A raw, honest, and revealing co-memoir by Brie and Nikki Bella: twin sisters, WWE Hall of Fame inductees, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and stars of the hit E! shows Total Bellas and Total Divas.
As twins, the Bellas have always competed. Legend has it that Nikki drop-kicked Brie in the womb so that she could make her grand entrance first. But the rest of the world often treated them as identical and even interchangeable, so they decided to do something about it.
In WWE, the Bellas accomplished so much together: bringing in young girls and women while building the Bella Army, helping the transition of female performers from Divas to Superstars, starring in Total Divas and Total Bellas, and founding companies like Birdiebee, Nicole + Brizee Beauty, and Bonita Bonita Wine.
Though their early journey began with loss, abuse, and plenty of rough times, these challenges “shined the diamond.” They resolved to be survivors and the heroes of their own stories, and to take control and responsibility for their lives. Eventually, they would come to show girls everywhere that they can do anything.
The Bellas may be identical twins—but as individuals, they have proven themselves Incomparable.
A very good book. I knew a book was good when i could not wait to read the next chapter as soon as i finished the last one. Before, I knew I was halfway through the book. I am not crazy about the format of having each sister writing a paragraph in their own words. Though this is to be expected with two authors. Each lady has their own voice and writing style. Here is an example of the differences Bri has no problem naming men in her life, Nikki prefers to keep them anonymous. Though wrestling and reality fans who the are.
The Bellas come across as happy go lucky,but hides years of abuse, pain, and struggle. Even though they have different personalities, and take different routes in life the seem to end up together, and are stronger for it, but that does not mean they can't stand on their own or stand up for themselves.
The Bellas set the tone of the book right from the introduction, though they have been through and horrible, and they refuse to be victims. Where there is pain and hurt the find the strength to overcome. They take every opportunity and make their own luck through hard work.
Though being twins got their foot in the door on wrestling, they drop kicked the door right off hinges. They made it to the top of one of the most male dominated industries leading and army behind them.
There is a great message in this book about the Bellas trying to teach others from their mistakes or pass on knowledge that they did not have at the time to women in the same situations. The book covers horrible situations and awesome highs it is a great journey and a brutally honest look at their lives. The lessons learned and passed on. They are still learning themselves.
As a fan of WWE and a fan of the Bella Twins, it was really nice to read something so personal and inspiring from Brie and Nikki. I have always respected these two women and I admire their strength and drive in life. I read things that I never knew happened in their life/careers and I feel they did a good job with their ability to tell it all in this book. The writing style was different though because each chapter had sections where they would take turns to tell their story (if that makes sense), so because of that it was slightly choppy. Overall though it was easy to read yet also really engaging and it made me admire them even more.
For the record, I'm not a fan of the Bella Twins. As wrestlers, they aren't as good as I thought but they trained hard to keep up. I'd like to commend them for that and it takes guts to share their story pre and post WWE in this biography. Their career in WWE started when I lost my interest in wrestling. I'm more of an "Attitude Era" fan where women kicked ass. The PG era makes everything limited and the screen time for female wrestlers got devastatingly short.
Nikki and Brie had a rough journey and both are workhorses to have a better life. They talked about grief, abuse, trauma and toxic relationships. I love they embraced their flaws and body positivity. There are things I agree and disagree on.
I agree: The women's royal rumble was forgotten because of Ronda Rousey's debut. WWE should've pushed that back. It's better she debut on Wrestlemania.
I disagree: they started the revolution. Nope. The Women of NXT, specifically The Four Horsewomen -- Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Becky Lynch paved way that it's time to bring back the women's wrestling. I'm not discrediting their efforts as sports entertainers. It may hurt their feelings but it's true. The 4HW got me watch wrestling again. It's like this is the era I was looking for.
I wished the timeline of this biography is in chronological order. It's disorganized and there are times it's confusing. Also, don't expect tea about John Cena. You can't see him here. It's good Nikki omitted him. LOL. Overall, it's good and I enjoyed Brie's perspective more than Nikki.
We're reading Brie and Nikki Bella's book Incomparable for the Bad Bitch Book Club's celebrity memoir discussion group, and I've got to say: If not for co-host Jamie picking this out as one of her selections, I would've never read it.
Aside from knowing that the Bella twins were WWE wrestlers with a reality TV show, I didn't have any other context to their lives going into this book, and WHEW, it's a doozy. Their childhoods and adolescent years were incredibly difficult and traumatic, and I appreciated how much they opened up not just about their triumphs but about their mistakes too. It's interesting watching them unpack their lives after they've no doubt had years of therapy to work through it all, and many of their ruminations on love—especially young love—were particularly poignant.
The layout of the book was odd (it jumped around a ton) which was a tad confusing, and often they did more telling instead of showing, but this was a speedy book to get through and one I thoroughly enjoyed. If you're looking for a rogue memoir by celebrities you don't know that well, this is definitely one I'd recommend.
Content warning: Sexual assault, domestic violence, racism, misogyny, death
I HATE rating a book about people's lives so this is NOT about their lives, this rating is pure basic on the execution of their book and the WWE stuff.
First of all, wow for sharing all the traumatic and intimate stuff about their lives. It was really nice for them to open up about their struggles with sexual abuse, sexuality, alcohol abuse, physical abuse and time on the WWE.
But....these girls are some got damn revisionists when it came to the WWE. They came across as very entitled, their stories don't match up with what really happened and they played the victim. EVERYONE DOESN'T HATE YOU. Constantly saying how you take the high road is still playing the victim. The whole section about the AJ pipebomb clearly shows these girls don't understand the wrestling business. They were never viewed as leaders in the locker room, none of the girls like them for how they down other women who had to be valets and go through the Attitude Era because they come across as being above that. The Bellas were NEVER admired for their wrestling ability. Did they improve in the ring? Damn right, but no one was clamoring to see them wrestle.
Also, the fact they didn't name names is fine but if you're going to talk shit about someone have that same energy and name names. AJ Lee, Dolph Ziggler...ect.
It was very hard to get into this book because the writing is very jarring in how basic it is. I would compare it to elementary-style. It seriously needed editing because it just didn't flow. The book read like it was told in random vignettes without any cohesion and it was hard to follow. I listened to the audiobook and read along, it was cringe-worthy on both formats.
The wrestling and the personal stories told felt very rushed and it hard for me to connect emotionally. It came off like a document. Getting raped TWICE, facing racism and having your best friend die at 17 should have an impact on the reader but because of the editing and wonky storytelling it wasn't there. I found myself having to re-read parts in order to get that impact.
Aside from the rapes, the abuse and death of Bear, the book was rather forgettable. I did appreciate what was said about Daniel Bryan and the possibility of him having CTE and how that lead to depression. The fear of alcohol and his childhood abuse coupled with Brie's abuse really made an impact.
Unfortunately, other than that the book was forgettable not because of their lives being boring but once again because of the editing. I read this in less than 24 hours and the book hasn't been able to stay with me. I'm unable to feel much emotion. It doesn't have that lasting impact like Foley and The Rock's books.
If you're a fan of the Bella Twins, whether it be through their reality show, their WWE career, their businesses, or podcast, you'll enjoy this deep dive into their lives from the very beginning. They both open up about incredibly difficult topics, like the life loss of a boyfriend, and even sexual assault. One can't help but feel empathy for all these women have gone through. It's incredible and inspiring they've come so far and accomplished so much despite so many curve balls—leaving them as great role models for those who need it.
I enjoyed it. It's simple and they have lot of life experience and advice. Mainly liked when they talked about their wrestling and genuinely I don't know why I didn't read this earlier. Was a very big fan when I was younger (still am but definitely went through a phase) so it was nice to hear about them. I hope they do another later on with more updated stuff as this was a little while back. That's all..
I was so excited to read Nikki and Brie’s book. I’m a huge WWE fan and love supporting them. However, this book was a major disappointment. Apart from TWO small parts that really delve into detail, the entire story is barely scratching the surface. The timeline flip flops back and forth and is super hard to follow. They mention things in parts of the book that have already been discussed as if we hadn’t read it before. It’s put together sloppy and in an order that makes zero sense. It honestly felt like reading just the answer side of an interview.
I did enjoy hearing about Brie and Bryan’s relationship and a few other things I didn’t know.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love my Bella’s! I was so excited for this book to come out, to learn more about the women who have inspired me, and it didn’t disappoint!! I definitely learned more about both Nikki and Brie than I knew before reading this book! It’s a super quick read too which was nice. The only downside was that some of the stuff in the book I already knew because I am such a big fan of them both!
Incomparable wildly exceeded my expectations - pleasantly surprised by how raw and emotional this was. When I hear or see "Bella Twins book", I expect it to be a whole lot of nothing, but both Brie and Nikki dive deep into abuse, the tragic deaths of loved ones, and career hardships. Both Brie and Nikki's writing style is surprisingly great, and Brie's in particular reminds me a lot of her husband Daniel Bryan's book released a few years before. Gained a lot more appreciation and respect for the Bellas after finishing this.
I don't normally rate memoirs, so I won't be giving it a star rating. With that being said I found this book to be so interesting as I have been a huge fan of the Bella Twins for years now. I never knew any of this stuff happened to them, so some of it was really shocking.
I loved the way this book was set up. One story from Nikki than one from Brie. It alternated the whole book and they would tell their own experience in that situation, which I really loved.
I’m not a wrestling fan but this book was recommended by the podcast Celebrity Memoir Bookclub so I gave it a try. It was a really well written memoir, sharing their story and significant moments in their life in a reflective way. I liked that they owned their mistakes and didn’t want to present themselves as victims. I didn’t love how the last chapter was essentially a commercial for their businesses, it seemed out of place.
A fun memoir about sisters going through all stages of life together, ups and downs and even body slams if you’re a Bella twin. Having a sister who I’m so close with is one of the most special things in the world, so I relate a ton with these ladies.
2.5 Stars. I like the Bella twins from watching them on Total Divas and then Total Bellas. I was interested in reading more about them. This was just a mediocre and limited look into their lives. There wasn't much deep diving going on. The book jumped around and didn't follow any specific timeline. All of the stuff they talked about was pretty surface level and they glossed over a lot of serious stuff. They have been through some traumatic things in life and are so very strong to have not only made it through but have done so with grace and perseverance. Unfortunately, even the discussion of these traumatic events was so matter of fact that it didn't elicit an emotional response from me as the reader/listener. I think maybe a different editor could have helped more, especially when they mentioned some of the same moments a few different times throughout. I feel like most of the book was stuff that people who have been watching their shows for years already know, so there was only a small amount of new stuff, mostly surrounding their traumas. I guess I was just hoping for more or maybe even just more info with the stuff they put in the book. I really liked how pro woman and feminist they are and how they fight to get women they same rights as men. I am kind of on the fence about how they seemed pretty full of themselves and not humble at all, but with all they have accomplished, they have certainly earned bragging rights. I wasn't super fond of theid brand promotion at the end of the book but I guess if you have the platform, you may as well take advantage of it.
As far as the narration goes, at first, I wasn't thrilled to see that Nikki and Brie didn't narrate the books themselves. Then I heard their intro that they read themselves and I totally understood. They are great at many things, but reading audiobooks isn't their strongest area. I was very thankful when the other narrators took over. That might be something to consider if people listen to the sample and hear the twins and decide against it. You may want to try it anyway.
The Bella Twins were always my favourite WWE Divas as I was growing up and I was obsessed with watching Total Divas and Total Bellas. Due to following them for so many years, I already felt like I knew a lot about their lives, however this added so much more depth and layers to their story.
This memoir was emotional, empowering and insanely raw and honest, with both women revealing aspects of their lives that only their therapists knew before this.
This memoir shows how genuine and kindhearted both of these women are and that, despite their insanely difficult upbringing and life experiences, they persevered with constant hard work and determination to reach where they are in their careers and with their businesses. I am constantly in awe of their strength and resilience and applaud all they have done, and continue to do, with fighting for better and more equal opportunities for future female wrestlers in the male dominated industry.
I was so excited to read this book. I was never a fan of wrestling (still am not really), but watched Total Divas and now Total Bellas. I enjoyed this book, but I was hugely disappointed that there was zero mention of Artem anywhere in the book. Nikki didn't even delve into her time on Dancing with the Stars which I would have loved to read about. I found that odd. I understand they may have started writing the book as she and Artem were beginning dating, but still, you think there would at least be one mention of him.
Then the way she talked about "her ex" was all piny and seemed like either she wasn't over him or hoped they would get back together in the future. Just my opinion, but he seemed to treat her like dirt and was super controlling. On top of that he had "editing rights"on the chapter about him, which seems even weirder. I understand putting a picture of him in the book (there were actually two), but why not add one of her and Artem? At least from when she was on Dancing with the Stars.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox. I enjoyed the book, but have to admit... if I had seen or realized before it would be so pro Cena and no mention of her current relationship I honestly wouldn't have bought it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I love the Bella Twins. When I started watching wrestling a few years back, they were unfortunately nearing the end of their careers. But that didn’t stop me from going back and watching their older marches on the network and of course older episodes of Total Divas. If you’re a Bella Army member, then you will love this book. We get so many more stories than what they’ve already shared. I’ve always have been really impressed on how open they choose to be with their fans, and this book goes even deeper into their lives. They are also really vocal about women working together rather than against each other, which goes to their experience at the WWE. Brie and Nikki are both so much bigger than their wrestling personas, and their book really shows why they’ve been able to create successful careers after WWE. Definitely pick up if you’re a fan!
(One note about the audiobook, they only read the intro and outro and have other narrators for the chapters. I really wish they had been the ones to read the book, but I also understand why some authors choose to have different narrators. That’s really my only complaint about the book.)
I’d give this book a 3.5 stars. I decided to read it because it was one of the “Available Now” books on Libby and I figured I’d give it a shot. I know pretty much nothing about WWE, but I have seen episodes of Total Divas and Total Bellas so I knew some basics of Nikki and Brie’s lives. It was interesting to learn more about their life stories and how they rose to fame, and it was an easy read. I didn’t like how they kept talking about “victimhood” - talking about how their rough life experiences didn’t make them victims and how the overcame that while also occasionally pointing fingers at other people who made their lives difficult (they didn’t name names but did refer to other women in the industry). Something about it just rubbed me the wrong way. The writing was also very, very basic, and grammatically incorrect at times, which drives me a little crazy. Overall, not a bad book, but I don’t know that I’d rush to recommend it either.
The pros: The Bellas are pull no punches, within reason. While you won’t find names dropped or gossip for the sake of gossip, they do not shy away from the grit and determination that has brought them to the peak of stardom amongst the wrestling world. The book also breezes by - in no time I was already 3/4th of the way finished.
The cons: It feels incomplete. The scattershot layout of the stories rather than a more linear telling makes the narrative a bit confusing. Also, Brie’s chapters/sections feel stronger and more like she drove the crux of the memoir. It also feels dated, even a short 5 years removed from initial publication.
The minor nitpick: I hated that they didn’t narrate the audiobook themselves. The women tasked did a job, but not necessarily good or bad. Though the mispronunciation of several wrestler’s names shows this as a job and not something connected to the authors at all, which feels a disservice to fans and the Bellas themselves.
I've been watching wwe since i was a kid and i still remember when the bellas made their debut as if it was just yesterday. i know a lot about them and i have never been their huge fan tbh. this book was pretty decent, i felt like some stories were very rushed and some stories seemed faked, for instance, when Nikki said that people were mad when they thought she lost the title to Paige at MITB is so untrue, people were actually happy as hell when they thought Paige won the match. she also claimed that at the first ever Women's PPV, half of the crowd had their signs and half of the crowd were the Bellas' army which is nothing but lies. no one cared about them, in fact, people were mad af when wwe chose her to be in the main event and her match with Ronda was pretty forgettable, the only match that the crowd cared about and still talk about was Becky vs Charlotte, that match stole the show.
I hate the way they kept praising themselves lol and the chapter in which they talked about Aj lee's segment clearly shows these girls don't understand the wrestling business. it's funny that Nikki said Aj tried to make the crowd excited but failed which is so untrue btw, Aj lee's segment was and still is famous, people totally adored Aj for speaking her mind. Nikki said brie told AJ that she can have her jealousy and i'm here like, girl, what jealousy? Aj was offered to join TDS not once but twice and she refused, so i'm not really sure what she meant with "you can have your jealousy" ... it seems to me that they really don't like Aj lee for whatever reason.
Those who love the Bella twins but don't know anything about WWE, let me tell you something, The Bellas were NEVER admired for their wrestling ability. not saying they were terrible, they were pretty average and they were never admired for their mic skills either.
I really enjoyed the bear chapter, it was very emotional. i felt so terrible for Brie. i gained so much respect for her. thank you, Brie for sharing that. i also enjoyed reading about her relationship with Bryan.. i honestly enjoyed Brie's stories more than Nikki's.
I was kinda disappointed with Nikki... i was dying to know the reason why she left Cena but the reason she gave in this book really made no sense to me.. I also wanted to know more of why she gave up on soccer, why she chose wrestling over something she admire a lot..
I really love Total Divas and now The Bellas. I do not like wrestling fake or real. I just like these girls and thier personalities! They are so fun and just seem to enjoy life. This memoir really surprised me with all the awful things that happened to them as kids. I can understand now, why their mother was so upset after reading the book. The writing is not great, but very authentic. If you watch the show, you will know they really are kinda ditzy when they talk and yet still very smart business women! Overall, I respect how they have made themselves a success, they have found happiness and will be enjoying motherhood! Can't wait to see more about them and props for sharing intimate details of the past.
3.5 stars. I LOVE the Bella Twins which might have been why this didn’t get a higher rating. I knew a lot of the “tea” that was mentioned in the book because I’ve watched their shows, listen to their podcast, and have a husband who loves WWE. I loved hearing more about their feelings during everything that happened and around their home life growing up which really had not been broadcasted until this book. I also struggled with some of how it was written. The switching between the twins was easy to read; my issue was with how I felt it had a lot of repetitive details on the same topic and then certain parts were glazed over. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and love how much they tied women empowerment as a main theme!
I hate the idea of rating the story of someone’s life (or lives, in this case). Maybe it’s because I so rarely read anything that isn’t fiction. I love their shows, though, so I wanted to read this. (I will admit that I don’t want any actual wrestling, ha! Just their reality shows.) I give it 5 stars for vulnerability & openness. They held nothing back & shared the untold story of their difficult childhood. Their journey to success & where they are now wasn’t easy. I had no idea the things they battled and conquered. I loved reading it, because you can truly hear their voices as it’s told. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because it seemed to hop/jump in concepts. The flow of it needed a little editing. All in all, an enjoyable & quick, easy read!
This is an amazing story from two of the most inspiring women. They have shown true inspiration in the world of WWE and it the world after wrestling. It was a great read. It was truly insightful and a powerful story of redemption from a shitty past. I definitely love this book and would recommend the book to everyone to read. Brie and Nikki are names that the world will remember with their fight for women to be the powerful, radiant women they believe we should be. Thank you Brie & Nikki for the look into your lives and for not being afraid to share it. Amazing book!!
This book was a lot more interesting then I originally thought it would be. It is amazing to read about the trauma, short comings, fight or flight moments that the twins have endured over the years and not only see but read about how they have overcame it. It’s interesting to read about the hazing that they have endured being on WWE as new comers trying to make their mark, but also the sexual assault that Nikki faced. It highlights how strong both of them are and how resilient they are to bounce back and not be a victim of their circumstances but fly above it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.