Oh this book gave me chills! Just wow! Could not stop reading and stayed up way too late. The ending just was fantastic! Such a great book.

I've read both of Jeannie Vanasco's previous memoirs and both were incredible 5 star reads, in my opinion. This one, however, fell a bit flat. A large part had to do with the fact that this ARC (which I received as an e-book through NetGalley) had formatting that was all over the place, making it difficult to read.

I suspect when this is published in hardcover, the book itself will be very stylized, with different fonts, maybe notes in the margins or footnotes, to keep track of all the different speakers and letters. Reading it as a block of text basically didn't work well.

Vanasco is a talented writer and I will certainly read any other books she writes, but this one I think will prove to have a very different impact if it is published in the appropriate layout/format.

The subject material of this book was very interesting, and it examined emotional abuse from parents in a way that was compelling and heart-wrenching. Please research trigger warnings if needed, as there is a distinct heaviness and pain throughout as Vanasco grapples with the neglect and abuse she faces from her mother.

How do you write a book about not speaking between characters? If you're Vanasco, you do it and do it effortlessly. I've been a fan of her other works, and this story was a continuation and exploration of just how good of a storyteller she is. You will get lost in the pages about motherhood, being a daughter and a wife, and complicated emotions. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster as you settle in to read this one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.