Trigger by N. Griffin
Trigger is a disturbing look at child abuse and the toxicity of one family, and how the one person who is supposed to help you can be the one person who you fear the most. The life of our narrator is set up so that when an answer is given, three more questions occur. And yes, there are literally trigger warnings due to the language, violence, and implications some scenes present. And the scary part is some of what N. Griffin writes about is pulled […]
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
This is a book that’s going to stay with me for a while. In Hidden Valley Road, Robert Kolker details the story of the Galvins: A family of twelve children, made up of 10 boys and two younger girls. And in the first part of the book, we learn how six of those 10 boys, six went on to develop a form of schizophrenia. The eldest of these boys, Don Jr, was born at the closing of WW2. An average student but a rather enthusiastic […]
Unthinkable: An Extraordinary Journey Through the World's Strangest Brains by Helen Thomson
This Is Your Brain on Parasites: How Tiny Creatures Manipulate Our Behavior and Shape Society by Kathleen McAuliffe
I’ve had a couple of brain books sitting on my shelf for a little while, one (Unthinkable) courtesy of a local Little Free Library, and one (This Is Your Brain on Parasites) courtesy of my husband wanting to qualify for free shipping on an online order. I decided to do a “brain dump” in January, and while neither of these books exactly blew off my Bombas, both contained enough interesting information that I would recommend them if you’re in the mood for some light science. […]
What if, Pig? by Lizzie Hunter
Dad & The Dinosaur by Gennifer Choldenko
Captain Starfish by Davinia Bell
You've Got Dragons by Kathryn Cave
When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow Miller
AKA Why this week’s library haul had me in tears. There’s a lot to go over in this review, so I’m bear with me: There’s a reason these books are together like this, I promise. Dad & The Dinosaur by Gennifer Choldenko –Nicholas isn’t brave like his dad: He’s afraid of all sorts of things, like bugs, & darkness, & manhole covers. But he has a secret weapon: A dinosaur that “likes the dark, bugs are nothing to them, and they eat manhole covers for […]
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Bingo category: Rep Don and Mimi Galvin had twelve children, ten boys and two girls. Six of their sons were diagnosed with schizophrenia. In Hidden Valley Road, Robert Kolker tells the Galvins’ story, as well as exploring the history of schizophrenia research and treatment, and its current state. The resulting book is fascinating and incredibly depressing. The story mostly centers on the two daughters, Margaret and Lindsay, who are also the two youngest children in the family. It’s clear that Kolker primarily spoke to these […]
Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking your life back when someone you care about has borderline personality disorder by Paul T Mason and Randi Kreger
This is a tough book to review, but I’ll try my best. If you know, or suspect, someone in your life is suffering from BPD (and rest assured – they are truly suffering and in pain) and you perform a random google search seeking help, you’ll get billions of hits. Factsheets, support groups, horror-stories…. A significant portion of the internet is devoted to BPD because it is such a nefarious condition/disease/illness (I am not a mental health advocate or professional, so apologies if I’m using […]
