Different Like Us! By Margaret Rooke

Wow what an amazing book this was extremely special as the children share such stories that show their strength and resilience at having some serious disabilities but seeing them as an extension of their personality they just get own with as another part of them, fully embracing them as part their unique character. This is the kind of book I wish growing up as a child of the 2000's we'd had, but feel so happy it is a book available now we chat way more openly about disabilities these days. I know many friends and myself living with rare and unheard of conditions that will stay with us for life who could've related to this book extremely so growing up. The maturity the children's own quotes show them to have is a great addition littered throughout the book and their stories too showing their strength of character not letting their conditions define them in any way.

Learn To Draw Disney Winnie The Pooh

Any Disney Winnie fan will enjoy getting to draw their Disney favourites as this book has clear concise diagrams to follow to be able to draw the characters successfully and get any age involved too simply brilliany easy to follow for all ages!

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Diagnosed by Brenda Snow

I was drawn to this book relating to the chronic illness focus as a fellow spoonie, with life long conditions to learn to cope with them and the effects on altering your life. I do also have to add the tagline is very much true in a journey with chronic illnesses many swears are said in pain more often than not or when something goes wrong! I really enjoyed hearing how despite diagnosis it didnt define Brenda's life and she has been able to when she can enjoy it to the full despite dealing with MS/multiple sclerosis and all that entails which a friend's mum has and I have some experience on how life altering it has been for her too altering life beyond recognition before diagnosis. I also completely got the diagram of the journey a chronic illness diagnosis takes you on too which I remember going through myself as you grieve your old life before diagnosis and question how life could've been without diagnosis for the future without being dealt the hard card of chronic illness. A hard hitting but real, honest, account of dealing with and adapting to life after diagnosis I feel like I can relate too and others will do too.

Lavender For All Seasons by Paola Legarre

This was such an interesting read as someone who visited the Hunstanton Lavender farm and has some lavender plants in my garden too, I was really happy to read this book and hear about how someone's family has history of growing and nurturing the plant through generations. Learning the history and uses of the plants over the years was really interesting with surprising depth and detail about the plants, with beautiful photo's showing the plants in all their colour glory and detail it was a beautiful book in layout and design the passion the author has for the plants clear to see.

Tell Me Another Story by Emmy Marucci

This poetry collection is alike the others in the open and honest raw emotional material only this one is better than others at tackling the topic of grief and girlhood or girl culture from babies and elderly deaths, teens and the trials and tribulations of youth.

The collection of poems were easy to read, draw emotion from and relate to set out in easy to read verse format.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Ticking Off Breast Cancer by Sara Liyanage

In this honest open look into life loved with through and starving breast cancer, Sara talks us through her discovery and treatment to recovery from breast cancer complete with lists to help herself and aid is readers too along with tips on how to offer help and support to those we know suffering from cancer of any sort.

I really enjoyed Sara's way of writing this book with her worries about the uncertainty of cancer and the future she faces as well as how bravely she faced everything from fear of needles to coping with the cancer and treatment itself. I also happily read How supportive her friends and family were rallying round to help and how her young children coped super well too, I truly recommend you give this book a read.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Worry Angels by Sita Brahmachari

After her parents split up Amy has a hard time adjusting and after being home schooled too starts at Grace's art school where her aim is to adjust to moving to a proper school eventually with a bit more confidence.

While there she meets Rima and her refugee family and learns of the life and journey they've had to survive and make it to where they are now.

This was a brilliant book showing how anxiety can begin/be triggered and learning to adjust to new situations which are totally relatable to many people I liked how the girls friendship developed as the story progressed and the hopefulness the book ends on made me feel like everything would be ok for the girls now they had each other.

Nineteen by Makenzie Campbell

This is a moving collection of poetry all about love, life and moving on from past relationships. It's super relatable and heartfelt with some fantastic imagery depicted from the fewest of emotions if you read one new poetry collection this year, choose this one!

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I'll Cry If I Want To by Raquel Franco

Wow I can really relate to this book so much from the first poem openly talking about embracing being a woman, the good and seemingly bad but despite it all you are worthy attitude really spoke to me being a girl who has never fit in or lived up to so called societal expectations, it was refreshing to hear a woman writing the way I feel and know someone else out in this world too gets it. I always enjoy poetry but these poems were so moving to me and utterly relatable about life growing up as a woman and situations we go through and grow through whether we want to or not and have to confront how we feel I am sure there's something in this collection you can relate to.

Pave Your Way With Chronic Illness by Pippa Stacey

This was a wonderful book to read as someone who struggpes with multiple chronic illnesses it's often a comfort to find a book that engages you to rediscover yourself with your illness and not just let it take over and be your sole personality or identity as often can be considered to be by some people you encounter. The book encourages you to notice and remember qualities about yourself, hobbies you enjoy alongside how your illnesses do effect you undoubtedly in some way day to day. I particularly thought long and hard about the sections of how you feel being asked invasive questions as well all do over the course of our lives with illness and if it's not particularly a visible disability to some people you can face harsh judgement and feel very down over this, I know I have and reflecting back on it now I just hope it helped them educate themselves. There was a particularly handy meal plan chart as even simple things like needing our meds and making food ready to have can slip from memory until you realise it's hours later than you should have taken meds or eaten some food if in a bad flare one day, I know this has happened to me and some friends before as our brains wander on how we feel more than what we need right then. It was a nice touch to include pages of colouring and puzzles when a pain flare hits or fatigue and you feel trapped in bed it's nice if you're able enough to be able to pre occupy your mind away from how you feel and it makes for some great spoonie-friendly escapism.