[Books] Lily Collins - Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me.

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About the book

Title: Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me. | Author: Lily Collins | 
Publisher: HarperCollins | 

Price: 18,99$ | Genre: Memoir, Autobiography | Type: Hardcover | Pages: 199 | 

ISBN: 978-0-06-247301-1 | Publication date: 2017 | 

Buy as Book, EBook or  Audio book 

Opening up can be scary. We worry that no one can relate to us or understand our problems. We worr that our struggles define us and that our quirks make us weird. But believe me: if you open up and let go, the only thing you´ll feel is free. Using our voices allows us to connect with one another and realize we´re never alone. We are encouraged, inspired, and supported. The sooner we accept our stories for all that they are and the sooner we let go of the shame, regrets, and fear surrounding our experiences - the sooner we can live, love and be loved.

First sentence

"I used to be extremely insecure about my eyebrows."

Author

"Entertainment has been a big part of Lily Collins´s life since her childhood. In 2009, Lily made her film debut in the Academy Award-nominated film The Blind Side, and in 2016, she was nominated for a gGolden Globe for her perfomance in Warren Beatty´s Rules Don´t Apply. Her other projects include the films Mirror Mirror; The English Teacher; Stuck in Love; The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; Love, Rosie; To The Bone; Okja; and Halo of Stars, as well as the TV series The Last Tycoon. Lily also has a passion for journalism, which she discovered at the age of fifteen while working for Elle Girl UK. Later, she reported on the 2008 presidential election for Nickelodeon, covered the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in a Seventeen magazine blog, and was a contributing editor for CosmoGirl and the Los Angeles Times MAgazine. Lily has always strived to empower young people to use their voices, starting in high school, where she trained to be a teen therapist. Within the last few years, she has taken part in national events focused on encouraging today´s youth to stand together and speak out. This is Lily´s debut book."

Cover and title

The cover shows Lily Collins in jeans and white blouse. The photography is really nice and fits perfectly, as well as the title. 

My Thoughts

Lily Collins is not just the daughter of Phil Collins, she is a great actress as well - and a good writer. With this book she reveals her own deepest secrets and shares her life with us. She takes us with her to her childhood and through her anxiety. She takes us with her through her anorexia and bulimia. She takes us with her through relationships of abusing behavior and drugs and many more. But she´s not just talking about it. She is talking with us. Reading this book is like a chat with a good friend. It´s like talking with her about your own experiences in a likeable way. A private and personally chat between two good friends. And this is exactly why I love this book so much. 

„The quirky things that make you different are what make you beautiful. Different shouldn´t be considered a bad thing. Different is beautiful! [...] There´s only one of each of us in this world, so all those quirks that define us are special things that should be embraced, never pushed away."
p. 3

I liked Lily Collins a lot, she always was a good inspiration. But since I read "Unfiltered" I love her. Reading this book opened a lot of hidden problems in my own past. And it made me thinking about it. As you might know, I´m in therapy for a while, so the book didn´t triggered me anyhow, but it was great to read that there are other people with the same problems. Sometimes I even had the feeling to read my own diary. There were so many similarities it was hard to believe... This book opened my eyes. It remembered me to trust in myself. It showed me, that I am able to love myself and that I deserve the best. 

„Forgiving myself is just as important as forgiving others. But now I know. Now I know I deserve to be the happiest, most fulfilled version of myself that I can possibly be. [..] In order to accept the love I deserve from someone else, I must truly believe that I am worthy of it. 
And I am. 
And I´ll never let anyone tell me differently. 
I value myself. 
I respect myself. 
I appreciate myself. 
I accept myself. 
I love myself. Always and forever."
p. 27

All over the book I had the feeling, that Lily didn´t wrote it to tell her own story, but more to inspire, encourage and help others who are maybe as well struggling. This makes it even more amazing. Reading and battling with the same issues made me feel less alone and this is so important! 

„Be silly. It´s attractive. Normal is so boring. [...] Don´t live a boring life if you can add a little silly into it every once in a while."

p. 90

The book is written in a very emotionally way which makes it really personally. The chapters are short and every one is telling a different story about her life. The writing style of Lily is easy to read and as well beautiful at the same time. I loved every single word and every single chapter!

„Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. It´s one of the bravest things you can do. And it can save your life."

p. 127

Throughout the book you can find many photos, Lily has chosen by herself. This makes the book even more personal. Before every chapter there is a nice quote of it.

Lily talks very openly about her past and is pretty honest and sincere. But actually there are many things to laugh about as well! There are many serious and important topics, but as well parts where you can laugh and hope with the author. It is not completely a serious reading, but a nice and well-written book about a young girl trying to finding her own way in life. 

„Anxieties and issues don´t just disappear if we don´t talk about them. In fact, we can´t fully deal with them if we don´t open up."

p. 152

A book by a truly inspiring and strong young women. I can recommend it to everyone and you don´t even have to be a big fan of Lily Collins. It is really interesting to read and handles many very important topics. Additionally it is written very cute and nicely and while reading you have the feeling of a conversations between two friends. 

„They are the proof that all of our stories matter. They are the proof that sharing our stories is key. It doesn´t matter where we´re from, what we look like, how old we are, or who we love - we all deserve to talk and connect. We all deserve to feel part of something greater. Because we are."

p. 162

Result

I love this book from the bottom of my heart. Lily wrote a very personal book with truly important topics which made me feel less alone. It was amzing reading it and it felt like chatting with a good friend of mine. I won´t stop re-reading it over and over again and I can highly recommend it to all of you, whether you are a big fan or not.