted and the rest were my own. (Heck yeah - I’m going to take an online course and pet an alpaca by the end of 2024!) This book is so inspiring!

I just wanted to clarify that this is not a fluffy read. It clocks in at almost three hundred pages with smallish font. Each chapter is dense with Counios delving deep into the realities of her life as she attacks her list. It is an engrossing book that will stay with you long after it is on your READ shelf.

I cannot recommend My List, My Rules with more gusto. In a world with a tad too much doom and gloom, an uplifting book that inspires hope and oozes positivity is a treasure. This is a book I will gift often to people who could use a pick-me-up as well as people who enjoy an authentic memoir. Snag yourself a copy of this fantastic read!

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM

[Cathy Bekar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book! Raw. Real. Funny. Inspiring. I’m not much of a reader but this book pulled me right away and kept me reading cause it was extremely relatable. It touched on so many different aspects of life that many people deal with: whether you sometimes struggle with feeling like you’re maybe not enough, you’re lonely, scared, new to the country or searching for your purpose. I found myself laughing out loud as I read the stories and in the next moment I had tears streaming down my cheek. The stories got me thinking about my life and the experiences I’ve had and how I can live my life more fully. I’m also inspired to create and complete my own 101 list. Thank you Angie for your fearlessness and your vulnerability to write this and share it with the World!

[Sofia Bekar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent read. It was equally as funny as it was real and emotional. Angie gives the reader a raw look into deep personal struggles, while keeping the overall feel of the book lighthearted and entertaining. With each new adventure and goal that she crosses off of her list, the reader inevitably feels compelled to look inward and ask themselves, “What am I waiting for?”. This book allows Angie to tell her story, while also acting as a mirror to the reader’s own life.

[Tammy Ottenbreit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir is introspective and brave. The author is witty and sounds like she has figured out how to live meaningful life.

[Glenda Samuelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great summer read.
Highly recommend!