Horrid by Katrina Leno

Don't mind me, not liking the mom. because that right there is not a healthy parental relationship. 
Will is cool. 
I'm still trying to figure out if eating paper is like...a fun fantasy thing in the story, or part of an eating disorder as it is in the real world....because like...Can we please address this.... Xylophagia....please.
The triangulation in this is making me uncomfy...
Yeah no I hate Ruth
Ummmm....Wut.
336 Pages

Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

When the web-series that turned into books goes on a hiatus, so you don't have your weekly dose of new fluff...
Ok but the way we're dealing with mental health. Nick's mom is just. The best. Nick being the adorable loving cutie-pie that the world needs. The concerned golden retriever baby.
Just let them text! Yes this could be seen as kind of dependent on each other but like....they teenages. mere youts. This relationship is statistically way more healthy than a lot of others. Let the babies talk. 
The New Years scene.
I have to remind myself that they're Brits so like...their idea of vacation and I don't know...self-care, view of work and school-life, lifestyle mentality, are different than the U.S. that and they have British accents and are like....right next to a gazillion countries so it makes sense and that they can walk everywhere because stuff is close. 
The dogs. I'm always here for the dogs. 
I feel so seen for reasons. Also I would die for Charlie (and Nick, always Nick, but we're specifying Charlie today). I would kill for him. Either way what bliss. 
Tori is so cool and I hope to be as amazing as her one day....
My children. Just trying their best. Just:

384 Pages

Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive

 

Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive by Marc Brackett

Pages: 304

Rating: 4 out of 5

This book combines science, psychology, passion and inspiration in equal parts to teach anyone how to identify and manage their emotions. Author Marc Brackett believes that the mental well-being of Americans is shockingly poor, which leads to physical health issues, financial issues and increased stress for all of our society. Most of us have been taught since childhood to be seen and not heard, to hide all of our emotions, bury them and not even acknowledge them. Most people will answer "fine" if you ask how they are doing, not matter what is going on in their life. 

Marc Brackett is a professor in Yale University's Child Study Center and founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In his 25 years as an emotion scientist, he has developed a blueprint for understanding our emotions and using them wisely so that they help, rather than hinder, our success and well-being. 

After an uncle listened to him and gave him permission to feel and express his emotions and encouraged him to talk about them and to deal with them, he realized he wasn't stuck, he wasn't alone and that it is okay to have negative emotions.

He created a system titled, RULER, to help people understand and take charge of their emotions. He has seen first-hand improvements in grades, school attendance, and a decrease in dropouts, when teachers and school administrators have started using RULER in their classrooms. Since then he has also lead workshops for numerous businesses and organizations. 

This book could be helpful for someone seeking to improve their emotional well-being and stress and also for parents and supervisors of any kind.  

Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish and Other Self-Care Rituals from Nature by Rani Shah

Oh my gosh porcupines!
The wombat. Yes
Elephants. Heart eyes.
....When the author is like "let's not get into the Greek and Latin roots of the word octopus to explain why the plural of octopus is octopuses" YES LET'S GET INTO THE ROOTS. PLEASE

144 Pages

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Ok so I am in pain.
This was amazing as an audiobook!
Me and my love of Criminal Minds is getting the best of me, and is getting me into trouble.
336 Pages

Fruits Basket Another Book 3 by Natsuki Takaya

...What do you mean that's the end?
Shiki...you deserve the world.
Drag Shigure. Drag him.
Mutsuki, you are your father. Don't lie and say you're not a shipper.
Hajime. Someone follow him around and tell me everything about him. EVERYTHING.
Sawa. You precious cinnamon roll. Too pure....And yet so mistreated.
Abusive people suck.
192 Pages

Fruits Basket Another Book 2 by Natsuki Takaya

No spoilers for the OG Fruits Basket (well the manga has spoilers, but this review will not). My babies have babies and I have more feelings than all of them combined... well that's unrealistic, but I have a lot of feelings. It doesn't help that Fruits Basket has a reboot and I have feelings about the animation and the angst... *Nervous laughter that melts into crying*

192 pages

Birthday by Meredith Russo

Birthday by Meredith Russo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My god. This is absolutely stunning.

It’s an aching, haunting look at navigating true friendship, love, trauma, mental health disorders, being transgender, and unequivocally loving someone transgender, despite negative public perspectives.

It also has the most positive depiction of healthy masculinity that I’ve seen in a YA book in ages. This split journey of Morgan trying to grow into her true self and Eric trying to hold strong and be his true self, despite being surrounded by such toxic views of masculinity, is a combo that was just utterly glorious and enchanting.

I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a story this much, and I read almost 450 books a year. There’s something about this one that is just so special that I’m sure I’ll read it again and again and again and again.

And I listened to the author interview at the end, and It’s just as wonderful as the book. Now I can’t quit crying and also feeling so happy that such an amazing book exists for every kid, teen, and adult who always needed and wanted a story like this and also for all of them who never wanted it or never knew they needed it but still did.

Meredith Russo is a force to be reckoned with. You never know with a debut author, when their first book is so sublime, if they’ll ever write anything again that you love that much. But I love this as much, or maybe even just a smidge more than IF I WAS YOUR GIRL, which doesn’t even seem possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me an arc for review. My apologies that this review is a bit late.

Pages: 288

When We Collided by Emery Lord

When We Collided by Emery Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed that you got to see this book from both points of view. Both characters have a very story that you need to be able to know what each is thinking to get a better understanding of each. Vivi helps bring Jonah and his family out of the low state that they are in but at the same time she puts herself into an awful state. So this was a very sad but yet happy book for me.   352 Pages 

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