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The Girl Who Touched The Stars
It took an ocean to learn it's not how fast you paddle but how deep inside you dig. 254 days, 12,700 kilometres, sea sickness, sharks, crocodiles and ocean. Bonnie Hancock broke numerous records on her fastest ever circumnavigation by paddle around Australia but that wasn't the achievement she is most proud of. Testing the limits of her mental and physical toughness, she learned what it means to overcome adversity and how important teamwork and perspective truly are. What looks distressing from the rocky shore or storm-tossed waves can be inspiring when you look to the heavens. The Girl Who Touched the Stars is a love story, a travelogue and an exhilarating exploration of human ambition coming face to face with the beauty and power of nature. But most of all it's a lesson in overcoming self-doubt, trusting others and finding your true self. Bonnie demonstrates vividly and honestly the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of reaching for the stars
- GenresNonfictionBiography
325 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2024
45 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 11, 2024
5 stars for achievement though
May 9, 2025
Listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Bonnie, which I reccomend. What Bonnie achieved is beyond incredible and both motivating and inspiring to push beyond our perceived limits and reach for the stars.
January 17, 2024
I received an ARC of this book.
Bonnie is one of those women who make you go 'what was she thinking?'
She completed this crazy arse journey clockwise around Australia, paddling in an ocean ski paddle that is the same size as some of the Great White's and the Crocs in our waters. Then, once she's done, she writes a book about it, relieving some of the worst moments of her life, which turned out to be some of the best moments of her life.
As a couch potato, I find it fascinating to see what lies behind a decision such as this. Not just the idea of this journey, but the planning, and then how do you keep going with pain, fighting for people to help you on your way. To someone like me, easy answer is to give up. It's too hard to even start, especially in the middle of Covid Lockdowns. But Bonnie, her family and her crew said, no, we got this. We have a purpose and a determination to see it through.
The book of this journey, of these inspirational moments, of these terrifying moments was well written. We know the research was there as it was lived by the author. As a reader, you feel the pain, you feel the emotions, you feel the heartache, but you also feel the joy, the making of new friends, the love for family and for the sheer grit and determination to make it through. You feel the highs and the lows - it's like being on the ocean yourself, riding the emotional waves wherever they may take us.
Bonnie takes us on this ride to remind us that we all have a strength we can draw on when times are tough. It could be an inner strength, or your support crew who are always by your side, cheering you on.
This book is for the adventurers in all of us, for the doubters. It is for fans of reading about crazy arse people with crazy arse ideas and the determination to follow through. Just like Nedd Brockmann and his run from one side of Australia to the other, Bonnie's journey was a sudden inspiration that came to fruition to help highlight the needs of Aussie battlers. Great read about a gutsy woman and her inspiring support crew.
Bonnie is one of those women who make you go 'what was she thinking?'
She completed this crazy arse journey clockwise around Australia, paddling in an ocean ski paddle that is the same size as some of the Great White's and the Crocs in our waters. Then, once she's done, she writes a book about it, relieving some of the worst moments of her life, which turned out to be some of the best moments of her life.
As a couch potato, I find it fascinating to see what lies behind a decision such as this. Not just the idea of this journey, but the planning, and then how do you keep going with pain, fighting for people to help you on your way. To someone like me, easy answer is to give up. It's too hard to even start, especially in the middle of Covid Lockdowns. But Bonnie, her family and her crew said, no, we got this. We have a purpose and a determination to see it through.
The book of this journey, of these inspirational moments, of these terrifying moments was well written. We know the research was there as it was lived by the author. As a reader, you feel the pain, you feel the emotions, you feel the heartache, but you also feel the joy, the making of new friends, the love for family and for the sheer grit and determination to make it through. You feel the highs and the lows - it's like being on the ocean yourself, riding the emotional waves wherever they may take us.
Bonnie takes us on this ride to remind us that we all have a strength we can draw on when times are tough. It could be an inner strength, or your support crew who are always by your side, cheering you on.
This book is for the adventurers in all of us, for the doubters. It is for fans of reading about crazy arse people with crazy arse ideas and the determination to follow through. Just like Nedd Brockmann and his run from one side of Australia to the other, Bonnie's journey was a sudden inspiration that came to fruition to help highlight the needs of Aussie battlers. Great read about a gutsy woman and her inspiring support crew.
November 20, 2024
"The Girl Who Touched the Stars" presents a remarkable journey that I deeply respect. The author’s courage and determination are truly commendable, and I could never imagine myself undertaking such an adventure. Kudos to her for that!
However, my personal view of adventure is a bit more intense than what was portrayed. The ability to shop, stay in comfortable locations every now and then, and take breaks to visit family or explore as a tourist doesn't quite align with my notion of extreme adventures. It felt more like a well-organized expedition than the raw, unpredictable challenges I associate with true adventure.
In terms of style, the book is well-written and engaging, though occasionally it veers into being a bit too wordy. This didn’t detract much from my enjoyment but could have been trimmed for a tighter narrative.
One point of critique is that some of the challenges faced seemed to stem from a lack of preparation and attention to detail. This made it difficult for me to fully connect with her experiences. For me, true adventure involves meticulous planning to navigate the unpredictable, which was sometimes lacking here.
Overall, while I admire the author's achievements, my expectations for adventure stories lean toward raw, unpredictable elements that reflect the depth of human endurance and creativity. Still, this book will inspire many, and for that, it deserves credit.
However, my personal view of adventure is a bit more intense than what was portrayed. The ability to shop, stay in comfortable locations every now and then, and take breaks to visit family or explore as a tourist doesn't quite align with my notion of extreme adventures. It felt more like a well-organized expedition than the raw, unpredictable challenges I associate with true adventure.
In terms of style, the book is well-written and engaging, though occasionally it veers into being a bit too wordy. This didn’t detract much from my enjoyment but could have been trimmed for a tighter narrative.
One point of critique is that some of the challenges faced seemed to stem from a lack of preparation and attention to detail. This made it difficult for me to fully connect with her experiences. For me, true adventure involves meticulous planning to navigate the unpredictable, which was sometimes lacking here.
Overall, while I admire the author's achievements, my expectations for adventure stories lean toward raw, unpredictable elements that reflect the depth of human endurance and creativity. Still, this book will inspire many, and for that, it deserves credit.
April 28, 2024
I really wanted to give this more stars as what a journey Bonnie had! I love her reslience and perseverence. Hats off to her for such an incredible achievement. As much as I loved the content and heart of the story, I struggled with the way the text is written. Each time something was described, it was with a predictable adjective. Everything was always described to the extreme with repetitive adjectives. Each leg of the journey was described as seemingly impossible. I would love to watch this as a movie or mini series. The prose took away from her achievement. Bonnie deserves to be recognised for her achievement, without doubt, so it is hard to give 2 stars. The star is NOT about Bonnie's story, but more about how it was written. I wasn't inspired to keep reading and it felt like the book was dragging on. I would have loved to learn more about her sport and craft, but felt the book was focused on her emotions and logistics, where the reader missed an opporunity to learn about something new.
April 30, 2024
This was a great book which in hindsight is more than just an adventure book with frothy seas, stalking crocs and a playful crew. It’s also about Bonnie’s physical and emotional states being pushed to the limit - and she’s quite raw and vulnerable in telling her story.
My favourite quotes
“I realised that strength is found not in clear waters but in the choppy seas” and
“Whenever the negative thoughts crept in, I vowed to think of Rob’s words and to remind myself that no big success is achieved without doubt, no history-making feat completed without naysayers. What matters is which voices we choose to listen to.”
My favourite quotes
“I realised that strength is found not in clear waters but in the choppy seas” and
“Whenever the negative thoughts crept in, I vowed to think of Rob’s words and to remind myself that no big success is achieved without doubt, no history-making feat completed without naysayers. What matters is which voices we choose to listen to.”
September 26, 2024
Audiobook
December 23, 2024
The author’s personal achievement is undeniable, but the book didn’t quite live up to it for me.
The plot felt predictable, and the sense of danger seemed a bit manufactured - i.e., writing about Australia almost guarantees sharks and crocodiles, but here, they felt more like a checkbox than a genuine threat.
But well done on the record 🏆😅
The plot felt predictable, and the sense of danger seemed a bit manufactured - i.e., writing about Australia almost guarantees sharks and crocodiles, but here, they felt more like a checkbox than a genuine threat.
But well done on the record 🏆😅
March 15, 2025
Wowie! What an incredible story! I listened to this and Bonnie’s narration made it even better—she has such a great voice and really knows how to tell a story.
I’ve driven along a lot of the Aus coastline and found that tough enough—so I can’t even begin to imagine what she went through on the ocean!
Since finishing the book, I keep thinking about her journey whenever I need a little motivation. If Bonnie could keep going through all of that, then I can push through my own challenges—whether it’s something big or even just getting through a tough run!
Highly recommend this one. Such an amazing and inspiring story!
I’ve driven along a lot of the Aus coastline and found that tough enough—so I can’t even begin to imagine what she went through on the ocean!
Since finishing the book, I keep thinking about her journey whenever I need a little motivation. If Bonnie could keep going through all of that, then I can push through my own challenges—whether it’s something big or even just getting through a tough run!
Highly recommend this one. Such an amazing and inspiring story!
June 11, 2024
The Girl Who Touched The Stars by Bonnie Hancock is an inspirational memoir of an extraordinary young woman who paddled around Australia in eight months, breaking two world records and covering a distance of 12,700km. She became the fastest ever person to circumnavigate Australia by paddle.
Bonnie’s story starts at the beginning, and she retells where the inspiration came from, the planning, the fundraising and the gathering of a support crew. She relives the tough moments physically and mentally, paddling through nature’s calm moments and paddling through some of nature’s toughest conditions. She relives what it is like to be vulnerable in an ocean ski paddling through waters that are notorious for sharks and how it was to be stalked by a croc in the top end.
I liked this book as I was already familiar with the terminology that goes with open water ski paddling. Bonnie demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit and the purpose and determination that you get when you set a challenging goal for yourself. Bonnie’s storytelling is raw and honest, through this book you feel her pain, emotions and heartache, but you also celebrate her wins, the joy, the friendships, the teamwork, the appreciation for family and loved ones and her unyielding determination to accomplish her goal.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes a good adventure story, a story of human accomplishment or anyone who is themselves a ski paddler, those people can truly appreciate what a mammoth achievement this task was and the physical and inner strength that Bonnie needed to complete this adventure.
Bonnie’s story starts at the beginning, and she retells where the inspiration came from, the planning, the fundraising and the gathering of a support crew. She relives the tough moments physically and mentally, paddling through nature’s calm moments and paddling through some of nature’s toughest conditions. She relives what it is like to be vulnerable in an ocean ski paddling through waters that are notorious for sharks and how it was to be stalked by a croc in the top end.
I liked this book as I was already familiar with the terminology that goes with open water ski paddling. Bonnie demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit and the purpose and determination that you get when you set a challenging goal for yourself. Bonnie’s storytelling is raw and honest, through this book you feel her pain, emotions and heartache, but you also celebrate her wins, the joy, the friendships, the teamwork, the appreciation for family and loved ones and her unyielding determination to accomplish her goal.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes a good adventure story, a story of human accomplishment or anyone who is themselves a ski paddler, those people can truly appreciate what a mammoth achievement this task was and the physical and inner strength that Bonnie needed to complete this adventure.
September 7, 2024
I love hearing about women doing amazing things. Bonnie is an amazing human, and what a feat!
The 1 star is about the narration and writing style - not at all about the achievement.
The forward put me on alert that this might be a book edited with only the story in mind - not how the story is told. That's a shame for Bonnie. The forward was a string of annoying overly used buzz words repeated many times: amazing, inspiration, passion, bravery, courage, journey, awe-inspiring, profound, incredible power. Im sure these words do apply to Bonnie. It's just not a forward that made me feel in any way excited to listen.
I listened to about half of this for free on Borrowbox. I just couldn't continue for two reasons. I rarely don't complete a book.
Reason one: vocal fry of the narrator/author. Not a good voice for a smooth audio experience unfortunately for the author. Vocal fry to that extent for some reason makes my entire body tense. I really tried to ignore this. And I did get about 4 hours in. But in combination with the next reason, I just couldn't relax into it.
Reason Two: The formula of feats like this in biographies grates me. It's predictable. Something bad might happen. Then it doesn't. Things hurt. But she is amazing. Things go wrong. Then wow it's fine, and it goes to show the power of the mind. I found I was rolling my eyes a bit.
Bonnie chose to do it, she did a great job of getting it done. Wonderful to raise so much money.
It's a privileged adventure that very few would have the resources to do. I didn't get any sense of awareness of that.
The 1 star is about the narration and writing style - not at all about the achievement.
The forward put me on alert that this might be a book edited with only the story in mind - not how the story is told. That's a shame for Bonnie. The forward was a string of annoying overly used buzz words repeated many times: amazing, inspiration, passion, bravery, courage, journey, awe-inspiring, profound, incredible power. Im sure these words do apply to Bonnie. It's just not a forward that made me feel in any way excited to listen.
I listened to about half of this for free on Borrowbox. I just couldn't continue for two reasons. I rarely don't complete a book.
Reason one: vocal fry of the narrator/author. Not a good voice for a smooth audio experience unfortunately for the author. Vocal fry to that extent for some reason makes my entire body tense. I really tried to ignore this. And I did get about 4 hours in. But in combination with the next reason, I just couldn't relax into it.
Reason Two: The formula of feats like this in biographies grates me. It's predictable. Something bad might happen. Then it doesn't. Things hurt. But she is amazing. Things go wrong. Then wow it's fine, and it goes to show the power of the mind. I found I was rolling my eyes a bit.
Bonnie chose to do it, she did a great job of getting it done. Wonderful to raise so much money.
It's a privileged adventure that very few would have the resources to do. I didn't get any sense of awareness of that.
May 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a fast and invigorating read. I think it could definitely have been longer. I understand that there were almost certainly long periods of time where she was just paddling, and nothing particularly interesting happened. Still, I found the small in between details fascinating. This was such an impressive feat and Bonnie is definitely an impressive person. She is only a little younger than me and I have not achieved even a small part of what she has. She is also very relatable. I live near to where she does.
It was pretty cool thinking I could probably pop down to the beach near to where she lives, and there is a chance I could run into her. I admired the honesty Bonnie showed in this book, about her struggles and how brutal this achievement was on her marriage. These things are real and make this story that much better - she doesn’t portray herself as some sort of untouchable goddess (though she is clearly an amazing human). I have been to a lot of the places she paddled past, so I also enjoyed the look at that. This was overall an enjoyable book and is definitely worth a read.
This was a fast and invigorating read. I think it could definitely have been longer. I understand that there were almost certainly long periods of time where she was just paddling, and nothing particularly interesting happened. Still, I found the small in between details fascinating. This was such an impressive feat and Bonnie is definitely an impressive person. She is only a little younger than me and I have not achieved even a small part of what she has. She is also very relatable. I live near to where she does.
It was pretty cool thinking I could probably pop down to the beach near to where she lives, and there is a chance I could run into her. I admired the honesty Bonnie showed in this book, about her struggles and how brutal this achievement was on her marriage. These things are real and make this story that much better - she doesn’t portray herself as some sort of untouchable goddess (though she is clearly an amazing human). I have been to a lot of the places she paddled past, so I also enjoyed the look at that. This was overall an enjoyable book and is definitely worth a read.
April 6, 2024
I picked up this book in a tiny little bookshop in Queenscliffe. It was my first time in Australia on my way to New Zealand, and I wanted an authentic Autralian adventure to read.
Appropriately, the book itself almost didn't survive the trip. It's water logged and sticky from my own adventures, but I won't get rid of it. It's a great conversation piece on my book shelf now.
10 out of 5 stars for achievements. However, the book itself (writing style and plot flow) was sometimes tricky to follow. There's so much more I'd have liked to read about, and it definitely needed more pictures to support the epic landscapes described ( though I discovered on my own trip sometimes pictures just don't do it justice and the epicness of the landscape seems smaller than it actually is).
That being said, this is a great book for a middle school class book report. Ill be recommending it to any fellow educators out there. It is an easy read and inspiring. Thank you 😊
Appropriately, the book itself almost didn't survive the trip. It's water logged and sticky from my own adventures, but I won't get rid of it. It's a great conversation piece on my book shelf now.
10 out of 5 stars for achievements. However, the book itself (writing style and plot flow) was sometimes tricky to follow. There's so much more I'd have liked to read about, and it definitely needed more pictures to support the epic landscapes described ( though I discovered on my own trip sometimes pictures just don't do it justice and the epicness of the landscape seems smaller than it actually is).
That being said, this is a great book for a middle school class book report. Ill be recommending it to any fellow educators out there. It is an easy read and inspiring. Thank you 😊
April 19, 2024
I think every inspirational / autobiographical story deserves 5 stars, for the mere fact that the author is willing to share their story and for their sheer determination of achievement. Without doubt, Bonnie achieved an amazing feat, however just like I’m sure her paddle did… this story dragged in a few places and I thought it could have been slightly little shorter (thus my 3 star rating). Her sheer grit and resilience should be commended. An incredible world record. We can all learn from her never give up attitude and will to achieve greatness. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. A wonderful read for anyone who needs a little motivation to get past the day to day repetition of everyday life.
March 9, 2024
After following the incredible @bonniehancock story on social media as she kayaked around Australia I was intrigued to read the behind the scenes version! Part of the joy of reading about this adventure was gaining an insight into the courage of not just Bonnie, but also the her ‘stars’ - the people who supported her along the way. An inspiring, courageous adventure and also a great read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 16, 2024
An interesting read about one woman's adventure to challenge herself - spoiler alert, she succeeded!!
While it was well written, it was farily formulaic in terms of the structure and her challenges.
What was more compelling for me were the parts about how her support team were also challenged and what they gave up to ensure she achieved her dream. And the author calls this out herself which I appreciated.
While it was well written, it was farily formulaic in terms of the structure and her challenges.
What was more compelling for me were the parts about how her support team were also challenged and what they gave up to ensure she achieved her dream. And the author calls this out herself which I appreciated.
May 30, 2024
The author paddled around Australia, achieving 12,700km in eight months breaking two world records in the process. It was a remarkable feat especially as she went clockwise and faced many challenges including Covid lockdowns, storms, sharks and crocodiles. Her decisions were sometimes annoying but she is honest about her mistakes and the strength of her support team. Not great writing but it's an interesting read about a remarkable achievement.
June 16, 2024
I really loved this book and found it to be very inspirational.
I don’t typically read autobiography’s but this book turned out to be really great.
I loved how she shared all of the hard and traumatic bits in her story but also shared all the happy and fun moments.
Was quite an emotional roller coaster for me.
I don’t typically read autobiography’s but this book turned out to be really great.
I loved how she shared all of the hard and traumatic bits in her story but also shared all the happy and fun moments.
Was quite an emotional roller coaster for me.
November 14, 2024
Highly recommend, nice dose of Australian culture.
This was an epic telling of an Australian woman’s journey through the physical, mental, and emotional challenges sustained through a mind blowing, record-breaking paddle.
A curious dynamic to read Bonnie talking about her own ups and downs with mental fitness on the ocean while raising money for mental fitness.
This was an epic telling of an Australian woman’s journey through the physical, mental, and emotional challenges sustained through a mind blowing, record-breaking paddle.
A curious dynamic to read Bonnie talking about her own ups and downs with mental fitness on the ocean while raising money for mental fitness.
January 15, 2025
Mysteriously this book sounds a lot like a couple of other memoirs I’ve read about Gold coast based people. Methinks a ghost writer is lurking, as the same ‘voice’ seems to be there. And I am afraid this book is not terribly interesting anyway. Very much - on this day I paddled 100 km and ate some Nutella from the jar etc. etc.
May 9, 2024
Bonnie is crazy to do this and definitely has some close calls. Most days she paddles for 12 hours enduring rough seas, sharks, cold, falling out of her boat, having to avoid crashing into her support catamaran etc What is amazing is her strength to carry on despite severe weather and great difficulty.
She has set the record for the fastest circumnavigation of Australia by ski by for either a man or woman.
She has set the record for the fastest circumnavigation of Australia by ski by for either a man or woman.
August 13, 2024
A personal account of persistence, teamwork and determination. Bonnie shows great spirit while up against adversity laden upon her by the whims of the ocean. Also a book that will expand your knowledge of the landmarks and weather patterns of the Australian coastline.
Read
December 14, 2024Great to hear the story of a young Australian woman paddling around Australia and breaking records - Bonnie really is an inspiration. Unfortunately it wasn't very well written / edited.
Listened to audiobook, while on a long distance walk - to encourage me to keep going!
Listened to audiobook, while on a long distance walk - to encourage me to keep going!
Read
December 18, 2024A great audio book.
Imagining the wild Australian coastline from a surf ski is one thing …. circumnavigating its entire area solo, in often treacherous conditions is unbelievable!
What an incredible feat!
And an inspiration to all.
Imagining the wild Australian coastline from a surf ski is one thing …. circumnavigating its entire area solo, in often treacherous conditions is unbelievable!
What an incredible feat!
And an inspiration to all.
September 9, 2025
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Fifth person ever to paddle around Australia (12,700km 254 days), breaking world records, Bonnie faced treacherous waters, sharks, crocodiles, adventure, determination.
Found this to be a motivating and wholesome read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fifth person ever to paddle around Australia (12,700km 254 days), breaking world records, Bonnie faced treacherous waters, sharks, crocodiles, adventure, determination.
Found this to be a motivating and wholesome read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 10, 2024
A well-told story of endurance, goals, sacrifice and dedicated pursuit.
An easy to read account of a wonderful adventure.
Though maybe the shark fears were a little overplayed! 🫣
An easy to read account of a wonderful adventure.
Though maybe the shark fears were a little overplayed! 🫣
March 13, 2024
Inspiring, thrilling and difficult to put down. I found myself telling everyone about Bonnie's adventure as I read along. What an incredible example of what the human mind and body are capable of.
June 2, 2024
An inspiring story.
November 15, 2024
What a gutsy effort. This was an enjoyable adventure. I liked reading about the highs and lows of a long distance….very long distance paddler!
February 28, 2025
So inspiring, well-written, I didn't want to put it down!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews