Thank you to NetGalley for this advance reader copy.

I think that Vee is so incredibly inspiring, from following her on various social media platforms to reading her book I've never failed to be amazed by her talent.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC copy of this book.

The book details Vee’s challenging upbringing in Zimbabwe, the loss of her father, followed by her move to England and the experiences of her, her sister and her Mum. She goes into detail about her academic experiences of school in Birmingham and Wales, and her journey to studying at Oxford and Harvard.

There are some interesting points covered on social media, family, bullying, racism, work, money, her experiences as a young Black woman, and friendships.

The book has lots of great advice and was really relatable and empowering. I genuinely wish I’d read a book like this in my teens/twenties. She’s very talented and her passion for making a difference is so apparent. It’s inspiring and well-written, and Vee has wisdom beyond her years.

Having previously watched Vee’s youtube channel, I was excited for this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. Having personally gone through a lot of hardship (going to state schools and being underprivileged), this book spoke to me, but also painted a story I hadn’t experienced either, and it was lovely to read. Vee gives amazing advice, and has her life as proof that the advice is backed up. As a “self-help” book, I would 100% recommend, but I would also recommend to any watchers of Vee or anyone who wants to see how they could make changes in their own lives to succeed.

A very well written book with lots of insightful information. 20 pages in and I was Googling Vee Kativhu and all of her accomplishments as I just could not Believe that someone her age had accomplished so much and was not importing this wisdom for all. Definitely a book I'll be going back to time after time and encouraging others to read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

‘Empowered’ is a self-help novel by Oxford and Harvard graduate and youtuber Vee Kativhu, teaching her audience how to transform negativity into productivity.

As an avid watcher of Vee’s, I was unsure what to expect reading this book - I’m by no means somebody who regularly consumes self-help books, in fact this might even be the first I have read.

But it was phenomenal. The autobiographical approach allowed for the book to become less preachy and more personal, with the author drawing on her personal experiences in order to demonstrate the examples given. It is a debut novel written by somebody finishing up their masters degree at Harvard University, which is one of the most impressive collision of events I’ve ever seen. But it’s more than that. It’s a debut novel that, as a young professional and somebody who is grappling with many of the subjects Vee approaches in her book (self - doubt, imposter syndrome etc.) I thoroughly believe could change the professional world; for it speaks about those subjects we might be too afraid to address out of embarrassment, awkwardness or lack of understanding.