Before I begin my review of this book, I just want to say that this is the one of the best books I’ve read (I might be easily impressed, but honestly it touched my heart). I know there are people that have said they don’t resonate with this book and that’s okay, it’s just simply not for you.

Emma is a complex character and the journey we take with her is no easy feat. There’s been her ups and downs from beginning to end and I feel like you would have to put yourself in her shoes to really get what she’s going through. In some parts of the book, you can get upset at her, but you also have to remember that she’s someone that is recovering. This whole world, sober at that, is very brand new to her. She’s never had to do this sober before and she’s choosing to do so now.

When her father passed, it really shows what she was working toward the most. At first, she said she’s getting sober because she doesn’t want to be like him. That her entire identity revolved around her either not wanting to be him or wanting to be him.

I can absolutely relate to this. I don’t have a father figure in my life, at least a respectable one. And I try to make sure I don’t end up like him, but I failed to realise that focusing so much on that pushes me in the wrong direction. Of not wanting to be him. 

And Ben, don’t even get me started on Ben. He was someone she needed in her life, especially someone who understands that addiction is no laughing matter. And it’ll be hard to love that person who loves the very thing killing them the most. Because it’s not them, it’s the addiction. 

I feel like Lola wasn’t very sympathetic. Like her act was fake in a sense. (That could just be me talking considering I’ve met religiously positive people like that and they think everything works out with a prayer) But, she kept pushing the whole idea of adhering to God and focusing on him when people who are addicted don’t really want that. Like I get HG’s whole message is to lead life with prayer (I’d know I’m Muslim) but, sometimes that’s not what someone who’s facing addiction wants to hear. And their method just wasn’t working for her and that’s okay. But at the end of the day, I just feel like Lola didn’t really have her best interest at heart. 

Like sometimes people just want to be alone or with other people when someone they knew passed. It’s not that big of a deal. 

Overall this story had a lot of lessons and I’ve heard almost every single one (I’m just being too stubborn to listen right now, but I’m taking it).

I really, really, really enjoyed this book. Ava did her big one. I genuinely feel like I’ll reread again.