Reviews

Thank you to the author for reaching out and sending a copy of this book for me to read and review. This was such a unique story about someone’s life struggling with anxiety, OCD, and depression. As someone with anxiety myself, I related a lot to this story and how everyday activities can be severely impacted by these disorders. I also happened to be traveling while reading this, and Amy's flight and travel anxiety was so relevant to me at the time that it made this book even more relatable to me.

Shedding a light on mental health is so important and is so well done here. I found myself empathizing and rooting for Amy to get help. I particularly found the other characters’ reactions to her to be very spot on from those that pity and try to find ways to make her comfortable to those that don’t understand and want her to “stop being selfish and suck it up.” I did love her relationship with a few of her co-workers and how understanding they were and how much they tried to help her.

This story also aptly demonstrates how hard it can be to get help, so I can’t emphasize enough how important of a book this is. We certainly need more books like this.

annarose96's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The first thing I noticed when reading this book was the vulnerability of the narration. I was so moved by the unending compassion Amy offered to others even when she didn’t feel deserving of it herself. I didn’t expect to cry while reading this novel, but its raw honesty had a big impact on me.

We get to see daily life through Amy’s eyes as she battles with severe anxiety, depression, and OCD. I could relate when Amy was frustrated, or when she pushed herself to show up the way she thought others needed. Her character became like a friend that I wanted to see happy.

The kind of loneliness that Amy goes through - feeling like no one understands her but afraid to voice her difficulties - really hit home. I’ve had my own struggles with mental health, but I also really related to Amy’s friends; they mean well, but don’t know how to help.

This book felt like a call to action to support the people I care about in a way that’s actually helpful to them, not just convenient for me. Sometimes we show up with the best intentions but don’t know what to do or say. Asking that person, consulting a professional, and doing your own research, can make such a difference in effectively being a supportive friend.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt alone in their experience - whether it’s because of difficulties with mental health or any other aspect of life.

requiresreading's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

From the outside Amy has a good life. She has a nice job, friends, and home but that is just from the outside. Inside Amy is constantly fighting with herself and her brain. This book follows Amy in her life as she navigates OCD, Anxiety, and Depression. Amy has bad days and better days but her friends are there for her all along the way. Amy also understands how her actions affect her friends and how she hurts them even when she is trying her best.

I wanted nothing but good things for Amy. Hearing her thoughts on situations and the fights she was having in her head made me feel for her so deeply. This book is an eye-opening and informative look at someone struggling with OCD and Depression. It gave me greater empathy for others in a similar situation.

midnightreads1803's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

xosaam's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

onceuponthesewords's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5/5

I love books about mental health, so I was really excited for this one. As someone who deals with generalized anxiety disorder, I could definitely relate to Amy on certain levels, and it was really interesting to get into her mind to see what her exact thoughts were for the other aspects of mental health.

The writing did feel a bit monotonous/super formal at times, and I’m not sure if that was done on purpose or if it was just the author’s writing style… And it did feel like not a whole lot was happening for the majority of the time. However, all in all, this was a thought-provoking and eye-opening read, and I was rooting for Amy.

A very big thank you to the author for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

meeel's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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