Litsy

Girl Unlearned: Finding My Voice, Rebuilding My Life, and Breaking Generational Cycles | Anh Mian

pick

What a powerful read!

This memoir is about experiencing trauma, unlearning it, and breaking cycles. It is extremely personal and heartfelt. I loved how the author portrayed trauma as complex, which it is.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/review-girl-unlearned/

oddandbookish #book #booklover #bookstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #bookobsession #bookish #bookreviewer #booktok #library #memoir #nonfiction #healing #trauma #powerful 2d

59 likes2 stack adds1 comment

BC_Dittemore

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma | Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

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this book gets me

TheBookHippie Agree. 2d

10 likes1 comment

Singout

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

“Black boys don‘t get to be sad and feel their feelings.”
#RiseupReads

20 likes

DebinHawaii

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

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#Read2025

OK, I think this is my last book to review for April. This one was for #RiseUpReads & I loved the lyrical verse it was written in. Using fairytale & folklore room around the world to talk about clinical depression is such a creative way to talk about a difficult subject, especially for young adults. I enjoyed reading it & might listen to the audiobooks as I think that would be a powerful way to experience the prose. 💜💜💜

DieAReader, Catsandbooks

TheBookHippie I loved this read last year and the reread was just as good! 3w

DieAReader 🎉🎉🎉 2w

Catsandbooks Glad you enjoyed it! ✊🏼❤️🔥 2w

58 likes3 comments

ElizaMarie

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

#AprilReCap -- I LOVE ❤️ 💕 💗 💖 💘 #Audiobooks - They have been instrumental in my #AudioCommute #AudioReSet #AudioChores

16 likes

Kristy_K

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

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A truly unique look at mental health and depression. I think the way Sorrow was depicted was especially affecting and pictorial.

#riseupreads

54 likes

Catsandbooks

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

Mental health matters

“The only way out is through…”

My dad committed suicide when I was 10. I've had depression and anxiety my whole life. I take antidepressants. I've done therapy multiple times in my life. I believe it's important to discuss mental health and reduce the stigma around mental illnesses. If anyone is ever struggling I am always here to talk. Please reach out!

Resources below

#riseupreads

Catsandbooks @LaughterHp @melismatic @julsmarshall @skygoddess1 @Bookwormjillk @lil1inblue @Jadams89 @puddlejumper @Liz_M @mrsV @thebookhippie @lapreader @willaful @cuilin 4w

Catsandbooks @peanutnine @singout @mhillis @light_of_aether @alldebooks @kspenmoll @librarybelle @mimi28 @ElizaMarie @AbigailJaneBlog @DebinHawaii @Kristy_K
4w

Catsandbooks Call or text 988 in the US for immediate help. 988lifeline.org 4w

See All 14 Comments

Catsandbooks https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources/ 4w

Catsandbooks https://afsp.org/get-help/ I've walked with this organization 💙 4w

AmyG You are so kind to post this. 4w

AllDebooks That's such a harsh start in life for you. Thank you for sharing your story, positive messages and support links. X 4w

Susanita Thank you for sharing your story. My mother dealt with bipolar disorder all her life, and we had limited discussions if any as a family. 4w

Melismatic Echoing what‘s being said here - so many mental health struggles in my family as well. It‘s so much more common than some people wish to believe. So important to walk this road of life with empathy. You never know what someone is going through. 4w

JenReadsAlot Thank you for sharing. My best friends mom did at the same age so I have seen her struggles. I'm also a therapist ❤️ 4w

ElizaMarie Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to share this story. I find it very empowering that you can so. By being raw, honest, and candid, you have provided help/hope to those around you. It helps normalize mental health struggles and allows others to feel confident in telling their own stories. I believe stories (like yours, and this book) help in so many ways. 3w

lil1inblue Thank you for sharing! It can be so helpful and empowering for people to hear that they are not alone in their mental health struggles. One of the worst things about depression is how isolating it can be. ❤ I, too, have had anxiety and depression for most of my life, and I experienced trauma during my childhood. It really helped my healing once I knew I wasn't alone in my experiences. 3w

peanutnine ❤️❤️❤️ I hope that the stigma surrounding mental health continues to be fought against. I think it's better to be open about things so others don't feel alone 3w

Catsandbooks @AmyG @alldebooks @susanita @melismatic @JenReadsAlot @ElizaMarie @lil1inblue @peanutnine Thank you all for the support and sharing your own experiences ❤️ 2w

45 likes14 comments

Catsandbooks

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

Folklore and fairytale references
Sorrow‘s garden
Whimsy and Faerry‘s journey through the forest

#riseupreads

Catsandbooks @LaughterHp @melismatic @julsmarshall @skygoddess1 @Bookwormjillk @lil1inblue @Jadams89 @puddlejumper @Liz_M @mrsV @thebookhippie @lapreader @willaful @cuilin 4w

Catsandbooks @peanutnine @singout @mhillis @light_of_aether @alldebooks @kspenmoll @librarybelle @mimi28 @ElizaMarie @AbigailJaneBlog @DebinHawaii @Kristy_K
4w

AllDebooks I LOVED this book so very much. 4w

See All 6 Comments

ElizaMarie Fairytales and folklore were ways to teach important lessons in life. I love how this author used these references in that way as well. It made for such beautiful storytelling. 3w

lil1inblue I really liked how she used fairytales and folklore from different cultures. I feel like it made the book more universal and relatable, despite your background. 3w

peanutnine Loved the fairytale aspect!! Definitely made it relatable and I liked how it felt like the characters were on a quest, with different riddles to solve and problems to overcome 3w

43 likes1 stack add6 comments

Catsandbooks

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

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I really enjoyed this fantasy told in verse about depression, trauma, and the journey to heal.

For me I noticed that they finally could heal when the truth was revealed and everyone started communicating with each other. While the truth isn't always accessible, communication and talking through things instead ignoring or trying to forget about them is necessary to work through issues.

#riseupreads

Catsandbooks @LaughterHp @melismatic @julsmarshall @skygoddess1 @Bookwormjillk @lil1inblue @Jadams89 @puddlejumper @Liz_M @mrsV @thebookhippie @lapreader @willaful @cuilin 4w

Catsandbooks @peanutnine @singout @mhillis @light_of_aether @alldebooks @kspenmoll @librarybelle @mimi28 @ElizaMarie @AbigailJaneBlog @DebinHawaii @Kristy_K
4w

Melismatic I enjoyed this - I definitely think it‘s the type to lend itself to a reread to spot all of the hidden metaphors at play. 4w

See All 6 Comments

ElizaMarie I agree - I think the fact that they weren't able to heal initially is because they are hiding the truth from themselves. Pain/grief/emotional turmoil doesn't go away when we ignore it, and I think this book does a great job at reminding its readers that they must go “through“ it in order to heal. I loved this narrative. I listened to this one (which was read beautifully), but I feel like re-reading at a slower pace may be in order soon. 3w

lil1inblue Totally agree re: revealing the truth to heal. That part really hit home for me. The parts about the forgetting spells were really powerful for me. 3w

peanutnine I waited til the last minute to read this one and then devoured it in like two days. I really loved it! I thought it stressed beautifully how memory plays a big role in grief, and how trauma can warp your understanding of what really happened. Confronting the truth can be difficult but ultimately promotes healing 3w

41 likes6 comments

lil1inblue

We Are All So Good at Smiling | Amber McBride

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Every so often, accidental themes start emerging with the books I'm reading. Lately, it is "books that I wish were in existence during my adolescence." What a unique, yet painfully accurate, approach to discussing depression and trauma. This one is going to stick with me for a while.

#riseupreads @catsandbooks

TheBookHippie I adored this book I read it last year from the library and promptly bought a copy. I agree with your sentiment. I wish books like this existed when I was a teen. 4w

lil1inblue @TheBookHippie 🩵🩵🩵 4w

Catsandbooks Glad you enjoyed it! ✊🏼❤️ 4w

See All 6 Comments

ElizaMarie I think this book definitely falls into that theme for me too - “books I wish were in existence during my adolescence“ ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 3w

lil1inblue @Catsandbooks 💓 💓 💓 3w

lil1inblue @ElizaMarie 💙 💙 💙 3w

36 likes1 stack add6 comments

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