There is a saying by Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

This is the running theme throughout Earth Angels by Sandy Lundy. Her book is the product of a tragic and heartbreaking event — the loss of her son to suicide because of school bullying. Instead of wallowing in her grief, Lundy poured her heart into this book in hopes of bringing out the earth angel in each one of its readers so that we become channels of grace, positivity, comfort, motivation, and inspiration to others just like her late son was.

As the sprinkling of stories show throughout her book, the author emphasizes that it does not take much to become an earth angel. While many may think one needs wealth, power, and influence to make a difference in others, it doesn’t. Sometimes all it needs is a small gesture like an arm around a shoulder, a kind word, an altruistic deed, or just one’s presence. Sensing when a person is in distress is one thing; acting on it and offering any small help or comfort is what makes one an earth angel. Empathy is an important life skill that can help anyone become an earth angel.

We really cannot tell what is going on in anyone’s life because the state of one’s mental health is not readily visible. Sometimes, the one with the widest smile or the funniest antics is the one nursing the deepest pains and hurts. I am reminded of Robin Williams who always made us laugh and who smiled a lot. Yet, behind all that was pain and suffering that resulted in his untimely demise. It made me wonder if he could have been saved had an earth angel reached out early enough.

The chapters of Earth Angels dwelt mostly on bullying (including online bullying) because this was the author’s son’s world. It would have been nice though if there were more examples of earth angels in different and broader situations so more readers could relate. There were also several pages devoted to psychological analyses and social media behavior that threw me off a bit as it felt more like I was reading a self-help book rather than a book about earth angels.

Overall though, Earth Angels is a wonderful reminder that in a world that is getting darker and darker, compassion and kindness serve as beacons of hope for those who are on the verge of giving up. For the author, this book is a healing tribute to Shane, her son. For the readers, it shows that each one of us has the capacity to ease the burden of others in small and big ways. We only need to become more aware of the world around us and see people with empathic eyes in every situation.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free digital copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.

A thought-provoking book by Sandy Lundy explores every parent's worst nightmare, while showing others how to grow through small acts of kindness.

Thank you Advantage Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Sandy Lundy takes the unimaginable sadness, anger and grief of her young son’s suicidal and channels that energy into doing good. Earth Angels is a call to stop bullying, of all kinds in children and adults.
It is a reminder of the ripple effect our words and actions have on others. A reminder to act with kindness and humility at all times and to lead by example.

This book was different to what I expected from the description but an important book to read,

This must have been an incredibly difficult book for the author to write following the devastating death of her young son by suicide. She is to be admired for using such a tragedy to try to bring about good through encouraging simple acts of kindness. So often the person who presents a smiling face to the world is actually suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts. I especially appreciated the true-life stories of "earth angels" and only wish she would have included more of those anecdotes. Perhaps she will be able to write a second such book about all the people and actions inspired by this first book. Thanks to NetGalley, Advantage Books and the author for an advance copy to read and review.

Earth Angels is a mother's hope for the world to transform and become a little nicer, a little more compassionate and loving after the unexpected loss of her child to bullying. Masking the effects and pain of bullying is so common. This book details several ways we can be Earth Angels, people that are helpful, nonjudgmental, passionate, loving, kind and want to instill those characteristics in others, lifting them up not pulling them down. This book strives to make us better people acknowledging that there are people in the world that need us, sometimes without us knowing we have even helped. I know it's stated in the book that people say this a lot but I truly can't imagine the loss of a child, especially to bullying. I hope that people read this story and are touched like I was and see that they can make a difference or can influence people to stand up to bullies. We have to make changes so that all types of bullying ends.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sandy Lundy, and Advantage book for the opportunity to review this ARC!

The author's journey from devastating loss to purposeful action embodies what the best self-help literature accomplishes showing how our deepest wounds can become our greatest gifts to others. The focus on everyday kindness as a force for change feels both accessible and genuinely impactful.

Sad and poignant but leaves the reader with questions about the tragedy of her son's death. The author does say she cannot talk about the specifics of the case due to litigation, but there is a void left by the missing information which would have been very impactful if filled. However, there is so much truth to the fact that little acts of kindness can have a ripple effect, and each of us has the power and duty to take this to heart.

Original concept - a simple, but rarely executed goal to practice small kindnesses in emotion, word, or gift that have a bigger ripple effect than one would think.

Action oriented - important because many self-help books are theoretical.

Manageable goals - the author explores (and lives by example of) small interactions that anyone can do without overwhelming time or effort

Well written, likeable author who will influence and inspire.

Earth Angels are “individuals who radiate positivity and warmth, offering solace and support to those in need without requiring recognition or reward.”

It’s not as easy or common as it seems as there are nuances. It’s more than being a supportive friend or work colleague. It’s more than helping a short person who wants something on the top shelf or a hand putting up their carry-on luggage. I’d say there are already societal expectations around those deeds.

Who makes a good recipient for an Earth Angel deed then? It’s hard to explain, and I would suggest finding answers in the book. One example was when a teacher set an assignment to do a good deed for someone and to write about it. One student bought some flowers and watched lots of people in a car park to see who the right person was. After 10 or 20 minutes they gave the flowers to an old lady. She was touched by the gesture as she was going shopping for the first time after her husband died and it was hard to shop for herself. Did the student know that? Of course not. But sometimes doing a good deed at the right time can make a huge difference to someone’s day/life. Instead of being sad about shopping for one, this recipient feels happy at the kindness of strangers and feels supported. Yes, half or more of the story is luck. But you never know. Sometimes the impact could be an awkward, ‘gee thanks’ followed by thoughts of them being a weirdo. Other times, it can be touching.

The story is not written by a psychologist or someone who has expertise in this philosophy (wrong word?). But, she knows her stuff as she did lots of research following a tragedy (no spoilers). Suffice to say, the tragedy is a huge one and the philosophy is somewhat of a legacy. Imagine a stick symbolic of a tragedy. Then think of honey wound around the stick, representing the sweetening of a tragedy. And finally picture some uses. What could you do with the honey stick? That’s what the author does with this story. She has suffered and could have remained in a dark place. Sure she has moments of addressing that sadness and darkness. But she has a way out, and it honours the loved one and her own healing process. And as a result can change the lives of others around them.

I highlighted copious amounts of notes. Some about the Earth Angel tidbits. But also the life lessons. They were spot on. I particularly liked the way the author processed people’s comments or behaviour following the tragedy and her unsent letter.

A memorable anecdote was how the family were in the process of taking a photo and the author was taking lots of photos in search of the perfect shot. And the kids were pointing out the contradiction between perfectionism and her telling them they should be happy just being themselves. I laughed hard at that part. I must admit, I’m not a one-take subject.

A glowing review, so why not 5 stars? It was close. I think the definition of Earth Angel could have been more specific than a gut-feel description. And tied in with some background information about who first coined the term and how it became popular or if it is an original concept. Apologies to the author if this was included and went unnoticed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Advantage Media Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Had a hard time getting into this but it was clear that the writing was well done. Although I did not love this book (I think I am more of a fiction gal), there is a lot to say about about kindness and the importance of spreading it like a wildfire.