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How Far She's Come
From the highly acclaimed author of Don't Try to Find Me and This is Not Over comes the unforgettable, harrowing story of a young broadcast journalist who discovers a mysterious diary from a female broadcaster in 1991 featuring startling—and frightening—parallels to her own life.
Oh, how far she’s come…but how far will she have to go?
Twenty-four-year-old Cheyenne Florian has just received the kind of job offer that dreams are made of. On the strength of a few vlogs, she’s recruited to be the new correspondent on the recently hatched Independent News Network, INN.
With its slogan "Because independent thinking is the only way out," INN strives to be exciting and innovative. Yet once Cheyenne joins the INN team, she’s disappointed to find age-old dynamics in play. A few of the female staff resent her meteoric rise, while some of the men are only too happy to welcome her. Even Edwin warns her to watch her back. And then there’s the diary left for her anonymously, written by a female broadcast journalist icon named Elyse Rohrbach in 1991. The mysterious diary is accompanied by a note, urging Cheyenne to learn from the past. Is it meant as inspiration and friendly advice — or as a warning? Still, she can’t see how it has anything to do with her … until disturbing events begin.
As more unsettling events unfold—events that appear as if someone is engineering the similarities in Cheyenne’s life to match those from Elyse’s past — it becomes clear that she is a pawn in a very twisted game. But Cheyenne is determined to rewrite the rules and play her own game. Though they’re separated by more than twenty-five years, Elyse and Cheyenne are learning the same lesson: Nothing is more threatening than a woman who doesn’t yet know her own power…
Oh, how far she’s come…but how far will she have to go?
Twenty-four-year-old Cheyenne Florian has just received the kind of job offer that dreams are made of. On the strength of a few vlogs, she’s recruited to be the new correspondent on the recently hatched Independent News Network, INN.
With its slogan "Because independent thinking is the only way out," INN strives to be exciting and innovative. Yet once Cheyenne joins the INN team, she’s disappointed to find age-old dynamics in play. A few of the female staff resent her meteoric rise, while some of the men are only too happy to welcome her. Even Edwin warns her to watch her back. And then there’s the diary left for her anonymously, written by a female broadcast journalist icon named Elyse Rohrbach in 1991. The mysterious diary is accompanied by a note, urging Cheyenne to learn from the past. Is it meant as inspiration and friendly advice — or as a warning? Still, she can’t see how it has anything to do with her … until disturbing events begin.
As more unsettling events unfold—events that appear as if someone is engineering the similarities in Cheyenne’s life to match those from Elyse’s past — it becomes clear that she is a pawn in a very twisted game. But Cheyenne is determined to rewrite the rules and play her own game. Though they’re separated by more than twenty-five years, Elyse and Cheyenne are learning the same lesson: Nothing is more threatening than a woman who doesn’t yet know her own power…
395 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
37 people are currently reading
2001 people want to read
About the author
Holly Brown
10 books239 followersHolly Brown is a practicing marriage and family therapist and author of the novels DON'T TRY TO FIND ME, A NECESSARY END, THIS IS NOT OVER, and HOW FAR SHE'S COME. She teamed up with three internationally bestselling thriller writers (Sophie Hannah, B.A. Paris, and Clare Mackintosh) for THE UNDERSTUDY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 16, 2018
This book had the best intentions with addressing the #metoo movement, misogyny, and stalking among other things, but for lack of a better word, it was a mess. The main issue I had was right from the beginning the main character, Cheyenne, feels like this weird caricature of a person. And despite there being elements of the book which are obviously things that have made headlines in recent years, so much of this book did not feel natural. It was almost like the action was taking place in an alternate universe because things felt off. I guess I am just not a fan of this author's writing style. By the time I was finished reading, I couldn't help but feel if a different author took the basic elements of the plot and reworked it, the end result would be significantly better.
I won a free copy of this book in a giveaway but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
I won a free copy of this book in a giveaway but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
May 22, 2018
Thank you so much TLC Book Tours and William Morrow for my free copy of HOW FAR SHE’S COME by Holly Brown - all opinions are my own.
Cheyenne Florian is a very beautiful, twenty-four-year-old vlogger that just received her dream job. She was recruited and jumped at the opportunity to be the newest correspondent on the Independent News Network (INN), an organization that prides itself on independent thinking and innovation. But Cheyenne quickly finds that age-old dynamics are at play: the men are over-welcoming, while some female colleagues are resentful. Also, a diary written by Elyse Rohrbach, a female broadcaster from 1991, shows up with a note attached warning Cheyenne to learn from the past. Did this diary come from a friend or foe?
From the prologue to the very end, this book does not slow down. The story is suspenseful, and at times realistic, as it parallels the misogyny and workplace harassment often reported in the media today. Brown does an excellent job of weaving current issues within a fictional story – it’s impressive just how incredibly well these topics are written.
I seriously could not put this book down! What makes HOW FAR SHE’S COME such a compulsive read? Well, it’s the writing style and the overall structure of the book. It’s exciting reading from Cheyenne’s perspective, but also so much fun reading the diary entries and Wikipedia articles throughout. The mystery of it all kept me totally engaged and constantly trying to figure out the ending. And although some parts are realistic, on the flip side, some are not, but that does not take away from the reading experience. Overall, I enjoyed it!
Cheyenne Florian is a very beautiful, twenty-four-year-old vlogger that just received her dream job. She was recruited and jumped at the opportunity to be the newest correspondent on the Independent News Network (INN), an organization that prides itself on independent thinking and innovation. But Cheyenne quickly finds that age-old dynamics are at play: the men are over-welcoming, while some female colleagues are resentful. Also, a diary written by Elyse Rohrbach, a female broadcaster from 1991, shows up with a note attached warning Cheyenne to learn from the past. Did this diary come from a friend or foe?
From the prologue to the very end, this book does not slow down. The story is suspenseful, and at times realistic, as it parallels the misogyny and workplace harassment often reported in the media today. Brown does an excellent job of weaving current issues within a fictional story – it’s impressive just how incredibly well these topics are written.
I seriously could not put this book down! What makes HOW FAR SHE’S COME such a compulsive read? Well, it’s the writing style and the overall structure of the book. It’s exciting reading from Cheyenne’s perspective, but also so much fun reading the diary entries and Wikipedia articles throughout. The mystery of it all kept me totally engaged and constantly trying to figure out the ending. And although some parts are realistic, on the flip side, some are not, but that does not take away from the reading experience. Overall, I enjoyed it!
March 14, 2018
Cheyenne Florian is gorgeous--she's REALLY gorgeous, and everyone she meets remarks on it just in case you had forgotten--but that's not all she has to offer, dangit! Probably. A billionaire plucks her from her relative obscurity as a disgraced vlogger whose nudes were leaked without her consent, basically begging her to take a dream TV journalist job that even her assistant is more qualified for. Upon taking the job, she is immediately beset upon by the Patriarchy as everyone tries to undermine, sabotage, or even assault her.
The moral is distractingly unsubtle. I'm not reading into anything; the author admits at the end of the book that this is a direct response to #metoo and all the high-profile sexual assault accusations that have dominated the media lately. (All the ripped-from-the-headlines name-dropping already feels dated.) It's like reading a piece of Christian fiction where the characters casually give Gospel presentations, except in this case, they muse about consent, power dynamics, sexual harassment, and rape culture. It's hard not to resent the authorial intrusion when characters are used as moral mouthpieces, even though it's a good moral.
Even without the moralizing, the far-fetched premise is hard to swallow and the attempts at intrigue fall flat. How Far She's Come is either a commendable effort to shed light on a serious issue or (less charitably) an attempt to cash in on a hot-button topic. Either way, it's not actually a good story.
(I received an advance copy of this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
The moral is distractingly unsubtle. I'm not reading into anything; the author admits at the end of the book that this is a direct response to #metoo and all the high-profile sexual assault accusations that have dominated the media lately. (All the ripped-from-the-headlines name-dropping already feels dated.) It's like reading a piece of Christian fiction where the characters casually give Gospel presentations, except in this case, they muse about consent, power dynamics, sexual harassment, and rape culture. It's hard not to resent the authorial intrusion when characters are used as moral mouthpieces, even though it's a good moral.
Even without the moralizing, the far-fetched premise is hard to swallow and the attempts at intrigue fall flat. How Far She's Come is either a commendable effort to shed light on a serious issue or (less charitably) an attempt to cash in on a hot-button topic. Either way, it's not actually a good story.
(I received an advance copy of this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
September 15, 2018
I read this book for an IRL book club I’m in.
Rating: 2.75 stars
It had a ton of potential, which surprised me because reading the blurb I was ready for a standard run of the mill thriller. Instead, the author tried to tackle subjects like #metoo, workplace misogyny, privacy and career development for a woman who is a public figure after an attack on her confidentiality and some private information leaked. The setting was also in a major news network that talked about crime and politics, and so the book tried to discuss issues of biases in reporting and political slants. Kudos for taking all of this on.
However, the main plot point, which was Cheyenne, our protagonist, receiving the journal of a young woman whose story from the past mirrors her own, was muddled and lost. The tension dwindled more and more as the book went on and I found myself uninterested in the journal entries and more interested when a new news story was presented and how it would be discussed within the context of the book. There were also some hollow secondary characters that received little development and thus added to the lack of tension.
Lots of potential, just not convincing in terms of the main plot point. Overall, made for some great discussion with the book club though.
Rating: 2.75 stars
It had a ton of potential, which surprised me because reading the blurb I was ready for a standard run of the mill thriller. Instead, the author tried to tackle subjects like #metoo, workplace misogyny, privacy and career development for a woman who is a public figure after an attack on her confidentiality and some private information leaked. The setting was also in a major news network that talked about crime and politics, and so the book tried to discuss issues of biases in reporting and political slants. Kudos for taking all of this on.
However, the main plot point, which was Cheyenne, our protagonist, receiving the journal of a young woman whose story from the past mirrors her own, was muddled and lost. The tension dwindled more and more as the book went on and I found myself uninterested in the journal entries and more interested when a new news story was presented and how it would be discussed within the context of the book. There were also some hollow secondary characters that received little development and thus added to the lack of tension.
Lots of potential, just not convincing in terms of the main plot point. Overall, made for some great discussion with the book club though.
June 1, 2018
Cheyenne, who has already been vilified via social media, receives a job offer of a life time. Based on her previous presence, the head of Independent News Network, INN, wants to make her their new IT girl. An offer, she can't pass up. Shortly after she begins her stint, she receives the diary of a female journalist icon. Suddenly she sees her own life paralleling this diary and she begins to trust nobody and her paranoia rises to a level of uncomfortable.
Brown does a fantastic job bringing in real life issues of workplace sexual harassment that we see in the news today. Intertwining this fictional story with current issues. From page one to the last page, this story draws you right in. Going back and forth from present day in Cheyenne's life and the diary of Elyse, we get a look into the gritty side of broadcasting, the perils that come with being a celebrity and the emotional roller coaster that comes from one good broadcast to a bad one.
It's frustrating to see women using their "assets" even as they're getting harassed, just to stay in the "game" and try to get back at the men who are condescending and powerful enough to "get away" with it. We see this every day in the media.
The book is quick paced, compulsive and you get fully immersed in where Cheyenne is going to end up in this food chain riddled with sharks.
Thank you to William Morrow for this copy.
Brown does a fantastic job bringing in real life issues of workplace sexual harassment that we see in the news today. Intertwining this fictional story with current issues. From page one to the last page, this story draws you right in. Going back and forth from present day in Cheyenne's life and the diary of Elyse, we get a look into the gritty side of broadcasting, the perils that come with being a celebrity and the emotional roller coaster that comes from one good broadcast to a bad one.
It's frustrating to see women using their "assets" even as they're getting harassed, just to stay in the "game" and try to get back at the men who are condescending and powerful enough to "get away" with it. We see this every day in the media.
The book is quick paced, compulsive and you get fully immersed in where Cheyenne is going to end up in this food chain riddled with sharks.
Thank you to William Morrow for this copy.
May 29, 2018
Calling it quits at 62%
April 10, 2022
3.5 stars. This was great in some aspects but fell flat in others. Cheyenne is a vlogger who went viral when nude pictures of her were leaked. A billionaire finds her and wants her to be a newsagent for his independent network even though she has no experience. He is trying to cash in on the millennial men who would have seen her pictures. She takes the job and immediately is thrown into an old boys club where she can trust no one. To top it off someone is sending her diary entries from a female anchor from 1991 who was stalked and attacked.
The basis of the story was good but it seems like it tried to do too much - too much #metoo without enough background. Plus the main character didn't have enough depth.
The basis of the story was good but it seems like it tried to do too much - too much #metoo without enough background. Plus the main character didn't have enough depth.
July 22, 2018
Good premise, bad book. I don’t usually write mean reviews because if I look hard enough I can usually find something I liked about the book. Sadly, I wanted to set this book on fire, but since I have a sprinkler system to take into consideration, I thought it over and decided my review could pretty much serve as a way to vent my dislike.
Protagonists need to be liked/loved or disliked/hated. Cheyenne disgusted me. Little Miss I’m so Beautiful that all creepy men want me and that didn’t have a lot to do with the nude photos she was foolish enough to have on her phone? Her unmerited ego scared me, since as we all know, ego goes before a fall (okay so I made that up). Dumb bunny who is offered a job so over her abilities and qualifications and does not question what the heck is going on. Yet, she signs a contract which she had barely looked at and didn’t bother to have a lawyer review because she is given a twenty-four hour deadline. I don’t know if this proves she’s obtuse or just super ambitious. Eventually she begins to question what is going on and now she’s smart and angry, at last. Note to Author: If you had made Cheyenne a lot smarter a lot sooner, I might have actually liked the book.
I sit here shaking my head at how foolish her actions are from the beginning. I can’t go on because I’m getting fed up all over again except to say in the day of the #Metoo movement this book offends me for more reasons than I can be bothered to list.
This book was given to me by William Morrow/HarperCollins.
Protagonists need to be liked/loved or disliked/hated. Cheyenne disgusted me. Little Miss I’m so Beautiful that all creepy men want me and that didn’t have a lot to do with the nude photos she was foolish enough to have on her phone? Her unmerited ego scared me, since as we all know, ego goes before a fall (okay so I made that up). Dumb bunny who is offered a job so over her abilities and qualifications and does not question what the heck is going on. Yet, she signs a contract which she had barely looked at and didn’t bother to have a lawyer review because she is given a twenty-four hour deadline. I don’t know if this proves she’s obtuse or just super ambitious. Eventually she begins to question what is going on and now she’s smart and angry, at last. Note to Author: If you had made Cheyenne a lot smarter a lot sooner, I might have actually liked the book.
I sit here shaking my head at how foolish her actions are from the beginning. I can’t go on because I’m getting fed up all over again except to say in the day of the #Metoo movement this book offends me for more reasons than I can be bothered to list.
This book was given to me by William Morrow/HarperCollins.
May 24, 2018
At the spur of the moment, Cheyenne Florian accepts a newscaster position with the newest news network known as INN. The network that is independent, unbiased, and hypothetically supposed to keep other networks accountable and honest. Sounds great and Cheyenne thinks it's great too. A chance to do something meaningful despite her fear of online critics and potential stalkers. She learns that INN isn't exactly what she thought it would be and she starts to receive diary entries about a past newscaster from the 90s who was eventually attacked by a stalker.
Although I wasn't initially that into hearing about the news network business, this ended up being a decent workplace thriller. It focuses on sexism, hostile work environments, sexual assault, and what it like to be female in the workplace now versus in the past and what still needs to change. It is very much inspired by the #MeToo movement and the US 2016 presidential election. There were some parts that I found to be a bit unlikely, but overall I liked it.
Although I wasn't initially that into hearing about the news network business, this ended up being a decent workplace thriller. It focuses on sexism, hostile work environments, sexual assault, and what it like to be female in the workplace now versus in the past and what still needs to change. It is very much inspired by the #MeToo movement and the US 2016 presidential election. There were some parts that I found to be a bit unlikely, but overall I liked it.
April 4, 2018
Hot on the heels of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements comes this compelling novel about a woman just starting out in the world of broadcast journalism. As our protagonist begins an exciting new job at a huge, private news company that seems like something dreamed up by Elon Musk, she isn't sure who to trust - especially when someone leaves a former newscaster's diary entries, section by section, in her office, revealing the difficulties a former newscaster had as she tried to make it in the business.
Parts of the book went on a bit longer than necessary, I thought, but overall it was a good read with an extremely satisfying end. It's certainly a timely story.
I received a galley of this book via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
Parts of the book went on a bit longer than necessary, I thought, but overall it was a good read with an extremely satisfying end. It's certainly a timely story.
I received a galley of this book via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2020
* I won an ARC of this book from Goodreads but I decided to listen to it on audio instead. *
The synopsis sounded interesting. I wasn’t bored with it. I wanted to keep listening to it. I liked that the book was talking about the #MeToo movement and sexual harassment in the workplace and I understand the message that it’s trying to send to people reading the book but other than that, I don’t like how the book ended. I was expecting more from this book but it fell flat.
The synopsis sounded interesting. I wasn’t bored with it. I wanted to keep listening to it. I liked that the book was talking about the #MeToo movement and sexual harassment in the workplace and I understand the message that it’s trying to send to people reading the book but other than that, I don’t like how the book ended. I was expecting more from this book but it fell flat.
May 21, 2018
How Far She's Come by Holly Brown is an intriguing novel with suspenseful elements.
Twenty-four year old recent college graduate Cheyenne Florian impulsively accepts a job as a newscaster at the up and coming Independent News Network (INN). INN's owner Edwin Gordon is proud of the fact his company does not rely on advertiser dollars which leaves them freedom to report the news stories that other news agencies will not touch. With no formal training as a journalist, Cheyenne's only experience is as a vlogger who disappeared from the public eye after her controversial story went viral and she was stalked and targeted by cyberbullies. Not long after she begins working at INN, she begins receiving Elyse Rohrbach's diary entries from 1991 which follow closely along the same path Cheyenne is now taking. She begins to wonder if she made the right choice to accept Edwin's offer after she becomes the target of sexual harassment by one of the male producers. However, it is not until broadcast journalist Beth Linford disappears that Cheyenne tries to figure out who is sending her Elyse's diary entries and exactly what is going on at INN.
Cheyenne is a little naive when accepting Edwin's job offer but by the time she begins questioning whether or not she made the right choice, it is too late to do anything about it. Instead she must push aside her misgivings and allow herself to be exploited in order to grab ratings. Cheyenne also quickly figures out that not everyone at INN is warm and welcoming as she tries to decipher who is her friend and who is her foe at her new workplace. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, she quickly discovers that sexual harassment is still all to prevalent and afraid of risking her job, Cheyenne has to decide whether or not to speak out about her experiences with one of the higher ups in the company.
Elyse's diary pages hit very close to home and Cheyenne is not certain whether or not the person sending them is trying to help her or threaten her. Many of Elyse's experiences in 1991 closely follow the same events that Cheyenne is grappling with in the present. With only a vague idea of what happened to Elyse, Cheyenne is fascinated by the revelations in the diary, but it is not until after Beth's disappearance that she begins researching exactly what happened to Elyse. The information she unearths leads to stunning information about what is occurring at INN, but what will Cheyenne do with these revelations?
Despite Beth's disappearance and the suspense surrounding the diary entries, How Far She's Come by Holly Brown is not a traditional mystery. The novel instead highlights the fact that even after the very public #MeToo movement, women still must contend with sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace. The plot is timely and Cheyenne eventually shows everyone what she is made of as the novel comes a strong and satisfying conclusion.
Twenty-four year old recent college graduate Cheyenne Florian impulsively accepts a job as a newscaster at the up and coming Independent News Network (INN). INN's owner Edwin Gordon is proud of the fact his company does not rely on advertiser dollars which leaves them freedom to report the news stories that other news agencies will not touch. With no formal training as a journalist, Cheyenne's only experience is as a vlogger who disappeared from the public eye after her controversial story went viral and she was stalked and targeted by cyberbullies. Not long after she begins working at INN, she begins receiving Elyse Rohrbach's diary entries from 1991 which follow closely along the same path Cheyenne is now taking. She begins to wonder if she made the right choice to accept Edwin's offer after she becomes the target of sexual harassment by one of the male producers. However, it is not until broadcast journalist Beth Linford disappears that Cheyenne tries to figure out who is sending her Elyse's diary entries and exactly what is going on at INN.
Cheyenne is a little naive when accepting Edwin's job offer but by the time she begins questioning whether or not she made the right choice, it is too late to do anything about it. Instead she must push aside her misgivings and allow herself to be exploited in order to grab ratings. Cheyenne also quickly figures out that not everyone at INN is warm and welcoming as she tries to decipher who is her friend and who is her foe at her new workplace. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, she quickly discovers that sexual harassment is still all to prevalent and afraid of risking her job, Cheyenne has to decide whether or not to speak out about her experiences with one of the higher ups in the company.
Elyse's diary pages hit very close to home and Cheyenne is not certain whether or not the person sending them is trying to help her or threaten her. Many of Elyse's experiences in 1991 closely follow the same events that Cheyenne is grappling with in the present. With only a vague idea of what happened to Elyse, Cheyenne is fascinated by the revelations in the diary, but it is not until after Beth's disappearance that she begins researching exactly what happened to Elyse. The information she unearths leads to stunning information about what is occurring at INN, but what will Cheyenne do with these revelations?
Despite Beth's disappearance and the suspense surrounding the diary entries, How Far She's Come by Holly Brown is not a traditional mystery. The novel instead highlights the fact that even after the very public #MeToo movement, women still must contend with sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace. The plot is timely and Cheyenne eventually shows everyone what she is made of as the novel comes a strong and satisfying conclusion.
April 22, 2020
This started out good. I liked the flow and it definitely was not boring in any parts. I gave it only three stars because the main character was doing things beyond stupid and the end did not wrap up a major part of the story line (crime committed is all I can say without making it a spoiler).
June 26, 2018
Review to come.
Quick thoughts:
The subject matter was very timely. The diary part of the mystery was very interesting. But it's really a 2.5 star book for me because it just didn't all work for me. I was intrigued, but not overly invested in the book.
Quick thoughts:
The subject matter was very timely. The diary part of the mystery was very interesting. But it's really a 2.5 star book for me because it just didn't all work for me. I was intrigued, but not overly invested in the book.
June 6, 2018
Thanks to William Morrow for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
This was my first time reading anything by Holly Brown, and I will definitely be going back to find more from her! HOW FAR SHE'S COME is a compulsive thriller that will keep you sucked in until the prologue!
Cheyenne Florian has just been offered the job of a life time - she's being recruited by Independent News Network. This has all been based on her growing social media and vlogging presence. INN wants her as their new IT girl and she jumps at the opportunity.
After starting, Cheyenne is making waves with the female staff at her quick rise, and she is also drawing the attention of her male coworkers. One day, there is a diary left at her desk with a note warning her to learn from the past. The diary belonged to Elyse Rohrbach, a female broadcast journalist from 1991. Cheyenne quickly stars seeing parallels between her life and Elyse's which causes the paranoia to grow.
I think Brown did a great job building the tension and paranoia throughout this novel! We jump back and forth between present day and 1991 and we get to see firsthand how their lives are mirroring each other's. The pacing is great and keeps you pulled in until the final pages. Brown did a great job incorporating very relevant topics such as how we view media and celebrities, as well as a look into sexual harassment in the workplace.
If you want a quick thriller, then this needs to be on your summer TBR!
I give this 4/5 stars!
May 25, 2018
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A timely story about how far women have come and just how much further they need to go in order to make a difference.
HOW FAR SHE'S COME is an exploration of the dynamic between men and women in work. It highlights the transgressions of the past gender issues as well as the fact this is still happening in many professions today. I applaud Holly Brown for tackling such a weighty subject with respect and honesty while still having a feisty, pro-female, and intelligent narrative.
The author does a wonderful job of shining a light on how women are objectified when they are in the spotlight as well as how they are treated when they make their voices heard. Brown shows the brutal reactions and comments that are littering the internet about people who take a stance one way or the other. In many ways, the author lays it all out as she gradually builds the tension until it explodes at the end. Her story is smart, gripping, and timely.
As a side note, I feel that I have to mention one thing. The book is first classified as a Psychological Thriller which I was excited about. I anticipated a lot of mind games and manipulations being pushed to their breaking points. However, this is not exactly what I got. Is there tension? Yes. Is it thriller level? I am not completely sure. The story at its core is Women’s Fiction with a concentration on social and women’s issues. This is not a bad thing though. Once I switched my mindset I really got into the story. I enjoyed the characters’ voices and what the author’s message was.
Bottom line…this is a good book with a story well worth reading. We need more stories like these. We need stories to point out the cultural and social injustices going on. I have no doubt this will be a growing trend in fiction and could not be happier.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher and TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
HOW FAR SHE'S COME is an exploration of the dynamic between men and women in work. It highlights the transgressions of the past gender issues as well as the fact this is still happening in many professions today. I applaud Holly Brown for tackling such a weighty subject with respect and honesty while still having a feisty, pro-female, and intelligent narrative.
The author does a wonderful job of shining a light on how women are objectified when they are in the spotlight as well as how they are treated when they make their voices heard. Brown shows the brutal reactions and comments that are littering the internet about people who take a stance one way or the other. In many ways, the author lays it all out as she gradually builds the tension until it explodes at the end. Her story is smart, gripping, and timely.
As a side note, I feel that I have to mention one thing. The book is first classified as a Psychological Thriller which I was excited about. I anticipated a lot of mind games and manipulations being pushed to their breaking points. However, this is not exactly what I got. Is there tension? Yes. Is it thriller level? I am not completely sure. The story at its core is Women’s Fiction with a concentration on social and women’s issues. This is not a bad thing though. Once I switched my mindset I really got into the story. I enjoyed the characters’ voices and what the author’s message was.
Bottom line…this is a good book with a story well worth reading. We need more stories like these. We need stories to point out the cultural and social injustices going on. I have no doubt this will be a growing trend in fiction and could not be happier.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher and TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
June 8, 2018
Holly Brown's latest novel, How Far She's Come, is quite timely. Brown herself says she took inspiration from news headlines. As she was writing, further allegations and social media actions were snowballing such as #MeToo.
Brown sets her story in an independent cable news network. Twenty four year old Cheyenne Florian believes passionately in the American people's need to know and right to question. She vlogged her stories.....until things went bad - cyber bullying, stalking, threats and more. But, when her dream job as a news correspondent is offered to her by the wealthy man who runs INN, she leaps at the chance.
And she leaped without really looking in my opinion. Suffice it to say, things do not go well here either. The newsroom is a hotbed of sexism, sexual abuse, rivalry, hate, fear, hostility, manipulation, abuse of power and more. Someone leaves Cheyenne the diary of another newsreader from twenty five years ago. Her experience mirrors what is happening to Cheyenne. But the final pages are missing. What happened to her?
I absolutely appreciate the sentiment, the story and the truth of Brown's novel. Her premise is fact based. And we're all aware of what has been happening in the real world. And yes, it's wrong - very, very wrong.
But fictionally, I had a problem with Cheyenne. I was puzzled with her taking the job, based on what had happened to her in the past - which seems to be the reason she is hired. She didn't question anything and went along with some very iffy directions and situations. "It's insulting, this reminder that I'm here for my body and not my mind, like I'm their little Broadcast Barbie." She's uncomfortable, but keeps playing. And I ask why? Why not question? Why not speak up? Given that her vlog was based on transparency and speaking her mind, I expected a different approach.
To be honest, as I turned pages, I felt like this was a story I had already read. And in part I had, through actual news footage etc. Brown does put her own spin on things with the mystery of the newsreader from the past and her journal. But I found parts of her tale a bit far fetched.
Brown sets her story in an independent cable news network. Twenty four year old Cheyenne Florian believes passionately in the American people's need to know and right to question. She vlogged her stories.....until things went bad - cyber bullying, stalking, threats and more. But, when her dream job as a news correspondent is offered to her by the wealthy man who runs INN, she leaps at the chance.
And she leaped without really looking in my opinion. Suffice it to say, things do not go well here either. The newsroom is a hotbed of sexism, sexual abuse, rivalry, hate, fear, hostility, manipulation, abuse of power and more. Someone leaves Cheyenne the diary of another newsreader from twenty five years ago. Her experience mirrors what is happening to Cheyenne. But the final pages are missing. What happened to her?
I absolutely appreciate the sentiment, the story and the truth of Brown's novel. Her premise is fact based. And we're all aware of what has been happening in the real world. And yes, it's wrong - very, very wrong.
But fictionally, I had a problem with Cheyenne. I was puzzled with her taking the job, based on what had happened to her in the past - which seems to be the reason she is hired. She didn't question anything and went along with some very iffy directions and situations. "It's insulting, this reminder that I'm here for my body and not my mind, like I'm their little Broadcast Barbie." She's uncomfortable, but keeps playing. And I ask why? Why not question? Why not speak up? Given that her vlog was based on transparency and speaking her mind, I expected a different approach.
To be honest, as I turned pages, I felt like this was a story I had already read. And in part I had, through actual news footage etc. Brown does put her own spin on things with the mystery of the newsreader from the past and her journal. But I found parts of her tale a bit far fetched.
August 27, 2018
This was so f*cking painful. I have really liked Holly Brown's other books, but this one crashed and burned. The characters are so cliched and annoying, the diary entries from Elyse are trying way too hard to be retro and the story...ugh. Then we're treated to politics after. Because they were included at the end in the extras, I feel compelled to add my rebuttal.
First off, the #metoo movement is flat out ridiculous. The same industry now complaining about sexual harassment is the same industry that gave a standing ovation to Roman Polanski, a man who drugged and anally raped a 13 year old girl in Jack Nicholson's apartment, then fled the country after conviction and continued to rape little girls for decades. A big Fat middle finger to all the Hollywood sluts who traded sex for roles and can't stop whining about it. We the American People do not care about you. You're pathetic. We're also tired of slutty dumb college girls who think morning after regret is the same as rape.
As for the election, Hillary Clinton lost because she is a terrible candidate, who openly insulted Americans in favor of illegal aliens, helped her vile husband cover up actual rapes, showed up at town hall meetings in black neighborhoods with hot sauce in her purse while privately referring to blacks as super predators,etc. Etc. But we're supposed to judge Donald Trump for off the cuff locker room talk about sluts who let (key word.. LET) rich guys do what they want. Ugh. This is why the left is so woefully out of touch with America. Men aren't the enemy. #Enoughmisandryalready. There's a new hashtag for you.
First off, the #metoo movement is flat out ridiculous. The same industry now complaining about sexual harassment is the same industry that gave a standing ovation to Roman Polanski, a man who drugged and anally raped a 13 year old girl in Jack Nicholson's apartment, then fled the country after conviction and continued to rape little girls for decades. A big Fat middle finger to all the Hollywood sluts who traded sex for roles and can't stop whining about it. We the American People do not care about you. You're pathetic. We're also tired of slutty dumb college girls who think morning after regret is the same as rape.
As for the election, Hillary Clinton lost because she is a terrible candidate, who openly insulted Americans in favor of illegal aliens, helped her vile husband cover up actual rapes, showed up at town hall meetings in black neighborhoods with hot sauce in her purse while privately referring to blacks as super predators,etc. Etc. But we're supposed to judge Donald Trump for off the cuff locker room talk about sluts who let (key word.. LET) rich guys do what they want. Ugh. This is why the left is so woefully out of touch with America. Men aren't the enemy. #Enoughmisandryalready. There's a new hashtag for you.
October 22, 2019
“How Far She’s Come”
Written by Holly Brown
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia
“How Far She’s Come” is a thriller incorporating many important themes such as women empowerment and women’s privacy. Cheyenne is our cutthroat protagonist, who absolutely knows what she wants and how she plans to get it. After having her reputation ruined publicly by a release of her private photographs, she strives to make herself known and respected again.
Cheyenne begins working at the INN, a well-loved news station. She struggles with disgusting coworkers, an unruly assistant, a untrustworthy boss, and catty coworkers. She has also found a diary of a woman who used to work at INN, who has detailed stories of her harassment by certain people in the business. Cheyenne receives uncomfortable messages and begins to worry for her safety.
In one of the most non-thriller thrillers, Cheyenne is an interesting character, but the plot surrounding her is practically non-existent. Most of the story is her trying to prove herself and fighting off attention from men. This story is very politics-driven, which makes for an interesting ambition-based motivation from Cheyenne.
Sadly, this book is quite forgettable. The lack of biting plot allows for many scenes of us struggling through Cheyenne’s thoughts and useless diary entries. We also have so many pages of Wikipedia entries and tweets that do not effectively add to the story. The climax is non-existent. The ending was not satisfying. I really just did not enjoy this.
I received a finished copy from William Morrow Publishing in exchange for reading and reviewing.
Written by Holly Brown
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia
“How Far She’s Come” is a thriller incorporating many important themes such as women empowerment and women’s privacy. Cheyenne is our cutthroat protagonist, who absolutely knows what she wants and how she plans to get it. After having her reputation ruined publicly by a release of her private photographs, she strives to make herself known and respected again.
Cheyenne begins working at the INN, a well-loved news station. She struggles with disgusting coworkers, an unruly assistant, a untrustworthy boss, and catty coworkers. She has also found a diary of a woman who used to work at INN, who has detailed stories of her harassment by certain people in the business. Cheyenne receives uncomfortable messages and begins to worry for her safety.
In one of the most non-thriller thrillers, Cheyenne is an interesting character, but the plot surrounding her is practically non-existent. Most of the story is her trying to prove herself and fighting off attention from men. This story is very politics-driven, which makes for an interesting ambition-based motivation from Cheyenne.
Sadly, this book is quite forgettable. The lack of biting plot allows for many scenes of us struggling through Cheyenne’s thoughts and useless diary entries. We also have so many pages of Wikipedia entries and tweets that do not effectively add to the story. The climax is non-existent. The ending was not satisfying. I really just did not enjoy this.
I received a finished copy from William Morrow Publishing in exchange for reading and reviewing.
May 28, 2018
“How Far She’s Come” by Holly Brown follows Cheyenne Florian, who gets a job as a news anchor at INN (Independent News Network) shortly after graduation, having been wooed to the job by the network’s billionaire founder Edwin Gordon.
Having had limited journalistic experience prior to being plucked from obscurity (mostly limited to being a controversial vlogger), Cheyenne is suddenly thrust into a competitive work climate full of sabotage and co-workers she can’t trust.
To add fuel to the fire, someone sends Cheyenne the diary of a former anchor at the station, Elyse Roerbach, whose own career ended tragically a quarter century earlier, after she was attacked. Cheyenne sees the diary as a warning, and starts trying to solve what happened to Elyse so she can save herself. And then one of the anchors goes missing.
Overall, I found the plot to be intriguing. The story also has strong connections to the current climate (me too movement, etc.) , so rather than just being a mystery, there’s also some meaning behind it. As someone who is both intrigued by the cutthroat world of news networks and also a bit of a news junkie, I found this to be an interesting read as it goes back and forth between Cheyenne’s current struggles and the mystery surrounding Elyse, told in diary entries.
Having had limited journalistic experience prior to being plucked from obscurity (mostly limited to being a controversial vlogger), Cheyenne is suddenly thrust into a competitive work climate full of sabotage and co-workers she can’t trust.
To add fuel to the fire, someone sends Cheyenne the diary of a former anchor at the station, Elyse Roerbach, whose own career ended tragically a quarter century earlier, after she was attacked. Cheyenne sees the diary as a warning, and starts trying to solve what happened to Elyse so she can save herself. And then one of the anchors goes missing.
Overall, I found the plot to be intriguing. The story also has strong connections to the current climate (me too movement, etc.) , so rather than just being a mystery, there’s also some meaning behind it. As someone who is both intrigued by the cutthroat world of news networks and also a bit of a news junkie, I found this to be an interesting read as it goes back and forth between Cheyenne’s current struggles and the mystery surrounding Elyse, told in diary entries.
June 17, 2018
This was an absolutely amazing book. I don’t normally write reviews but I couldn’t resist with this one. I loved how it took real life current events and showed how if we don’t learn from the past then we are destined to repeat it. The book showed how many people may think that we have made major strides forward in the past 20 years yet if we really look, we may not have made much progress at all. This book involved greed, lust, sexual harassment, female empowerment and workplace violence all into one. This book showed how many famous people are starting to pay the consequences for their unethical workplace behavior but also shows how ordinary people may be shamed or not get the support that they need if they speak up and try to defend themselves or report the abuse. I loved how this book used different points of views from different time periods to show that sometimes the same problems that we had in history can still happen today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2018
Thanks to William Morrow and Edelweiss for a free advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I was a little nervous starting this book as its current rating on Goodreads is well below the threshold I usually hold books to, but I tore through it in a day, which is a rare feat these days. It's a very timely story about #metoo, the nature of power and truth and storytelling, the current political climate, and the relationship the news industry has to all of these things. The excerpts of a diary from someone whose circumstances uncomfortably parallel the main character, Cheyenne's, current struggles were eerie. There were turns in this book I didn't see coming until they hit me over the head, and the author did a nice job creating reasonable suspicion that anyone could have been a threat. Well-done, current psychological suspense.
I was a little nervous starting this book as its current rating on Goodreads is well below the threshold I usually hold books to, but I tore through it in a day, which is a rare feat these days. It's a very timely story about #metoo, the nature of power and truth and storytelling, the current political climate, and the relationship the news industry has to all of these things. The excerpts of a diary from someone whose circumstances uncomfortably parallel the main character, Cheyenne's, current struggles were eerie. There were turns in this book I didn't see coming until they hit me over the head, and the author did a nice job creating reasonable suspicion that anyone could have been a threat. Well-done, current psychological suspense.
July 2, 2018
This work-place thriller was written in response to the 2016 election & the bragging tape recording of a now-President, the #metoo movement, and the demoralizing workplace culture many women experience. I really enjoyed the parallel stories of Cheyenne, a naive small-town girl who is in the “right place at the right time” to get offered the job of a lifetime in present time, while she somehow aquifers journal about Elyse, an early nineties journalist. It is a thriller, but also a book that makes the reader question the motive of both females and males in the workplace and how far some will go to succeed. It made me thankful I have not experienced a workplace like either of the women in this story. I was also humbled by the journey so many women face in the workplace. Definitely a good read for today’s culture.
March 6, 2018
I got an advanced reading copy from my library. The summary attracted me because the book's set at a fictional news network, and I'm a print journalist.
I enjoyed this book - it's a fast read with some suspense - but I struggled to say I "really liked it" because at times it seemed outlandish and unrealistic. That, however, is something I struggled with as well. It was written after the 2016 election and has timely mentions of the #metoo movement, among other recent events, and is about how women can be treated in the workplace. Having never worked in such places where sexism and sexual abuse runs rampant, it was difficult for me to know whether my description of "outlandish" was accurate or the story reflects (on some level) what some women face.
I enjoyed this book - it's a fast read with some suspense - but I struggled to say I "really liked it" because at times it seemed outlandish and unrealistic. That, however, is something I struggled with as well. It was written after the 2016 election and has timely mentions of the #metoo movement, among other recent events, and is about how women can be treated in the workplace. Having never worked in such places where sexism and sexual abuse runs rampant, it was difficult for me to know whether my description of "outlandish" was accurate or the story reflects (on some level) what some women face.
April 21, 2018
Whenever I read a book, I try to find myself within the pages. Every book I have read is a part of me.
This book is not for the faint of heart, it's not for those that don't want to read with an open mind and an open heart.
It's easy to read something and think "That could never happen" "I would never act like that" but until you've been in the position that Elyse and Cheyenne were in, you can't really know.
This book focuses not only on what some men can do it women, it focuses on what some women can do to women. But best of all? This book shows the opportunity for change. No matter what happens to you, your story isn't over until you decide, you get to pick what happens next.
#metoo
This book is not for the faint of heart, it's not for those that don't want to read with an open mind and an open heart.
It's easy to read something and think "That could never happen" "I would never act like that" but until you've been in the position that Elyse and Cheyenne were in, you can't really know.
This book focuses not only on what some men can do it women, it focuses on what some women can do to women. But best of all? This book shows the opportunity for change. No matter what happens to you, your story isn't over until you decide, you get to pick what happens next.
#metoo
May 21, 2018
How Far She's Come is a "me too" generation story set in the high stakes world of broadcast news. Cheyenne Florian gets a job offer that she can't refuse when she is recruited to work for a new independent news network. Even though it means less time spent with her father, who is battling cancer. As she struggles to keep up with the new job, she starts receiving pages from a diary written by a female broadcast journalist a generation earlier, with a note urging her to learn from the past. Although I found the story entertaining, it was a somewhat slow going read. It never reached out and grabbed me, like the books that I like best do.
I received a free review copy of How Far She's Comethrough Goodreads Giveaways.
I received a free review copy of How Far She's Comethrough Goodreads Giveaways.
May 16, 2018
#FirstLine ~ Prologue They're watching me, I know that.
This book was good. I was so engrossed because it was one of those books that hits a cord because the topic is at the forefront of people's minds, but it is also a story that is timeless in the struggles presented. This book has heavy topics and is one that takes a ripped from the headlines story and adds a few twists and turns. It was well plotted and was one that book clubs will enjoy because there is a lot to talk about. A great book for the warm summer nights ahead.
This book was good. I was so engrossed because it was one of those books that hits a cord because the topic is at the forefront of people's minds, but it is also a story that is timeless in the struggles presented. This book has heavy topics and is one that takes a ripped from the headlines story and adds a few twists and turns. It was well plotted and was one that book clubs will enjoy because there is a lot to talk about. A great book for the warm summer nights ahead.
June 14, 2018
I received a copy of How Far She's Come from William Morrow publishing company in exchange for an honest review.
Look for my full review on www.literaryquicksand.com on Saturday, June 16!
I thought this book was really interesting in the premise - a young media exposee gets the job offer of a lifetime, and enters into the world of TV journalism in today's 2018 post-Weinstein society. This book's genre falls somewhere between the women's fiction genre and thriller/mystery. But it fell a little flat in the reveal, and felt a bit too much like a coached lesson in #feminism.
Look for my full review on www.literaryquicksand.com on Saturday, June 16!
I thought this book was really interesting in the premise - a young media exposee gets the job offer of a lifetime, and enters into the world of TV journalism in today's 2018 post-Weinstein society. This book's genre falls somewhere between the women's fiction genre and thriller/mystery. But it fell a little flat in the reveal, and felt a bit too much like a coached lesson in #feminism.
June 14, 2018
I received a copy of How Far She's Come from William Morrow publishing company in exchange for an honest review.
Look for my full review on www.literaryquicksand.com on June 16, 2018!
I thought this book was really interesting in the premise - a young media exposee gets the job offer of a lifetime, and enters into the world of TV journalism in today's 2018 post-Weinstein society. This book's genre falls somewhere between the women's fiction genre and thriller/mystery. But it fell a little flat in the reveal, and felt a bit too much like a coached lesson in #feminism.
Look for my full review on www.literaryquicksand.com on June 16, 2018!
I thought this book was really interesting in the premise - a young media exposee gets the job offer of a lifetime, and enters into the world of TV journalism in today's 2018 post-Weinstein society. This book's genre falls somewhere between the women's fiction genre and thriller/mystery. But it fell a little flat in the reveal, and felt a bit too much like a coached lesson in #feminism.
May 27, 2018
How Far She's Come... a recent graduate's launch into a newsreader career for a small network, which forced her to sign a gag order contract, recalls memories of suffering a social media scandal due to leaked photos and videos she recorded for her boyfriend. Cheyenne receives individual diary entries from a secret source just after beginning the new job. The Diary, written over 20 years ago, closely mirrors current day workplace harassment. Kept me guessing until the end. Thrilling! #metoo
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