History Is All You Left Me

By Adam Silvera

5/5

“Griffin has lost his first love in a drowning accident. Theo was his best friend, his ex-boyfriend and the one he believed he would end up with. Now, reeling from grief and worsening OCD, Griffin turns to an unexpected person for help. Theo’s new boyfriend. But as their relationship becomes increasingly complicated, dangerous truths begin to surface Griffin must make a choice: confront the past, or miss out on his future.”

This book is absolutely beautiful from start to finish. It made me cry a lot and it is a story that will stick with me for a very long time. The story is written in alternating chapters of ‘History’, which explores Theo and Griffin’s relationship from start to finish, and ‘Today’, which explores the friendship between Jackson and Griffin.

I think grief is portrayed excellently in this book. No character is being judged for grieving differently than others and Griffin’s parents really understand and support what he is going through. His grief was unique to him which is an important message – no one grieves the same and this is ok! Griffin and Jackson’s (Theo’s ex-boyfriend) friendship was really special and I liked how it developed throughout the book as they started off really disliking each other. I liked Jackson’s character a lot despite disliking him at the start of the book as I was purely ‘Team Griffin.’ Wade is definitely my favourite character, as although we didn’t see too much of him, he was a really integral part to the story. I did also like Griffin’s character but he acted very selfishly at times. Theo was a character that I grew to really hate – I loved him at the start of his and Griffin’s relationship but he grew to be incredibly selfish and manipulative. I think what was the most upsetting was Griffin losing his best friend rather than him losing the love of his life.

Mental health is also a key component to this book but it is not the main focus. I myself don’t suffer from OCD so I can’t comment on how well it is represented but Griffin did see therapy in a positive light which I thought was brilliant. The other characters took Griffin’s illness really seriously and tried to make life as easy as possible for him in regards to his compulsions which was excellent to see.

I highly recommend this book to everyone – it will definitely make you cry but I think it’s a really important story in regards to grief, mental illness and also healthy relationships.

A Monster Calls

By Patrick Ness

5/5

“Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don’t quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there’s a visitor at his window. It’s ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.”

This book is absolutely breath-taking. It is the first Patrick Ness book I have read and I will most definitely be reading more. His writing is beautiful and raw, enabling me to speed through this book in about an hour – I just couldn’t put it down! This was partly due to the fantastic writing, but also due to the incredible story the words told. As someone who has unfortunately dealt with quite a lot of loss in my life, this story really hit home. It was wonderful, but also rather scary, to find a book that understand my feelings so perfectly. The theme of “letting go” was one I struggle with daily, both in regards to mundane situations and also more life changing situations, such as the one Conor faces.

Conor was a truly wonderful character – at 13 years old, he was facing more than a boy that age should. His defiance towards the monster at the beginning of the novel really expressed his character. He was so strong, yet his vulnerability shone through making him a really relatable protagonist. We weren’t really introduced to too many other characters in depth but I thought Conor’s relationship with his Mum was really special, and the end of the book appeared to look towards a positive relationship for Conor and his Grandmother. The character of the monster was really unique and his role was really positive.

I cried for a good 10 minutes after finishing this book which I think shows how utterly heart-breaking it is. But it is also one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read and I cannot wait to read more of Patrick Ness’ work. 

Caraval

By Stephanie Garber

4/5

“Scarlett and Tella have never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show. Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. When the sisters’ long-awaited invitations finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show’s mastermind organiser, Legend. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is an elaborate performance. But she quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.”

This one of my most anticipated reads for this year. It sounded a lot like The Night Circus which is one my favourite books so I was really excited to get stuck in and it did not disappoint. The idea of Caraval is really unique – I got a Wonderland vibe from the setting, especially at the beginning when Scarlett and Julian first arrive on the island. I think this would make a really vibrant and interesting film.

I didn’t find this book as magical as The Night Circus but I did still really enjoy it. The writing was excellent and the characters were vibrant – I really liked Julian (despite never really knowing who he was) and Scarlett grew on me as a character. It was interesting to see their relationship develop and blossom, as well as Scarlett’s relationship with Tella and how this changes throughout the book. This book constantly surprised me and I could never guess what would happen next.

Unfortunately, I found it a little difficult to imagine the world that Stephanie Garber created. The magic wasn’t as spectacular as I thought it was going to be and the abuse the sisters’ face from their father made me a little uncomfortable, especially when he turned up at Caraval.. I understand that the abuse is an incentive for the sisters to leave Trisda but it did make me a little uncomfortable, especially when the father gives Scarlett to the count and basically tells him to "take what is his".
I do recommend this book for fans of The Night Circus and fantasy in general (although do be warned that some of the themes may be uncomfortable for some readers). I would love to read a sequel to this book and I will definitely read more from Stephanie Garber in the future.(Also, the UK hardback cover is absolutely stunning!)

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY

By Jay Asher

4/5

“Clay Jenson returns home to find a strange package with his name on it. Inside hie discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker – his classmate and his first love – who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice explains there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why. All through the night, Clay keeps listening – and what he discovers changes his life… Forever.”

I reread this book recently after I heard there would be a Netflix series coming out in March based on the book. I hadn’t read the book in well over a year and could barely remember what happened but I thought it best I pick it back up to refresh my memory before I watched the show.

I really did enjoy this book. I don’t see any obvious flaws and I found it to be a really quick and easy read. The story is poignant and gripping and really gets you thinking about how your words and actions can affect others which is really important. I feel I learnt a lot from reading this book and I hope others did to.

Clay’s character was really enjoyable – he was sweet, kind and considerate and I think he was the best character for us to follow through Hannah’s journey. Hannah’s voice was really unique and it was really interesting to hear how such little things really affected her life and her ultimate decision to end it. She was a really wonderful character. We don’t really meet many other characters, apart from Tony who seemed a little irrelevant but came to have an integral part to the story and to how Clay coped with Hannah’s death. The characters we do meet, we are introduced to through Hannah’s story as she reveals the 13 people who affected her life. We are introduced to them in a biased way through Hannah’s experience of them but I feel Asher presents them in a way that we are also free to make our mind up about them.

This book really is wonderful and I urge everyone to read it.

Crooked Kingdom

By Leigh Bardugo

4.5/5

“Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off the most daring heist imaginable. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re fighting for their lives. Doubled-crossed and badly weakened, they’re low on resources, allies and hope. While a war rages on the city’s streets, the team’s fragile loyalties are stretched to breaking point. Kaz and his crew will have to make sure they’re on the winning side… no matter what the cost.”

I adore this duology! I was unsure as to whether I would like it as the story really didn’t seem like something I would be interested in but I loved it! Six of Crows was magnificent and Crooked Kingdom was equally as wonderful.

I was constantly on edge throughout the whole book as I knew there would be lots of plot twists based on Six of Crows and I wasn’t disappointed. I never knew what was going to happen and was kept in constant suspense which I really liked. The setting of Ketterdam was explored in even more depth in this book and I found myself becoming familiar with the places the characters visited. This is a world that I really enjoyed as despite being fantasy, it felt very realistic and I could imagine it very vividly.

The characters were just as wonderful as they were in Six of Crows and it was great to learn even more about them. They were all developed beautifully, especially Wylan who I utterly adored in this book (although Jesper is still my favourite character). We were introduced to some new characters which was interesting and some familiar faces appeared again. I really did enjoy all of our six main characters which is unusual because in a book with so many characters, it is likely that you will not like one but I found them all to be brilliant. They were all so humorous despite the challenges they faced and this humour really made this book special.

Although I adored this book, I did enjoy Six of Crows more. This may be because I got myself into a bit of a reading slump halfway through this book and so it took me much longer to read than normal but I still really enjoyed it. This duology is a must read for all fantasy fans and it is filled to the brim with diverse characters which is wonderful. I highly recommend this series and I can’t wait to read more from Leigh Bardugo.

Ignite Me

By Tahereh Mafi

5/5

“With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.”

Oh my goodness! This book was incredible and the best conclusion to one of the most wonderful trilogies I’ve ever read. I read this book in a matter of hours because I just could not put it down!

I had a very strong feeling, even when I began Shatter Me, that I was going to like Warner by the end of this series and I was right in my assumption – I am in love. His character has developed so much and I am 100% ‘Team Warner.’ Juliette’s character development was also incredible – we saw glimpses of her strength in the first two novels but she was amazing in this final instalment. She is definitely one of my favourite female characters ever. The rest of the characters also had amazing development; Kenji was his usual charming self but we saw a more honest side to him in this novel which I really liked. Unfortunately, I am no longer a fan of Adam (which I guess was Mafi’s intention so that we all fall in love with Warner instead). Adam was cruel and spiteful but he was overcoming this towards the end of the novel and I would have loved to see how his relationship with Warner develops.

The writing style of this trilogy is so raw and honest and I can’t wait to read more of Mafi’s work. This trilogy is now one of my favourites and I already cannot wait to read it again! I highly recommend it!

Unravel Me + Fracture Me (novella)

By Tahereh Mafi

5/5

“Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance. She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.”

I am absolutely loving this trilogy. There was so much character development in this book which I loved and I enjoyed it even more than Shatter Me which I didn’t think was possible.

Juliette is such a wonderful character. I think we saw her at her absolute weakest in this novel but we also saw moments of strength which shows how much her character is developing. Her and Adam’s relationship was so heartbreaking but I can’t wait to see what it means for the final instalment. Warner is still so utterly confusing but his character is developing so nicely that I can see myself falling in love with him. James was adorable and I am glad we got to see more of him and his relationship with Adam and Kenji (who I think may be my favourite character).

This book was intense and fast-paced, the perfect dystopian read. I can’t wait to read the final instalment! I love Mafi’s writing style as I feel you can really get into Juliette’s head but also really embrace the other characters as well.

Fracture Me

“In Fracture Me, Adam, Juliette’s first love, will do anything to get her back.”

I love these little novellas as we get to see inside the head of a character other than Juliette. I adored Warner’s novella because we saw a whole new side to his character but I didn’t feel the same way about Adam’s novella. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a 5/5 novella for writing style, I just no longer feel the same way about Adam’s character that I did in Shatter Me. I think he is weak and dragging Juliette down but I hope we see a different side to him in the final instalment as I loved his character in this first book and would like to love him again.

The Song of Achilles

By Madeline Miller

5/5

“Had she really thought I would not know him? I could recognise him by touch alone, by smell, I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”

This book is absolutely breath-taking. Not many people know this but I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and so when I spotted this vibrant front cover in Waterstones I knew I had to read it. I did not have any knowledge of the story of Achilles and Patroclus before reading this book but I know that no matter what I learn or read about them next, it will not compare to this book.

The story is told from Patroclus’ point of view and the story spans around 20 years. Patroclus is exiled to live with King Peleus after accidentally killing a boy and it is there he meets Achilles, beginning their epic story of friendship and love. I was a bit unsure about Patroclus’ character at first as he appears weak but he flourishes within his relationship with Achilles and by the end of the book I utterly adored him. Achilles, on the other hand, had my heart from the very beginning – he is brave and beautiful, and his love for music and Patroclus is inspiring. There are many other important characters within this book but they are overshadowed by the intense relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. This is a story about them and all the other goings on come second to their story.

This book take my breath away; it made me smile, laugh and cry, and it has made its way into my favourite books. This story will stay with me for a very long time and I know I will go back to this book time and time again as this is a love story that I will never get tired of. I highly recommend this book to everyone, even if you do not know anything about Greek mythology. 

How to Fall in Love

By Cecelia Ahern

4.5/5

I have been a big fan of Cecelia Ahern’s for a while; I read Where Rainbows End around 6 years ago on holiday and it has remained one of my favourite books to this day. I had been debating buying How to Fall in Love for some time but every time I was in a bookshop, there was always a YA book that caught my eye instead. After receiving a Waterstones voucher for my birthday I was finally able to purchase this book and I am so glad that I did.

The story follows Christine and Adam, a man she saved from jumping off a bridge, and their two weeks together as Christine tries to make him fall back in love with life before his 35^th birthday. Just from reading the blurb I knew I would like this book as it was guaranteed to make me cry and if you have read my reviews before, you will know that I love books that make me cry. Of course, this book did not disappoint. It was romantic and heart-breaking, a real roller-coaster book to read. I thought the characters were brilliant, especially Adam and Christine’s sisters. They were vibrant and alive and I feel that I really connected with them. There were humorous parts which broke up the heartbreak and added to the beauty of this book. The gorgeous Irish setting completed this book and made me crave a visit to Ireland even more.

I will most definitely be reading this book again and I highly recommend it to everyone. I can’t wait to read more of Cecelia Ahern’s work.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop

By Veronica Henry

4/5

This book is utterly gorgeous. It made me laugh and cry in equal measures and it has definitely enhanced by dream to open up my own bookshop. The story follows a number of characters who are all linked by Nightingale Books, a lovely bookshop owned by Julius Nightingale before he died (if you have seen the films Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve, this book is kind of like those films in that all the characters know each other in some way).

I adored all of the characters in this book, especially Dillon and Jackson. However, due to this following different characters perspectives, the author only scratches the surface with her characters; we do not really find out too much about them. Despite this, the book is still romantic and endearing and I will most definitely be reading it again.

What I liked most about this book is how much it understood me as a reader. I could pick out many quotes that stand out for me in this book but this is one of my favourites; “So that was why people read. Because books explained things: how you thought, and how you behaved, and made you realise you were not alone in doing what you did or feeling what you felt.” I think this quite perfectly captures what it is to be a fan of literature, whether that be children or YA fiction, adult fiction or even non-fiction to an extent, and how understanding this book is of us as readers is what really made it so special. A definite must-read!

Whisper To Me

By Nick Lake

3.5/5

This book was absolutely nothing like I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a fluffy, cheesy chick-flick but instead I got a rare story about mental illness, in particular Schizophrenia. Most YA books that cover the topic of mental health deal with anxiety and depression so it was really interesting to read about a different illness.

When I first started reading this book and Cassie was hearing a voice, I thought it was a supernatural/paranormal book due to Cassie believing the voice was real, meaning myself as a reader thought the voice was real. This is what made the book so gripping; for some time I thought the voice was real and that all threats it made were going to come true. However, when Cassie realised that the voice was all in her head, this did not make the story any less thrilling. It opened my eyes to what someone suffering with Schizophrenia really goes through and it is utterly heartbreaking.

I love the format of this book as Cassie is writing an email to her ex-boyfriend apologising for all the things she put him through when she was struggling with her mental illness, so we get a first-hand experience with the ‘voice.’ Unfortunately, we never find out of the boyfriend reads this email and agrees to meet Cassie but from hearing about his character through Cassie’s narrative, I think (and hope) that he does agree to meet. I love the whole ‘murder mystery’ element of this book also; there is a ‘Houdini Killer’ who is killing girls who are, what Cassie’s voice describes as, ‘whores’ (I really hate this word and I don’t condone the use of it). What is most interesting is how the men and women react differently to this killer, with some men believing it is the girls’ fault for dressing so provocatively (a major topic in the media today).

I liked most of the characters in this book but one I really did not like is Cassie’s father. I understand that he has some issues of his own but he was a really nasty, vile man and it would have been nice to see him also get some help at the end.

Overall I did really enjoy this book but I feel it is one of those that if you read it again, it wouldn’t hold the same suspense or excitement as it did the first time which is why I only gave it a 3.5/5 as I can’t see myself reaching for it again.

The Loose Ends List

By Carrie Firestone

3.5/5

This book is beautiful. Definitely not the best book I’ve read but still utterly beautiful. The story follows Maddie and her family as they set off on a cruise where people with life-threatening illnesses go to die (kind of like Dignitas but on a boat). I have a lot of opinions on Euthanasia which I won’t share as I don’t want to offend or upset anyone but I think that no matter your opinion, you should definitely read this book.

The family dynamic is central to this book and I thought Maddie’s family were fantastic; her Grandma is hilarious, her cousin is someone I would love to be friends with and her Uncle Wes is fabulous. Maddie’s family meets other families who are experiencing the same thing they are on the boat and it is lovely to get to know so many other characters and watch as they all lean on each other in times of need. Paige and her daughter are two of my favourite characters as well as Mark and his brother.

However, this book is not just about death; it is about adventure and travel, grief and acceptance, friendship and romance, all wrapped up in one heart-warming, yet equally heart-breaking book. I’m really enjoying books about travel right now as I have a huge fear of flying so I travel vicariously through the characters in books (even though I get extreme wanderlust), and the places explored in this book are places that have been on my bucket list for a long time thus I really enjoyed reading about them.

The writing style isn’t my favourite but the plot and the characters make this book really special. I would wholeheartedly recommend!

The Scorpio Races

By Maggie Stiefvater

4/5

As many of you may know, Maggie Stiefvater is my favourite author and The Scorpio Races was the one book of hers that I hadn’t read due to it being quite difficult to get a hold of in the UK. After a few failed attempts at trying to get it from Waterstones, I made an Amazon order and I finally had it in my hands.

This book is so incredibly magical and I honestly wonder sometimes where Maggie comes up with her ideas for books because they are so unique. The story is written from the dual narrative of Puck and Sean, who have both entered ‘The Scorpio Races’ for different reasons but find themselves drawn together so of course, there is a little bit of romance. The ‘water horses’ fascinated  me greatly and even by the end of the book I still do not truly know what they are but that is the beauty of this book. I adored most of the characters; Finn, Puck’s little brother, was utterly adorable but it was also heart-breaking at times to read about him; George Holly was an interesting character and I liked seeing how someone so wealthy and so business orientated could find a little peace and pleasure on a small island run by wild horses. I of course loved Puck and Sean and their dynamic, I think they complimented each other really well. The end of the book was semi-predictable but not enough so that you knew what would happen; there was also going to be a disaster just waiting to happen.

The only reason I gave this book a 4/5 is because I didn’t like it as much as The Raven Cycle or my absolute favourite book, Shiver. However, I feel that if I had read this book a few years ago when I was a horse rider myself and a little obsessed, it definitely would have gained a 5/5.

On The Other Side

By Carrie Hope Fletcher

2.5/5

I really struggled to get my thoughts together after I’d finished this book. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, I thought the story was utterly bizarre in places but I also did have a good cry at certain parts and usually when a book makes me cry, it instantly becomes one of my favourites. This wasn’t the case with On The Other Side.

If you have read any of my reviews before, you will know that I am not a fan of a third person narrative; I don’t think you can truly connect with the characters. This was the case with On The Other Side; I feel like we learnt very little about the protagonist Evie or any of the other characters. This book was nothing like I was expecting and not in a good way.

I did cry at certain parts of this book but honestly that could have been down to me just feeling emotional on the day I read it. The key thing I really didn’t like about this book was the bits of ‘magic.’ I think if this book was just a story about an old lady who had died who was going back to the real world through dreams to get closure with her family I would have enjoyed it a lot more. But there was scenes of ‘magic’ in this book that I really didn’t understand their relevance. For example, the bird who let Evie and Vincent write on his wings who wanted their love to last forever, I thought was totally bizarre but I persevered with the book and found myself enjoying it a little more. This was until near the end of the book when Evie takes out her heart and plants it in the ground because she doesn’t want to give her heart away to anyone other than Vincent and her heart grows into a tree and oh my goodness, this was the final straw for me and I only carried on reading the book just so I could say I finished it.

I will definitely not be reading this book again and I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. However I do understand that some people will love this book and I can see how they would but unfortunately, it just really wasn’t for me.

Walk The Edge

By Katie McGarry

3.5/5

This is very cliché romance novel where good girl meets bad boy and chaos ensues so if you don’t like cliché books, this isn’t for you. Razor is your stereotypical bad boy; he’s part of a gang, rides a motorcycle and wears a leather jacket and Breanna is your stereotypical good girl who cares about her grades. But when the two get caught in a compromising position it throws them together and of course, they fall in love.

I really enjoyed this book, despite it being incredibly cliché. It was a quick and easy read with loveable characters and a swoon-worthy love interest. I didn’t really like Breanna’s family and I especially didn’t like Clara but they could be easily overlooked to enjoy the rest of the story. I adored Breanna and Razor and how they pushed and challenged each other whilst also complimenting each other; the perfect couple. I also liked how this book spoke of the issue of cyber-bullying and how it effects the victim but also the reasons behind why an individual can become a bully. Kyle was a really interesting character who I didn’t like at the start but I really pitied towards the end. This book also grazed over the topics of suicide and domestic abuse which I felt was dealt with consideration.

The plotline was interesting and fast-paced, keeping me hooked from start to finish. I enjoyed the two POV narrative and I liked how their individual problems and stories overlapped to become one. This isn’t the best book I’ve ever read nor is it anywhere near my favourite but it was very enjoyable and I will definitely be reading more of Katie McGarry’s books in the future.

All The Bright Places

By Jennifer Niven

2.5/5

I told myself after reading When We Collided by Emery Lord that I would read more books on mental health and that is exactly what I did. All The Bright Places, I think, primarily deals with bullying and how much bullying can negatively impact on someone’s life. Finch is bullied for being different and he finds comfort and friendship in Violet, a popular girl who lost her sister in a car accident. They meet on the top of the school bell tower, both with the intention of jumping off. Instead, they help each other down and the book follows their journey of trying to further help each other. But as Violet gets better, Finch only seems to get worse.

Honestly, this book really didn’t live up to my expectations. It is very much rated positively on Bookstagram but I didn’t like how much mental illness was dismissed in this book but I supposed it is only reflective of what society is striving to get past. I also found it to be very predictable and so I did not find myself shedding a tear like many other readers have done. This book really fell flat for me and if you are interested in reading books surrounding mental health, I would definitely recommend When We Collided over All The Bright Places.

However, this book was a very quick read and I read it in one sitting. Perhaps I might give it another read in the future and find it more enjoyable but for now, unfortunately, it suffers a low rating.

When We Collided

By Emery Lord

4/5

Firstly, this book is incredibly poetic so if you don’t like flowery image and long description this isn’t the book for you. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but I had seen a lot of positive comments on Bookstagram (the Instagram book community).  I didn’t actually realise that it was a book about mental health. I haven’t read very many books about mental health, I could probably count them all on one hand in fact. I wasn’t engrossed in this book from the first few chapters which is usually something I like to be; I actually thought I was going to end up putting it down and reading something else because I really disliked the character of Vivi. However, as I learnt more about what she was going through, I realised how easy it is to judge someone when you don’t know the full story and by the end of the novel, I sympathised with Vivi and felt as though we ended as firm friends. The character of Jonah, on the other hand, I loved from the beginning to the end. I thought he was incredibly strong and brave and I especially liked seeing him in the family dynamic with his five other siblings. I also haven’t read many books where there has been a strong family environment and so this was another thing that made me really enjoy this book. I thought all characters went through a lot of development which is good to see in a YA novel.

I did give this book a 4/5 purely because of how long it took me to get into it.

I am not usually one to read the Author’s Note at the end of a novel but I found myself continuing to read it when I reached the end of the book and the words of Emery Lord really stuck with me. She says; “I worry that we’re not talking about mental health enough. And if we’re not talking about it enough, how can we possibly shine enough light into places that can feel very dark and very lonely?” Following these words, I am going to make it my mission to read more books on issues surrounding mental health as I do believe it is really important to beat the stigma and to give people, who suffer bravely everyday with all kinds of mental health issues, a voice.