I received this book to review and while these short stories aren’t easy to read, I want to support the cause. Suicide and mental illness are still subjects that aren’t easily talked about and people are afraid of what people may think about them. These are some things that I have experienced in my family, so for me it’s even more important that people feel that they can talk to someone when they need to! This anthology has 21 short stories, so I will be posting a review of a few of them every week for the next few weeks! This is the second week I will be posting my review.
*WARNING* This book can have triggers for people. It discusses suicide and other mental illnesses and I can completely understand that this book won’t be for everyone!
Last week I posted part 1 of this review. If you want to read about the first three stories and more about the authors who wrote for this book, you can find that review here. Today I have the next three short stories in this anthology for you.
The Tides of Life – Josephine Brierley
Maggie is a wedding planner even though she doesn’t have love herself. She tries to convince herself she is happy, but watching the couple tonight makes her feel like she is missing something. The date doesn’t help much. It’s ten years ago her boyfriend hung himself. Losing the guy she thought was the one, was hard. She blamed herself. Why couldn’t he come to her? That caused her to start cutting herself. She hasn’t done that in a long time, but she has her own scars. That’s when one of the groomsmen comes along and demands attention. She feels a connection, but is afraid to let him in. It’s as of he knows and lets her take her time. Maggie finally lets herself be loved again.
“I didn’t fall in love with Evan, I walked into this love with eyes wide open. This love reminds me that I’m a woman with a heart which has been broken. A woman who wants to love. A woman who isn’t afraid to open her arms to the help of others. A woman who fights against the tides of life, accepting the past that created the individual I am today.”
I really thought this story was beautiful. I can’t imagine what it’s like losing the one you think you’re going to marry that way. Opening yourself up to love again is probably the hardest thing to do. Maggie found her own strength again in a beautiful way. Everyone one deserves to be loved the way Evan loves Maggie.
Regarding Ryker – Anne Jolin
Ryker is waiting for Addison and as he does he describes his childhood and things that were difficult. A parent with bipolar disease. That can’tbe easy and even scarier to know it can be genetic. His love for Addison is pure and he wants the world for her. They have known one another since they were younger. We read he plans on facing his demons head on for her, but we don’t know what or how.
“Have you ever seen an angel’s wings? I have, only they weren’t wings at all. They were the bindings of a book, a soul fluttering in between like pages ready to tell the rest of a story, her story, and it had only just begun.”
This story is beautifully written and while I found it a bit confusing, that feeling was resolved when I read it was becoming a full novel. After this sneak peek, I know I will want to read this story, even if it will be heartbreaking (just a feeling I have). I know I will connect with Addison. She loves books as much as I do!
Something New – Ariadne Wayne
Katrina was a drug addict and is still trying to get her life together. She regrets letting the important relationships in her life get so bad. The moments she could’ve been spending with her grandmother who has dementia are gone. Luckily she’s got her grandfather back and she helps in his fish restaurant. But she needs a job for herself and gets one at an office building. There she meets her boss Damian. She likes his, but knows that is not appropriate. He doesn’t give up though. He knows so much about her, but still accepts her. She hasn’t felt this way in a long time. Katrina finally feels accepted for the way she is and strong.
“We’d lost time together while I was a junkie, and my regrets were many when it came to my grandparents. I should have been a better person. But Poppa always made me feel better. I’d broken his heart, and we’d only reconcile in the past few months.”
I loved that this shirt story showed up Katrina gettong stronger and trying to build her life back to where it was. She often thought of her ex Logan and was jealous of what he now had. I liked that by starting her new job and spending time wirh Damian she accepted her past with Logan. That he was there and pushed her in the right direction, but nothing more would happen again. A lot of stories have the main characters end up with their old loves. I liked that Katrina didn’t.
Definitely some more emotional stories! I have to say this book is beautiful so far though. I am still amazed that these authors came together for such a good cause.
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