Review #5: "One for Sorrow" & "Two for Joy" by Sarah A. Denzil

These two books I'm popping in the same review, they're very much connected to each other as you can't read Two for Joy without reading One for Sorrow, however, it's also only one review because they would trigger anyone who has even a mild mental health issue. They really were incredible books, and clearly well-researched, but be careful please! Please!

I would also like to say, I listened to these 2 books alongside completing a Mental Health First Aider course. My training was given an interesting spin, I assure you!!

Obviously, by the titles, I know there will be more, and I will read them, but I'll add my reviews together as I have with these. Please don't read any further if you think you may be affected by this review, but please also note that I'm not going to be talking in detail about the storyline and what happens. 

Narration - 9.5/10   Storyline - 10/10   Ease of Listening - 8/10

These 2 books were incredibly well-written. Whilst the author wrote about extreme mental health issues, and you knew it was fiction, it really was believable. Norms for me have been re-defined by this book. It has genuinely helped me increase my empathy, but has also highlighted my vulnerability. I trust people to do the right thing. I tell the truth, no matter to who. If I was Leah, I'd end up in her situation. She was everything I saw in myself.

Isabel Fielding was also believable. Despite her mental health issues, she was able to hide them, along with her true feelings, but you genuinely felt sorry for her, for she showed love and gratitude, it was just she didn't know the real thing. 

There were many many twists and turns in both books. You felt sorry for every single character, and hated them with the next sentence. It was truly, truly amazing!

The narration suited the books well. There were a few times Jasmine Blackborow became the characters; you forgot that the words were being read by a narrator. She absolutely gave across the correct emotion in the story and in the characters.

Overall, these are two of the most hauntingly amazing books I have ever known, and I would recommend them to everyone, but it does come with a health warning. Maybe the story is too good, maybe the fact that I listened rather than read them made them too real. But what would books be without realism??

Stay well, Stay safe

Love always

Steph x