Search

Search only in certain items:

My Mess Is A Bit Of A Life
My Mess Is A Bit Of A Life
Georgia Pritchett | 2021 | Humor & Comedy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I didn’t know what to expect of this book with it being a book about someone’s journey with anxiety, but I definitely didn’t think it would be as funny as it is.
Georgia Pritchett writes little anxious anecdotes from her life beginning in nursery. They are all written with Georgia’s humour prominent throughout the book, even the heartbreaking anecdotes still have some humour sprinkled into them. Reading through them, some are completely relatable and others not so much, but all completely believable.
The chapters are extremely short, some only a paragraph or two long. And while it might annoy some people, I loved this style as it showed that we were onto the next little anecdote and was quite easy to follow. But for me, with the chapters being short it just meant that I wanted to carry on reading… “just one more chapter” turned into the whole book!
I read this in an afternoon because it was such an easy and pleasant read (despite the subjects touched upon not being pleasant) and it was nice to read about the life that Georgia has had and the accomplishments despite her being a woman in a man’s world.
I will be recommending this to anyone that will listen, and will probably pick it up again at some point in the near future.
Thank you to Pigeonhole and Georgia Pritchett for the chance to read this page turner!
  
The Bipolar Addict
The Bipolar Addict
Conor Bezane | 2019 | Education, Fiction & Poetry, Reference
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Very informative!
Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

Review:
I received a copy to read and review from Smith Publicity for my honest opinion.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide attempts, bullying, sexual abuse.

The Bipolar Addict is broken up into three parts: Part 1 - Conor's Story, Part 2 - Interviews of others who battle with Manic Depression and Bipolar disorder, and Part 3 - Talking of Recovery, getting help, and that sober is the new cool.

Part 1 follows the hardships Conor endured growing up. Bullying which eventually lead to alcohol abuse and then later drug abuse as he grew older. During this time, he also attempted suicide a few times. Conor was then diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, manic depression, and anxiety. Mix all that with alcohol and drug abuse and his body was struggling.

As I read, I was enthralled in the world of what Bipolar disorder really is. I was also blown away with the writing style. The Bipolar Addict is a debut novel by Conor Bezane and he definitely has a way of grabbing your attention and holding it instantly. A first time author, Conor has taken his life and spun it into a tale of struggles, sacrifice, and recovery that will tear the readers heart out, rip it into pieces, and then piece it back together, little by little.

Part 2 was just as interesting as part 1. You learn about a few others who used and through some rough patches like Conor. Part 3 was more informative compared to parts 1 and 2, talking about sober being the new cool and that it's healthy. The book ends with links and information on different helpful groups in the chance that you need to seek help for yourself.

"We are punks. We are poets. Musicians and artists. Professionals and intellectuals. We are drunk. High. Manic. Depressed. We almost died. And now we are stable and sober."

Reasons why I rated it 4.5 stars:
1. The plot:
There really wasn't much of a plot as this was a memoir/ self-help book. But the way Conor wrote, captivated my attention through and through.

2. My enjoyment:
I surprisingly was really interested in the entirety of this book. I couldn't put it down as Conor captivated me, not only in his writing but also the way he was able to take his life and spin it into a tale that read like he was a friend having a conversation.

3. Character and story development:
Again, this was a memoir/ self-help book, so there wasn't much development as it wasn't needed.

4. Grammar and spelling:
I did notice a few grammatical and spelling errors but for this being a debut, I really didn't mind.

5. The overall story:
The way that Conor wrote, you could feel the pain, loss, and loneliness. The lows of depression and the highs of mania. It was all otherworldly and from someone who has balanced depression and anxiety the majority of my life, I felt the painful and roller coaster of a life that Conor lived. This was definitely worth the read and was highly informative.

"Keep coming back."
  
What Happened to Daddy's Body? by Elke Barber, Alex Barber is a children's nonfiction book about death of a loved one. It talks about cremation and burial. It is a simple and easy to understand, which makes it great for kids who have experienced death of a family member or loved one.

The main character is Alex who is 4 years old and lives with his sister and mother. His father has died and Alex wonders what happened to his father's physical body. His mother explains after his father died he was put into a coffin and was cremated. I liked how the writers broke the story down and explained cremation in a way a 4 year old would understand death and what happens after death.

I was not a fan of the artwork, which I felt took away from the story. A little issue I had with the story was that there was a step-family introduced so quickly to the end of the story. I did not see how it fit in with the timeline and the story. The issue of a new parent and siblings seems a bit too much overload on a child when they are trying to get over one hurdle and not increase anxiety. I would have saved John and his five kids for a later books on step-families.

I give this book 3/4 stars.

I received this book from Jessica Kingsley Publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
    My Gratitude Journal

    My Gratitude Journal

    Medical and Lifestyle

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    The EASY way to a happier life in just 5 MINUTES A DAY. Based on proven gratitude and mindfulness...