Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

26 reviews

jackiereadssometimes's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny 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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cassielaj's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

This is simply the sweetest, most beautiful, rip your heart to shreds and stitch it back up three sizes bigger book that I’ve ever read. I laughed constantly. I held back tears a few times and then cried so hard I couldn’t see the words anymore. The way this book approaches and opens up grief, death, mental health, love, joy, life, and so much more spoke to me in such a special way. I wanted to wrap every character in the biggest hug and never let go. I don’t even know how best to say how perfect it was, but I can tell you already this is a top book of 2024. And probably of ever. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

ohthebooksshewillread's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tylerlee_readsnow's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad
  • 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

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t quite have words for how much I love this book.

Logan and Rosemary were best friends in middle school. An incident the summer before high school turned them into rivals. For ten years after high school, they didn’t speak. Now, in their 30s, they agree to go on a death trip with their mentor as his dying wish. They are forced together for what is supposed to be a simple 5-day trip, and they soon realize maybe they have more to work through than the grief of losing their lifelong mentor.

This book was, in a word, incredible. I very much enjoyed ‘The Charm Offensive’ so when this book came up I knew I wanted to read it. I was absolutely blown away by the weaving of this story. I laughed and cried the whole way through. Cochrun made me feel so connected to these characters so that every part of them felt embedded in my heart.

The mental health and grief representation in this book was done so well. The way it was weaved together was perfect. How different people process their grief and how their mental illness can affect that process is something that is so important to talk about and Cochrun did a phenomenal job. 

Tropes:
Childhood friends to lovers
Second chance
Opposites attract
Found family
Forced proximity 

Content/Trigger warnings:
Death of a parent (off-page)
Death of an important figure
Cancer
Addiction
Abandonment.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

katebrownreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

annamariem_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny 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

Alison Cochrun does it again with a stunning novel about love, grief, relinquishing control, and finding yourself along the way. Logan and Rosemary are childhood friends-turned to enemies-turned to strangers-turned to colleagues-turned to friends again and then, FINALLY, turned to lovers. Here We Go Again explores what it’s like to truly dig deep inside oneself and realize that you are worthy of being loved. Of taking up space because you can and should simply because you are human. 

Former high school English teacher, Joseph Delgado, is dying. He wants one last hurrah before he kicks the can and that is to drive cross country from Washington state to Maine with Logan and Rosemary, two former high school students who turned out to be the daughters he never had. Through Cochrun’s wonderful writing, a story with grief at the very center seems to evolve into the phrase “grief is just love with nowhere else to go.”

Logan and Rosemary couldn’t be more opposites of one another. Joe is the puppeteer that fits these two women together like missing puzzle pieces. This trip is a chance for these three to spend quality time together but it’s also a ploy by Joe to get Rosemary and Logan to resolve their differences and finally admit their true feelings for each other. 

My favorite part about this story is how relatable Cochrun’s characters are. How well fleshed out they are. How vulnerable they can be. How stubborn they are. How, no matter what, they show up for one another. This is what love is. What love looks like. It’s messy and real and infuriating. The love of a mentor-turned-father figure. The love of your childhood best friend-turned-partner. Through this road trip, Logan, Rosie, and Joe all discover parts of themselves that they’ve been too terrified to face. Whether that’s insecurities, mommy issues, control issues, or showing up at the art gallery of your ex-lover. This book is raw and not easy to read because it makes you reflect on your own life and your own relationships. But boy, is it worth the read. Read it, but please make sure to take care while doing so.

Here We Go Again hits shelves on 4.2.24! Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...