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yourlittleearthling's review
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Mental illness
maraculous's review
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual violence
onewoman_bookclub's review
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Addiction and Sexual assault
lady_bountiful's review
4.75
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcohol
hollyd19's review
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Pregnancy
old_murr's review
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Addiction, and Child abuse
wenona66's review
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Child abuse
bookishcori's review
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
krys_kilz's review
4.5
Geller's voice was refreshing. She doesn't sugar coat anything nor does she attempt to give her pain/trauma a deeper meaning or poetic beauty. She simply lays it all out without apology. And that raw vulnerability felt like a breath of fresh air. As a survivor, your story doesn't have to prioritize other people's comfort or inspire others with your unbelievable strength. It doesn't have to be palatable. It can just be.
I especially appreciated how Geller spoke about forgiveness and the repeating cycles of addiction and recovery. And how you cannot force other people to change no matter how much you love them.
Structuring the memoir around archived family photos, journal entries, and letters was also a really cool writing methodology.
tw: death of a parent, alcoholism, addiction, child abuse, domestic abuse
"...the longer I stood there, the more I realized I wasn't angry at myself. I wasn't even angry at my mother. I was angry at things outside our control. I was angry at the broken communities we were born into, and the godly men who perpetuated the cycles of abuse. Who told us to seek happiness in ignorance and faith in a God who seemed indifferent to our suffering. Who taught us to forgive too readily, and that forgiveness restored power, when in my experience, forgiveness had only taken my power away."
"Can't you see? Everything keeps repeating. All of this has happened before. I don't want you to end up like our parents."
Eileen took my hands, drew them down into her lap, and looked into my eyes. "I'm just happy you made it out," she said, softly. "It had to get one of us, you know?"
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
betyourbuttons's review
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Violence and Suicide attempt