Yours Truly

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez | 417 pages | 2023

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of  tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor, especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

This was such a funny, sweet, heartwarming story! Reading Jacob's POV was like therapy. His anxiety struggles are very relatable, and written in a sensitive and straightforward way. Jacob and Briana had the sweetest chemistry. Every once in a while I found Briana frustrating, but Jimenez handles it so much better than most other romance authors because she really digs into the trauma behind the character's irrational choices. There was even a wonderful redemption arc for the not-quite-villain, so that we avoided the evil ex-girlfriend trope. I loved it!

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

 Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig -- 256 pages

Matt Haig’s accessible and life-affirming memoir of his struggle with depression, and how his triumph over the illness taught him to live.

Like nearly one in five people, Matt Haig suffers from depression. Reasons to Stay Alive is Matt’s inspiring account of how, minute by minute and day by day, he overcame the disease with the help of reading, writing, and the love of his parents and his girlfriend (and now-wife), Andrea. And eventually, he learned to appreciate life all the more for it.

Everyone’s lives are touched by mental illness: if we do not suffer from it ourselves, then we have a friend or loved one who does. Matt’s frankness about his experiences is both inspiring to those who feel daunted by depression and illuminating to those who are mystified by it. Above all, his humor and encouragement never let us lose sight of hope. Speaking as his present self to his former self in the depths of depression, Matt is adamant that the oldest cliché is the truest—there is light at the end of the tunnel. He teaches us to celebrate the small joys and moments of peace that life brings, and reminds us that there are always reasons to stay alive.

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno - 359 pages

Ryan and Gabby have been best friends since freshman year.  Now they are graduating.  This is the story of the top ten moments of their friendship.

I really enjoyed this book.  It took a little getting used to the format as the book counted down the most important moments in their relationship.  The book jumped back and forward in time with each moment shared.  I would definitely recommend this to fans of Jennifer Smith or Morgan Matson.

Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz

Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz - 325 pages

Gallery owner Virginia Troy's anxiety attacks are getting worse now that one of her artists has died.  She gets help from detective Cabot Sutter as she believes the death has something to do with their past in a cult.  Is that cult leader really still alive and trying to hunt down Virginia for some reason?

I listened to the audiobook version of Jayne Ann Krentz's latest romantic suspense book.  I enjoyed the narration and the story.

You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) - Felicia Day

You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) - Felicia Day - 261 pages

I hate to refute a title statement right off, but I think at least a few of us have been on the internet enough to realize that yes, pretty much everyone is weird out there.  The real point is: THAT IS TOTALLY OKAY.  Unless it's ethically repulsive, it's really just awesome to be yourself and share it out there in the vast wikispace of the interwebs with all the other weirdos.  You can overshare pictures of rolly poly pugs, hack up imaginary crab monsters with a bunch of French dudes, post questions about how realistic-looking that USB drive shaped like a watermelon slice really is, and google search cosplay blog posts about how to make realistic pokeballs, and that's all totally awesome because the internet community has room for everyone.* 

It's a fantastic message that this book carries throughout.  Ms. Day relates her stories of finding acceptance, addiction, depression, and redemption on the 'net, and for anyone who grew up as this incredible phenomenon of online community and connection was exploding over the last fifteen years or so, you're totally going to get it.  What's not here is any talk about her career, so if (like me) you were curious about her Dr. Horrible or Supernatural experiences and wanted to read some fun anecdotal stories about hammers and Rocky and Bullwinkle references, look elsewhere, my friend.  Basically, this book boils down to a reaction piece about some very icky geek community splitting, hacking, and stalking, told from the perspective of someone whose experiences online were positive and self-affirming up until that point.  It's the story of a good thing gone unfortunately bad, and the ways that kind of disappointment changes a person.  But Ms. Day, a little older and wiser, still manages to maintain a positive, constructive perspective about it, and that's pretty cool.



*Yep, that's how I spent my weekend.  Not sorry.

Furiously Happy - Jenny Lawson

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things - Jenny Lawson - 352 pages

Few authors could so artfully jam taxidermied raccoon rodeos and radically depressing depression together in one book, but this gal totally did it.  I laughed, I cried, I did both at the same time.

Part memoir, part logbook of arguments with her husband and with herself, the main theme here is that there's an upside to mental illness.  She's living it up, furiously happy and determined not just to survive the ups and downs of anxiety and depression, but to reap all the polarized rewards of each to the best of her ability.  Whether you have a mental illness or know someone who does, this book is just flat out hilarious and thought-provoking for all the right reasons.