Sunday, February 17, 2019

The Last Message Received by Emily Trunko {review}

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well. This is the first time I read a book, and post the review the very same day I read it, but now you'll see why...
Book title: The Last Message Received
Publication date: January 10, 2017
Author: Emily Trunko
Illustrator: Zoe Ingram
Genres: Nonfiction, Young Adult, Teen
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 176
How I got the book: Purchased (by my sister)
Review

Here are some trigger warnings for this post, as well as for the book...
TW: depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide, sexual assault, violence, addiction, death.

As soon as I started reading The Last Message Received, I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish it. As always, I'm going to be honest. This book was SO hard to read! I even texted my book club friends to tell them about it... I told them it was so depressive... I thought about DNFing it but I just couldn't stop reading it. Imagine having those two completely different thoughts at the same time! But yeah, that's one of the reasons I feel people need to know about this book. Maybe it won't be your kind of book, I don't know... but trust me, you still need to know about it.

As someone who struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts (this is the first time I'm sharing this on the blog), reading this book was cathartic. I cried. It was painful. I thought about my husband, my family, my friends... what would've happened. The pain I would've caused. But I think it's better if I talk about this on another post; now I want to focus on the book.

This book showed me how toxic people can be; no matter if we are talking about friends, romantic partners, parents... and I honestly think we all have been some kind of toxic to someone else at some point in life. But wow... I couldn't believe the things I read! Words have power. From friendships coming to an end, to heartbreak, to violence, to sudden deaths... it was a lot to take in on one sitting! So my recommendation would be to practice self-care after reading it. Especially if you read it in one sitting like me, which I highly recommend you to NOT do that.

This book was a gift from my little sister. So imagine how I felt after reading this...
And here's another message from the book...
Now you have an idea of the format. And with the trigger warnings at the beginning of the post, you can have an idea of the things shared on the book. You can also check out the tumblr, which is where the book comes from. Please, if you decide to read this book, remember to practice self-care. And if you need to take a break to read it later, go ahead and do so. This is a good book, but I'm aware is not for everyone... The important thing is I'm glad I read it, even though it was emotionally draining.

If this book sounds like something you would enjoy, be sure to add it to you TBR.
Remember: whatever you are going through, you don't have to go through it alone. The Lifeline is here for you 24/7, at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).