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Before You Were Everything: Reflections on Finding Love, Legacy, and Becoming in a Life Rewritten
133 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 11, 2026
BEFORE YOU WERE EVERYTHING
BY: MYA FORT-MARSHALL
This was a heartfelt and Eloquent woman's reflections on her life that is filled with her meditation on a life well lived with Grace. Her story is told from the first person. Like she opens within the beginning of this beautifully rendered short Memoir-like on becoming a life rewritten is no longer than 110 pages. She states it isn't a Self Help book it's meant to be a "Mirror." There are many observations about her life that are certainly quote worthy because of her positive outlook and there were a couple of instances that she mentions that I saw myself in her descriptions of her well lived life that I was reminded of similarities like my childhood days with my Grandmother like spending weekends with my Grandparents. In my case my Grandmother and I used to make fresh homemade Rolls and a few dozen loaves of fresh bread from scratch every Saturday afternoon.
She speaks of her obsession and fear when she had her sons. I have the same all consuming love for my sons but as a different ethnicity she had a good reason to fear because of the way this world is. She has lived an interesting life and has a way of seeing the silver linings in her life adversity that we all could remember to emulate. I felt it was honest and uplifting and I enjoyed reading this which I thought was lovely. I didn't remember I had this so the surprise at discovering it was incredibly a great fortunate reading choice and experience.
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Mya Fort-Marshall, and Amplify Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.
#BeforeYouWereEverything #MyaFortMarshall #AmplifyPublishing #NetGalley
BY: MYA FORT-MARSHALL
This was a heartfelt and Eloquent woman's reflections on her life that is filled with her meditation on a life well lived with Grace. Her story is told from the first person. Like she opens within the beginning of this beautifully rendered short Memoir-like on becoming a life rewritten is no longer than 110 pages. She states it isn't a Self Help book it's meant to be a "Mirror." There are many observations about her life that are certainly quote worthy because of her positive outlook and there were a couple of instances that she mentions that I saw myself in her descriptions of her well lived life that I was reminded of similarities like my childhood days with my Grandmother like spending weekends with my Grandparents. In my case my Grandmother and I used to make fresh homemade Rolls and a few dozen loaves of fresh bread from scratch every Saturday afternoon.
She speaks of her obsession and fear when she had her sons. I have the same all consuming love for my sons but as a different ethnicity she had a good reason to fear because of the way this world is. She has lived an interesting life and has a way of seeing the silver linings in her life adversity that we all could remember to emulate. I felt it was honest and uplifting and I enjoyed reading this which I thought was lovely. I didn't remember I had this so the surprise at discovering it was incredibly a great fortunate reading choice and experience.
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Mya Fort-Marshall, and Amplify Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.
#BeforeYouWereEverything #MyaFortMarshall #AmplifyPublishing #NetGalley
July 5, 2026
I really enjoyed Before You Were Everything. It felt incredibly genuine, like reading the thoughts of someone who isn’t trying to have all the answers but is willing to share the lessons they’ve learned along the way. The stories were personal and heartfelt, and I found myself reflecting on my own experiences more than once.
One of my favorite parts was how the book balanced difficult moments with hope. It doesn’t ignore pain or pretend life is easy, but it reminds you that healing, growth, and joy can exist alongside the hard seasons. I also loved the little personal touches, like the playlists and recipes, because they made the book feel even more authentic and inviting.
Mya Fort-Marshall has a conversational writing style that made it easy to keep turning the pages. It felt like listening to someone tell their story rather than reading a traditional memoir. I finished the book feeling encouraged and reminded that our past helps shape us, but it doesn’t have to define where we’re going.
If you enjoy memoirs that are honest, uplifting, and full of heart, I definitely recommend giving this one a read.
One of my favorite parts was how the book balanced difficult moments with hope. It doesn’t ignore pain or pretend life is easy, but it reminds you that healing, growth, and joy can exist alongside the hard seasons. I also loved the little personal touches, like the playlists and recipes, because they made the book feel even more authentic and inviting.
Mya Fort-Marshall has a conversational writing style that made it easy to keep turning the pages. It felt like listening to someone tell their story rather than reading a traditional memoir. I finished the book feeling encouraged and reminded that our past helps shape us, but it doesn’t have to define where we’re going.
If you enjoy memoirs that are honest, uplifting, and full of heart, I definitely recommend giving this one a read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mya takes us through many moments she experienced in her life. Each event different from the next. The strength she has is inspiring. Reading her story made me smile, cry, and laugh all at once. What makes this book so special is the way she lets us inside her mind. Hearing all her thoughts, feelings, emotions. Most people would be afraid to be so vulnerable but she has turned it into a story about hope and rebrand and confidence. I am very lucky to have be able to read her story! Not to mention, the thought put into this book! The recipes and playlists for each chapter?! Incredible!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I know the author said this wasn't a memoir, but memoirs take many shapes. What I liked about this one was how it started off with a strong personal voice. Mya Fort-Marshall knows herself very well, and it comes across on the page. I love that first chapter. It gives you a sense of what living under a matriarch could look like. I loved the story about the mufaletta grilled cheese and the other, more food-centered moments in the memoir.
My interest waned in the second half. It lacked the luster of the first few chapters. However, overall, this was an enjoyable, quick memoir.
My interest waned in the second half. It lacked the luster of the first few chapters. However, overall, this was an enjoyable, quick memoir.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was so beautifully written. I felt so connected to the author from the beginning. My family life was very similar coming from a large family with my father - a baby of 13 and he was one of 11 boys.
I absolutely devoured her bread crumbs throughout the book and at the end. This story will stay with me for a very long time and I am so thankful to NetGalley for having an opportunity to have an ARC of this book.
This will definitely be added to my collection and I hope this hits the heart of many others like it did me. The world needs this book! Thank you!
I absolutely devoured her bread crumbs throughout the book and at the end. This story will stay with me for a very long time and I am so thankful to NetGalley for having an opportunity to have an ARC of this book.
This will definitely be added to my collection and I hope this hits the heart of many others like it did me. The world needs this book! Thank you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The author is at great pains to state this is not your typical memoir but regardless of classification this was incredibly readable. A journey through a life like May’s could be very heavy but she takes the reader through her wonderfully complex, boisterous and loving family; her young motherhood; her own self discovery with wit and a real insightfulness. I loved the recipes and playlists before each chapter and now I’m off to make some Mac and cheese.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC NetGalley
"The magic was never in 'fitting in'. It was in remembering who the hell you've always been"
Narrated in the first person, Mya, shows us the highs and lows of life through everything that is thrown at you, and how you at the end have it figured it out. This felt a bit like a story-telling with a hint of self-help/motivational. Although I had hoped it delve deeper into the story and how the main character, Mya, got there; I connected with many of her insights on how to conduct yourself, and ALWAYS remain true and connected to you - with discipline towards your routine, yourself, your daily check-ins, your faith/beliefs.
"The magic was never in 'fitting in'. It was in remembering who the hell you've always been"
Narrated in the first person, Mya, shows us the highs and lows of life through everything that is thrown at you, and how you at the end have it figured it out. This felt a bit like a story-telling with a hint of self-help/motivational. Although I had hoped it delve deeper into the story and how the main character, Mya, got there; I connected with many of her insights on how to conduct yourself, and ALWAYS remain true and connected to you - with discipline towards your routine, yourself, your daily check-ins, your faith/beliefs.
July 1, 2026
Before You Were Everything: Reflections on Finding Love, Legacy, and Becoming in a Life Rewritten by Mya Fort-Marshall is a reflective and introspective work that explores identity, transformation, and the emotional layers of becoming. Through personal insight and thoughtful reflection, the book invites readers to consider how love, loss, and life transitions shape both who they were and who they are still becoming.
What stands out most is the emotional honesty woven throughout the narrative. The reflections feel personal yet widely relatable, touching on themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the evolving nature of purpose. The writing carries a quiet depth that encourages readers to pause and engage with their own inner experiences.
The book also explores the idea of legacy not just in terms of what we leave behind, but how we live, love, and redefine ourselves in the present. This forward-looking perspective adds a sense of hope and possibility, even when addressing moments of change or uncertainty.
At its core, Before You Were Everything is about embracing transformation. It encourages readers to see their lives as ongoing stories ones that can be rewritten, reimagined, and lived with greater intention and awareness. It’s a meaningful read for those drawn to reflective, emotionally grounded personal growth.
What stands out most is the emotional honesty woven throughout the narrative. The reflections feel personal yet widely relatable, touching on themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the evolving nature of purpose. The writing carries a quiet depth that encourages readers to pause and engage with their own inner experiences.
The book also explores the idea of legacy not just in terms of what we leave behind, but how we live, love, and redefine ourselves in the present. This forward-looking perspective adds a sense of hope and possibility, even when addressing moments of change or uncertainty.
At its core, Before You Were Everything is about embracing transformation. It encourages readers to see their lives as ongoing stories ones that can be rewritten, reimagined, and lived with greater intention and awareness. It’s a meaningful read for those drawn to reflective, emotionally grounded personal growth.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews