Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

41 reviews

ebartsch85's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

I know this isn't shocking information, but Kennedy Ryan is a Goddess. 

This book may be really difficult for people to read because of the traumas within the book, but gosh dang is it beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Self harm, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent and Dementia

abidavisf's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I am stunned and awed by this book. Kennedy Ryan has taken my heart in her hands, broken it, and then healed it.

I can hear Yasmen and Josiah’s voices so clearly in my head, feel everything that they felt. I have been in a somewhat similar situation to Yasmen (though it cannot compare to the enormity of Yasmen’s loss), and to be able to hear both her and Josiah’s sides was completely gut-wrenching while also incredibly healing. I considered possibilities about my former partner/relationship that I never have before. The demise of a relationship, the loss of trust, it has all been captured so realistically and with so much heart. I feel like I should be devastated, but I actually feel a sense of closure.

There are moments of beauty and tragedy within Before I Let Go that are then expertly juxtaposed with humour and hope. 10/10. A must read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Mental illness, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Dementia

noodlebooknook's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Wow the hype does not lie with this book 5 Stars!!! 

I am normally not a fan of second chance romance because almost all of them one person majorly majorly messed up and it’s hard to see how someone would forgive them but this book goes into how grief and mental illness and bad circumstances a cause issues that are deeper than whether you love someone or not but in the end if it’s meant to be it will be. 

The writing was beautiful without being too flowery

The dialogue was seamlessly casual without taking away from the flowery language in the non-Dialogue sections. 

There were 0 cringe items which is almost impossible for a modern romance and even as someone who hates pop culture references these blended so well into the story I wasn’t even mad at them.

My only criticism at all is really a criticism of the contemporary romance genre in that every book as so may sex scenes which hers were very well written I just wish I could find romance books with tension without necessarily reading smut scenes. 

But overall this book made me cry and laugh and think about my own grief and relationships it was just so so good

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Child death

Moderate: Sexual content, Self harm, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Grief, Infertility, and Suicidal thoughts

allysonw_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I have never cried as much as I have while reading this book. Like I sobbed and that doesn’t happen often when I read despite me being a pretty emotional person  As someone who has gone through depression and certain types of ideation I was amazed at how detailed Ryan was in describing what it felt like. For example there’s a certain part in the book where Yasmen describes what her day to day felt like at one point. She says “I’d wake up disappointed that I wasn’t still asleep and think, Oh, my God. I have to do this again. I have to be here again.” This is just one of many parts of the book that really hit the nail on the head of what it’s like to really be in a deep pit and feel like there’s no way out. What I love about this book is how layered it is and how it doesn’t hold back in digging into the ugly parts of life. Yasmen and Josiah are imperfect people who went through unimaginable tragedy, and I think showing the conflict in their relationship early on and leaning into the awkward parts of their life as a divorced couple helped to showcase so well the nuances of being in love and illustrate what they had to go through to come back together. This is a book that I know I’ll be re-reading for years. Ms Kennedy Ryan, you hit this one out the park.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts

bunnyreads3's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Grief, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death, Infertility, Cursing, Death of parent, and Mental illness

cheypreston's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

Moderate: Miscarriage

meaghanisreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

sleepybunnyreading's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“Here’s to sex that cracks our backs, adventures that snatch our edges and friends that stick like you glue”

This book had me in all the feels, honestly it was such a pleasant experience. Although daunting because of its size I truly did love the characters and dynamics and troubles within this book. I could truly find myself relating and understanding Yasmins struggles throughout the book as well was gaming a new level of understanding with the dual POV. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Car accident

bookwxrmvictoria's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This is such a touching, emotional, beautiful, raw and real romance that draws you in. However, please, CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING. I put the authors note below. 

Before I Let Go is a story of joy, healing, and recovery. Consequently it is also a story, at least in part, about loss. When we meet Yasmen and Josiah, they are emerging from the most difficult season of their lives and embarking on a time of joy. With that said, there is some reflection on past difficulties, including: a stillbirth, loss of loved one(past/off page), discussion of complicated grief, depression, and passive suicide ideation (no attempt). Please know these topics were approached with the utmost care and in consultation with those for whom this was a lived up experience and with several counselors/therapists. They were kind enough to beta read for me; so I hope I achieved my goal when writing, which is to edify and do no harm.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Sexual content

Moderate: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

skyenj21_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident