My Mess is a Bit of a Life by Georgia Pritchett is a memoir but not as we know it.

The book exudes warmth and poignancy. She is remarkably efficient with her words, which means this memoir is delightfully moreish and fast paced. The book begins as a recollection of a childhood filled with anxiety and grows into an exploration of the joys and intense challenges of professional and family life. It touches on dark areas while remaining both engaging and touching throughout. Georgia is a writer on many of the best comedy shows of recent years. She is a woman in a typically male profession. She suffers from anxiety and depression. She had miscarriages before having her wonderful neuro-atypical sons.
Through musings, vignettes, observations and recollections, Georgia takes the reader on a journey that is impossible to put down. I read it in one sitting and would emphatically recommend it.
If there is a lesson in this wonderful book, it is speak up and seek help with your anxieties.
Thank you to Faber and Faber and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Before reading this book, I have no knowledge of Georgia. The title of this book is what made me go for it. As I also go through life with anxiety, I was expecting a full-on memoir of her life with it.

Instead, this book is a collection of anecdotes from childhood to adulthood. And as the title suggests, it is a mess! I got confused many times on what stage in life she was referring to as there are jumps in time all the time. Some anecdotes are relatable, some are funny and some aren't.

Whereas I did enjoy this one, there are a few bits that are supposed to be taken in a funny way but instead, these can be offensive for some people.

This is a memoir with a difference. Full of quirky anecdotes from the author's childhood (which many of us can probably relate to!) to an awkward adolescence and then on to adulthood and all the anxiety-ridden problems that brings, it is both poignant and funny. The author writes openly and honestly about her experiences, from her writing career to her miscarriages, and then her family. Self-deprecating in a typically British way, the book is a funny, touching, and emotional read. Highly recommend.

If I'm being totally honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book when I requested an advanced copy from NetGalley, but what I got didn't really hit the mark for me. It was sold as a "joyful reflection on living with anxiety" and the format indicated as "gloriously comic vignettes"; I found myself failing to connect with either sentiment as I read through.

The vignettes described in the blurb were quite off-putting as a format to begin with; I struggled to immerse myself in the random rambling thoughts and put them together into something coherent. I later came to realise that this may have been done on purpose to illustrate the chaos inside the author's mind, but as someone who lives inside their own chaotic mind, the concept just fell a little flat for me. It's worth noting that I did find the format easier as the book progressed and the vignette's followed a more obvious timeline in the author's life and seemed connected to each other.

There were parts of the book that I found funny (such as making her anxiety bear anxious rather than using the bear to get rid of her own anxieties), but overall the book just didn't appeal to my sense of humour. However, I was able to appreciate that the humour made it possible for the author to approach certain poignant topics with a degree of levity.

Having had no familiarity with the author prior to reading the book, the pop culture insights into working with well-known bands on their TV shows and movies, and writing on some very popular, acclaimed comedy shoes was a pleasant surprise and probably the part of the book I enjoyed the most.

I'm sure there are plenty of readers who would enjoy this book and find it funny, but sadly, on this occasion I am not one of them.

An excellent book, which is funny, honest, sad and real in equal measure. An authentic look at many aspects of feelings and anxiety in a refreshing way,

A very fascinating read.. happy and sad and back again. Truthfully told about anxieties and feelings. Very touching.!

My Mess is a Bit of a Life by Georgia Pritchett is probably the most fantastic memoir I have ever read.

Told with warmth, pace and humour, it touches on dark areas while remaining both engaging and touching throughout. Georgia is a writer on many of the best comedy shows of recent years. Georgia is a woman in a typically male profession. She suffers from anxiety and depression. She had miscarriages before having her wonderful neuro-atypical sons. Through musings, vignettes, observations and recollections, Georgia takes the reader on a journey that is impossible to put down. I read it in one sitting and would emphatically recommend it (and had to keep reading bits out loud to someone else it was so good).

With many thanks to Faber & Faber and Netgalley for the ARC.

The memories and musings of a woman I thought I hadn't heard of, but after reading this and a bit of online searching .... I realise I am aware of her work. Georgia Pritchett certainly knows how to be entertaining
A rather thoughtful read quite a lot I recognised in myself!
This is the type of book you can pick up and read at any timeI
Thank you netgalley

My Mess is a Bit of a Life by Georgia Pritchett is a memoir but not as we know it. Its more a collection of musings and anecdotes that cover Georgia's life and anxieties rather than the chapter by chapter autobiography I had expected. That put me off a bit at the start as I didn't know Georgia and wasn't familiar with her work so felt like I missed the bond with the writer where these little vignettes are charming - instead they felt like little insights into the life of someone who meant absolutely nothing to me. That feeling faded as I continued to read and get to know Georgia and found myself really rooting for her successes and gutted by the setbacks she describes in comic detail in the book. By the end I was completely won over and was sad when it finished. It's a quirky way of writing a memoir that is perfectly in tune with the person Georgia is and thats what makes it work. Thanks to Georgia, Faber & Faber and Netgalley for the ARC.

First of all, huge thanks to Faber & Faber and Netgalley for letting me review this book.
The title and synopsis of this book really spoke to something in me. I myself have long suffered with moderate anxiety and depression. I have read about the subject, always looking for someone else who feels like I do. Needing to make sense of the little monster in my mind. I read the synopsis and Ms Pritchett sounds like me. I was intrigued and had to know more.

This book was a bit of a roller-coaster emotionally wise, hardly surprising I suppose. The author is very relatable, her style of writing is easy to read and she is a very engaging narrator. Before this book I must admit I was unfamiliar with Georgia Pritchett but I enjoyed this work. There are ups and downs in this work and some parts are quite difficult to read. I liked the anecdotal nature of the work and found myself really connecting with Ms Pritchett. All in all I recommend it, it is a great book to dip in and out of.

On the whole, this was a nice, light-hearted read which I could delve into in free moments.

There were so many relatable stories. I especially liked the way she wrote of the transition to womanhood. It was emotional to read about the miscarriages. I'm so glad she went on to have two healthy little ones.

Fascinating to read about all the stars, Georgia Pritchett has written for and such a shame that having written such great material, I had never heard of her.

Tackling anxiety is a huge battle and great to hear therapy helps.

Thanks indeed to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

An amusing book full of short musings of things that have happened to the author at various stages of her life, some happy and some more sobering. Quite different from autobiographical books I have previously read. I was not aware of this author before. Basically shows that everyone has ups and downs.

I absolutely loved joining Georgia on her adventures in anxiety and felt I could relate to her in many ways. This book is an absolute gem that will bring laughs to many. This was an easy and light read. I struggle with some mental health issues so worry sometimes that too many heavy books can weigh heavily on me but despite the topic being on Georgia's anxiety, I found that it wasn't heavy at all. It had a nice touch of humour to it. I didn't know Georgia before reading this book, I was mostly attracted to the description. After reading, I have so much respect for her, she's an absolute powerhouse. What she has endured. She's just incredible! I'm delighted she decided to share her story.

Already reviewed via GoodReads.

Like many readers (I assume), I went into this book with little knowledge about Georgia and her life. All I knew was the phrase “my mess is a bit of a life” resonated with me on a deep level.

My Mess is a Bit of a Life is a collection of anecdotes, providing insight into Georgia’s life and journeys with anxiety as her life progresses. These anecdotes are sometimes as short as a paragraph, and range from hilarious to heartbreaking.

As much as I enjoyed this book, the scattered nature of the stories sometimes left me confused - I never 100% knew what stage of Georgia’s life I was at. The book is also fairly short, which resulted in the reader having less time to form that all-important connection.

All-in-all, this was an enjoyable read. Georgia is an undoubtedly hilarious woman, relatable and self-deprecating. Some of my highlights of the book came when she’s talking about her children, at times when the humour appeared less forced and more heartfelt.

What a great read, not usually my thing but small snippets of georgias life written down very well, was witty and lovely, what a lovely lady

I really, really enjoyed this. The style was great and the little snippets of childhood were a brilliant addition. Highly recommended.

Georgia suffers from anxiety and whilst this memoir focuses on her life, it also focuses on all her worries. Suffering from anxiety myself, I find it really reassuring reading other peoples experiences!

Firstly, I read the first 80% of this book in one night (a nice quick book of 200 or so pages). I probably would have finished the entire book, but I couldn't keep my eyes open!

Whilst anxiety is obviously not very pleasant, Georgia made me laugh the entire way through about her ridiculous worries. Why do we all worry about the most silly things, and why can't we rationalise them?!

I also thought the layout of this memoir was super clever as there aren't any chapters, further emphasizing Pritchett's rambling anxious mind.

If you're after a nice chill read I really recommend this!

Georgia Pritchett's writing exudes warmth and poignancy. She is remarkably efficient with her words, which means this memoir is delightfully moreish and fast paced. The book begins as a recollection of a childhood filled with anxiety and grows into an exploration of the joys and intense challenges of professional and family life (and of course their inevitable intersections). Some of Pritchett's descriptions of her lowest moments were deeply moving and some of the most realistic descriptions of depression that I have ever read.

Spectacular narrative on the spiral of anxiety. One minute I felt understood, the next I felt enveloped in laughter at all times recognising how alike us humans can be even in a world of division

Confession: I'd not heard of Georgia Pritchett before I read this book. Now I'm glad to 'know' her.

My Mess is a Bit of a Life is an interesting, hilarious, sad, and brave selection of anecdotes, memoir style.

I love mental health non-fiction that isn't afraid to be funny. Dark humour often sees us through the worst.

This is a book for anyone; the anxious and the free. Read it and laugh, maybe weep, but know you're in the hands of a great writer.