Busy Philipps’ This Will Only Hurt a Little will entertain you a LOT!

You probably know Busy Philipps from at least some of the credits on her seemingly endless IMDb page, but do you know the real Busy?

Maybe you’ve been with her since the Freaks and Geeks and Dawson’s Creek days, or maybe you’ve just caught her in one of her many movie roles, or perhaps you were a fan of her hilarious role on Cougar Town. No matter which category you fall into, you likely don’t have a feel for the “sparkly” character that she plays in her everyday life.

However, you might actually have a pretty good idea if, like 1.3 million other people, you’re addicted to her Instagram stories. Having used the platform since its inception, she has showcased everything for her Instagram fans.

And when I say everything, I mean everything. Her workouts, her favorite foods, events and award shows, music she likes, her friends (famous and otherwise), and even just hanging out on the couch by herself or with her family. The New Yorker has even called her the “breakout star of Instagram stories,” and her followers have heralded the “real” feel to her stories. They feel like they really know her.

Whether you’ve watched her stories, fell in love with her, and are now dying to know more, or you’re just interested in hearing stories about an actress who you admire, you’ll get more than you bargained for with her memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little.

If I had to sum up This Will Only Hurt a Little in one word, it would be honest. Without a doubt, Busy Phillips’ is the most honest celebrity memoir I’ve ever read.

She doesn’t shy away from anything as she details the journey of her life. Her tragedies, her flaws, her mistakes, her thoughts and opinions…they’re all laid bare on the page for the reader to do whatever they will with. She’s unabashedly spilling her deep and sometimes dark secrets, and it’s made her even more relatable than ever!

Because she’s willing to let the reader in so completely, every unique story seems to have an entry point for everyone to feel like they too have been “that girl.” Her attention to detail paints a full and nostalgic picture, even when recounting how things were in elementary school. Or do you not remember the intricate dynamics of having a “school best friend” and a “real best friend?!”

There’s no “moral to the story.” This Will Only Hurt a Little isn’t trying to make some greater point about life, feminism, or the industry, although there are some smaller valuable tidbits infused with Busy’s wisdom.

She’s witnessed firsthand both the #MeToo movement, and the systematic patriarchal problems that fueled it, in the first place. Her observations about the differences between men and women are one of the highlights of the book, and a recurring theme throughout. Whether she’s remembering thinking that sex was something that “just happened to you if you were a girl,” or noticing her male costars getting opportunities to direct because they weren’t waiting “until they were experts.”

Don’t worry, This Will Only Hurt a Little is also jam-packed full of intimate stories featuring Hollywood A-listers, past and present. Michelle Williams, Heath Ledger, Katie Holmes, Chad Michael Murray, Colin Hanks, Adam Scott, James Franco, Paul Feig and Rob Thomas all make appearances. There’s no shortage of fun, surprising, disappointing, and even scandalous tidbits about your favorite stars in This Will Only Hurt a Little.

So whether you come for the gossip and stay for Busy’s heart-on-her-sleeve approach to storytelling, or you come for the intimate details and stay for the fun anecdotes, you’ll find a lot to love in Busy Philipps’ memoir.

Now that you’ve heard my take, pick up a copy of This Will Only Hurt a Little for yourself. You can get it now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Books and your local book store.