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Nowhere for Very Long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life
In this beautifully written, vividly detailed memoir, a young woman chronicles her adventures in an orange van named Bertha traveling across the deserts of the American West and reflects on an unconventional way of life
A woman defined by motion, Brianna Madia bought a beat-up bright orange van, filled it with her two dogs Bucket and Dagwood, and headed into the canyons of Utah with her husband on a journey of discovery. Nowhere for Very Long is her story of exploration--of the world outside and the spirit within. From the backroads to the breakdowns, married to solo, lost to found, it is the chronicle of a woman in the wild, learning and unlearning.
Brianna knew her road would be the one less traveled from an early age. Rejecting the competitive and capitalistic path set out before her, she chose to seek a truer version of happiness, a road scary, uncertain, and entirely her own. But pursing a life of intention isn't always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, lonely, and even desperate----when the van overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of Wyoming highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and the water jugs froze beneath her we she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she faced tough choices, hard truths, and inevitable regrets; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But this life was a life of her choosing and that made all the difference.
Nowhere for Very Long isn't about extreme minimalism or tiny house living or #VanLife. It's about cherishing the moment and being a woman living a life true to herself, come what may.
A woman defined by motion, Brianna Madia bought a beat-up bright orange van, filled it with her two dogs Bucket and Dagwood, and headed into the canyons of Utah with her husband on a journey of discovery. Nowhere for Very Long is her story of exploration--of the world outside and the spirit within. From the backroads to the breakdowns, married to solo, lost to found, it is the chronicle of a woman in the wild, learning and unlearning.
Brianna knew her road would be the one less traveled from an early age. Rejecting the competitive and capitalistic path set out before her, she chose to seek a truer version of happiness, a road scary, uncertain, and entirely her own. But pursing a life of intention isn't always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, lonely, and even desperate----when the van overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of Wyoming highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and the water jugs froze beneath her we she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she faced tough choices, hard truths, and inevitable regrets; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But this life was a life of her choosing and that made all the difference.
Nowhere for Very Long isn't about extreme minimalism or tiny house living or #VanLife. It's about cherishing the moment and being a woman living a life true to herself, come what may.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2022
892 people are currently reading
12099 people want to read
About the author
Brianna Madia
3 books500 followersBrianna Madia has lived a life of relentless intention, traveling the deserts of the American West in an old Ford van. She made a name for herself on social media with her inspiring captions-cum-essays about bravery, identity, nature, and subverting expectations. She lives in Utah with her four dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,723 reviews
September 13, 2023
I've read this book twice in the last week and a half. It is THAT good. Brianna's writing is beautiful, heartfelt, and honest in a way that touched my soul deeply. She doesn't shy away from difficult topics, and her honesty about navigating traumatic experiences and the toll they can take on a person and their relationships is refreshing. I am willing to bet that there isn't a single person alive that hasn't made mistakes when trying to navigate traumatic experiences, and I love that Brianna is so honest about that aspect of it. I especially appreciate how she approaches topics of addiction and marriage/family struggles - her approach is nuanced in a way that doesn't vilify others, and validates her own feelings while acknowledging and giving space for the feelings and perspectives of the other individuals involved. Life is messy and no one is perfect, and Brianna isn't afraid to lean into that reality with the stories she tells here.
What I love the most about this book is that there is no expectation within its pages for how women's stories are supposed to look, or how they should be told. Brianna makes no effort to pack everything into the neat little boxes and filters that are so often expected when women tell their stories. There is nothing here about having a picture perfect life, or always making the right decisions, or keeping everyone comfortable, or always being methodical and well prepared when trying new things. Instead, Brianna gives herself and her stories space to be gloriously messy, heartwarming, impulsive, painful, joyful, wild, and everything in-between. She talks about her strengths, her will, and her determination to create the kind of life that honors what she loves. She also speaks just as honestly of her mistakes and shortcomings. There is a freedom to it all, a delightful space created in this book to show up as we are, and to move forward in creating the kinds of lives we want - without having to wait for ourselves and our plans to be perfect and fit in prescribed boxes before we jump in.
Read this book. Seriously. You won't regret it. I will be reading and rereading this for years to come, hopefully while I'm exploring new places and smiling out the windows of my own giant van filled with dogs and dirt and a wild life of my own ❤️
What I love the most about this book is that there is no expectation within its pages for how women's stories are supposed to look, or how they should be told. Brianna makes no effort to pack everything into the neat little boxes and filters that are so often expected when women tell their stories. There is nothing here about having a picture perfect life, or always making the right decisions, or keeping everyone comfortable, or always being methodical and well prepared when trying new things. Instead, Brianna gives herself and her stories space to be gloriously messy, heartwarming, impulsive, painful, joyful, wild, and everything in-between. She talks about her strengths, her will, and her determination to create the kind of life that honors what she loves. She also speaks just as honestly of her mistakes and shortcomings. There is a freedom to it all, a delightful space created in this book to show up as we are, and to move forward in creating the kinds of lives we want - without having to wait for ourselves and our plans to be perfect and fit in prescribed boxes before we jump in.
Read this book. Seriously. You won't regret it. I will be reading and rereading this for years to come, hopefully while I'm exploring new places and smiling out the windows of my own giant van filled with dogs and dirt and a wild life of my own ❤️
March 9, 2022
Edit: The blinded-by-influencer commenters below will learn they've been fooled. Maybe not now, maybe not for a long time. But the truths of BM will come out. There is hope.
The book hasn't be released yet, and the description is very deceitful for a social media influencer to be described as someone running away from capitalism.
I can't wait to read this, honestly, to compare to the posts she's made. This girl is all about making bank and being on permanent vacation because of donations and... Capitalism.
The book hasn't be released yet, and the description is very deceitful for a social media influencer to be described as someone running away from capitalism.
I can't wait to read this, honestly, to compare to the posts she's made. This girl is all about making bank and being on permanent vacation because of donations and... Capitalism.
March 24, 2022
Nothing about this girls life is unconventional or exciting. She wasn’t even a true van lifer. Renting rooms to store her free people wardrobe and spon con items. Only taking the van out to get pictures for the gram. She is an influencer constantly doing sponsored posts…is this “rejecting the competitive and capitalistic path set out before her?” She is building a house and calls herself a Kardashian lol. The only thing unconventional is that she ran over her dog, profited off it, and lied lied lied. The way she still mistreats her animals (and glorifies it), hides their deaths (her snake and mice), why would anyone give her a book deal?
May 27, 2022
I, for one, am stoked to read this book.
Anyone who hasn’t read it but is purposefully passing negative judgement on a person telling their story can sod off as far as I’m concerned.
Anyone who hasn’t read it but is purposefully passing negative judgement on a person telling their story can sod off as far as I’m concerned.
August 28, 2021
I think people leaving a one star review prior to even reading the book completely speaks for itself. The 'reviews' on here (mine included) clearly come from a personal place.
The negative reviews all repeat the exact same points over and over, and at this point it's just boring. It seems to me that people, in the age of social media and hiding behind screens, tend to forget that even "influencers" are human beings. To be human is to err, and I feel as though Brianna has been incredibly vulnerable and honest about her mistakes, her struggles, and her journey. Who hasn't done things they regret, or that they aren't proud of? The fact that she chooses to share those vulnerabilities with thousands of people, despite knowing that the same type of people who have left these negative reviews are hanging on to every word, is admirable.
I appreciate her writing, and I get lost in her instagram captions. I can't wait to see what the book has in store for us!
The negative reviews all repeat the exact same points over and over, and at this point it's just boring. It seems to me that people, in the age of social media and hiding behind screens, tend to forget that even "influencers" are human beings. To be human is to err, and I feel as though Brianna has been incredibly vulnerable and honest about her mistakes, her struggles, and her journey. Who hasn't done things they regret, or that they aren't proud of? The fact that she chooses to share those vulnerabilities with thousands of people, despite knowing that the same type of people who have left these negative reviews are hanging on to every word, is admirable.
I appreciate her writing, and I get lost in her instagram captions. I can't wait to see what the book has in store for us!
December 8, 2025
Nowhere for Very Long is about the author Brianna Madia's approach to adventure and living a non-conventional life. Madia and her husband purchase a huge orange van that they name Bertha. They spend long weekends traveling and camping with their dogs, Bucket and Dagwood. Then the van becomes their home.
My favorite passage in the book occurred when a therapist told Madia that her "check engine light had been on for six years" and she hadn't taken time to address the hurt after her father left the family.
My favorite passage in the book occurred when a therapist told Madia that her "check engine light had been on for six years" and she hadn't taken time to address the hurt after her father left the family.
April 2, 2022
Brianna Madia is an Instagram Influencer who I followed for a short period of time a few years back. I read her book on recommendation from a friend, who is a huge fan. To be fair, I think if you are a younger person who hasn't ever gone camping or had much experience adventuring alone - you may enjoy this book. And, of course, if you are a Brianna Madia fan, I'm sure you will love this. Otherwise, maybe not so much.
I found parts of her story interesting - but her writing style is something I just can't get into. It feels like years ago she found a formula for writing (cliches, really unnecessary alliteration ("the bleached bones beckoned me back to the barren breath of the desert herself" - paraphrased, of course, but honestly not too far off from actual passages), heavy reliance on repetition, starting every other sentence with "perhaps" / "and so" / "after all") and she is clinging on to it for dear life. As I said, some of the story was interesting but I just couldn't personally get past all the writing crutches and overly flowery language.
I found parts of her story interesting - but her writing style is something I just can't get into. It feels like years ago she found a formula for writing (cliches, really unnecessary alliteration ("the bleached bones beckoned me back to the barren breath of the desert herself" - paraphrased, of course, but honestly not too far off from actual passages), heavy reliance on repetition, starting every other sentence with "perhaps" / "and so" / "after all") and she is clinging on to it for dear life. As I said, some of the story was interesting but I just couldn't personally get past all the writing crutches and overly flowery language.
March 22, 2022
I’ve been following Brianna Madia since just before the Dagwood incident. (If you know Madia, you know what I’m referring to.) Part of what drew me to her are her abilities are a storyteller. Full disclosure – I have been openly critical of how she feeds the social media beast, the dangerous devil-may-care attitude she employs that sometimes puts her dogs in very dangerous situations, and a lifestyle that comes across as more about the likes than the experience. I am critical, but I don’t hate her. There are some folks with a level of hatred that rises well above toxicity into a danger zone; I guess it comes with the influencer territory. When you are reading reviews of her first book, Nowhere for Very Long (HarperOne 2022), I encourage you to keep that in mind and weed out the bullshit.
I requested and received an advanced copy followed by a final version prior to publication. (The pub date is set for 4/5/2022.) And, as critical as I am of her, what drew me to and kept me as a follower is only amplified in the memoir; Madia is an extremely gifted storyteller.
Some minor issues: the memoir flows along chronologically for the most part, but some placements are a bit off – this is more noticeable toward the end where it is apparent a conclusion is being fumbled for. These misplaced sections are jarring and detract from the general feel of the memoir; it’s clear they are important sections, they just don’t really have a home in the work.
Madia is completely detached in some of the sections, especially the section concerning Dagwood’s incident. She writes from what I recognize as a place of self-preservation, one step removed, but it still reads raw.
I was quite impressed with how she handled her ex-husband throughout the work. It’s respectful and delicate. Her memories, even the bad ones, are soaked in the love she had for him – the love they had for each other. They were both Lost Boys; tragedy forced him out of Neverland and her further in.
While the memoir is about Madia’s “unconventional life” and her off the road experiences, it’s more about the internal struggles and workings of her head and heart. The pages are soaked in the darkness of depression. When she recalls a particular memory of taking the family dog with her while searching for her father’s new home so she wouldn’t be tempted to run off the road and kill herself or seeing the picture he kept in his new home of his stepdaughter and fighting back the red-hot heat of anger, the blackness creeps into the pages.
Nowhere for Very Long is about getting lost and finding yourself along the way. It’s about wearing the go-go boots, swimming naked, and getting a third (or fourth) dog. It’s about falling in love and growing apart. It’s about trauma and fear and guilt and shame. It’s about letting go and living. It’s about healing your inner child. It’s about hope.
It tastes like sunbaked earth that leads to a hidden spring that no one knows about but you. It smells like flowers growing wild and untamed. It sounds like howling at the moon.
Read this book.
I requested and received an advanced copy followed by a final version prior to publication. (The pub date is set for 4/5/2022.) And, as critical as I am of her, what drew me to and kept me as a follower is only amplified in the memoir; Madia is an extremely gifted storyteller.
Some minor issues: the memoir flows along chronologically for the most part, but some placements are a bit off – this is more noticeable toward the end where it is apparent a conclusion is being fumbled for. These misplaced sections are jarring and detract from the general feel of the memoir; it’s clear they are important sections, they just don’t really have a home in the work.
Madia is completely detached in some of the sections, especially the section concerning Dagwood’s incident. She writes from what I recognize as a place of self-preservation, one step removed, but it still reads raw.
I was quite impressed with how she handled her ex-husband throughout the work. It’s respectful and delicate. Her memories, even the bad ones, are soaked in the love she had for him – the love they had for each other. They were both Lost Boys; tragedy forced him out of Neverland and her further in.
While the memoir is about Madia’s “unconventional life” and her off the road experiences, it’s more about the internal struggles and workings of her head and heart. The pages are soaked in the darkness of depression. When she recalls a particular memory of taking the family dog with her while searching for her father’s new home so she wouldn’t be tempted to run off the road and kill herself or seeing the picture he kept in his new home of his stepdaughter and fighting back the red-hot heat of anger, the blackness creeps into the pages.
Nowhere for Very Long is about getting lost and finding yourself along the way. It’s about wearing the go-go boots, swimming naked, and getting a third (or fourth) dog. It’s about falling in love and growing apart. It’s about trauma and fear and guilt and shame. It’s about letting go and living. It’s about healing your inner child. It’s about hope.
It tastes like sunbaked earth that leads to a hidden spring that no one knows about but you. It smells like flowers growing wild and untamed. It sounds like howling at the moon.
Read this book.
April 7, 2022
Updating this because I've read it now.
While this book isn't perfect, it is beautiful. Brianna Madia's voice is unique and insightful. She has a wonderful way of describing emotions and scenery, which is what initially drew me to her writing. I can't wait to see where she takes us next.
🧡🧡🧡🧡
This book is at the top of my "most anticipated" list for 2022, and I know I'm not alone. The ability to follow Brianna's story over Instagram for several years has inspired thousands of women to seek out adventure off the beaten path, and I can't wait to see what new tales she has for us in this book.
While this book isn't perfect, it is beautiful. Brianna Madia's voice is unique and insightful. She has a wonderful way of describing emotions and scenery, which is what initially drew me to her writing. I can't wait to see where she takes us next.
🧡🧡🧡🧡
This book is at the top of my "most anticipated" list for 2022, and I know I'm not alone. The ability to follow Brianna's story over Instagram for several years has inspired thousands of women to seek out adventure off the beaten path, and I can't wait to see what new tales she has for us in this book.
October 15, 2021
I'm tired of book deals being given to people who don't have anything interesting or original to say. In addition to this book being written by a woman whose only interesting schtick is the picture prettiness of her very filtered lifestyle, I have to say why would anyone SUPPORT this person? A narcissist, an abusive alcoholic, a reckless animal endangerer, a liar, and more. This woman is not worth an entire book.
Additionally, amplifying this comment because everyone needs to read this:
A privileged, wealthy white woman took her husband's personality and hobbies and projected them as her own in order to profit off of her #vanlife influencer status. She lied about running over her own dog, raised over $100k in donations for his care, and has since gone on a rampage declaring herself "cancelled" after people held her accountable for her reckless behavior, in addition to her dishonesty about not returning donations to those who requested them and refusing to donate the additional money to non-profit organizations.
Since divorcing her husband, Brianna has done nothing but participate joyfully in the capitalist culture she claims to have fought against by purchasing land and a new car, expensive jewelry, going on a month-long vacation to another country during a pandemic, and shilling stickers/whiskey/dog beds to her oblivious followers. Despite loudly proclaiming herself as a 'strong, capable, and independent' woman, Brianna has not done anything remotely outdoorsy as a single woman (unless you count drinking wine by the river). Her backpacking and canyoneering adventures, which gained her many followers to begin with, are far behind her as she stands firmly behind what is now important to her: material possessions.
Brianna has consistently silenced BIPOC on her page, who have asked her to use her platform for causes which would benefit anyone besides herself and asked her to be accountable for harmful things she has said, and for appropriating and disrespecting other cultures while profiting off of the land she claims to love so much. She is, at her core, a B-list Insta-celebrity with an inflated ego who was given a book deal based purely on her social media following and not on her talent as a writer.
Additionally, amplifying this comment because everyone needs to read this:
A privileged, wealthy white woman took her husband's personality and hobbies and projected them as her own in order to profit off of her #vanlife influencer status. She lied about running over her own dog, raised over $100k in donations for his care, and has since gone on a rampage declaring herself "cancelled" after people held her accountable for her reckless behavior, in addition to her dishonesty about not returning donations to those who requested them and refusing to donate the additional money to non-profit organizations.
Since divorcing her husband, Brianna has done nothing but participate joyfully in the capitalist culture she claims to have fought against by purchasing land and a new car, expensive jewelry, going on a month-long vacation to another country during a pandemic, and shilling stickers/whiskey/dog beds to her oblivious followers. Despite loudly proclaiming herself as a 'strong, capable, and independent' woman, Brianna has not done anything remotely outdoorsy as a single woman (unless you count drinking wine by the river). Her backpacking and canyoneering adventures, which gained her many followers to begin with, are far behind her as she stands firmly behind what is now important to her: material possessions.
Brianna has consistently silenced BIPOC on her page, who have asked her to use her platform for causes which would benefit anyone besides herself and asked her to be accountable for harmful things she has said, and for appropriating and disrespecting other cultures while profiting off of the land she claims to love so much. She is, at her core, a B-list Insta-celebrity with an inflated ego who was given a book deal based purely on her social media following and not on her talent as a writer.
April 11, 2022
I felt this memoir was less a telling of the author’s life and more a series of essays she wanted to use as fodder for how desperately she feels she is different. Parts 1 and 2 felt like the quick stories you get when you’re a guest at someone’s house and they force you to sit through their family picture books with stories that really only hold water for them because they experienced it. I never felt like I was given the story she claims she wanted to tell and instead just got snapshots. But I guess with her being fully indoctrinated into what it takes for “Instagram success” that dog tracks..
I think the only bit that felt and read like a memoir was Part 3. But I’m still really stuck on the feelings of how you can tell she’s just begging you to believe and resonate with the feelings that she’s different - and especially more different than you, dear reader. I believe for one’s own light to shine you don’t have to dull others’ and it really feels like Brianna Madia doesn’t know how to let both her light shine and others’ at the same time. She details people who helped her along the way as “crusty” and puts people’s experiences in a mental institution in an ugly light as if she herself didn’t end up there too. She’s so desperately running from the life she’s in - wherever she is at any point - that she shits on whoever is also in those same trenches. It’s truly a sad way to view life and I hope she has a therapist who helps her sort that out and reflect on why she can’t appreciate both herself AND others.
Grammatically, it was tough. The author clearly wrote her memoir in the same fashion she writes her Instagram captions now that I’ve looked and it didn’t translate as well for me in a book format. Perhaps if it was more marketed in the essay fashion it read as, my expectations could have been managed a bit more.
Despite being someone who has dogs, and adventures myself, and is a woman who embarks it all alone, I don’t feel like I’m the target audience here - and that’s okay. It takes all kinds, and I’m sure this is more for her fans and less for those who actually live a comparable life or like to read regularly.
Truly mostly disappointing to read how she spoke of other people, she may enjoy putting herself down - and that’s her own call to do - but it felt ugly the way she wrote about others so inconsiderately to me.
I think the only bit that felt and read like a memoir was Part 3. But I’m still really stuck on the feelings of how you can tell she’s just begging you to believe and resonate with the feelings that she’s different - and especially more different than you, dear reader. I believe for one’s own light to shine you don’t have to dull others’ and it really feels like Brianna Madia doesn’t know how to let both her light shine and others’ at the same time. She details people who helped her along the way as “crusty” and puts people’s experiences in a mental institution in an ugly light as if she herself didn’t end up there too. She’s so desperately running from the life she’s in - wherever she is at any point - that she shits on whoever is also in those same trenches. It’s truly a sad way to view life and I hope she has a therapist who helps her sort that out and reflect on why she can’t appreciate both herself AND others.
Grammatically, it was tough. The author clearly wrote her memoir in the same fashion she writes her Instagram captions now that I’ve looked and it didn’t translate as well for me in a book format. Perhaps if it was more marketed in the essay fashion it read as, my expectations could have been managed a bit more.
Despite being someone who has dogs, and adventures myself, and is a woman who embarks it all alone, I don’t feel like I’m the target audience here - and that’s okay. It takes all kinds, and I’m sure this is more for her fans and less for those who actually live a comparable life or like to read regularly.
Truly mostly disappointing to read how she spoke of other people, she may enjoy putting herself down - and that’s her own call to do - but it felt ugly the way she wrote about others so inconsiderately to me.
April 3, 2022
This was a quick and easy read, and mostly enjoyable in the beginning. I didn’t know her from Instagram so wasn’t aware of some of the controversy I’ve seen other people posting about. She does seem to dedicate a bit of time to explaining herself as it relates to those controversies, which I personally didn’t find interesting to read about, but again that might be because I was never following her social media presence to begin with. Everyone has bills to pay so I can’t blame her for making a book deal, but this book doesn’t stand out particularly from any other stories about people going off on their own. Feels a little like the millennial version of giving a facelift to Eat Pray Love. Reading this is a perfectly enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, but don’t expect the story to really stick with you or leave a lasting impression.
April 9, 2024
Cancel culture is honestly poison. The 1 star comments read like a manifesto of people who have never once made a mistake, never done anything wrong, don’t have any exes who would say a bad word about them, and have never hurt or betrayed a friend in their life. If that’s you - good for you. But that sounds boring and frankly unrealistic. Hurt people do in fact hurt people. Brianna doesn’t owe you her story and her vulnerability. She doesn’t owe you or any stranger online an apology. You are not entitled to the private details of her life just because she has an online persona. Yet here she is writing a book and before you even give it a chance you rip it apart. Truly sad to see. Cancel culture has gotten so out of hand it’s unbelievable. You don’t have to like someone or their work but being so filled with hate over a tragic accident that happened with her dog (whether she was reckless or not… it was an accident) and over her divorce from her husband (every story has two sides and picking sides is silly when you’re a stranger) is absurd. Also if you gave your money to save her dog… her dog was saved. So money well spent.
A real review will come when I actually get my hands on her book. But I’ll be reviewing it based on her writing, the story, and her actual talent not based on the opinions of angry strangers on the internet.
I see a lot of women in the comments too and it really is disappointing to see so many young women resorting to tearing other women down because they dislike and disagree with them. Not agreeing with someone’s choices and beliefs does not mean your cruelty and hatred is okay or right. I highly suggest working on yourselves and doing some research on the psychological damage of cancel culture. Look up Clementine Morrigan or Africa Brooke on IG to start healing yourselves.
UPDATE:
Loved the actual book. I have always thought Madia was a great writer but obviously just following her instagram I only got short form content. The book resonated with me on many levels. I relate to her book a lot having grown up in CT and then going west in a van living out of my car for almost a year.
However, I think her story would be interesting to many. Her love of the natural world is clear. Her love for her dogs is resounding. She evokes the freedom of the west, that open space, and how the untouched and less traveled places in the world can heal our spirit. I recommend it.
A real review will come when I actually get my hands on her book. But I’ll be reviewing it based on her writing, the story, and her actual talent not based on the opinions of angry strangers on the internet.
I see a lot of women in the comments too and it really is disappointing to see so many young women resorting to tearing other women down because they dislike and disagree with them. Not agreeing with someone’s choices and beliefs does not mean your cruelty and hatred is okay or right. I highly suggest working on yourselves and doing some research on the psychological damage of cancel culture. Look up Clementine Morrigan or Africa Brooke on IG to start healing yourselves.
UPDATE:
Loved the actual book. I have always thought Madia was a great writer but obviously just following her instagram I only got short form content. The book resonated with me on many levels. I relate to her book a lot having grown up in CT and then going west in a van living out of my car for almost a year.
However, I think her story would be interesting to many. Her love of the natural world is clear. Her love for her dogs is resounding. She evokes the freedom of the west, that open space, and how the untouched and less traveled places in the world can heal our spirit. I recommend it.
March 30, 2022
Well, I sobbed my way through this entire book, devouring it in just a few days. I've been anxiously awaiting this book's release ever since Brianna first shared the exciting news of the publication. I have followed Brianna's journey for years, so my review may be biased, but her writing is what drew me to her in the first place. She writes with a raw honesty and vulnerability that is both poetic and hauntingly beautiful. Brianna comes across as deeply human, as a woman who has accepted herself for her faults, her mistakes, her regrets, and her charms. The book screams, "Here I am, take me or leave me." She is unapologetically herself, which is something I deeply admire.
Years ago, I found myself in a very dark place. A myriad of tragedies befell my life, and I was in desperate need of a change. It may sound odd to talk about an Instagram stranger inspiring me to make a change, but that's what happened. Brianna's honesty and vulnerability on Instagram, and her encouragement to do the hard, scary, unknown thing is what finally inspired me to leave my miserable graduate program in pursuit of a writing career. I recently earned my MFA in creative nonfiction writing, and I have her to thank for it. The words we see on her Instagram are only a fraction of the beautiful writing that is found in the pages of this book. The raw, honest, vulnerable, unapologetic words of a woman who has come to know herself, to be brave, to wade through heartbreak and tragedy, to walk into the unknown, and to come out the other side with her head held high. She is a role model for women everywhere, women who set off in search of an unconventional life. This book will have a permanent spot on my shelf.
Years ago, I found myself in a very dark place. A myriad of tragedies befell my life, and I was in desperate need of a change. It may sound odd to talk about an Instagram stranger inspiring me to make a change, but that's what happened. Brianna's honesty and vulnerability on Instagram, and her encouragement to do the hard, scary, unknown thing is what finally inspired me to leave my miserable graduate program in pursuit of a writing career. I recently earned my MFA in creative nonfiction writing, and I have her to thank for it. The words we see on her Instagram are only a fraction of the beautiful writing that is found in the pages of this book. The raw, honest, vulnerable, unapologetic words of a woman who has come to know herself, to be brave, to wade through heartbreak and tragedy, to walk into the unknown, and to come out the other side with her head held high. She is a role model for women everywhere, women who set off in search of an unconventional life. This book will have a permanent spot on my shelf.
March 13, 2022
I received an ARC preview of this book and I simply won’t be recommending it. The book reads like social media posts mashed together without any sort of thought. Typos, run on sentences, saturated dramatization… the writing simply is not what most would consider passable. The style of writing attempts to mimic the genre of prose that has become popular via “influencers” trying their hand at writing by trying to recreate what is attractive (Rupi Kapur and John Green have affected contemporary writers in this way) and it unfortunately lacks any sort of originality. Pairing unfortunate composition with tired subject matter makes this a book you can miss.
This is simply another book written by an influencer. Keep expectations low if you choose to read, I think that was my mistake.
(If you are looking for a review of the author, this is not it. This is a review of the book.)
This is simply another book written by an influencer. Keep expectations low if you choose to read, I think that was my mistake.
(If you are looking for a review of the author, this is not it. This is a review of the book.)
November 18, 2021
This memoir is raw and emotional, perfect for fans of Sheryl Strayed’s “Wild,” Carrot Quinn’s “Sunset Route,” Carolyn Highland’s “Out Here,” or Cheryl Diamond’s “Nowhere Girl.” Brianna leans into the realities of van life and is frank with her mental health struggles, but it’s written often with a lovely lyrical quality that put you right in the desert with her dogs that make you understand the appeal of solo desert living.
October 15, 2021
Would be excited to read this if it weren't for how problematic and deceitful the author is.
Want to read
October 6, 2021Haven't read this but planning to... just wanted to balance out the rating since there are some seriously jealous haters out there panning this book before it even gets released. Get off the gram and live a little, people. Or go write your own memoir maybe? Yeesh.
December 1, 2021
I was very excited to have had the opportunity to read and review this book. The premise and story line are "right up my alley" for lack of a better explanation. Van life has always fascinated me.
As I started reading I was immediately immersed in this grandeur, if not really reckless, journey with Brianna.
Here's where it took a turn -
Upon reading about some of the places she was exploring at the time, I started googling. Surprisingly, Brianna's book came up and so did a lot of negative reviews. Curiosity got the better of me and as I dove down the rabbit hole, I discovered that Brianna is a huge Instagram influencer and currently has her own website with merchandise available for purchase. Then came the horrible reviews (which she does discuss later in the book, but at the time I wasn't there yet...) and the accusations that much of what she was writing in the book was false.
Having never seen her instagram or website before, I decided NOT to investigate that portion of her life until after I finished the book. So...I kept reading.
As the pages kept turning though, I couldn't help but get the sense that a lot of the writing became more and more sketchy. Almost flighty and absurd - for it to be considered real; fake if you will. The writing stopped feeling genuine.
After finishing the book yesterday, I decided to take the time before reviewing to go into the Instagram world and her website to see just what people were so hateful for.
And - well - I get it. I don't agree with the hateful comments or the personal attacks, but I can see where others ARE upset.
In her book she talks about being a genuine person and not needing validation from others, and yet she is a social media influencer. She talks of feeling like a failure in the wake of an accident with her dog, but there's untruths and discrepancies between the book and her posts on Instagram. Ultimately, after diving in and doing my research - I felt deceived.
Does she travel with her three dogs in a van? Yes. Does she go on these crazy hike and adventures - possibly. But the drama, the excitement, the crazy mishaps..? Feel fake.
I suggest that if you're going to plan on reading this, do so and then do your research on the Author after. Make a judgement call on your own!
As I started reading I was immediately immersed in this grandeur, if not really reckless, journey with Brianna.
Here's where it took a turn -
Upon reading about some of the places she was exploring at the time, I started googling. Surprisingly, Brianna's book came up and so did a lot of negative reviews. Curiosity got the better of me and as I dove down the rabbit hole, I discovered that Brianna is a huge Instagram influencer and currently has her own website with merchandise available for purchase. Then came the horrible reviews (which she does discuss later in the book, but at the time I wasn't there yet...) and the accusations that much of what she was writing in the book was false.
Having never seen her instagram or website before, I decided NOT to investigate that portion of her life until after I finished the book. So...I kept reading.
As the pages kept turning though, I couldn't help but get the sense that a lot of the writing became more and more sketchy. Almost flighty and absurd - for it to be considered real; fake if you will. The writing stopped feeling genuine.
After finishing the book yesterday, I decided to take the time before reviewing to go into the Instagram world and her website to see just what people were so hateful for.
And - well - I get it. I don't agree with the hateful comments or the personal attacks, but I can see where others ARE upset.
In her book she talks about being a genuine person and not needing validation from others, and yet she is a social media influencer. She talks of feeling like a failure in the wake of an accident with her dog, but there's untruths and discrepancies between the book and her posts on Instagram. Ultimately, after diving in and doing my research - I felt deceived.
Does she travel with her three dogs in a van? Yes. Does she go on these crazy hike and adventures - possibly. But the drama, the excitement, the crazy mishaps..? Feel fake.
I suggest that if you're going to plan on reading this, do so and then do your research on the Author after. Make a judgement call on your own!
April 3, 2022
I have kept up and followed Brianna’s life via social media for many years. Like a lot of us the bright orange van and the carefree aunt that lives inside it has been a constant inspiration. I even drove out from Washington state to the Utah dessert in 2019 at the fresh age of 21 to see the marvel of the red/orange desert to see exactly what she was talking about with my own eyes.
This book is a page turner, I cried through part 2 and 3. This book is so beautifully written. Brianna is such a special story teller, I blazed through her book.
Brianna tells her stories from a grounded perspective, she is not the out of touch influencer that some people try to make her out to be. She recounts her experiences from a fresh lens that only time can bring. We are usually all able to look back on our life, our mistakes or shortcomings or terrifying moments and reflect, learn and move forward with the lessons we’ve learnt. Brianna doesn’t just tell you that she learned from her mistakes, she tells you how she makes the mistakes again but better. But when you look back, maybe they weren’t mistakes after all.
Thank you Brianna and I can’t wait for your next book.
This book is a page turner, I cried through part 2 and 3. This book is so beautifully written. Brianna is such a special story teller, I blazed through her book.
Brianna tells her stories from a grounded perspective, she is not the out of touch influencer that some people try to make her out to be. She recounts her experiences from a fresh lens that only time can bring. We are usually all able to look back on our life, our mistakes or shortcomings or terrifying moments and reflect, learn and move forward with the lessons we’ve learnt. Brianna doesn’t just tell you that she learned from her mistakes, she tells you how she makes the mistakes again but better. But when you look back, maybe they weren’t mistakes after all.
Thank you Brianna and I can’t wait for your next book.
November 20, 2021
I had never heard of the author at the time I requested this book, but did some research before I started reading it and learned she's a controversial Instagram figure with many people strongly opposing and supporting her. I probably wouldn't have requested the book had I known of the issues even though I'm no fan of the mainstream U.S. lifestyle.
I'm not going to guess at what's true, but I'll say the book's explanation of the biggest issue is at least plausible. Overall, the quality of the writing was better than I expected, but I found much of the subject matter uninteresting. I wanted more dogs and hiking, and less broken home.
I'm not going to guess at what's true, but I'll say the book's explanation of the biggest issue is at least plausible. Overall, the quality of the writing was better than I expected, but I found much of the subject matter uninteresting. I wanted more dogs and hiking, and less broken home.
April 4, 2022
I got this from my local book store a few days before it was “officially” released. I COULD NOT put it down.
Brianna is a very controversial and polarizing figure and I hope that people decide to put that aside and read this from a place of understanding, curiosity and compassion. What I read in this book is Brianna is a young woman who has hard her heart broken many times in her life. Sometimes by parents, husbands and even when tragedy struck her beloved dog, Dagwood. She is a young woman learning to navigate pain, loss and challenge. Like we all are trying to do. And she makes a lot of mistakes along the way. Just like we all do. Only she is brave enough to face the world and plaster those mistakes in public spaces where people have been incredibly cruel to her for being honest in this way.
And she does it all in a van with her dogs. The beautiful descriptions of the scenery nearly put you there and watching how she describes the outside world while trying to navigate the inside one, helps you see the world through her eyes.
On the other side of these reviews, and on the other side of that book is a human. A human person with thoughts, feelings and emotions she just cut herself open to lay out on these pages for all of us. (And it reads that way! So raw and so beautiful!)
So please read with kind eyes and review with gentleness. The book was incredible and I couldn’t put it down. It is the only book I have ever started and finished in the same day. But it was not for the faint of heart as there was real pain and real sorrow on those pages and i wept and wept for hours even after putting the book on the shelf.
Brianna is a very controversial and polarizing figure and I hope that people decide to put that aside and read this from a place of understanding, curiosity and compassion. What I read in this book is Brianna is a young woman who has hard her heart broken many times in her life. Sometimes by parents, husbands and even when tragedy struck her beloved dog, Dagwood. She is a young woman learning to navigate pain, loss and challenge. Like we all are trying to do. And she makes a lot of mistakes along the way. Just like we all do. Only she is brave enough to face the world and plaster those mistakes in public spaces where people have been incredibly cruel to her for being honest in this way.
And she does it all in a van with her dogs. The beautiful descriptions of the scenery nearly put you there and watching how she describes the outside world while trying to navigate the inside one, helps you see the world through her eyes.
On the other side of these reviews, and on the other side of that book is a human. A human person with thoughts, feelings and emotions she just cut herself open to lay out on these pages for all of us. (And it reads that way! So raw and so beautiful!)
So please read with kind eyes and review with gentleness. The book was incredible and I couldn’t put it down. It is the only book I have ever started and finished in the same day. But it was not for the faint of heart as there was real pain and real sorrow on those pages and i wept and wept for hours even after putting the book on the shelf.
December 1, 2022
This book is so much more than a story about a girl living van life. I normally don’t like memoirs or biography style books but this reads much more like a story. I couldn’t put it down.
Brianna wrote this beautifully and filled the pages with stories that will make you laugh and make you cry and inspire inspire you all at the same time.
I would implore anyone reading this to ignore the myriad of keyboard warriors who flooded this page with bad reviews months before the book came out just because they have nothing better to do than hate someone they know nothing about.
Brianna wrote this beautifully and filled the pages with stories that will make you laugh and make you cry and inspire inspire you all at the same time.
I would implore anyone reading this to ignore the myriad of keyboard warriors who flooded this page with bad reviews months before the book came out just because they have nothing better to do than hate someone they know nothing about.
April 3, 2022
I devoured this. Not only do I feel so fortunate to have watched the past few years of this story unfold on social media before it was published, but Bri has a way with words that makes me feel like I was right there with her. This book made me ache for Utah, lost love, the parent who did their best and still wasn’t enough, and my own wounded inner child. Bri’s story is both special and relatable, and as a single almost 30 year old woman, it gives me hope on my own complicated journey with self love and independence. I also had Bertha’s road songs playing almost the whole time I read it🧡
April 5, 2022
Madia’s raw story overwhelmed me with tears, laughter, fear, hope, and joy. I could picture the tiny squares and fragments of the story that I’ve watched unfold over the years. This time it was different, there was no image of false happiness for Madia to worry about up-keeping, her own emotions of fear, trauma, and triumph were front and center. Her beautiful words continue to stick with me as my own dogs lick the tears from my face, and remind me of the simplicity of life when I too, drove west in an unconventional vehicle. A reminder that while my small town changes around me and I don’t recognize the faces I used to, the landscapes remain unchanged for generations to come, and that’s enough 🙏🤎
April 1, 2022
Amazing. Beautifully written by an amazing human. I read in 2 days and it is the type of book that makes you ponder what more you can do with your life. It makes you want to step outside the society box we are all in and live life on your own terms. It’s just SO good and now I’m sad I read it so fast because that means its over and I just want more!
April 5, 2022
Brianna has a way with words. She shares her story full of life lessons, trials and triumph, heart break and loss. Even though my life has been nothing like hers, I could relate to so many things she has to say.
April 3, 2022
Briana’s ability to weave words, to tell stories, and to be so raw is incomprehensible. This is a story of pain, of love, of being human. Thank you for sharing you life.
December 16, 2021
I’m sure this will be explained in her book but Brianna clearly has a cult following of haters that literally have nothing better to do with their own lives besides try to sabotage hers. Giving her book a bad review when it’s not even available to read yet? Welp can’t wait to laugh and I’m sure cry while reading this book of such a wild spirited woman and her trustee group of dogs. You go girl. You did it.. and you never let these obsessed haters win. Can’t wait to read!!!
did-not-finish
April 24, 2023Based on the book’s description, I thought it would be very boring, but it had high praise, so I gave it a shot. My instincts were right—it was very boring. I quit at 10 percent. It is fairly well written, but I am not the right audience for this.
*Reader’s Choice Nominee Spring 2023*
*Reader’s Choice Nominee Spring 2023*
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