This book was heartbreaking! I’m finding it hard to put my thoughts into words but I feel like this was such an interesting look into Jonathan’s past. He’s definitely a brilliant story teller, and while that can make some question how much of this book was true, it kept me interested in what he had to say.

I’ve not had the same experiences of having invisible friends like Jonathan, and even though I did sometimes have a hard time getting my head around what this could have been like in his mind, he was able to paint a very clear picture just from telling his story.

I’m definitely interested in knowing more though, perhaps about later in Jonathan’s life. The prologue begins in 2016 in Gatwick airport with him rediscovering his invisible friends, and I don’t feel like I understand why that happened or what that meant for him going forward. Maybe he doesn’t know himself or maybe I missed the point! But if he ever gets the opportunity to tell us more I would definitely be interested.

Too many people are giving this book a hard time simply because Jonathan wrote it and people like to hate on those who have become successful on social media. It’s not the greatest book ever written and it does leave me with some questions, but overall it showed a side of Jonathan that he had kept hidden from the world for pretty much his whole life. He’s telling his story, and even if other people have gone through worse in life, it doesn’t diminish the horrible things that Jonathan had to face at such a young age. My heart broke so many times at some of the stories he told.

I may not have been able to relate to much of this book but I still think it was well written in a way that helped me understand and remain engaged.

I could hear Jonathan’s voice as I read this. Growing up is tough and Jonathan explain his with such honesty. I could feel his emotion through his words and you want to reach out and help this lost little boy. His world he had created is a safety zone for him which he needed. Couldn’t stop reading it, and I’d love to read a follow up.

After seeing the build up to the release of this book through Jonathan’s social media I was looking forward to and was also intrigued to read All My Friends are Invisible. The book is centred around the author’s struggles during his childhood. I believe the audience for this book could be quite broad such as those who have followed the Saccone Joly family on YouTube as well as those intrigued by the build up to the release of the book alternatively the book could appeal to people who can relate to what Jonathan has been through.

In my opinion All My Friends Are Invisible is aimed at a mature audience due to the mental health and suicide themes.

The book itself is written in the first person from Jonathan Joly’s point of view. If you have been a follower of the family for a while you can read the story in his voice. The story can feel almost erratic in it’s flow at times however in my opinion this demonstrates the trauma of his childhood.

The reader will meet several characters in this book from Jonathan’s family to his invisible friend Giselle. The way that the character’s are introduced and the book is written you can almost see the book in black and white until Giselle is introduced and fades in and out of colour as and when she appears.

I think Jonathan does a good job of translating his childhood experience into a book which other people can read and bringing the invisible friends to life in a way that other people can relate to them.

It is upsetting to read what Jonathan went through during his childhood however it is incredible to see the conversations this book is opening up.

Personally I would like to see another book released to see how Jonathan’s life progressed as there is clearly more to add to his experiences in life and I think there is a lot that can be learned from his story.

We are all very quick to judge other people but All My Friends Are Invisible just goes to show that what you see on the outside isn’t always what is going on in the inside.

All My Friends Are Invisible brings out a lot of raw emotion and has a completely different dynamic to any other ‘memoir’/ ‘autobiographic’ style book that I have read. The way that Jonathan has written this book brings a freshness and unique angle to this genre that I would happily read more by Jonathan if he was to release further books.

I would recommend this book but only if you can read it with an open mind.

A truly insightful book into what young Jonathan experienced growing up. The book takes the reader on a powerful journey through Jonathan's childhood, allowing them to understand the troubles he faced, from a difficult home life to bullying at school. I truly believe there will be something in this book which all can relate to, whether they have watched the sacconejoly's in the past or not.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it almost impossible to put down, with each chapter bringing a new twist for little Jonathan. Definitely recommend, especially if you are wanting to learn more about young people and the wonderful world of their imaginations. After all, perhaps it will be what saves them, just like Jonathan.

I wanted to read this book as I saw how much the author talked about it. To be completely honest, it looks like a fantasy book. The books itself doesn't have a clear structure, it jumps from places to places. The author is not clear in parts and when the different narrators are talking.
Overall it is very confusing and personally I don't think if someone is suffering from MH should read this book as it won't help them.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I feel bad rating this book as I did, as it was clearly the heartfelt words of somebody, but I'll explain why. Firstly, the opening chapter really grabbed me and I had high hopes but then it seemed to just change from there, with no warning. We never go back or really see the significance of this.

Secondly, the writing is fairly beginner, and seems very indulgent on the part of the author. He talks about what seems like a fairly normal life growing up in the 80s, but seems to view it as abusive and poverty stricken. In fairness, growing up working class myself, it seems far more extravagant that my own life and yet I'm not narcissistic enough to think anybody would care about my life. In fact I have read autobiographies of extremely talented and well-admired celebrities that come across far more humble than this.

He documents feeling 'other' his whole life and not wanting to be a girl, however he doesn't really explain this very well. As I recall in the 80s and 90s, toys were all unisex and so were hobbies. I played football and tag with the boys and you wouldn't have seen me dead in a skirt, but nobody would ever have called me a boy. I never felt of myself as a boy. Joly seems to be talking of very cliché things here, eg doesn't want to play football as it's for boys, and doesn't want to go to a boys school as he gets on with girls better despite having friends and sisters outside of school. It's unsettling that he places so much emphasis on materialistic things being for boys and girls, which he says other people put onto him but again these seem innocuous things that I can't imagine anybody else having umbrage with.

If we take away the content, which as I state I didn't really understand, rate or enjoy, the main point of a book is to entertain. I didn't find this book captivating, as the plot seemed to be everywhere, the writing wasn't great and I found it hard to believe so many points. So it didn't really hold my attention and I had to push through to the end. But I can see it as an applaudable first book and it really does seem to mean a lot to the author writing it, which I can appreciate.

Lastly, and the main reason for the 1 star review, is I feel this is a dangerous book from a mental health standpoint. The author seems to think that hearing about his life, which was neither unusual or particularly terrible, will save people but I think quite the opposite. I urge anybody reading this book, or contemplating it, to please seek professional help if you have imaginary friends, worlds or hear voices as an adult for the first time. This isn't something to accept, it isn't 'other', it has nothing to do with being trans and it seems to be very dangerous advise for one to give. However, I'm glad the author has spoken about something that clearly has affected his life in a very negative way, and I hope it has given him the peace he needs from the experience.

I would like to preface this review by stating that I have followed Jonathan and his family with their online presence for a number of years now so I feel very privileged to be able to get my hands on an advanced copy of a book depicting his life away from what is displayed on social media.

Learning about Jonathan, Giselle and Domdie was like being let into someone else's world, I mean that is what is happening so that would be a great way to describe it. Also learning of his upbringing in Dublin in the 80's and 90's, a place that wasn't the same as my own childhood and is hard to imagine otherwise, was really interesting for me to learn about through another's eyes.

The writing of the book was something to get used to but once you got into the swing of reading, it was easy to follow along to. It was also fairly easy to read but maybe too a little easy for my liking, although that might not be the same for everyone.

I would have liked more explanation of the begging of the book about the experience at the airport but I feel like it isn't a main part of the book so can be overlooked.

For anyone that has ever struggled with who they are and what they think they belong to, I think this would be a great book to let people know that you are good enough and you don't need to be what everyone else wants.

A brutally honest and extraordinary memoir, unlike anything I've ever read before.

TW: physical and verbal abuse, bullying, violence, child abuse, anxiety.

Firstly, I want to begin this review by disclosing that I have followed the author and his family throughout their online journey and therefore was going into this book with previous knowledge of Jonathan and some of the topics he has presented across social media. When Jonathan started to post Instagram stories about his struggle with identity, like any curious human being, I was intrigued to find out what happened in the former years of a personality we know so well in the present.

Following Jonathan from the ages of 3 to 10, we grasp a real insight into the mind of a child who is struggling to belong. Through vivid imagery, Jonathan explores the rollercoaster childhood of life in stigma-steeped 1980/90's Dublin and the dynamic of a family who don't understand one another. From brutal encounters with 'the Enemy' and ongoing bullying at school, Jonathan creates his own safe space, 'Domdie', where his invisible friends become his closest companions and protectors.

Although, this is Jonathan’s first book and there are some confusing structural choices and the story does seem exaggerated in places, I still enjoyed reading a memoir that held experiences (thankfully) so different to my own. I especially enjoyed the comparison Jonathan makes about parents treating their children's lives as a sat-nav where the expectations and destinations are already set, and we must simply abide by it. I think a great deal of people, especially those born before 2000, will relate to this poetic description.

I would've liked to learn more about the reasoning for Jonathan's airport incident and the discovery journey that followed but alas, we all are the authors of our own story and if Jonathan wants to keep that private then that he is absolutely valid to.

Even though, this book to me was merely a curiosity pick, it is evident that for Jonathan and anyone who has ever struggled with their identity, that this story could be life changing. However, I hope that those people seek to find the communities and help that is so widely accessible today as our society grows in acceptance. A concept that Jonathan so desperately needed in his childhood.

Honestly this is one of the worst books I have read in a long time. The writing is terrible, and is incredibly simplistic for the audience it is intended for. The book feels completely unedited with the plot everywhere. One minute you are in the present moment with Jonathon and the next minute you are somewhere between reality and fiction in "Domidie". There are also points in the book where the writing changes tense and then flips back with no warning. Lets not forget the painful descriptions of everything that happens, for example at the beginning of the book Jonathan describes the breakfast, he, Anna and the kids had at Costa; this information is completely unnecessary and would of been sorted if edited properly.

The opening line is the most cliché thing ever "I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out where to start this story"- an opening line should draw the reader in and leave them wanting more, but this just falls flat for me. We then follow Jonathan as a dad in Gatwick airport, as he has what only can be described as an outer body experience. The writing is melodramatic and unnecessary. He is then transported back to "Domidie" which was apart of his childhood. "Domidie" could be a whole host of different things it's quite hard to tell due to the poor writing, at the beginning it sounds like a panic attack, then other parts feel like maladaptive daydreaming or even a hallucination . The story then Jumps back to Jonathan being three years old. I would love to know how he has the ability to recall his memories in excruciating detail, this leaves me not knowing what is real or fiction. The chapters follow him as he gets older and relies more and more on "Domidie" to survive. Jonathan talks of his parents toxic relationship, and his experiences growing up in a boys school in rural Ireland. The book has no real plot and feels like you are reading fiction, and the ending is sudden and jarring, and would have been better for the book to end with Jonathan now in the present day reflecting on his childhood as he finishes the book. I struggle to see this book as a memoir as it does not span his life to date as a memoir normally would. This would have made for a better fiction book overall. I really do hope that Jonathan seeks professional help, as what ever the cause of "Domidie" is it deserves help and treatment.

I was attracted by the blurb but I struggled with the storytelling that I found confusing and didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

it is refreshing to read a memoir that it truly seeing the inside of someone’s head. I’ve never read anything quite like this before!!!! It is one thing to recount your life but this truly was an insight into Jonathan’s thoughts and feelings.

My thanks to NetGalley and Quercus publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC.
I enjoyed reading this memoir, although harrowing in places it had gentle overtones that took you with Jonathan to his place of safety.
I did feel that the ending was somewhat abrupt and I’m still confused about why he needed to return to Domdie?

After following the author, Jonathan and his family, for a number of years it was interesting to be allowed to have an insight into his own childhood and upbringing. The author shares a really interesting perspective on their own unique experiences of life and identity as a child growing up in Ireland.

The story and style of writing can be quite confusing at first but once this has been overcome it really is a pleasure to read. As a reader you begin to truly feel for the author and what he has been through along with the emotions and thoughts he has had to deal with along the way. The experiences are shared with such vivid detail that you can immerse yourself into the story and really picture the scene as you are reading.

The story does jump around quite a bit from domdie to the real world and from story to story with some having no real resolution which can be quite irritating at times.
I have seen some reviews highlighting that parts of the story can be quite unbelievable but bearing in mind that this is the recount from a child questioning the life around them and using a fantasy land as a coping mechanism I believe it to be very believable.
And anyone who can’t relate to this should see themselves as very lucky.

I would be interested in a follow up book to see how the story of Jonathan’s life plays out told from his own perspective in the truly unique way he has with words. Overall after the initial confusion with the writing style I did really enjoy reading the book. As Jonathan’s first book and the difficulty he has shared with the writing process I believe he has done a good job and look forward to any future pieces of writing.

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
I've been following Jonathan and his family for a few years now and I've been really looking forward to reading about his past.
At first, it was quite hard to read, as the book lacked editing, sentences that didn't make sense, lots of digressions that forced a reader to catch on quickly to what was going on, One time you were in school waiting for the action and then you are stopped by the long history how his parents met.
After about 100 pages I got used to this style and it was quite a pleasure to read.
Jonathan writes very vividly about his experience with his father and invisible Friends, which helps imagine the story. As a parent, it helped me see and understand better a child's point of view, how it sees when parents are fighting or an adult has anger outbursts.
No child should go through what Jonathan did, as a young boy, he was very unheard and he did what he could to cope and survive and that's what he showed in his book.

I feel like I need to start by saying how lucky I felt to be reading about Jonathan’s life experience. I have followed the family since I was 15 and now as a 24-year-old, I have a great respect for them and how they have handled a lot of the battles they have faced during their time in the public eye. This however does not change my thoughts on the book.

I would recommend going into this book with the understanding that this is the authors first book, and he talks openly on social media regarding the struggle he found writing it. The book is slightly jumbled, and the structure could be improved however that should not take away from the vivid picture Jonathan is trying to create with this story. I personally found the almost nonfictional style of writing to be more enjoyable.

I have seen a lot of reviews questioning how true the story is however I feel like that is the beauty of the book, we are reading about a young boy who used his imagination to escape reality so of course some parts may appear as unbelievable.

I found some parts of the story hard to read and I really connected with the line “I’m not sure how much longer I can keep floating, before I drown.” This book is for anyone who has struggled with their mental health or questioned their sexuality and if you don’t relate to this book, you’re very lucky.

I’ve followed Johnathan and his family for years now and when I saw he was writing a book to explain who he was I was intrigued.

This book is clearly important to him but sold as a explanation and something that will help people feel less alone it reads as fantasy. There’s such detail in the conversation and things young Johnathon sees yet barely any actual context for what made him a target as far as I could tell he was just a quiet boy who simply liked sports less than his parents hoped. I would have liked to know more about him especially I would have liked to revisit his adult self at the end to discover what caused the panic attack in the airport bringing gizelle out after all those years.

In all I enjoyed this read but it has left me with more questions about what actually happened in Johnathans life.

I found this a little hard to understand at first as the book seemed to flit from real life to fiction, the writing style almost becoming erratic and rambling in parts,
but then this is a recount of all the thoughts and feelings of a young child reliving some of their most traumatic events and describing their escape from the realities of these harsh events. The rambling and erratic style of the book almost helps to transport you into the mind of a young Jonathan so you feel as though you are standing right there with him as he tries to navigate these events, puts you in the perspective of this small fragile child fear and upset and then resilience and strength as the book goes on.
I laughed, I cried, I got angry - what a rollercoaster. Definitely worth the read.
I can’t wait to see how this book helps resonate with so many others out there who read this and go ‘hey that sounds like me, maybe I’m not so alone?’
The book ended abruptly which caught me off guard but maybe this is leaving room for a follow up? We will have to see!

From the first chapter I was invested in Jonathan, this book is is a testament to how strong the human will to survive is, despite many obstacles. This story is powerful and poignant reminder of life behind closed doors. It is beautifully written and I love how honest the author is and clearly he has done a lot of introspection. This book details life in the eighties and early nineties as well as life in a turbulent home and all of the complications that brings.

Thank you to Netgally for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I’d like to say I’ve followed Jonathan and his family for around six or seven years now. I’ve really been looking forward to reading this book since he started talking about writing one. He’d spoken a lot on his Instagram about how he never felt like he quite belonged as a child, how he never fitted in and had quite a harsh, lonely childhood.

This book started out in 2016, in the airport with his family waiting to catch a flight back to Ireland for Jonathan’s birthday. Then we are introduced to Domdie, Jonathan’s alternate world that he spent a lot of his childhood in and his invisible friends that he explains saved his life. We spend a lot of time in this world throughout the book but he also takes us back in time to his childhood, starting when he was just 3 years old. Jonathan delves deeply into his childhood, which is filled with ridicule, humiliation and abuse from an early age. Jonathan is a scared, confused and misunderstood boy who is targeted because he is different and struggles to fit in. Throughout the book we alternate between Jonathan’s childhood with his friends in the ‘real world’ and the time he spends with them in Domdie.

I enjoyed reading more about Jonathan’s childhood and upbringing in Ireland in the 80’s and 90’s, but at times I felt like things just didn’t make sense. He seemed to remember specific things or days so clearly from as young as three or four year old that just didn’t make sense, maybe some things were exaggerated to grab our attention but I don’t think he needed to be so detailed about things I simply don’t believe are possible for him to remember as I think that’s what makes this so unbelievable to most people. However, this attention to detail makes me think Jonathan is a very talented storyteller and he should definitely try his hard at writing fantasy novels because Domdie sounded incredible.

It’s heartbreaking to hear about the childhood Jonathan was forced to endure but I think that’s what made him the brilliant father he is today. I also think the book had a very abrupt end, I was expecting the book to come back to present time and tell us where he is now. Are his friends around? Does he see them? Does he visit Domdie? Did Jonathan see Florence again? So many unanswered questions. Im not sure if Jonathan will write another book so unsure as wether that is his intention but if he does, I’ll most certainly read it.

The book is a great story that draws you in, showing inside the mind of a young boy struggling through his youth. Although, when reading it, it’s easy to forget this is meant to be a memoir of a childhood. It reads more like a fictional story and does not feel realistically like a recollection of childhood.

Jonathan is meant to be aged 3-10 during the storytelling and it just seems unrealistic that a 3 year old would remember stories and imagery so vividly. Not to mention, when his invisible friends speak, they speak as if they’re adults and not from the mind of a child like they’re meant to be. The conversations at times feel made up because they sound too mature and not what a child would say or think.

I would say the book is a good read, but it does not feel authentic. It feels as though the stories are made up from vague memories and completely exaggerated. If the story wasn’t meant to be a childhood memoir, I would rate it higher but it just feels like a fictional dreamscape story.