Thank you to Henry Holt & Company for providing me with a copy of Jenny Lawson’s essay collection, Broken ( in the best possible way), in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of Jenny Lawson. She's hilarious. I often find myself in the awkward position of “snorting with laughter” while reading Lawson’s writing, which usually happens in public, but not this year, Thank you, pandemic! Broken ( in the best possible way) was no exception, however, many essays in this collection took a serious look at mental and physical health issues.

Lawson is candid about her health struggles, including a look at a relatively new therapy option to combat severe depression, which involved Lawson wearing a special head device that doled out repeated mini-punches to areas of her brain in efforts to stimulate them. The results of the therapy were not perfect, but they did pull Lawson out of a long-lasting depression, and gave her the ability to enjoy aspects of her life again, including a family vacation to Europe.

I’ve never struggled with depression, but I know many people who have, including both of my parents (my father died from suicide and my mom struggled in the aftermath.) After reading Broken ( in the best possible way) I finally have a small idea of how depression impacted their lives. It not only gave me a better sense of understanding, but also more compassion. Lawson’s revelations have allowed me the opportunity to rethink and reframe certain aspects of my childhood. I did not pick up Broken ( in the best possible away) expecting such an impactful reading experience, but I appreciate it.

I’m also happy to report that Lawson’s unique outlook and brand of humor is still present throughout this collection. I got the biggest kick out of all of the animal names.

The next time I cook chicken, I will surely be reminded of Lawson’s rural Texas high school making the kids process chickens if they want to attend prom. As a city kid, I found this horrifying. I stopped reading to share this tidbit with my step kids who are visiting us from Sweden. They were equally shocked. I also have realized that I am the type of functioning introvert that Lawson finds the most troubling! Make sure to check out Lawson’s social media at “thebloggess” for more of her quirkiness and humor.

A quirky memoir about a girl with a medical mystery? Count me in! Thank You to Henry Holt & Company for gifting me with an advanced copy of Cole Cohen's Head Case, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Cole Cohen was always a little different. It took her longer to learn to tie her shoes and as a teenager, it was impossible to teach her to drive. She struggled with directions, distance and being able to tell her lefts from her rights. She managed to graduate from high school and even go on to college, but she needed not only academic tutoring, but lots of assistance in basic living skills. She was in her mid-twenties when doctors discovered a lemon sized hole in her brain. An exact reason for how she got the hole, remains a mystery, but armed with a explanation for her struggles, Cohen must now forge ahead and build her life.

LIKE - Cohen's struggles are fascinating. It's amazing to me that the human brain can function at such a high level with a lemon sized piece missing. Although her struggles are real and in no way small, she is still able to excel in many areas, especially with language and writing. She goes on to graduate school and is a professor. She learns how to work with her skills and to work around her disability. It's inspiring. Cohen writes her memoirs with wit and very little self-pity, making me connect with her. This is not just a story about her diagnosis, it's also about an ordinary woman struggling with basic issues, like breaking away from her parents, discovering her passions and finding love. It's relatable.

DISLIKE - I know this is a memoir and it's Cohen's life, good and bad, but I lost interest towards the end, when the story was heavy on her relationship with Charlie. He was cold, distant and a little off-beat. I couldn't see what she saw in him or how their relationship spanned several years. The longer that Charlie was in the picture, the more I drifted away from relating to Cohen. It was hard to bounce back from this feeling in the last chapters of the book.

RECOMMEND - Yes! If you're a fan of memoirs, Head Case is great pick. I think that Cohen's story would also resonate strongly among 20-30 year old women and anyone with a disability.