*Spoilers ahead*

One things I find really interesting about Kathleen Glasgow's book "How to make friends with the dark" is that you can empathize with what Grace (à.k.a Tiger) is going through. You also understand why she does what she does - like wearing the dress her mom bought for her for days without changing it, even after she starts to stink in it. Why she had slapped that girl who made fun of her. Why she had yelled at Kai. Why she talks to the boxes that contain her mother's items. Last of all, why she drunk drives and ends up crashing a mail box. Although us, as readers feel for her and try to stop her (in our heads), we empathize with her. I, personally learnt a lot about mental health and people's coping mechanisms. It's very easy to point fingers at others suffering from mental ailments because we have no idea what they're going through and because we can't understand other's pain. Everyone's way of grieving differs from every other individual. This book taught me that no matter how big the calamity has fallen on your head, you can move past it and live your life accordingly. It's not easy to erase the pain completely, but it's easier to ease it a little.

Another point to consider is that Grace was lucky that she found out who her father was and where he was. Not many people get to find out their blood relatives. The fact the she had sister who was willing to take care of her and was a massive support to her speaks volumes. We need to remember that most of the time, people are left alone in foster homes without anyone to care for them. This reminds me of children who's parents die in war or out of a disease pandemic. Or simply children who are neglected and never knew who their parents were. Another reminder for us to be grateful for what we have. Look at the people who have less than you and people whose lives are devastating and sad. But this doesn't mean that one faces abuse and thinks that the abuse they're facing are less than other people's. A balance is what's required.

Here's a quote from the book that I found and I cried because it really touched my heart 💔

There was a silence and then Alice, the oldest person in the room, cleared her throat. Alice has watery eyes and fluffy white hair and favors sweatpants and sweatshirts with glittery stars and flowers. Alice lost her mother when she was ten. That is a whole lifetime without a mother, to get used to not having a mother, and yet here she is. All these years later. Still grieving.

Alice said, “Write me a letter telling me how to live for the rest of my life without you.” She paused.

“That was sixty-four years ago, and I still would like to know.”

I’m writing this down because someday I will be Alice, with a whole lifetime spent without a mother, a lifetime of walking around with a Grand Canyon of grief in my heart, and people should know what that feels like."

After shedding loads of tears, I would like to thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

Tess, Tess, Tessa.

Was there ever a more beautiful sound than your name? To speak it aloud makes my heart ring like a bell. Strange to imagine that, isn’t it – a heart ringing – but when you touch me that is what it is like: as if my heart is ringing in my chest and the sound shivers down my veins and splinters my bones with joy.

Why have I written these words in this book? Because of you. You taught me to love this book where I had scorned it. When I read it for the second time, with an open mind and heart, I felt the most complete despair and envy of Sydney Carton. Yes, Sydney, for even if he had no hope that the woman he loved would love him, at least he could tell her of his love. At least he could do something to prove his passion, even if that thing was to die.

I would have chosen death for a chance to tell you the truth, Tessa, if I could have been assured that death would be my own. And that is why I envied Sydney, for he was free.

And now at last I am free, and I can finally tell you, without fear of danger to you, all that I feel in my heart.

You are not the last dream of my soul.

You are the first dream, the only dream I ever was unable to stop myself from dreaming. You are the first dream of my soul, and from that dream I hope will come all other dreams, a lifetime’s worth.

With hope at least,

Will Herondale

OMG this book made me cry for hours and hours!!! The story is so beautifully written and I love Tessa, Will and Jem 💔💔

Why did we have to go through Will's death??? 😭😭😭