Baby and Solo

I adored this book! It was kitschy, profound, funny, and heartfelt - everything I want in a young adult book. Joel has finally been given permission to start a new phase in his life - his counselor thinks that after years of mental hospitals, therapy, and distance from THE BAD THING that Joel is ready to press play on his life. For Joel that means re-entering society and getting a job like a normal teenager. He lands a job at a local video store despite his initial misgivings fits in with the other quirky oddballs who work there. They all go by their favorite movie characters rather than their real names and Joel is dubbed Han Solo. His boss Scarlet (ala Gone with the Wind) is so maddeningly hot it drives him and all the other male employees up a wall. But where he finds true kinship is with Baby (Dirty Dancing), the nonstop puking girl (is it anorexia or something else) who is whip smart and funny. They hit it off and Solo realizes that maybe he isn't the only one with problems - maybe they're all a little frazzled but the key to moving on is making friends and propping each other up. Fantastic. A cast full of characters that readers will laugh with and root for. 

The Bell Jar

Wow.... What a profoundly beautiful and haunting book. The prose, emotions, and imagery are out of this world; it's truly a groundbreaking rally cry for mental health and feminism. I'm disappointed that it took me this long in my life to get around to reading such a classic, but I do get a sick sort of satisfaction that I'm reading this book at pretty much the same age as Plath was when she committed suicide. I'm sad she never saw this book published, although the notoriety of her suicide I'm sure helped propel this book even further since "The Bell Jar" dealt with depression and suicide. I feel like this book is a right of passage for young women. It's like "Catcher in the Rye." This book captured depression so completely and realistically, that it is honestly is making me a little depressed right now. "The Bell Jar" centers on a 19 year old college girl who seemingly has it all; she's in New York after having won a fantastic magazine award with twelve other young ladies and even though she has nothing bringing her down, she can't even bear to be complacent. Her depression grows more enveloping until her only solution is to try to get rid of it completely, by killing herself. Wow. A heavy, depressing, important read.

She's Come Undone

I have strong feelings about this book I just don't know what they are. I'm honestly kind of speechless. I think it was great? Hell, what happened? What did I read? How do you describe such a complex and... uncomplicated book? It's a coming of age story, an awakening, an odyssey of emotional and mental health. It's all over the place. It all centers around Dolores Price, a young girl who isn't the most emotionally stable. She starts off as a fragile little thing and balloons up into a fat, depressed cynic, and then spends the rest of her life roller coasting around until she finds some sort of balance. It's a discussion of women's rights, religion, mental health, family dynamics, romantic relationships, and more. She is a complex, intriguing heroine/villain/comedic actress. Honestly I can't describe this book and do it justice. It takes a little to get into, but once you do... buckle up.

The Thirteenth Tale

This novel is a book lover's dream; it's lush, gorgeously written, and the way the author lovingly talks about reading and the power of books makes you want to curl up with this unique novel even more. Margaret Lea, a book lover of the highest order and part time antiquarian book dealer and amateur biographer, finds a mysterious note. It turns out to be from the world's most famous living author, Vida Winter. Margaret is stunned, she has never even read one of Vida's 50+ novels, and how on earth does Vida even know who she is? Vida knows she is reaching the end of her life and she wants to set the record straight. For years, she has spun tales about her life, fearful for people to peer too closely in at her. However, now she is ready to get it off her chest, so she asks Margaret to be her biographer and thus begins a complex tale of deceit, mental health issues, and overall a most peculiar childhood where nothing is as it seems. Once you get started reading this there is no stopping, you have to barrel along to the end where even more surprises wait. A complex, beautiful, and haunting read. I can't wait to discuss this with my book club!

This is What I Did

So this is a book discussion book that I'm reading with teens in the juvenile detention facility. I'm hoping they really dig the short breezy sections, the absence of chapters, and intrigue. As an adult reading this, I picked up the "twist" fairly quickly. However, hopefully teens who aren't heavy readers will still be surprised at the end. The story follows Logan as he comes to term with his new school, his shitty life, and his past. Something horrible happened last year. Something soo horrible that he can't talk about it or forget it. He should have stopped it but he didn't. And now it's slowly ruining his life and his reputation. All the kids at his new school think there is something horribly wrong with Logan, are they right? Reader's will try to piece together what happened and have to decide how they feel about Logan afterwards. Is everything black and white or are there shades of gray?

My Life in a Nutshell

It's hard to write about anxiety disorders and mental health in a novel and make it believable but Tanya J. Peterson has managed to do it... again. Her first novel, "Leave of Absence," dealt with the effects of grief and schizophrenia, "My Life in a Nutshell" deals with extreme anxiety. Peterson crafts together an emotional, gripping tale of severe debilitating anxiety that gets you so worked up and involved, that it's as if you are personally suffering through it. It's almost painful, but it's so eye opening and humbling to realize that thousands of people have to deal with these types of emotions daily and there isn't always a happy ending for them. People suffering from anxiety are seriously misunderstood lonely souls and Peterson deftly brings their plight to readers.

Brian is a lonely soul. His beloved pet dog has just died and he is now on his own. Getting out of bed and going to work was hard enough before, but now without his trusty companion the depression, anxiety, and panic attacks threaten to overtake Brian completely. Solitary by nature, Brian works the night shift as a custodian to a local school and avoids human interaction whenever possible. A trip to the store is enough to cause a panic attack, talking to people is downright painful for him. Brian is perpetually scared he will say the wrong thing, look stupid, or be socially awkward. As if things couldn't get worse for Brian, his mother has insisted he see a counselor and a troubled child at the school has taken to following Brian around. Perhaps, both of these new people in his life can help him address what is holding him back from having a happy fulfilled life?

Another great novel from award winning author, Tanya J. Peterson. She humanizes anxiety and makes it easier for readers to understand just how horrific it is by portraying the story through Brian's eyes and having the reader suffer through all the panic attacks and insecurity that he is dealing with. Truly eye opening and well deserving of the Kirkus star it received.

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Crazy

I read this beautifully crafted prose in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. Set in 1960's Oregon and told through the eyes of a fifteen year old girl watching her mother's breakdown, this young adult novel is a must for any mental health collection. Laura, a talented artist, tries to cope with her mother's strange illness by purring on a brave face and telling no one. She's alienated her friends from her home problems because she doesn't know what to tell them, for she has no answers. Laura instead hides herself in her art, only to one day stop painting because she fears it is what drove her mother crazy. Amazingly well crated in prose, the short poems capture Laura's concern, heartbreak, and confusion.

Fantastic read on what it's like to deal with mental health problems and the stigma that is attached with them. For fans of young adult poetry and mental health fiction.

I received this book for free from Librarything in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

The Good Luck of Right Now

Oh Matthew Quick, stop being so damn adorable! This book has so much heart, charm, and wit that I don't even think my review can begin to do this book justice! If you loved any of Quick's other works (Silver Lining's Playbook, Boy21, Forgive Me Leaonard Peacock, Sorta Like a Rockstar) then you are guaranteed to love this one as well. Quick has an uncanny ability to bring to life the most flawed, unconventional, unimaginable characters and then make us care for them with such zeal that it's almost frightening. All I can say is read this damn book. You won't regret it. Quick is a mastermind and his beautiful prose and quirky characters will stick with you long after you put the book down!

Boy21

I didn't even read the description, I saw it was written by Mathew Quick and I started reading. Two hours later I was crying in a bathtub and screaming at my cat. This book is intense. I was quite literally hooked from the very first sentence. I started reading it at dinner and I couldn't put it down, so naturally I took it in the tub with me to continue. An hour later I was crying in freezing cold water and yelling at the kitten to shut up and stop headbutting the door. It was so good I couldn't even stop for a moment to get out of the tub.

This book almost defies description. It's about basketball, growing up in the hood, mental health, family, relationships, integrity, the final frontier, and soo much else. Finley was one of the only white boys in the slummy town he grew up in, but that didn't stop him from playing basketball. His earliest memory is playing basketball in the backyard with the neighbor girl, Erin, and working hard to please his dad and his pops. His whole life has been spent trying to move forward and get out of Belmont, away from the Irish mob and the drugs. But Coach has just asked Finley for a favor. Boy21, has just moved to the neighborhood and Coach thinks that Finley is just the man to help break him out of his shell and play basketball. But will Boy21 stop Finley's momentum or maybe, just maybe, help him realize that looking back at the past doesn't have to be paralyzing. I can barely describe this book without giving anything away. So just read the damn book and message me about it so we can talk and cry together. It's well worth the read!

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

LOVED this book, after reading the amazing "Silver Lining's Playbook" I knew I would have to read everything else Matthew Quick published and damn I'm glad I did. Quick makes his debut in the young adult genre with one hell of a bang. Literally, this book is fantastic!

Leonard Peacock's birthday should be a special, instead today is the day that he will kill himself and his former best friend. Tired of being an outsider for too long and dealing with internal turmoil, Leonard sees this as the only way out. In this witty, saddening, heartbreaking, and darkly humorous novel, the reader gets amazing insight to how complicated the human psyche is and just how much it can withstand before it snaps.

Filled with unforgettable, wildly unique characters and a witty narrator, this book will have you racing to the end. Impossible to put down. A DEFINITE must read!

Leave of Absence - Blog Tour

Mental illness carries such a stigma which is a damn shame because it is infinitely more complicated and confusing then we can ever imagine. Tanya J. Peterson does a masterful job of shedding light onto one of the most pressing and important topics of our generation. The media exploits mass killings, suicides, and health care to such an extant that mental health is put in very a negative spotlight. Keeping an open mind about mental illness is the only way we can begin to understand the complexities of it. We take medicine for our bodies when something is wrong so why is there such a stigma when we take medicine for our minds?

Peterson's story follows Penelope and Oliver, two people who are suffering from something outside their control. Oliver is admitted to Airhaven behavioral treatment center after he attempts jumping off an 18 story building hoping to end the guilt he has for not being able to save his wife and child from their untimely deaths. While there, he meets charismatic Penelope, a kind hearted woman who is suffering from schizophrenia. Other patients shun Penelope who is prone to make outbursts or cause a scene but Oliver finds a kindred spirit. Their journey towards healing and coming to terms with life outside the treatment center is humbling. Peterson really illuminates the characters raw emotions and the reader can't help but feel connected to these two poor souls as they to find reasons to live for in a world so un-accepting of their conditions. 

To date the only books I've read that deal with mental illness are: "Silver Lining's Playbook" and "The Curious Incident of the Nighttime Dog." This book however goes above and beyond and manages to humanize people who are suffering from many different forms of mental illness. It is a true eye opener. What books on mental illness have you read? What about movies? Why does our culture place such a negative stigma on mental health?

Thanks for reading!

Silver Lining's Playbook

Literally could not put this bad boy down!! From the first page I was hooked. Nancy Pearl couldn't have endorsed a better novel (I knew she was an awesome librarian for a reason!). I absolutely cannot wait to see the movie adaptation of this. I just know it's going to be fantastic!

Pat Peoples is convinced that if he gets in shape, reads more, and is kind to people then he can leave "the bad place" and end his "apart time" from his wife Nikki. He believes that as long as you work hard enough you will always get your happy ending/silver lining.

Pat starts to learn the hard way that is not always the case. He returns from the mental institution to live with his family and while at home keeps a strict physical routine to get him in shape for Nikki. Lifting weights for many hours and jogging upwards of 10 miles everyday make him feel confident that he is on the right path to win Nikki back. He can't fathom why no one in his family will discuss Nikki with him but that doesn't deter him. Nothing does, not even beautiful, Tiffany, who begins to take an interest in him. Tiffany has problems of her own and soon these two form an interesting friendship. Soon he'll discover that he has to rely on his friends, family, Eagles football, his therapist, and Tiffany to get him through. Silver Linings aren't always what we think they are.

Simply stunning, excellent character development. I fell in love with every character. Matthew Quick does a fantastic job getting into Pat's head and making his mental problems understandable. A tour de force in a culture that surrounds mental health with such stigma. I cannot recommend this book enough.