The Words I Could Never Say by Yogesh Chandra

This poetry collection perfectly sums up how you can struggle to be seen for the depths of your emotions are drowning and unending it feels like when no one else can understand why or how you feel the way you do, perfectly fitting the title indeed this collection was.

Gym Junky by Brentom Jackson

This was a fantastic verse poetry style written story about the dangers of steroid use in young men and boys especially. Showing how in the social media age we live in and how it can pressure young guys to view themselves and others in an unhealthy way wanting to be seen as 'bigger' or more 'manly' and muscular. The story developed flowing excepionally well, touching on health, relationships and friendships and feelings of feeling inadequate to others older and the danger on mental and physical health of bulking and steroid use and pushing your body into unhealthy habits from outside pressure not of focusing on what makes you happy deep inside. The book also had plenty of shocking twists and turns along the way and the title was a clever play on words too. An eye opening read on the complex dangers of steroid use and eating/training disorders that can effect men and women equally.

After Hours by Nura Bloom

This was a heartbreaking poetic story of an affair, a pregnancy and a life forever altered. A story of few words per poem, but still impactful in telling the story of a life altered forever by actions and the ripple effects into others lives. It was beautifully laid out with simple black text on floral background and set into five separate parts of the story showing the before, during, after, the pain and accepting the effects of the choices made and the actions it led to.

The Flower That Went Mad by Yogesh Chandra

This was a poetry collection which in a world of more lows than highs, how writing can provide solace to create and relatability when shared. Some poems I related to were: Quietness, about the joy, peace and tranquility a garden provides. Chronicle of the pills, an open look at medication testing and failing you trying to see if it helps or hinders you. Blueprint of the society, a real look at how people can dismiss depression as sadness, want help yet never get it because of stigma still existing in society which can cause people to feel unable to open up. This is a sad yet beautiful book born from the depths of deep sadness and depression and the delicate dance of trying to find your footing to feel steady and able in life once again, it was honest and open no feelings held back and honesty which is relatable to many people who've dealt with similar feelings too.

Tulips & Sunsets by Jupiter Moon

This poetry collection had a great use of colour text to highlight key words and the visuals drawn from writing entwining nature and feelings throughout the collection discussing depression and anxiety, life and love and the struggles of dealing with your feelings. A couple of stand out poems to me: Life's Alterations, all about how changes are inevitable in people and life and the way that can make you feel too, negative or positive. The Sunset, was a powerful poem about the impact of nature when you feel so low, how it can be calming and comforting to you. Some really relatable poetry to anyone who has struggled through dark times to find any glimmer of hope and light in the future.

Swim by Emily Byrnes

I really related hard to this collection of poetry. Written with such honesty and as someone who has lived through anorexia, copes with anxiety, depression and panic attacks, where family don't understand the struggle it's really hard. This collection made me feel like there's people out there who not only will relate to the issues and topics discussed but will educate too on how it can feel to deal with the effects of these illnesses and how they can consume your life at times feeling at the title says, you're trying to swim to keep yourself steady and afloat.

How To Drown Without Water by Autumn Graves

TW: Self Harm mention. This collection of poetry was a deep dive into all things related to depression, self harm and suicidal feelings and thoughts, the title I feel is a clever nod to how you can feel like you're drowning in your thoughts and the emotions triggered by them to. The Art Of Disappearing, was an easily relatable poem about feeling you are losing yourself and who you are in life and subsequently losing interest in anything at all. Numb, again, a poem similar to the previous one I mentioned, this one in particular stood out for being short, yet to the point of how it feels inside and often we can mask our outside face to deflect there being anything wrong, whereas this poem tells the honest truth how it can feel deep within losing touch with yourself. New Scars, Old Reasons and How To Hide It, about living with self harm as a language only you understand that relieves the loneliness and pain and the places you chose like a magic trick only you can understand, very clever and impactful pieces in the wording and honest too. Unseen Exit, was an honest poem about death and feelings of who would it matter to, to exit life now when you feel so low, especially the people you pass by you don't notice noticing you. The Night I Almost Didn't, tells of the strength of pets and the bond that they can keep you living in the way they love you unconditionally and can be the light and hope you need at dark times. This was one of the best poetry collections I've read in the honesty of talking so openly and transparently about mental health and the dark thoughts we can find ourselves trying to cope with.

Cat's Cafe by Matt Tarpley

In this comic based around the lives of animals who interact daily with each other at Cats Café, we see how mental health is the base line and how anxiety, stress, lack of self love etc all effect the adorable animals and how they help build each other up and become friends with each other.

A book showing how a little kindness can go a long loving way I relate most to the anxious bunny especially on the anxiety reducing headphones part, that's totally me!

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

I Am Definitely Probably Enough by Tori Press

In this quick mini book, Tori packs in her story of life with depression, anxiety and struggling with her so called imperfections which really, make us all unique and different in our own way!

We see how Tori's self love journey has been for her as she went through therapy with lovely hand drawn illustrations and simple but effective captions too.

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

Dare To Fall by Estelle Maskame

Mackenzie doesn't deal well with death after the twins Dani and Jaden, her friends lost their parents a year ago and Kenzie cut them out of her life unsure of how to act and what to say, just as she was becoming close to Jaden.

In this time between she has made friends with sport fanatic Holden and Will, a gay guy.

A year on however, after approaching Dani, Jaden starts to talk to her again after a chance meeting again just maybe what they were could be rekindled?

Through the novel we see how Kenzie has had to deal with a lot from her mum's binge drinking to forget her grief, dealing with her ex, Darren an older guy who's clingy and wants her back and holding down her job too.

Especially when a huge secret from her best friend could shatter what she could've nearly had once again...

The serious issues and the friendships were dealt with really well Estelle always writes great books with plenty of detail, twists and best of all killer couples with crazy attraction. The book shows how grief can cause people to change and not know how to act for fear of acting or saying something wrong most often and how it can be hard to come back from and save a friendship takes a lot of hard work.

Can You Hear Me? By Jake Jones

As a paramedic we see how Jake and his fellow paramedics have had to deal and cope in certain situations such as car crashes, births, drug abusers, time wasters, hoarders, asthmatics, copd sufferers, deaths, car accidents, babies, suicide attempts and psychotic episodes too the book is full of drama filled real life experiences and tough situations Jake has been forced into facing.

I have always been intrigued into life as a paramedic as we hear all too often of them getting abused on the front line of care which to me is horrifying. I wanted to be a paramedic or midwife growing up and personally having been helped by paramedics previously have had my eyes opened with this book how horribly they can be treated and the awful situations they can have to be in. Jake has written a fantastic raw book about life as a busy paramedic in this demanding role and hope more people will pick this up to see what life can be like as a paramedic too.

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

Girl Out Of Water by Nat Luurtsema

In this book we meet Lou an avid swimmer until she doesn't beat her record and fails to make her swim camp dream come true to possibly compete in the Olympics one day.

She fights off jealousy as her best friend and only friend from her school, Hannah makes the team and thus leaves her behind even though they keep in touch during the novel via text as Lou tries to make new friends and Hannah starts to suffer with mental and physical health and raises alarm bells on Lou.

As Lou awkwardly tries to make friends she finds herself helping out three guys in her school who want to enter Britain Has Talent as synchronised swimmers.

Lou is a fun protagonist and a friend you could dream to have as shows her caring nature over her friend and family. I had heard a lot about this book, all good and I have to say I agree it is a great read as not many teen fiction books focus on swimming as a passion usually it's a lot of love and growing up topics instead of the love of a hobby which added a great soon on this novel.

Love, Lucie by Marita Conlon-McKenna

This book is set from Lucie's perspective as she writes in her notebook to her mum after she dies from cancer.

The year noted in the notebook shows how the family do and don't cope with the matters as their dad struggles to cope with work and childcare whilst older sister Chloe develops anorexia it seems as she hardly eats and becomes worryingly thin.

The stress on the family is obviously amped up but the summer holiday to their grandparents in France makes them happier as the girls find summer crushes and can relax away from home and school more. The year shows how tough all their relative's take their mum's passing and how much it can affect someone but Lucie copes well writing all the thoughts down while in contrast we see how it can make someone else become destructive to themselves. It was a touching book and a truthful one as many families are effected by cancer year by year.

Up For Air by Laurie Morrison

Annabelle struggles in school but has an amazing talent for being a fast swimmer on their team. She feels undeserving of her school place due to her lack of academic achievements and her struggle to learn unlike her friends Mia and Jeremy.

Her crush Connor always pays her attention especially as she now swims with his high school aged friends as she's advanced at swimming.

With summer arriving she discovers a letter from her dad as well as an invitation that she should go see him sometime.

However as summer gets off to a good start soon she's fallen out with friends, feels let down by the guys and winds up hurt and questioning her life completely feeling increasingly sad and pointless a lot of the time she to her lack of school skills.

Kayla her best friend Jeremy's sister who's been in treatment for anorexia and it helps Annabelle to see someone else who's struggling carrying on and dealing with life being strong even though it's tough.

I did enjoy this book but it wasn't as good as I hoped, instead I found it quite juvenile in the way that Annabelle behaves towards her crush and handles her school life wanting to get better but then not helping herself at all she just bugged me at times. However the book did do well at showing how an absent parent can lead you to acting out on impulse as she does as well as the inclusion in the book of a girl with anorexia as the book is sports focused is a good move to look into the world of sport and how your focus becomes on how you can be the best.

No Big Deal by Bethany Rutter

Emily is comfortable in her own skin, plus sized and sick of hearing about her mum's diets she's trying out relentlessly as well as trying and failing to get Emily to do them as well.

However when her best friend Camila comes home no longer Emily's plus size best friend and partner in crime, things change between the pair as Camila dates Emily's old crush Ryan as he fancies her now she's lost weight and couldn't deal with Emily's size after their failed kiss.

Emily then instantly likes Joe, a guy she meets at that party briefly and then befriends him after going to his family's record shop.

Throughout the novel we see how they get closer and even nearly sleep together until horrible Holly comes along but helps Emily realise that she's fine as she is and not to let her odd doubts get the better of her.

The book was very My Mad Fat Diary inspired, to me at least, with the record shop element and plus size main character fancying the normal sized glasses wearing cute guy. I liked her other two best friends being a gay girl couple representing the LGBTQIA community in teens and the positivity that Emily has not hating on herself but accepting herself like the wonderful unique girl she is which is an amazing and inspiring lesson to us all!!

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

Lost by Eve Ainsworth

Alfie is struggling with the loss of his mum after she passed away from cancer. Meanwhile his dad is shut off from him unlike he was before and the pair seen to just exist not live anymore especially as their shared love of football is now nonexistent after Alfie refuses to play now his mum's not cheering him on.

Then at school he meets Alice, the pair judged each other at first sight and since then the pair's new friendship gets off to a Rocky start after Alfie realises his new friend doesn't have a happy home life either for an entirely different reason.

Throughout the novel we get flashbacks to the worst time in Alfie's life when he loses his mum and it was so sadly realistic it was emotional and moving. Meanwhile Alice and her family situation is also dangerous and scarily true for many people out there right now in the world living in fear. Utterly breathtaking this novel is one you will zip through and not forget.

Paper Avalanche by Lisa Williamson

In this book we meet Ro Snow a girl who's grown up too soon having to look after Bonnie her mum who's a singer and a hoarder. Her dad has a new family who come first and Ro feels pushed out and alone, but used to it.

So when Noah moves next door she finds a friend despite him going away to boarding school and harbouring a secret about his own family after his dad's actions before their move...

Meanwhile at school Tanvi an old student who fought cancer rejoins and befriends Ro persistently pestering her until she wears her down to be more friendly.

As Ro falls ill thanks to her mum's hoarding, she then tries to join a national choir with her natural singing talent, she has to face facts that holding down her job and trying to look after her mum whilst live the normal teen life isn't happening after getting drunk at a Halloween party with the popular crowd everything comes out and her worst fear, social services appears after a fire...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it keeps you wondering how long it will be until things get out about the hoarding to her school and her friend as well as wondering if her parents would change their ways. It was a great read highlighting how damaging it can be to grow up too soon and not get to be a teen in a stable home as envied Tanvi for her stable home life she so desired. It was nice for her to have Noah throughout the story to keep in touch with and he gave her some happiness, ultimately the book is unforgettable.

Waiting For Fitz by Spencer Hyde

Addie suffers with OCD while Fitz suffers with schizophrenia.

Meeting as they now live on the psych ward, the pair become close after both become involved in group therapy where they have to open up, obviously about their separate issues they deal with.

After Fitz tells Addie his plan to escape she become wrapped up in it too and the pair hatch their plan along with fellow ward stayers and as the pair plan ahead neither of them is prepared for just what happens and how much they rely on each other and can't always control their conditions especially without their medication...

This book started slowly but as soon as the action came it was full force we see the characters at their worst and best as they try to help and rely on each other to be free in the world again however when things didn't go to plan i didn't expect the drama that ensues at all. It was a great young adult mental health read and one that raises awareness of a lesser written about condition too.

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

Every Colour Of You by Amelia Mandeville

In this book, we meet Zoe and Tristan whom meet each other first in a hospital waiting room/ reception area. From there the pair meet through coincidence again until Zoe starts to befriend Tristan as she sees something in him he can't see in himself, despite his depression, Zoe is the colour to his world even if he takes some time to realise that fact.

Tristan suffered from losing his dad while his brother whom acts like his dad is now quite partial to drinking alcohol to forget everything that happened to them. Meanwhile Tristan has Misha, his dog to make him feel happier and loved when he feels low. He also suffers severely from suicidal thoughts and tendencies throughout the novel which is a very truthful look at how some one can swing from ok to suicidal quickly as can happen with depression sufferers.

It was a commendable book for featuring mental health so realistically throughout the book as it's the main subject tackled as well as other things from health troubles, family situations and deaths which feature too. I really liked how the main characters were like opposites but they connected super well and could see the best in each other's strange ways. A brilliant debut from a young author!

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

It's All In Your Head by Rae Earl

Rae Earl has created a fan in me years ago when my depressed, anxious and mentally unwell self found her books and then, TV series based on her life. Utterly relatable and both hilarious whilst remaining relevant with all things mental health.

This book takes us from the teen years to beyond on all things happening in our brains.

I can relate to so many aspects of the book that Rae talks about. All about our mental health and being aware of it whether it be OCD, depression, suicide, self harm or anxiety and other disorders, we can all take away something from this book. Whether it be tips about treatment options or just not feeling like it only happens to them and/or us.

Rae talks us through her own experiences with humour and a healthy dose of relatable reality.

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