Life Is Not a Fairy Tale

Fantasia

May 2006 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Fantasia Barrino, star of the 2023 film The Color Purple, tells the story of her astonishing rise from hopeless high school dropout to American Idol superstar in the inspirational New York Times bestseller Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.

In one moment, with one tearful performance of "Summertime," the nineteen-year-old Fantasia captured the hearts—and the votes—of millions of American Idol fans. Her powerful voice and independent style made her an overnight national sensation. But life wasn't always sensational for Fantasia.

At the age of seventeen, despite the promise of her extraordinary voice, Fantasia was in danger of becoming just another sad statistic: an uneducated, unmarried teenage mother living in the projects. But Fantasia had been raised by two strong, influential women: Both her grandmother and mother are preachers, and she was raised with an unshakable faith. In Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, Fantasia speaks—with a spirit as strong as her voice—about what it takes to believe in the power of one's self. She turns all that she's learned into uplifting life lessons, including:

• Recognize your gift
• You made your bed, now lie in it
• Give props where props are due
• Like mother, like daughter
• It ain't about the bling

Fantasia keeps it real with her sassy, self-confident style and down-to-earth advice, making us laugh and cry with her. Life Is Not a Fairy Tale is more than just a celebrity success story. It's a book of revelations that will inspire everyone to reach for their greatest potential.

Ratings and reviews

I believed it was a great book. I read the book in less than two days. I identified with some areas she talked about especially about self-esteem and being told that you have big lips and ugly. I struggled with that for a long time and I overcame it. I came from a great upbringing. I went through changes after my mother passed when I was 17. I had to learn to love myself and use what she taught me along with my aunts and grandmothers to be better than the mistakes that they made. I know how it felt to love someone and not have them love you back. Luckily for me I did not get pregnant for the guy. I was careful because I did not want to go through what fantasia went through with raising her child alone. I wish her the best in her career and blessings.

This book is about a little girl.Her name was Fantasia Barino.How she has the gift to sing.She always sings at her church.then one day a wave just came over her. And she sang her heart out like she never did before.then she got in trouble after church by her father.Just because she sang because she was in to the song.

I get that she had it tough. Just seems like this book is yet another under dog story. Yet another person who was dealt a bad hand, persevered and got a lucky break. Glad things worked out in the end for her and hers.

About the author

Fantasia began singing at the age of five. At nineteen, she became an American Idol winner. Her debut album, Free Yourself, was released in 2004 and went platinum in 2005. She is the author of Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, has starred on Broadway, and is set to make her feature film debut reprising the role of Celie in the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple.