Starfish ~ Akemi Dawn Bowman ☆ Book Review

Heey!

I finally finished another book that I had meant to read for a long time already.. but better late than never! I had heard so much about the great anxiety rep in this book.

5  / 5 stars
Trigger warnings; narcissism, sexual assault, racism, emotional abuse

Storygraph

I had missed so much on this book, wish i’d have read it sooner! Along with Eliza & her monsters, I related the most with the MC’s anxiety; I felt so understood! Though i’ve made great progress along the years, some things I still struggle with like talking to new people & leaving the house on my own.

Kiko’s family dynamics are difficult; a narcissic mother whom prefer her rapist uncle to her own daugther- things that I haven’t experienced myself but that felt as real as the anxiety!

Emery & Jamie were wonderfully written, so understanding or comprehensive of Kiko’s anxiety although they don’t understand it. The growth she goes through with the nudges needed from Jamie was everything 💜 We do need a little handing hand sometimes, despite not wanting to be a burden; we truly aren’t.

“Of course it doesn’t make sense—feeling this way doesn’t make sense. But if I could fix myself and turn off the anxiety long enough to feel normal, I would have a long time ago.”

“I don’t know how other people do it—don’t they ever feel like they need to recharge? Doesn’t talking to people for so long wear them out?”