KJK Reads

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Self-Help Thoughts: This is a great and age appropriate introduction to meditation. The illustrations are beautifully simple and demonstrate the beauty in simplicity well. Johnstone does a good job of illustrating the reasons why we should all meditate and the benefit of it. He also shares quite a few different visualisation and focus techniques to help first time meditators find a method that works best for them. 

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Graphic Novel, Mental Health  Thoughts: This is a really great idea, giving mental wellbeing support in graphic novel form for teens that don’t read other books. I loved that Haines mentioned ACEs as they are quite important on the development of so many adverse behaviours and illnesses but are not widely understood outside of the Psychology and Trauma professions. I liked that there was the basics in the graphic novel format and then a little bit more in depth explanations in red underneath. I also liked the way in which Haines made sure that Anxiety isn’t shown as a personal failing but emphasises both the biological element and naturalness of anxiety.  Favourite Quote: "This is heady stuff. It shows anxiety is a big, confusing problem central to being human - you are certainly not alone in feeling anxious."

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Historical Fiction Thoughts: This is quite an interesting story, I have only heard about the Cultural Revolution through documentaries and textbooks but not usually from someone of that culture so this was quite educational for me. The popping back and forth through time threw me a little since it wasn’t warned but it didn’t happen much so it wasn’t too bad. It’s interesting to see how both politics and secrets can shape relationships and the way in which the family raises a child in an unconventional way with parents raising the grandchild. It was also quite interesting to see the Western world and traditions through an ‘outsider’ lens and see how different it can be to those of another culture to try embrace what I grew up with.  Favourite Quote: “After all, wasn't it true that to love someone is to figure out how to tell yourself their story?”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Short Story, Horror, Mental Health Thoughts: Wright writes a traditional slasher story with the depth of addiction and attempts at character development. Adam is somewhat of an antihero as we begin with his past and the death caused by his addiction but at the same time after the slashing truly begins he does what he can to help and save the others like the hero of the story. The reason each of the group was at AA shows the different dynamics that can be present for addiction and it adds more depth to it that in the introduction, Wright states he is an alcoholic himself so he knows what he’s talking about and is better positioned to describe the condition and meetings. Favourite Quote: “I know you hate yourself, but it's okay to like yourself a little too. You can do both.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Short Story Thoughts: I have to admit at the beginning I had no clue what was going off but this story does a good job of getting an important point across in a short story. Shirey makes a great point about the way in which we treat our planet and the way in which we complicate the solutions too. Favourite Quote: “Shrike doesn't buy that they have to "fix" anything; nature would heal itself given half a chance. It didn't make sense to poison the world in the name of making things to undo that poisoning when it was as simple as just stopping, just changing the way humans lived.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Christmas Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Earl covers the different Christmas traditions over the last century, sometimes showing how it evolved (or devolved) into the traditions we have today. It is well researched but still readable rather than coming across like a research paper it has a more casual and easily accessible form. The majority of the images add to the humour of the book with the cartoons being fun but there's also some real images from the times being referenced to show the actuality too.  Favourite Quote: “Retail shopping hasn't always dominated the Christmas season. But for much of its history, there has been an expectation that certain people would be spending money in various ways. That relationship between Christmas and money has always changed with the times and the ever-shifting economic landscape.”