Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life

by Paige VanZant

THIS BOOK IS FOR ALL THOSE WHO GOT KNOCKED DOWN AND CAME UP SWINGING.

Paige VanZant is a rising Mixed Martial Arts star in the UFC's women's strawweight division and holds a reputation for her ability to defeat obstacles and brutal fights in and out of the octagon. Long before she was a fighting champion and household name winning over fans on Dancing with the Stars with her beauty, strength, and infectiously bold personality, Paige struggled with her self-esteem.

On Dancing with the Stars, Paige won hearts when she opened up for the first time about being bullied but there is so much more that she hasn't shared until now. The journey that brought Paige to the UFC is a stunning story of overcoming tragedy and finding the strength and skills to defend oneself in the face of evil. Within the pages of Rise is a girl who was so severely bullied in highschool she had garbage thrown on her, so tortured she had to move hometowns. She sought refuge but nothing worked until one day, feeling spiritually broken and emotionally shattered, she visited her dad at his gym, and everything changed: she decided to fight back. She became Paige VanZant, a bone-breaking, head-smashing competitor and world renowned fighter.

Rise is the moving and inspiring journey of a woman who is not only one of the toughest fighters in the world, but also a beloved symbol of strength.

• ISBN10: 0316472263
• ISBN13: 9780316472265
• Publish Date: 26 April 2018 (first published 10 April 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Hachette Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Beth C.]

The original reader for this, actually, was my daughter. However, knowing that there are some heavy topics, I wanted to be able to have a conversation about that with her, should any questions/comments/concerns come up. And then - I just really enjoyed the book.

It's a pretty quick read, and an interesting look at the potential ramifications of childhood bullying, the strength one can find even when one believes there isn't any to be found, and the long-term issues that can surface from sexual assault - even in the future. There's a lot going on here, but it's written in a way that doesn't feel too heavy, even in the middle of it. There are triggers, though I was pleased to see that the description of the actual assault is not hardcore. This is speaking of one who has also been assaulted, so was a bit leery of reading that part.

Overall, this is a story of a young girl who finds her passion, even when she herself felt lost, alone, and afraid. She gives herself strength, and learns how to rise from the ashes.