All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle

Rating:

3 Stars

Themes:

Romance, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Disability, , Dating Game Show, Young Adult

Thoughts:

This is a cute story with a focus on the mother daughter relationship after a difficulty divorce and the struggles of a lack of money. Due to this when an accidental video diary goes viral and they are invited to a dating show with the twist that the child helps the decision they decide to take it for the opportunities it could bring them. But who can you trust when everyone knows they're on tv and may have their own motives?

Connor's Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, though a very small part of the book felt so real to me. As a fellow EDSer who also has joint instability falls the comments and being babied and treated differently felt real and honest to me and what I've noticed myself.

Favourite Quote:

"For a moment, I trace the innumerable choices that led to this present and wonder whether I ever had more than they illusion of controlling over my own life."

Comments

Vincent: A Graphic Biography by Simon Elliott

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Comic, Non-Fiction, Biography Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great little book on Vincent van Gogh. It is very detailed containing pieces of his life such as changing careers and failed love interests that are often not considered when we think of van Gogh, instead favouring his art and mental health. The illustrations were really well done and at times helped to bring levity to the story which isn’t often the happiest of lives.

The War of Sober by Edward Rand

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Addiction, Psychology Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great book not just for addicts trying to establish and maintain their sobriety but also psychologists, counsellors and the people working with them. It approaches the experience of addiction from the perspective of going to war and may help those who can’t get along with the 12 steps, contingency management or other forms of therapy traditionally used. It’s also helpful to have Edward detail his own experiences and approaches throughout so it feels less clinical and shows he does know what he’s talking about when he mentions the difficulties so it comes across less patronising than some self-help addiction books. Favourite Quote: "It doesn't matter what happened yesterday. Win or lose, if we are still alive, we must decide to be different today and then make the correct choices today, because friends, ...

Broken Glass by Sarah Kay

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Poetry Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This collection is mixed for me, some of the poems were really good and all were definitely emotive but I think so many poems on the Hamas attack and subsequent war which is highly politically charged a little difficult to tackle. Favourite Quote: "What good is it to open my heart when in the end, you will stab it in the back?"

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