Your Twenties: No One Ever Teaches You How to Grow Up, You Know?

by Jessica Smith

Are you a 20-something eager to find yourself in this crazy thing we call, The Real World? *cue dramatic sound effect* Until now, we’ve spent our entire lives in school. The great thing about school is that with each new year comes a new syllabus! But now what?

No one warned us that our twenties would feel like floating in outer space. Can someone please turn on the gravity? We need a little direction here!

Are you looking to find more clarity?
Do you want to get to know yourself better?
Are you eager to find your why?
Are you ready to own your life?

If so, take a BIG ole breath because you’ve come to right place. You are not alone in your 20-something journey and this book was written just for you as you speed through life.

This book is quirky, fun, and full of advice. It’s not going to add MORE to your plate (we’ve got enough going on), and I’ve organized it into the five major areas of life: 1. SELF-LOVE
2. HEALTHY MIND
3. BODY ACCEPTANCE
4. RELATIONSHIPS
5. CAREER

These, I believe, are the areas in which we experience the most change during this roller coaster of a decade. Each micro chapter will give you the tools, tips, n’ tricks to navigate life’s ups and downs with ease, grace, and a whole lot of fun. If you’re ready to take the plunge, open to page one and let’s get started.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

298 pages, Paperback

Published February 2, 2018

About the author

Hi! I live in the Bay Area, CA. I love creating: writing, poetry, clay earrings, embroidery, and bookmarks (custom clay ones and pressed flower resin ones). I spend my time with my fiancé and my pup, Charlie Bear. I enjoy being outdoors, soaking in nature, and decompressing from my corporate day gig. I'm an avid hot yoga gal. Something about the sweat helps me release all my emotional and energetic crap. I'll never turn down a Junior Mint! ;)

Right now, I’m super interested in learning to sew and making quilling cards. The craft I’m currently working on is mod podging a vase to collect memories throughout the year that I can open on New Year’s Eve.

Website to view books and contact to order a signed copy: Website

TYFDM, published July 2024 available in Print, on Kindle, and via audio on Audible: Learn More: Thank You for Dumping Me

TY, published February 2018 available in Print, on Kindle, and via audio on Audible: Learn more: YOUR TWENTIES

Blank Journal:Purchase

Blank Notebook:Purchase

Reviews

[Michaela devine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was an advertisement for her Instagram handle and what seems like a pyramid scheme.

[Fireplace.Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

My most disappointing read of 2021 was Your Twenties by Jessica Smith. This book is marketed on Amazon as one that will help you with all the things that happen in your twenties: career, finding self-love, being healthy, maintaining relationships, etc. In reality, Smith uses 289 pages to tell her life story, try to sell the reader her essential oils, market her Instagram and her Podcasts, neither of which really exist anymore. Then another 100 pages to reiterate her “help” through quotes from other people, many of which have no professional standing.

Smith self-published this book in 2018, it is still available to buy on Amazon, obviously. But very little that she markets are still available. I couldn’t find either of the podcasts she markets on Apple, I found one on Spotify with only one episode, from 2018. Her Instagram is private, yet she encourages readers to post pictures and tag her or message her. And she constantly mentioned resources that were supposedly present on her website, which I couldn’t find. Not to mention, she spent more time talking about herself than connecting those ideas in a way that the reader could make self connections or take advice from. Much of her “help” was nothing new and thus made this a very disappointing read.

Now, this is not a complete hate review, I honestly kept reading this book because I felt it had potential. I really believe if Smith hadn’t self-published, and had chosen a more knowledgeable editor this book may have gone places. BUT I also question whether she was truly invested in this project since NONE of the information she markets in the book is available to readers just 3 years after publication date.

What I learned from this book, read Amazon reviews, had I read them prior to purchasing I never would have bought this book.

Rating: 1 star

[Savanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book is not worth your time. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for years and finally decided to pick it up again wondering why I put it down in the first place. I started from the beginning and already I didn’t like the way the author wrote. I gave her the benefit on the doubt and decided not to judge the book based off of her personality coming through her writing.

I continued on and found many sentences that didn’t make sense and grammatical errors as well. Every chapter was promoting essential oils, her Instagram, or her podcast. I can’t even tell you what I read because honestly I don’t even know. I feel the message and the soul purpose of the book was to teach you on growing up in your 20’s and I don’t believe that was covered. She told too much about her life story. This book was supposed to be a self help book not an autobiography.

If I wasn’t so determined to finish the book to mark down that I read another book for this year, I would not have finished it. I highly do not recommend.

[Alyssa Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book based on a quote from it i saw one time. Unfortunately, the entire book is her telling her story, promoting her Instagram and website, telling readers to subscribe to her podcast, promoting a certain essential oil company, and her trying to get you to buy other people's books. By page 56 I was thinking "when will we get to the points? To the useful information?"
Even when she us talking about her own experience she doesn't tell a story well. I also noticed two typos in the book. I feel that the book should have provided useful information rather than repeating, "check out my website to learn how to do X, Y and Z"

[Nina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book felt more like a promotional pitch than a genuine self-help resource. The tone came across as privileged and unrelatable, with comments like, 'You don’t have to be president of a sorority and junior class like I was,' which felt more like bragging than inspiring. There was a heavy focus on promoting the author's Instagram, podcast, and website, which detracted from the content itself. Much of the advice seemed to lack originality, resembling repackaged ideas from other well-known figures like Brené Brown. Overall, the book left me feeling more marketed to than motivated.

[Alexis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a self help book. This book is an AD for DoTerra and an intensely cringe attempt at being “quirky” and “relatable.” I finished it purely because I was hoping at some point there would be even a single nugget of valuable information, and I’m highly unamused to say there was nothing. A huge waste of an audible credit. The first piece of advice you’re given for starting your “journey to find yourself” was to take a selfie with the book and tag the author in an instagram post.

[Tirzah Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three years ago, I immersed myself in this book at a time when I really needed it. It still resonates with me, especially its focus on manifestation and following your calling. I think it played a big part in my spontaneous move to Nashville!

[Erin]

So proud of Jessica, and excited to be included in this book!

[Brittany Christoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. Written like a tween magazine article by a old person trying to act young. Felt like one consistent ad not to mention most of the book wasn’t relatable and gave basic knowledge on things everyone already knows

[allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes but this was a book filled with self-bragging and promotion. I had to put it down many times to give myself a break from the author. It was very informal, would not recommend.

[Brett Tourscher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being in my twenties, this was the perfect book to read! It was really eye opening and made me realize a lot of things about my life!

If you are young and in your twenties, you NEED this novel!

[Julia Moses · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically an undisclosed Doterra ad.

[millie teeple · Rating 1 out of 5]

i should’ve known it was a cringy self help book

[Rachel Steirman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too bad, I don’t walk away with everything but there are some points that I have found I am actually using to help me cope with *your twenties* lol

[Nyla Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing.

[Emily Demars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good insightful book. This book definitely makes you think about life in deeper ways. I felt the first half was really good and the second half felt repetitive. It felt like many things were being said over and over just formed in different ways. I will say this book has helped me understand that your twenties are meant for growth.