Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Tuesday 24 October 2017

Release Day Review!!! - Strange Weather by Joe Hill





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Title: Strange Weather

Author: Joe Hill

Genre: Novellas, Anthology, Horror

Release Date: 24th October 2017

Amazon: UK - USA















Premise:


Strange Weather is a collection of four novellas or short novels by writer Joe Hill.

Snapshot, Loaded, Aloft, and Rain are connected by bizarre weather events, providing a backdrop - or a catalyst - to the events which unfold.




Sunday 22 October 2017

Nerd Church - Recovery...?

(Warning: this post discusses mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety)



I've struggled with depression and anxiety for several years now.

I was ill for quite a while before I started this blog, and Dora Reads has been running, in one form or another, for nearly three years.








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Sunday 8 October 2017

Nerd Church - Kids and Gender Equality

Recently I've seen two TV programmes which really hammered home how much we still need to improve on gender equality in the 21st Century.

The first was the BBC's 'No More Boys and Girls' where plans were put in place to counteract negative gender stereotyping in a class of seven and eight-ish year-olds*



*yes, 'ish' because I really can't remember. They were smol, ok?







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Thursday 5 October 2017

Release Day Review!!! - Mirror Mirror by Cara Delevingne and Rowan Coleman

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Title: Mirror Mirror

Author: Cara Delevingne and Rowan Coleman


Genre: Young Adult/New Adult (YA with crossover appeal,) contemporary, crime*, LGBTQ+(and gender questioning)(F/F)

*ish


Release Date: 5th October



Amazon: UK - USA







Sunday 17 September 2017

Nerd Church - A Letter To My Younger Self



(Warning: this post contains references to suicidal thoughts and feelings, as well as brief references to grief, depression, abusive/toxic friendships, and the general randomness of my life.)



I'd been thinking of doing one of these things for a while - y'know the 'Hi little 15-year-old Cee, this is the advice I'd give you!' kind of things.

Then, between my birthday on Friday (no, I'm not telling you how old I am - it ain't happening,) and reading blogpost ideas by Jemma @ Dorkface, which suggested writing a letter to your younger self, I was like - IT'S A SIGN!!!!!!!!!*



*Yes, there was coffee. Also, my parents are hippies.





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Sunday 23 July 2017

Nerd Church - Losing Chester

(Warning: this posts contains discussions of suicide – specifically that of Chester Bennington - mental health problems, and grief; it also mentions addiction problems and child sexual abuse.)




First of all guys, if you need help with mental health stuff, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN A BAD PLACE RIGHT NOW, there are links to helplines and resources at the end of this post.

You are valuable, you are valid, and we want you here.








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The news of the death of Chester Bennington - the lead singer of rock band Linkin Park - was a big and painful shock to his fans.

I cried. And I wasn't the only one.



Sunday 9 July 2017

Nerd Church - Victims of the System

(Warning: this post discusses a child killing case from the UK committed by a mentally ill teenager, and issues surrounding this such as stigma and failings in mental health care.)



Diminished Responsibility is a defence in English and Welsh law.

It means that the person who has committed the crime is not in control of their own actions, and is usually used in mental health-related circumstances.

At the same time it recognises that there is some responsibility on the part of the person committing the crimes - if only that they did not take all reasonable precautions to prevent this or a similar situation from occurring.









Wednesday 5 July 2017

Month in Review(s) - June 2017

June was too damned hot here in the UK.

It regularly reached over 28C, & often over 30C. I officially melt at around 23.5C, so I was NOT happy.






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Wednesday 28 June 2017

Review! - Something Beautiful by Amanda Gernentz Hanson


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Title: Something Beautiful

Author: Amanda Gernentz Hanson

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary*, Romance* (M/F; M/M,) (*ish,) LGBTQ+ (and sexually fluid)

Release Date: 27th June 2017

Amazon: UK - USA









Monday 26 June 2017

Review Time! - Such a Good Girl by Amanda K Morgan

(Warning: This review contains discussions of child abuse, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse, amongst other such heavy topics.)








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Title: Such a Good Girl


Author: Amanda K Morgan

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Crime*, Thriller* (*ish)

Release Date: 20th June 2017

Amazon: UK - USA







Tuesday 13 June 2017

Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Doom Patrol, Vol 1: Brick by Brick

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Title: Doom Patrol, Vol 1: Brick by Brick

Author: Gerard Way

Artist: Nick Derington

Contributors: Tom Fowler, Tamra Bonvillain, Todd Klein

Genre: Graphic Novels, Sci-Fi, Superheroes* (*ish)

Series: Doom Patrol #1-#6

Release Date: USA - 31st May; UK - 13th June

Amazon: UK - USA




Sunday 14 May 2017

Nerd Church - Mental Health 101

(Warning: This post discusses mental health problems and stigma.)


Mental Health Awareness Week is 8-14th May in the UK.





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Let's take things back to the basics.



To people who have never had mental health problems, it can be all too easy to believe misconceptions.

The worst of these are stigmatising:

The ideas that people with mental health problems are weak, faking it, wanting the attention, whiners etc., as well as that people with mental health problems are inherently dangerous, or to blame for their conditions.




Tuesday 9 May 2017

Review! (Poetry Edition!) - The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace

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Title: The Princess Saves Herself In This One

Author: Amanda Lovelace

Genre: Poetry

Amazon: UK - USA










A few starting notes:


I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

There's been so much buzz around this book - including a Goodreads Choice Award for Poetry in 2016.

People love this book - and to hear this much about a poetry collection isn't an everyday occurrence, so when I got the opportunity to review it, I took it.

A note before we go on guys: This book deals with some very difficult topics in an open and often raw way; please be careful.




Tuesday 2 May 2017

Month in Review(s) - April 2017

(Warning: this post discusses depression, and has brief references to suicidal thoughts.)

April started sh**ty for yours truly - as you'll know if you read my March wrap-up, I've been having depression problems again.

So March wasn't too good, and April started out not too good.





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But I went to the doctor, who put my tablet dose up, and things are starting to look up.

I've only been on this new dose for just over a week... but man, I feel so much better. I hate it that people are so anti-meds. I'm still alive because of those tablets.


Tuesday 25 April 2017

Review Time! - Room Empty by Sarah Mussi

(Warning: This post discusses anorexia, addiction, suicide, abuse, and a whole heap of other heavy topics.)


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Title: Room Empty


Author: Sarah Mussi

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance* (M/F,) Crime* (*ish)


Amazon: UK - USA










Monday 3 April 2017

Month in Review(s) - March 2017

March was difficult, guys.

My depression has not been good, and I had an awful cold.

So, between the two, my concentration was utterly shot. I also had a lot of work on, which I had to prioritise. (Because I need money.)





pic of books, table, apple, and flowers





The result of those factors was that I only wrote/published two reviews in March (granted, I did publish plenty of other posts too.)

I have to admit that, as my own worst critic, I'm kind of disappointed.




Sunday 19 February 2017

Nerd Church - It's All About The Money

Let's talk money, shall we?

With prices climbing, and incomes not doing the same, (plus an unstable global political climate, which often has a knock-on economic effect,) we need to be able to talk openly about all that awkward financial stuff.





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Regular readers of DORA might be aware that I am regularly broke.

Don't get me wrong - thanks to the kindness and support of my parents,  and the country and time period I live in, I have a comfortable life that has plenty of privileges.






But I'm very much dependant on my parents. And in my 20s, with retired parents, that's not a position I thought I'd be in.

I work for myself, and if I ever get an additional part-time or temporary job, I'd need it to be the right fit for me because of my mental health problems. Money's nice, but being alive is a priority.






So when it comes to supporting all of the amazing and wonderful causes and creative people out there, I have to say 'no' time and time again.

And that feels bad. Because I would love to be able to give £5 to Cause A and £5 to Person B, but I know that I can't afford to. I donate and/or support when and where I can, and no more.

And I have to somehow convince myself that I have no need to feel guilty - that I have to come first, because otherwise I can't help anyone else.














So why, if my parents are supporting me, don't I have more spare cash?

Well, I'm saving - or trying to, it's not easy with business expenses, family/friends' birthdays, and low interest rates.

I'd like a house at some point in the future. And enough income to pay the bills for it. I'd also like to do a degree (probably with something like the Open University.)

I'd like to not feel like a burden on my parents, who've already had to help my brother get on his feet.

Basically - I'd like something that's mine. I'd like a future. 

And I know I'm not alone in that - it's a problem that we millennials are looked down on for, and it's a problem that's NOT of our own making.







And I know how tough it is to make money in today's world...

(...particularly when affiliate agreements may or may not have a clause that prevents you from coming straight out and saying 'please use my links to buy things.')

And even monetising your blog is difficult enough - especially if you're not so good with maths.

I'm currently looking into adding ads to DORA, but business things like that leave me totally baffled (thank you suspected dyscalculia,) which means I have to spend more time going through things and trying to understand them than other people do.







Some people think that any monetising of blogs is somehow dishonest. I sure as hell don't.

If you're a blogger, monetise as much as you want to. Because you deserve it.

If you find you've got enough cash to go around? Go ahead and support other creative people and/or causes with it. Because they need it too.













What am I trying to say in this post, exactly? I'm trying to say that it's ok.

It's ok to have to lean on others - no matter how uncomfortable it may feel; if you need it, then you need it.

It's ok to not be able to help and support other people when you want to - just do what you can, when you can.


  • Drop some change in the charity box by the supermarket till.

  • Buy the Big Issue (or whatever your local street newspaper is) instead of a gossip magazine

  • Do the free stuff - bring traffic to the websites of deserving people and/or causes, promote them online, etc.





And most of all, never feel guilty for having to put your health - mental or physical - first. You've got to have something left to give.





Like this post? Here's some more!:








Monday 13 February 2017

Review Time! - Santa Muerte by Lucina Stone

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Title: Santa MuerteSanta Muerte book cover

Author: Lucina Stone

Genre: New Adult/NA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Vampires*, Werewolves*, Historical Fiction* (*ish)

Series: The Daniela Story #1

Amazon: UK - USA








A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the author, Lucina Stone, who I'm in contact with on Twitter.

This does not affect the content of my review; my review is fair and honest.

I agreed to read this with only the vaguest of notions of what it was about - I had read Naz @ Read Diverse Books' review of it, but had mostly forgotten about it by the time Lucina Stone contacted me.

I definitely didn't realise that it was urban fantasy - so that was a pleasant surprise!

I love urban fantasy - a subgenre of paranormal which involves magical-type-people (witches, vampires, etc.) faffing about in cities and/or towns in which they have their own societies (sometimes open to human society, sometimes hidden.)

It's strange, really, since I don't like cities in general - too much of a rural kind of girl. *shrugs* But there you have it.






Premise:

Turns out there's more to Daniela's family than she thought there was.

In the year 2030, Daniela sees no end to the pain. Depressed and hurt by an abusive relationship, she tries to take her own life...

...and wakes up somewhere strange.

This can't be happening. She can't be in the 1920s... right?

Dani doesn't get this time period, has no idea about magic, and, with a farm-girl named Daphne in tow, is being chased by a bunch of people who want her dead - or at least in jail.

All she wants is to go home to her mothers, but that seems almost impossible from here...







Best bits:

I love the chatty tone of this book. Stone grabs hold of you and says, 'come on guys, this way!' Which is spot on.

And the time travel element is well done! DID YOU HEAR THAT???? THE TIME TRAVEL ELEMENT IS WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!

Too often, time travel gets unnecessarily messy, or even just plain naff, but not here.

Here we have the reality of suddenly finding yourself in a world full of racism and rigid gender rules (Daniela ends up posing as a dude because of her short hair and trousers.)

And it's an element which is missing from your average time travel plot: the day-to-day-ness of living in that period, especially as a person of colour (PoC) in the USA.







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I liked the Mexican variations on the stalwarts of urban fantasy.

All of the different species of the paranormal and urban fantasy worlds - vamps, wolves, witches, etc. are removed from their White European stereotypes and instead seen through the lens of Mexican folklore.

Most notably we have the brujas - the Mexican witches - who are written with skill and intrigue, and are far removed from the average urban fantasy witch-chick (who is normally a white goth-girl and/or biker-chick.)

The depression representation is good overall, devastatingly realistic as a whole - but I did have a minor issue with it, which I'll write about in the next section.

The sense of hopelessness and worthlessness depicted is accurate and heart-breaking, and Daniela doesn't magically get better the moment she ends up in 1923, meaning it's not treated as just a plot point.

And we get a same-sex, lesbian, parenting couple - which is awesome.








Not so great bits:

First thing, as ever, is first, here's the potentially distressing content from this book (hold on, there's some stuff to get through):
  • depression
  • attempted suicide
  • suicidal thoughts
  • hanging
  • abusive relationships
  • low self-worth/self-esteem
  • racism
  • racial slurs (including the 'n' word)
  • the KKK
  • lynching
  • segregation and discrimination
  • sexual abuse
  • child abuse
  • sexual assault
  • rape
  • torture
  • kidnapping
  • burning (as a form of torture)
  • attempted murder
  • homophobia
  • grave-robbing
  • missing persons investigation

I think that's everything - v. sorry if I've missed anything out.

There's swearing and violence; if you can handle all the other stuff though... *shrugs*

At one point, the phrase totem pole is used in as a metaphor in a non-native setting, which is seen as cultural appropriation, affecting some First Nations tribes (this piece by Robin R R Gray explains more.)

It was only once, but was still disappointing, and I hope won't occur again in future books.







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Also, and this one is more of a personal preference, the relationship between Dani's mothers is referred to as a lifestyle. I don't like this.

I'm aware that a lot of LGBTQ+ people are ok with it (especially from older generations,) but I am personally not a big fan of the term.

But then, a lot of LGBTQ+ people find the term queer very offensive, but I personally identify as both sexually fluid and queer.

I guess you just have to understand that some people will be offended by both of these terms, and you need to examine how and why AND WHETHER YOU SHOULD use them in any given context.

Occasionally it felt like the representation of Daniela's depression was a little bit hit-and-miss, simply because at the times when it wasn't affecting her so much it was almost as if it didn't matter any more.

Honestly though, the representation of depression was, overall, heartbreakingly affective.






Verdict:

This is a great book - a strong foundation for the series, with great characters and interesting paranormal elements.

If you're an urban fantasy fan, this is a must. But those not so familiar with the genre will love it too.




UPDATE 22nd APRIL 2017:

A couple of people have raised issues with the lesbian and depression representation in this book, as well as a few other matters. Some people have equated Dani's lesbian mother having sex with a man with biphobia.

I personally don't agree with the lesbian rep/biphobia criticism - because if anyone knows that sexuality is fluid, it's yours truly. But I see the validity of the points made.

For an overview of the issues that some people have with this book, see C T Callahan's Goodreads review.

I do find C T Callahan more than a little harsh on this book, but you guys all know that I believe in having all the cards on the table so that you can make up your own minds.

















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