Gettin' Witchy With It

An Autobiography:
Melissa Explains it All by Melissa Joan Hart

I am a Nickelodeon era child. I grew up watching Salute Your Shorts, Ahh Real Monsters and my favorite Clarissa Explains It All.  Fun fact: I dreamed of having a pet alligator named Elvis and crushed hard on Sam the boy who came through the window. Really Nickelodeon just really got kids back in the 90s. Don't get me wrong Disney did too, but Lizzie Maguire, and the The Famous Jett Jackson came wayyyy after.

Wen I heard that Melissa Joan Hart was going to be writing a book I was like "uh yes please!" And then it took me almost 2 years to actually read it. I think we all know by now that I'm awful at reading new releases. Picking this up and choosing this as my first read of 2016 was the perfect choice!

Melissa Joan Hart explained it all-from dating to bullies-in her groundbreaking role as Clarissa Darling on Clarissa Explains It All. She cast a spell on millions more viewers as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Now, in Melissa Explains It All, Melissa tells the frank and funny behind-the-scenes stories from her extraordinary past and her refreshingly normal present.

Melissa has been entertaining audiences most of her life; when there were no girls named Melissa on her favorite show, the forceful four year old decided she'd get on television her way. From that moment on, Melissa has shown a singular determination and focus-whether it's for booking three national commercials so her dad would build her a tree house or for nailing the audition for Clarissa.

From her first commercial to her current starring role in ABC Family's hit Melissa and Joey, Hart never let fame go to her head. She always had one foot in Hollywood and one foot in reality-and still does. Melissa makes us laugh along with her as she talks about:

--guest appearances in shows like Saturday Night Live and The Equalizer 
--auditioning for Punky Brewster and Clarissa
--her early Broadway days
--wacky parties she's thrown and attended
-- the actors who influenced her and whom she befriended, worked with and competed against 
--her experiences both on and off-set-with Sabrina's Salem the Cat and Elvis the Alligator on Clarissa 
--how she met the love of her life at the Kentucky Derby

Melissa Joan Hart explains all that she's learned along the way-what's kept her grounded, normal and working when others have not been so fortunate-and that she's the approachable, hilarious girl-next-door her fans have always thought she'd be.

First off let me say that if Perez Hilton, social media, and the likes of TMZ existed at the time of MJH's scandalous years she would've been toast. She was quite the party girl, at least in my eyes. Then again I'm tapping out after half a glass of wine, so I'm not a good judge. In terms of memoirs this is pretty standard. I remember her having a younger sister who used to voice Sabrina the animated character, but I never knew she had that many siblings. I enjoyed learning about her early beginnings. I also enjoyed her meeting her husband, and the hot make-out sesh she had with Jerry O'Connell the day she met her husband. 

I find that celebrity memoirs are really hard to review. I've rarely ever finished a memoir and been like "well that wasn't worth it" because they always are. You learn interesting things about people you've always admired, or people who have been a part of your life, like MJH was for me. If you're a fan of hers I suggest reading, I think she will pleasantly surprise you, if you aren't then I'd skip. Nothing too mind blowing. That's all for now.

P.S. In Case you were wondering about the bold at the top, that is what box this book checked off on my Popsugar Reading Challenge!