I remember receiving flyers in the mail for beauty pageants growing up and I’d ask my mom about them, but she never said yes. For reference, I was 10 when JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered in her home and that shut the door on any form of pageantry I tried to angle for.

Jane Little Botkin’s experience as a Guyrex Girl is so fascinating and yet so sad at the same time. From controlling parents to a system that controlled her down to the last pea on her plate, there was a lot to unpack reading this memoir. Having not been from Texas, I really loved how descriptive Botkin was in bringing El Paso to life. It really helped set the backdrop to her random entry into the world of Pageantry. This is raw and gritty, with no punches pulled and I appreciated how open and honest Botkin was about everything from growing up to adulthood. It’s a fascinating read that I highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.