I wish to express my profound gratitude towards NetGalley and Zeitgeist for providing this fabulous work. Thank you!

What I like:
• Right at the start I was given a huge burst of power, suggesting that there is always hope:
„Picking up this book is the first, most important and perhaps the hardest step in your life, as you discover that you have the power to truly break free from your toxic parent and reclaim your story.”
• Right at the start it’s described that a person who grows up in the shadow of toxic parents, and later on has certain difficulties in life is not sick:
„YOU ARE NOT BROKEN. YOU ARE NOT BROKEN, AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE “FIXED.” I adore this.
• The author introduces himself in the beginning, and although many examples will be presented through him later on, this is not burdening in the least. Even during these sequences, he’s very supportive and gentle. Everything he says is realistic and gives you strength and power. Not even once did I feel looked down. He says that all survivors are strong and brave and should be proud of themselves for starting this journey.
„What you need to do is to stop abandoning yourself to protect the family dysfunction. It’s time to stop making excuses for all the things that weren’t right in your relationships as you were growing up, and those that still aren’t right now that you’re an adult. This is where you will find the truest
understanding of yourself. And then once you know how your past informs you, you can truly begin to champion your future self.”
• He explains what a toxic parent means, how they are, what kind of tools they use to hurt you (gaslighting, emotional neglect, toxic positivity, jealousy, etc).
• It’s a supportive and down-to-earth guide for healing and understanding our relationships in a dysfunctional family.
• He tries to demolish all the wrong beliefs concerning parents and family (You can’t be angry with your parent, every parent wants you the best. etc), and encourages us to take back control over our lives.
• He helps us to truly accept ourselves and process all the pain of our inner child, in order to become our true self. The book contains a guideline on how to process our past traumas and heal from them.
• It’s not triggering at all.
• The book has many journaling prompts.
• How the importance of focusing on the present moment is described, because being struck in the past too much might be harmful.
• Every chapter ends with a QR code leading to a recording in which the author himself talks to you in a pleasant voice. The recording is easily audible and clear. These videos are invaluable.
• Most useful and validating book I've ever read!

Negatives: I couldn’t find one.😊 Recommended to anyone who had to grow up beside a toxic parent.

I’ve read a lot of self help books in the past decade of my life but this one is different. It approached topics like the inner critic and self sabotage as working WITH them instead of removing them. The presentation of information is not fluffy and sugar coated like most books I have read in this genre and it was refreshing! The exercises and journal prompts are powerfully triggering (for me at least) but so helpful. This book was hard for me to get through and some sections were repetitive. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. (TW: alcohol addiction, suicide ideation)

As another reader said, I felt deeply understood while reading this book, as evidenced by the numerous passages I marked. The writer skillfully captures the intricate challenges inherent in the circumstances many of us face, offering both wisdom and motivation to guide readers forward. I anticipate revisiting this book for future reference and reflection.

It feels like I was waiting for this book for FOREVER. Seriously FOREVER. For over a year.
Before it was published, I had seen the author or the book on Instagram and heard him talking about it, and I knew I was going to want to read it.
At first, it was published in the UK only. And available only there. At least I wasn’t able to find a way to get it easily.
And then, yay, it’s going to be published for other places too. Yay! The pub date is March. Unless you are in the UK, then you have had it available for quite some time now.
This book, y’all. I hope no one ever needs to read it. I hope everyone reading this has had the best lives ever, the best families ever, the best childhoods ever, and the best parents ever.
But if you haven’t, then this book might be for you. Unfortunately, it was for me too. First and foremost, it’s deeply, shockingly validating. “It’s them, not me” might be my mantra now whenever I remember something, and whenever I think if it really was the way it was. It also was somewhat shockingly eye-opening to things I was convinced (by the people who were supposed to love me) that those are normal or just plain and simply my own fault – which none were, neither normal nor my fault.
And then, it also gave names to shit that happened and to shit I grew up with, the shit I have brought with me and have carried with me all my life so far. Yes, SHIT. Now all those shit things have a name.
It is also one of those books that make you feel less alone in the world. It makes you (me, that is) feel heard and seen.
If you are brave enough to venture further, there is also breathwork. I’m not there yet. But I might get there. Someday. One step at a time.

Thank you joshffw for this. You have written a true gem of a book. I HOPE no one ever needs to read it, but unfortunately, I know that’s not the case. I hope the book reaches those who need to read it.

This book made me feel so seen - I can't even count the amount of passages highlighted. The author perfectly encapsulates the complexities that come with the hand of cards many of us have been dealt and provides a great mix of insight and inspiration to help readers navigate. I can definitely see myself going back to reference and reread.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Exactly what I need right now! This book has been so helpful in healing with my trauma as an adult with emotionally immature parents.

Highly recommend if you’re going through something similar!