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Dog Days
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George is very angry. His wife has upped and died on him, and all he wants to do is sit in his...
Trigger Warning: domestic abuse Trigger warning: self harm Trigger warning: suicide Trigger warning: homophobia Brighton UK Grief
Sin's Thief (Vampires of Vadin #3)
10.0
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Fouled mouthed, snarky and overly pessimistic, Cecil Baxter's rules for life are to trust no one and...
M_M Paranormal Romance
Fingers Crossed: How music saved me from success
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Formed in 1988, Lush were part of the London gig scene during one of the most vibrant and creative...
Trigger warning: self harm/ suicide
Louise (64 KP) rated Furiously Happy in Books
Jul 2, 2018
So! where do I start! hmmmm....
This a non-fiction memoir about a woman, Jenny Lawson who suffers from mental illness, but not just one she has a whole mixed bag of mental health problems, Jenny suffers from depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADD and others.
This is her memoir of how she copes with mental health and what is like to live with these debilitating illnesses. The book is told in several short stories of Jenny's life, there are also pictures added in several of the chapters.(proof that these things really happened).
Her husband Victor is a saint that's all I can say, Jenny is crazy but in a good way crazy, she just talks about the most random things ever, but this a symptom of anxiety you over think things and you can tell by her writing.
This book is very funny, and Jenny isn't bothered about the stigma that is still attached to mental health, she is just being herself which is so refreshing.
I never heard of Jenny Lawson when I requested this book, I was more drawn to the synopsis and the amazing raccoon on the front cover. Jenny is a taxidermist's daughter and has a lot of love for stuffed animals which is clear in the book and shown with pictures.
I really could relate to Jenny as I suffer from depression and anxiety, I knew where she was coming from and when she was explaining they symptoms, I was like yes, I get that too! The book is very funny in places, but there are parts which I think are just silly!
My favourite part of the book has to be when she is trying to convinve Victor to get another cat so she can call it the 'President', her ideas are very witty and weird - i mean who thinks of stuff like this.
Whilst this book was good and funny, I was wanting her to be a bit more serious in some parts. I wanted to know how she really felt without trying to make it humorous. And yeah I know it's a serious topic and she is trying to make it light-hearted but I feel that maybe she is still holding back on what she really wants to say.
There is a trigger warning for this book, it does discuss self harm and suicide, so if you are easily offended I would not suggest it for you. Also there is a lot of swearing/cussing.
This is Jenny's second book, first being Let's pretend this never happened and also she has her own blog called the bloggess which I will be following.
I would recommend this book for anyone suffering from mental illness or has a family member/friends that does.
I rated this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
For more of my reviews please check out www.louiselovesbooks.wordpress.com
This a non-fiction memoir about a woman, Jenny Lawson who suffers from mental illness, but not just one she has a whole mixed bag of mental health problems, Jenny suffers from depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADD and others.
This is her memoir of how she copes with mental health and what is like to live with these debilitating illnesses. The book is told in several short stories of Jenny's life, there are also pictures added in several of the chapters.(proof that these things really happened).
Her husband Victor is a saint that's all I can say, Jenny is crazy but in a good way crazy, she just talks about the most random things ever, but this a symptom of anxiety you over think things and you can tell by her writing.
This book is very funny, and Jenny isn't bothered about the stigma that is still attached to mental health, she is just being herself which is so refreshing.
I never heard of Jenny Lawson when I requested this book, I was more drawn to the synopsis and the amazing raccoon on the front cover. Jenny is a taxidermist's daughter and has a lot of love for stuffed animals which is clear in the book and shown with pictures.
I really could relate to Jenny as I suffer from depression and anxiety, I knew where she was coming from and when she was explaining they symptoms, I was like yes, I get that too! The book is very funny in places, but there are parts which I think are just silly!
My favourite part of the book has to be when she is trying to convinve Victor to get another cat so she can call it the 'President', her ideas are very witty and weird - i mean who thinks of stuff like this.
Whilst this book was good and funny, I was wanting her to be a bit more serious in some parts. I wanted to know how she really felt without trying to make it humorous. And yeah I know it's a serious topic and she is trying to make it light-hearted but I feel that maybe she is still holding back on what she really wants to say.
There is a trigger warning for this book, it does discuss self harm and suicide, so if you are easily offended I would not suggest it for you. Also there is a lot of swearing/cussing.
This is Jenny's second book, first being Let's pretend this never happened and also she has her own blog called the bloggess which I will be following.
I would recommend this book for anyone suffering from mental illness or has a family member/friends that does.
I rated this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
For more of my reviews please check out www.louiselovesbooks.wordpress.com
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Stone Mothers in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Marianne's heart drops when she realizes her husband, Sam, has bought a flat for her in the town where she grew up, Nusstead. It's in the town's former mental asylum--all prettied up and converted into beautiful apartments. But Sam doesn't know about the dark secrets the asylum holds for Marianne and her teenage boyfriend, Jesse. Marianne fled Nusstead--and Jesse--as soon as she could, making a new life for herself with daughter Honor and Sam. Jesse never really forgave her and now that she's back, he's threatening to expose their long buried secrets. Marianne is determined to keep her husband and daughter from knowing about her past. But how far must she go to protect her secrets? And what doesn't she know about the past?
This was my first Erin Kelly book; it was a different sort of thriller. First off, please note there is a trigger warning for self-harm and suicide.
The book started off slow, and honestly, this is why I have such a hard time with being able to DNF a book. I was tempted for a little while, because I couldn't get into Marianne's voice or story. But then, as the book progressed, things picked up, and I actually became pretty engrossed in the plot. The story is sort of told backward, almost. It starts with the present and Marianne and then we get some different points of view, as well as timelines in the 80s and even 50s. (I don't want to say more than that.) The portion in the 80s is still told by Marianne, but I really liked her younger voice and was caught up in what was happening by then. I was glad I had kept reading. Initially, the book had seemed a little confusing--a lot is made about the fact that something has happened in the past and yet we don't know what it is--and yes, keeping us in suspense is the point, but still. It was a little much at times.
There are some interesting twists and connections in this one. I enjoyed how it shone a spotlight on women's issues and mental health stories. It's always rather scary to see how women's mental health was treated in the past, though I suppose women's health isn't being treated with much more respect right now, is it?
The book was a tad repetitive at the end as the storyline wrapped back around to the present, but it was still pretty interesting. I wasn't always sure if I was reading a thriller, a character driven novel, or a treatment on mental health and women's issues: sometimes it seemed like the book was struggling to find itself and maybe the ending faltered a little bit because of that. Still, overall, I enjoyed this book. It became progressively more interesting, and the intersecting stories, especially the ones in the past, were very compelling. I enjoyed the focus on mental health, especially. I have Erin Kelly's He Said/She Said on my TBR shelf, and I'll definitely pick it up at some point. 3.5 stars.
This was my first Erin Kelly book; it was a different sort of thriller. First off, please note there is a trigger warning for self-harm and suicide.
The book started off slow, and honestly, this is why I have such a hard time with being able to DNF a book. I was tempted for a little while, because I couldn't get into Marianne's voice or story. But then, as the book progressed, things picked up, and I actually became pretty engrossed in the plot. The story is sort of told backward, almost. It starts with the present and Marianne and then we get some different points of view, as well as timelines in the 80s and even 50s. (I don't want to say more than that.) The portion in the 80s is still told by Marianne, but I really liked her younger voice and was caught up in what was happening by then. I was glad I had kept reading. Initially, the book had seemed a little confusing--a lot is made about the fact that something has happened in the past and yet we don't know what it is--and yes, keeping us in suspense is the point, but still. It was a little much at times.
There are some interesting twists and connections in this one. I enjoyed how it shone a spotlight on women's issues and mental health stories. It's always rather scary to see how women's mental health was treated in the past, though I suppose women's health isn't being treated with much more respect right now, is it?
The book was a tad repetitive at the end as the storyline wrapped back around to the present, but it was still pretty interesting. I wasn't always sure if I was reading a thriller, a character driven novel, or a treatment on mental health and women's issues: sometimes it seemed like the book was struggling to find itself and maybe the ending faltered a little bit because of that. Still, overall, I enjoyed this book. It became progressively more interesting, and the intersecting stories, especially the ones in the past, were very compelling. I enjoyed the focus on mental health, especially. I have Erin Kelly's He Said/She Said on my TBR shelf, and I'll definitely pick it up at some point. 3.5 stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Never Saw You Coming in Books
Sep 30, 2021
An insightful look at love and religion
Meg Hennessey grew up finding comfort in her faith. But her conservative parents also kept her sheltered based on their interpretation of the rules of the church. But at age eighteen, Meg learns her entire life was a lie. Instead of going to work at a church camp for a year, she heads to Marquette, Michigan to learn more about the family she never knew she had. There, she meets Micah Allen. Micah's dad is a former pastor who is now in prison. Micah adored and believed in his father, who let the church, his congregation, and his family down famously--the press still hounds Micah years later. With his father's probation hearing coming up, his mother wants him to forgive him, but Micah isn't sure he can. Meg and Micah meet and find themselves drawn to each other. But each struggle with what they've been taught about love, along with the pasts they may need to leave behind to move forward.
"Because the uncomfortable truth is, while the church loves sinners in their pews, they don't want them in front of a crowd. It's the difference between acceptance and tolerance, and it might catch on. God forbid."
This is a really lovely and moving story. While it includes a lot of religious themes and discussion, it never felt like too much--religion and forgiveness informs the story, rather than detracts from it. Meg is a side character in Hahn's excellent book, MORE THAN MAYBE, and we see glimpses of Vada and Luke from that tale (which is really fun). It's wonderful to see Meg fully explored here--Hahn writes her sections in a snappy and smart way, capturing Meg perfectly. She's so sweet, yet smart and tough. Her entire life has been upended, and Meg truly must rethink her whole faith and foundation. I think a weaker person would crumple at such a situation. Watching her grow is really fun; you cannot help but root for her.
And Micah is a great character, too. He too, has had his faith tested, as his father destroyed his church and Micah's belief in the church. Micah and Meg's romance is cute, honest, and real. Hahn's book explores how shamed these two feel by falling in love and how the church has conditioned them to feel that love, happiness, and romance can be wrong and even sinful. It tackles the pain of loving a Jesus/God who then censures you for loving. It's so adept at this and skilled at portraying their struggles. How can the love of these two sweet, earnest kids be wrong? And as they explore why bad things happen--especially as they believe so fully--the book makes you think and examine deeply. It deftly exposes the church's focus on female purity only, while often ignoring the males. Honestly, whether you're religious or not, this is a must-read, especially in these times, when so much of the control of a women's body seems not be our own.
Overall, I loved this book. It offers a charming romance, along with a timely look at religion and how it can affect young people as they make their way in the world. The side characters are excellent (I'm looking at you, Duke, and Cash the dog!). Hahn's writing is as excellent as ever. 4.5 stars. Please note the author's own note for a trigger warning for self-harm and suicide.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
"Because the uncomfortable truth is, while the church loves sinners in their pews, they don't want them in front of a crowd. It's the difference between acceptance and tolerance, and it might catch on. God forbid."
This is a really lovely and moving story. While it includes a lot of religious themes and discussion, it never felt like too much--religion and forgiveness informs the story, rather than detracts from it. Meg is a side character in Hahn's excellent book, MORE THAN MAYBE, and we see glimpses of Vada and Luke from that tale (which is really fun). It's wonderful to see Meg fully explored here--Hahn writes her sections in a snappy and smart way, capturing Meg perfectly. She's so sweet, yet smart and tough. Her entire life has been upended, and Meg truly must rethink her whole faith and foundation. I think a weaker person would crumple at such a situation. Watching her grow is really fun; you cannot help but root for her.
And Micah is a great character, too. He too, has had his faith tested, as his father destroyed his church and Micah's belief in the church. Micah and Meg's romance is cute, honest, and real. Hahn's book explores how shamed these two feel by falling in love and how the church has conditioned them to feel that love, happiness, and romance can be wrong and even sinful. It tackles the pain of loving a Jesus/God who then censures you for loving. It's so adept at this and skilled at portraying their struggles. How can the love of these two sweet, earnest kids be wrong? And as they explore why bad things happen--especially as they believe so fully--the book makes you think and examine deeply. It deftly exposes the church's focus on female purity only, while often ignoring the males. Honestly, whether you're religious or not, this is a must-read, especially in these times, when so much of the control of a women's body seems not be our own.
Overall, I loved this book. It offers a charming romance, along with a timely look at religion and how it can affect young people as they make their way in the world. The side characters are excellent (I'm looking at you, Duke, and Cash the dog!). Hahn's writing is as excellent as ever. 4.5 stars. Please note the author's own note for a trigger warning for self-harm and suicide.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.