MINI REVIEWS: 2 amazing 5-star reads about mental health and LGBTQ+

By Yuli Atta

Hi guys, I've decided to come on here with two mini-reviews since I have two 5-star books that I haven't talked about yet. They are YA contemporaries that I absolutely LOVED and I didn't know how to express my feelings for them. That's why they are short and messy.

1. Words On Bathroom Walls

I loved this book so much I don't actually have anything to say.

This is my first time reading about schizophrenia and my heart broke for the main character. I also really loved and appreciated his parent's support and how real they were. His friends were also amazing and the different people that he was seeing meant different things, I guessed some, and I didn't others.

I really loved Adam's voice, it was distinct, it felt real and I connected to him very quickly. I really liked the way the condition was depicted although I've no idea how truthful it is, I've also done my own research.

I was interested in this book because schizophrenia is one of the conditions/illnesses I don't know much about and wanted to learn more about it but I ended up googling it before I started the book.

This is not really a proper review obviously, I'll just say again that I really enjoyed it.

2. Date me, Bryson Keller

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy.

I have to admit, I requested this book because the premise reminded me of a BL film I watched which I later found out was also a manga. I didn't know if I'd like it but I absolutely LOVED it. I fell in love with this book and both Kai and Bryson, and I absolutely loved the story. I don't even know how to review it and how to talk about it. 

It talks about important things like coming out to a religious family, coming out in general, and figuring out your own sexuality. I loved the way the book talks about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community and what it feels like. I loved all of the messages the book sends and I honestly have absolutely no idea what more to say. This is my first 5-star LGBT book of the year and my second contemporary 5-star book. It's also only my 3rd 5-star book pf the year. I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I did, I literally flew through it and while I usually don't like books written in the present tense, it didn't bother me here one bit. 

I would definitely reread this book in the future because I'd need to annotate it. I loved it this much.