Depression

I’m sorry. I can’t. Don’t hate me.

The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X.R. Pan

November 17, 2018 by dAvid Leave a Comment

CBR10Bingo: Dream Vacation (BINGO!) Emily X.R. Pan’s The Astonishing Colour of After begins with teenager Leigh recounting the day her mother died from suicide, leaving a crumpled note in the trash with a crossed out message: “I want you to remember.” Soon after, a mysterious red bird leaves a gift for Leigh: a package filled with mementos of her mother. Leigh convinces her father to take her to Taiwan for the first time to meet her mother’s estranged family, secretly hoping she’ll also be able to find the bird that she believes is her mother’s ghost. Once there, her father […]

11/17/2018 dAvid's CBR10 Review No:63 |

“The worst thing about being naked and then being hit by a car is that road rash is a problem for skin.”

The Future by Neil Hilborn

September 27, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I might be a little burned out with poetry or just have heard and read so much of Neil Hilborn, that I am not jumping up and down over The Future by him as I have with his other book or with other Button Poetry Poets. Yet, The Future is still amazing. He knows what he is talking about with depression, life and death. He has lived, and is living, his subject matter. He “gets it” and wants to share that with you. He is a fantastic writer, poet and story teller. “The worst thing about being naked and then […]

9/27/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:365 |

Depression & Other Magic Tricks

Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

June 22, 2018 by BlackRaven 2 Comments

You know that a book is good when you highlight/mark something in the acknowledgements of the author. Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim is a collection of poems dealing with depression: thoughts, what she wishes others knew, conversations she had, the struggle and finally, the hope they have that they will be well someday. While the poem “Explaining My Depression to My Mother” has become the poem associated with Benaim it was her poem “On Releasing Light” that I got the “feelz” from. Yes, I deliberately put the “z” there as Benaim does not just give you “feelings” […]

6/22/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:221 |

She was the first beautiful thing I ever got stuck on.

Our Numbered Days by Neil Hilborn

November 18, 2017 by Blingle Bells Leave a Comment

Is it me, or is obsessive compulsive disorder having a bit of a moment? It could be me. I struggled with symptoms for 15 years without saying a word to anyone, not knowing it had a name. I’d heard of OCD, but just the pop culture version – obsessive hand-washing, obsessive cleanliness, and I didn’t have either of those problems. I finally realized that unbreakable routines, magical thinking, intrusive thoughts, motor tics, needing to do things an unusual number of times until they feel “right” were, in fact, obsessive compulsive disorder. I was relieved but I still never said a […]

11/18/2017 Blingle Bells's CBR9 Review No:38 |

My only love sprung from my only hate

Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai

October 19, 2017 by Malin 2 Comments

Olivia “Livvy” Kane and Nicholas Chandler were teenage sweethearts, growing up as neighbours, heirs to the successful grocery chain their grandfather’s worked together to found. Then a tragic car crash changed everything. Nicholas’ mother and Olivia’s father both died, and shortly after the funerals, Nicholas’ father bought Olivia’s mother’s shares for far less than they were worth. Olivia’s twin brother was arrested for suspected arson of the flagship store, and the Kane and Chandler families, who had been so very close for three generations became bitter enemies. Nicholas broke Livvy’s heart by breaking up with her, just as she was […]

10/19/2017 Malin's CBR9 Review No:91 |

“I don’t believe anyone who is legitimately interesting can be popular as a teenager” Mel went on. “Or ever, maybe. Popularity rewards the uninteresting.”

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

September 3, 2017 by Malin 1 Comment

3.5 stars Elise Dembowski has always been painfully uncool at school, and spends an entire summer pretty much studying up on how to become popular, spending much of her savings in the process on a new wardrobe, without any success at all. Things may in fact have gotten even worse for her. In a moment of despair, she cuts herself pretty deeply, and while bleeding, calls a school mate, who naturally freaks out and has paramedics sent to Elise’s house. After this event, Elise’s divorced parents are extremely protective and worried about her, while Elise is pretty much seen as […]

9/3/2017 Malin's CBR9 Review No:74 |

A 5 star book with a major caveat.

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

August 16, 2017 by Blingle Bells Leave a Comment

Every Last One is about a mother with three teenage children. They all have very realistic teenage concerns and dramas. There’s depression in the mix, an eating disorder, relationship problems, very well-written dynamics between the kids and their friends and significant others and how they all interplay. Mary Beth’s marriage isn’t really the point but there’s also some very subtle but very real commentary on being married for a long time. The parents are each doing their best to figure out how to effectively parent three teenagers – when to push, when to give them space. Mistakes are made but […]

8/16/2017 Blingle Bells's CBR9 Review No:19 |

“Normal is boring. Weird is better. Goats are awesome, but only in small quantities.”

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

February 15, 2017 by faintingviolet 1 Comment

I am not 100% sure how to rate or review this book so prepare yourselves for a bit of a ramble. I also don’t know why I decided to read Jenny Lawson’s second book before her first, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. But, I had added Furiously Happy to my to read list, someone suggested the author narrated version since it has a bonus chapter, I have an audible subscription, and here we are. I have depression, and usually I keep it on the ropes with skills I’ve accrued over the years at therapy and learning how my system works. […]

2/15/2017 faintingviolet's CBR9 Review No:9 |

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