Think positive.
Don’t worry; be happy.
Keep calm and carry on.
Maeve has heard it all before. She’s been struggling with severe anxiety for a long time, and as much as she wishes it was something she could just talk herself out of, it’s not. She constantly imagines the worst, composes obituaries in her head, and is always ready for things to fall apart. To add to her troubles, her mom—the only one who really gets what Maeve goes through—is leaving for six months, so Maeve will be sent to live with her dad in Vancouver.
Vancouver brings a slew of new worries, but Maeve finds brief moments of calm (as well as even more worries) with Salix, a local girl who doesn’t seem to worry about anything. Between her dad’s wavering sobriety, her very pregnant stepmom insisting on a home birth, and her bumbling courtship with Salix, this summer brings more catastrophes than even Maeve could have foreseen. Will she be able to navigate through all the chaos to be there for the people she loves?
Author: Carrie Mac
Format: Hardcover
Source: Blogging for Books
When I read the description for this book, I knew I had to read it. As someone who lives with severe anxiety, I had hoped I'd be able to relate to Maeve, the main character, and in many ways I did.
Maeve struggles with severe anxiety...anxiety so bad that she often has panic attacks and imagines the worst possible case scenario for almost every situation she is in...with facts and statistics to back her up. When she has to visit her father and his pregnant wife in Vancouver, her mind goes into overdrive as she deals with a whole new set of worries. But one bright spot is Salix, a girl who is almost the complete opposite of Maeve when it comes to worrying about things and with whom Maeve forms a relationship.
As I said, I could really relate to Maeve and her constant worrying and anxiety as I suffer from some of the same fears and anxieties that she does. In fact, the book starts with a list of things people say to those dealing with anxiety that they probably shouldn't, and I have heard almost every one listed.
However, Maeve's anxieties run way deeper than mine as she has facts, statistics, and research to back up almost every fear she has. And while I know it is realistic and there are many like Maeve struggling in the world, at times it got to be a bit much and left me with a few new things to worry over.
But overall, I really liked this book. I liked Maeve and her relationships with those around her. I enjoyed seeing how her new relationships and the events in her life changed her and helped her to grow stronger despite how weak her anxiety made her feel. Sometimes things are out of our control and Maeve learns this in several interesting ways throughout the book. It's not easy for her, but it nothing ever is when you suffer from the severe anxiety that she does.
And Carrie Mac's writing is simply wonderful. She does a wonderful job of depicting the frantic thoughts of someone with anxiety as well writing passages so beautiful they made my heart ache.
10 Things I See From Here is one I definitely recommend.
*I received a free copy of this book through Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest opinion.*
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