Since I participate in Camp NaNoWriMo in the efforts to write a novel (or in my case this month, just hit 30,000 words), I wasn't sure how much I'd actually accomplish reading-wise. But it turns out this month I've been a better reader than a writer, and though the following books are shorter (the month isn't over yet), I'm pretty proud of what I've completed.
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
Matt Haig followed me on Twitter--which was awesome, except for the fact I didn't really know who he was. But I saw he was a writer and followed back. All of a sudden, I started to see his name in several places, especially in reference to a book called Reasons to Stay Alive. It's a personal recount of Haig's battle with depression and anxiety. The reviews were very positive (most the ones I read anyway) and I felt drawn to the topic. I, myself, have my own battles and I was curious to read about someone else's.
I remember a couple reviews talking about how depressing the book was, but I found it to be the opposite. Realistically it wasn't very happy all the time, but what is? Certainly not humanity. He was honest with what he felt, and laying it out for me I found that not only did I have similarities with his battle, there are also plenty of differences, which proves what I've always thought; not everyone experiences mental illness the same way.
He talked about not being able to take pills, so he had to find other ways of coping with his severe depression. I found myself drawn to the idea of finding alternate methods (though he says throughout that medication does work for people, so it's all about finding what works for you). I took a highlighter to several places. One of my favorite lines was on page 129: "There is this idea that you either read to escape or you read to find yourself. I don't really see the difference. We find ourselves through the process of escaping." I have always said reading (and writing, when I'm in the groove) is the perfect escape for me, and these words were perfect.
This is a must-read for anyone who either suffers from any form of depression and/or anxiety, or for anyone who loves someone who is mentally sick. It's an eye opener, it's a guide, and most of all it's someone who's been at the lowest of lows but managed to get through it. I was very inspired.
Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell
I was worried I'd never get my hands on a copy of this novella since it's out of print. However someone made a copy available to me, and I snatched it right up. The moment it arrived in the mail, I sat down and did not move until I had finished it.
Rowell is so talented, this currently blocked up writer is green with envy. Again. Having read her full length novels, I was very curious about a novella of 62 pages. Not only did I laugh at several scenes, and was probably grinning like an idiot the whole time, I cared about the characters. This was brilliant.
Elena loves Star Wars. Enough so that she's willing to spend four nights sleeping on the sidewalk outside the local movie theater waiting for the newest episode. She's imagining a large line of fellow Star Wars fanatics, but the line is actually two guys, one of them around her age and more likely to ignore her than help pass the time. Short and funny, this novella about a passionate girl was enough to make me wish I loved anything as much as she loves Star Wars. But alas, I'm a woman of comfort and I wouldn't be found sleeping on a sidewalk four nights in a row for anything.
Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes
This was one of those finds on Goodreads (love that app). I believe my friend, Jayna, added it to her To-Read shelf, so I clicked on it to see what it was about. I'm very glad to have purchased a copy and read it.
Words with Wings is written in a poem format, but the language is both simple and beautiful. It's about a girl named Gabby, who has always been a daydreamer but slips out of reality more and more after her parents started fighting and divorce. Each poem shows us her mind, what it's like to live in it, and how the people on the outside react to her. It was heartwarming and sweet, also a quick read but one I'll pick up again several times in the future.
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