In her succinct literary debut, Burby pens a cross between a memoir and a New Age self-help manual that will entice spiritually open-minded readers. Before her spiritual awakening, Burby packed every second of her life with tasks to complete—and despite all of the outward trappings of success, still found herself miserable. When she started the blog G.R.I.T. (Girls Rise in Truth) with friends and subsequently had a “shamanic intervention”— an intense, out-of-body spiritual experience—her life begins to transform. “I know that a part of me died in that experience; a part that needed to be shed and released, allowing the new, fresh me to emerge,” she writes. Suddenly, she began to process painful childhood experiences, finally purging them from her body and soul. Now she offers guidance as to how her readers can do the same.

Burby writes with clear passion for her subject, generously allowing herself to be vulnerable and honest in the hope that sharing her story will help others. That generosity of spirit surely nudged her toward her choice to become a healer dedicated to helping people remove energy and emotional burdens and blocks. Burby argues that as their awareness and consciousness start to expand, the world and universe that readers are able to see and comprehend will expand too—and that both are much grander than what we see and experience with our five senses.

Not everyone will have an identical spiritual awakening, of course, or handle it with Burby’s blend of grace, verve, and earnestness, but readers curious about spirituality in the age of Covid can learn from her selflessness and quest for truth and authenticity. This short but wise tome will appeal to those who intend to live their own truths, and to those open to a spiritual journey but looking for a nudge or a guide.

Takeaway: Burby’s powerful and earnest spiritual journey will lend inspiration to others on the road to enlightenment.

Great for fans of: Louise Hay, James Van Praagh, Gabby Bernstein

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B