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I related to Meredith sooo much. We get to see her develop from being content with her agoraphobia to stepping out of her comfort zone and challenging herself in different ways to shake up her routine. We slowly learn through flashbacks the trauma that lead up to her shutting herself inside. Even though this has nothing to do with the pandemic, I found it relatable to how I lived my life during and after the pandemic. Good for Sally Rooney fans.

This is a nice vacation read with a heartfelt and sensitive story. Meredith hasn't come out of her house for three years. A couple of good friends visit her regularly, while her relationship with her mother and sister looks to be strongly affected by some past incidents. The traumas behind her severe anxiety issues are slowly revealed. With the right amount of support, patience, perseverance and compassion, healing is possible.

1. I think the name Meredith is beautiful, but I don't feel like it fits me. I don't really think any name feels right.
2. I haven't read the tagged book, but it's on my TBR list. @TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday

A heartbreaking and hopeful story about a woman who cannot venture outside her house due to past trauma but who is developing a caring community who wants to help her heal herself no matter how long the process might take. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2023/10/review-meredith-alone-by-claire.html?m=0

What a fun Litsy mail day! A book from my TBR from the awesome @AmyG the 2024 #SundayBuddyRead schedule and goodies from our lovely moderator @TheBookHippie a letter from across the pond from @Mitch and Alaska moose mail from our new #LitsyLove member @TieDyeDude

Thank you all for making this day wonderful! I‘m blessed.

This is a case of me totally judging a book by its cover. I expected to just take one for the team for book club but I ended up loving this story and relating to Meredith, her sister Fiona and their mean spirited mother who raised her girls with the tools she was given. After a serious trauma, Meredith becomes a recluse & decides to find her way back to health. This book addressed a lot of sore subjects for me & laid bare a lot of my own trauma.

The main character, Meredith, has an orange tabby named Fred. I have one named Henry 😻

I loved this book!

It's about mental illness, abuse, and trauma, but it is also full of hope.

@AardvarkBookClub

Meredith hasn‘t left her house for years. Her childhood was one of abuse and a traumatic event has rendered panic attacks that leave her afraid to step outside. Yes, it‘s heavy stuff, but you also root for Meredith as she begins to heal. I enjoyed this book, but I think I need a break from books about dysfunctional families for a bit.

I‘m not feeling the greatest today, but the upside is I finished this book despite Huey causing me to have to read at a really weird angle for awhile. 😹 I appreciated his support. This book covered some really difficult topics and yet still managed to be uplifting. #huey #catsoflitsy

I‘m down in Hilton Head to run a race with an old college friend. Well, she‘s running the half marathon and I‘m doing the 5K since I only started running again in October but it should be fun! She‘s working today (the day before the race) so I‘m just sitting here getting ready to start a new book.

Promise it matches a little better in real life 😂😅 #pantone2023 #empireyellow @Clwojick

I just loved this. I appreciated the way it wasn‘t all wrapped up in a happy bow by the end of the book - anyone dealing with this kind of trauma and abuse isn‘t going to suddenly be “okay.” Just another reminder that everyone and everything is a work in progress and it‘s the journey that matters (not the destination) ♥️ #booked2023 #propernounintitle

Holy moly! This book had me crying, not in a pretty, dainty way, but an all out bawling. The author‘s writing style is direct with absolutely no word mincing. Overall it was a beautiful & cathartic experience. Please note it might be best to check out trigger warnings before picking up, some sensitive subject matter. 4.5/5 stars.

Working on my Aardvark TBR! Woo hoo! Such a fun book club!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heavy and melancholy in tone, but ultimately healing and hopeful. While I was invested in the story, it was pretty straightforward and kept me at an emotional distance. 🎧

I loved Meredith. Although her struggles due to a lifetime of abuse and trauma, were really devastating there was still something life-affirming about this. I did have a minor quibble due to the time this book was set in (2018-2019) and knowing what subsequently transpired in real life. ☹️ But that‘s a minor complaint.

Good. Such a heartwarming story. Follows one woman and her struggle to leave the house which is full of emotional moments.

#Penquin
#PenquinRandomHouse
@penguinrandomhouse
#auldlangspine
@RebelReader

Meh. I‘m pretty certain it‘s the cover that threw me. I don‘t love a bright fluffy orange cover on a book that deals with some serious, serious trauma. Ultimately, I guess it‘s about overcoming the trauma of one‘s past, but yikes. I skimmed the last third, but it was enough to know this wasn‘t for me.

Nice, heartwarming read about finding a way back to life after trauma. More contemporary/general fiction than literary, but I don‘t mind that now and again. I was rooting for Meredith and enjoyed the cozy setting and routines of her life. If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine &/or A Man Called Ove, this might be for you. Different in terms of storyline, but gave me lots of the same vibes. Now I‘m very keen to start a jigsaw puzzle!

Received my December #aardvark. It came with a word search with character names from 2022 Aardvark Book picks.😁

Check out the gold 🐈 on the Aardvark-exclusive edition of Meredith, Alone! 🤩
#aardvarkbookclub #meredithalone

Sweet, better than expected

Meredith, Alone not only discusses the impacts of trauma, but it also shows how different people process it. Some readers will celebrate this as a way to remove the stigma behind trauma recovery. Others might feel uncomfortable (or further traumatized) because of their own background and life experiences. Is it healing for you to hear stories similar to yours, or will that cause you further harm? Overall, I enjoyed the book. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I picked this book for December's Aardvark Book Club. #aardvark

I also just noticed they don't put the Aardvark logo on the same spot on the cover for every book. I like that.

This book was already released, but feels like a pretty solid match for this #Aardvark clue! What do you think?

? = The MC enjoys jigsaw puzzles
? = Meredith hasn't left her apartment in years, presumably (and as the cover shows) observing from her window.
? = Her rescue cat Fred is her primary company
? = This one i'm not totally sure about, but the description mentions "treacherous memories" from her childhood so maybe she journals?

This was so good! I loved Meredith and all her friends. Tackles some major issues , but you can‘t help but cheer Meredith on. If you were a fan of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you will enjoy this one as well. First measurable snow today here in the Twin Cities. I guess it‘s time for the chairs to go in the garage. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have never been a cat person, but Steven(cat)and Paul came as a package deal and now he‘s just as much my cat as he is Paul‘s. He loves to snuggle and I love it when he does. Stating this book at lunch today, I‘ve been on a roll of good ones so let‘s hope my streak continues.🐱😻

I really loved this one! I thought the writing was great and though there was a sad underlying plot there was really great depiction and development of relationships.

This #audiobook hooked me in from the very start. Though not agoraphobic, Meredith hasn‘t left her Glasgow home in over three years. As her 40th birthday approaches, she seeks to improve her mental health and to widen her support network as best she can. Dealing with trauma, anxiety and violence, this book balances being both heartbreaking and hopeful. The characters shine here with found family, friendship and the way her situation unfolds.

I liked this book so much more than I expected to. About a woman who can‘t leave her home, recovering from trauma. It‘s just beautifully uplifting and Meredith is such a star of a character. One of those books that leaves you believing in a better world, even if that world is a very small one.

Overall an excellent book, that I feel deserves more attention and to be talked about a lot more. This book is not necessarily an easy read and there are plenty of up and downs and difficult issues discussed throughout, but I think the author handled this extremely well and still manages to keep the book hopeful and uplifting. The character development of all the characters in this book was a particular highlight for me.

TW: Abuse, mental health.

This is a very emotional story filled with heartbreak and trauma (both mental/physical), but ultimately healing and hope. There were parts that were hard to read, but others which were cheer worthy. This one ran the gamut of emotions.
This is the story of 40-year-old Meredith Maggs‘ life (childhood flashbacks, young adult flashbacks, and current day). She and her older sister Fiona have vague early memories of their father but were raised by 🔻

Meredith is a great character, coping with a huge life changing, shitty thing that happens to her. And a crap mother.
You want to be her friend and hug her and have a little cry.