22. Obsessed: A Memoir of My Life with OCD by Allison Britz

listened on Audible
368 pgs. (9:58)

2017
YA & Adult Memoir 
Finished 3/21/24
Goodreads rating: 3.92
My rating: 4.5
Setting: contemporary anywhere, USA

My comments: Wow.  Although the protagonist is a 15-year old sophomore, this book would be very appropriate for a middle school.  A memoir, it gives a deep examination of how a seemingly normal, average, pretty-much-happy young girl can slip totally into OCD.  I was very sad, depressed, and frustrated through the first half of the book, but it also discussed getting better.  It was difficult, and she did it without meds - and knows that she will have to live with symptoms for the rest of her life.

Goodreads synopsis:  A brave teen recounts her debilitating struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder—and brings readers through every painful step as she finds her way to the other side—in this powerful and inspiring memoir.

Until sophomore year of high school, fifteen-year-old Allison Britz lived a comfortable life in an idyllic town. She was a dedicated student with tons of extracurricular activities, friends, and loving parents at home.

But after awakening from a vivid nightmare in which she was diagnosed with brain cancer, she was convinced the dream had been a warning. Allison believed that she must do something to stop the cancer in her dream from becoming a reality.

It started with avoiding sidewalk cracks and quickly grew to counting steps as loudly as possible. Over the following weeks, her brain listed more dangers and fixes. She had to avoid hair dryers, calculators, cell phones, computers, anything green, bananas, oatmeal, and most of her own clothing.

Unable to act “normal,” the once-popular Allison became an outcast. Her parents questioned her behavior, leading to explosive fights. When notebook paper, pencils, and most schoolbooks were declared dangerous to her health, her GPA imploded, along with her plans for the future.

Finally, she allowed herself to ask for help and was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. This brave memoir tracks Allison’s descent and ultimately hopeful climb out of the depths.

4. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

read on my iPhone
2017 Dutton Books for Young Readers
290 pgs.
YA/CRF
Finished 1/8/18
Goodreads rating: 4.14 - 66,158 ratings
My rating: 5
Setting: contemporary Indianapolis, IN

First line/s:  "I might be fictional, my weekdays were spent at a publicly funded institution on the north side of Indianapolis called White River High School, where I was required to eat lunch at a particular time -- between 12:37 p.m. and 1:14 p.m. -- by forces so much larger than myself that I couldn't even begin to identify them."

My comments:  What makes a book "good?"  What is it in a story that leaves you feeling that you just read something really special?  It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, you know it, you feel it.You overlook some of the little things that don't work  for you.   Turtles All the Way Down taught me many lessons.  As hard as I try to empathize with people with mental illnesses, I have to admit that those are some of the many, many times in my life that I'm uncomfortable.  It's books like this one that give you unprecedented insight into what goes on in a mind that's slightly awry.  And Aza's mind is more than a little slightly awry.  This was an incredibly powerful book for me.  Great storytelling.  Great character building.  Great relationships, particularly Aza and Daisy's relationship, best friends forever (as dumb as that may sound) and Aza and her mom's relationship, which makes me look back upon my relationship with my mom, and with my kids.  And I'm so impressed that John Green can write the character of a female protagonist  with such assurance. fI was impressed, inspired, and completely saddened by this work of art.

Goodreads synopsis: #1 bestselling author John Green returns with his first new novel since The Fault in Our Stars!
          Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
          Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 
          In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.