Book Review: Hello Me, It's You; Hannah Todd.

This book did exactly what it said on the tin - it is a collection of letters from young adults to their teenage selves, about mental health. A necessary book in this day and age!

SOURCE: NetGalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Hello Me, It's You
AUTHOR: Hannah Todd
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Hello Me, It's You
PAGES: 109
GENRE: Non-Fiction, Letters, Mental Health

RATING: 3/5 Stars

Blurb:
Hello Me, it’s You is a collection of letters by young adults aged 17-24 about their experiences with mental health issues. The letters are written to their 16-year-old selves, giving beautifully honest advice, insight and encouragement for all that lays ahead of them.

This book was produced by the Hello Me, it’s You charity, set up by the editor, Hannah. Hannah was diagnosed with depression and anxiety whilst at university and found comfort in talking to friends about their experiences, realising she was not alone in her situation. This inspired the idea for the charity and book. Through the creation of materials such as this, the charity aims to provide reassurance for young adults (and their families) who are experiencing mental health issues and give a voice to young adults on such an important topic. The result of that will hopefully be a reduction in the negative stigma surrounding mental health and an increase in awareness of young people’s experiences. All profits go the Hello Me, it’s You charity, for the production of future supportive books.

What I Liked:

• This book does what you'd expect, and in doing so provides a warm sense of affirmation that you are not alone. As someone who has had her fair share of mental health issues, it was nice to read relatable accounts from others like me.
• Books like this are necessary in my opinion. We need to open dialogue on mental health issues and start talking more about these things because they can have such an impact on people's lives. This is the kind of book that will contribute to that conversation!

What I Disliked:

• There was nothing completely groundbreaking about this book. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as the purpose of this book is not to be academic or informative, but to give people with mental health issues a voice and a platform. I will say that a lot of the letters felt repetitive, but again, that just confirms how many people go through the same issues.

Overall Conclusion:

I liked this book for what it represented - a collection of voices given the opportunity to shine light on a topic that has been taboo for a long time. I enjoyed the emotional response and reflection that it inspired within me about my own past experiences too. At times it felt repetitive. At times it lacked content. But the purpose of this book was definitely fulfilled, and it deserves attention for that!