This was a beautiful memoir in poetry form! 🌲
I never read anything like this: reading poetry but also reading about a person's life, struggles and tips, if you want to call them that.

My main problem, and the reason for "only" 3 stars, is that I could not fully connect with the author, her story, and her experiences (maybe because of my age (I'm 22)?). I could not fully feel some of the poems and stories and read them without feeling anything. But with others, it was the complete opposite. I felt without realizing I had read (if that even makes sense)... So maybe, it is the perfect book for anyone, because everyone can find something to relate to or learn about in this collection. Most likely, this is a me problem, so check this book out and give it a try!

Some of my favorite quotes:

""Making myself presentable," has always been paramount.
The preparation of my outside has always taken priority over the state of my insides."
⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘
""I would have died without feeling this,"
has entered my mind countless times since life turned the lights back on."
⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘
""He would never" was how I opened every answer [...].
With no idea that I was talking in my sleep every time."
⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘
"Some fights can only be won,
if your goal in the beginning,
was to be alone in the end."
⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘
"Life comes down to a series of trust falls.
Keep learning to let go."
⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘
"You will never be the same again.
But you weren't supposed to be."
⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘
"Will "shoulds" keep me away from the shores?"

Special thanks to NetGalley, Empowered Press Publishing and Lainey Oslin for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I will post this review on Goodreads once the book is available on there.

Seriously, who needs therapy when you can just read poetry???

౨ৎ𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

“𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.”

“𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵.”

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳,
𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦.”

“𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”

“𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.”

“𝘛𝘳𝘺 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥.”

Lainey Olson's "I’m Not the Same Again Today" is a remarkable testament to the power of resilience and self-discovery. Through a deeply personal narrative, Olson takes readers on a journey through the complexities of identity, trauma, and the transformative power of healing.

From the outset, Olson's writing captivates with its raw honesty and vulnerability. She fearlessly delves into her own experiences, navigating moments of pain, confusion, and ultimately, growth. Each chapter unfolds with a sense of introspection, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives and the ways in which they navigate their own journeys.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is Olson's ability to convey the intricacies of human emotion. Whether she's grappling with past traumas or celebrating moments of triumph, her words resonate with authenticity and depth. Readers are drawn into her world, experiencing the highs and lows alongside her.

Moreover, Olson's narrative is not just one of personal growth; it's also a testament to the power of connection and community. Throughout the book, she highlights the importance of relationships and the ways in which they shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Her journey is not a solitary one, but rather one that is enriched by the support and love of those around her.

"I’m Not the Same Again Today" is not merely a memoir; it's a guidebook for anyone navigating their own path of self-discovery. Through Olson's experiences, readers are reminded of the inherent strength that lies within each of us, waiting to be unearthed.

In conclusion, Lainey Olson's "I’m Not the Same Again Today" is a poignant and powerful exploration of the human spirit. It's a book that will linger in the hearts and minds of readers long after they've turned the final page, serving as a source of inspiration and hope for anyone on their own journey of transformation.

This book was a gut-punch of emotions. Oslin is honest and transparent in their prose. Seeing both their struggles and accomplishments through the poetry made me feel like I've known Lainey forever. I empathized with her, I was rooting for her, and at times, I wanted to shake her by the shoulders. There were many points that I had to stop and reflect on the sincerity of the words, and I was totally (and unexpectedly) made a huge fan of her work. Great book to pick up if you are in any sort of life transition, you are hoping to pull yourself out of a rut (or even a bigger ditch), or you need to not feel alone as you navigate life.

thank you for allowing me to review this book!

honestly, it was a bit painful to read. i cried at least 4 times while reading the first half with all the emotional baggage that it has, since it represents everything that i am scared of going through, even though i am just in my 20s. anyone who knows me well is aware of my fear of opening up, and then everything going wrong. but like this book says: there is something freeing with everything going wrong.

for me, this book felt like a self-help guide and also a reassurance. because no matter how big is your trauma and what point in life you are in, you WILL figure yourself out, you WILL pick yourself back up and you WILL go on with your life. wounds can leave scars, but at least a scar means a healed wound.

i believe this book can be a good influence to any young readers somewhere on their 20s, or even early 30s. it feels like a good reassurance for someone who just wants to hear that when you grow old, everything will be okay no matter what turns has life given you.