How to Act Like A Grown-Up by Mark Dupre

Title: How to Act Like A Grow-Up
Author: Mark Dupre
Publisher: Broadstreet Publishing Group LLC
Published: May 1, 2015
Format: E-Arc
Pages: 144
Dates Read: April 14-19th 2015
Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley
in exchange for an honest review
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My Rating: 2 Stars
Snippet That Stuck With Me: N/A

Synopsis:
Are you not quite as ready for the adult world as you want to be? Are you a grown-up who doesn't feel like one? Do you know someone else who needs to act like a grown-up? With humor, occasional bite, and a deep desire to be helpful, this book is today's manual for moving into adulthood. Filled with a mountain of practical advice, it's a treasure trove of grown-up perspectives that many of us never got to hear on our way to twenty-one. In twenty-nine short, easy-to-read chapters, author Mark DuPre takes what he's learned the hard way and lays it all out there to help everyone of any age move closer to acting like a grown-up. Wise and witty, this book is one of the best gifts you could give - to yourself as well as to others.

Melissa's Musings:

For me this book promised a lot more than it delivered.

I will say that there is a lot of practical advice on a variety of subjects. The chapters range from school, to love, to investments and many things in between. 

Both the cover and the synopsis made it seem like this would be delivered in a fun, easy to read, format. And while the chapters are easy to read, I'd say that the fun is seriously lacking. 

As I first started reading the book the tone seemed pleasant enough. Just straightforward and to the point. I figured it would lighten up as the book went along.  But then as I kept reading it started to feel more snarky, and judgemental. I got the feeling that the tone was a little bit more "know it all" than helpful.

Since these chapters are relatively short, for the most part the clippd tone works in some cases. Some of the subjects are pretty self explanatory. In other spots it feels as though the author could have gone deeper, but chose not to. I got the sense that there should only be one correct trajectory for all of these different circumstances of growing up without a lot of room for other possibilities. As a result, I felt put off while reading.

I did learn a few new things though. And I would say that the early 20's crowd this seems to be targeted to would find a few useful tidbits in here as well. The topics like financial independence, money and college and owning your youth would probably be the most helpful for that group. I just wish the delivery had been funnier or more lightearted, it would have made for a more enjoyable read.