I stumbled upon my first Dodie video years ago. I loved her voice (not just her singing voice, but the way she talked too) and thought the aesthetics of her videos were adorable. However, just recently, I've truly been able to appreciate her creativity and emotion in her music. I've spent most of summer writing, and I can whole-heartedly thank Dodie for being at the center of all my writing playlists. I'm actually listening to her on Spotify as I write this review.

So, naturally, as a lover of both books and music, I was ecstatic when I discovered Dodie had written a book. I am a bit late to the party here, but I'm not kidding when I say I literally walked all the way to the library the second I found out about her book. See, I love music, but learning about the musician and the experiences that led to certain songs makes these songs whole for me.

Anyway, my first reaction when I picked up Secrets for the Mad: this book is frickin' adorable and I love the colors and illustrations and yes!! It's a cute little tiny size! I love it! Then I opened the table of contents and nervously joked to my friend, "Hey, this looks more like a personal checklist for me than a table of contents."

And that is why Secrets for the Mad has become one of my favorite books that I've read this year. It's a beautiful bundle of raw, depressing, hilarious, creative, emotional words. Stories, song lyrics, old memories, hopes for the future, pictures, advice/tips, even recipes--a collection of so many different bits of Dodie's life, all colorfully piled together in a way that flows so well. Covering topics such as body image and beauty standards, mental illness, family problems, bullying, alcohol abuse, sex and sexuality, manipulative relationships, love and loss, and of course, music, Dodie offers an honest picture of what it looks to grow up and struggle with things that so many people can relate to but are rarely ever talked about. So yes, this is a cute tiny book with pretty colors and flowers, but I felt every word of this book. Even though many of these chapters hit very close to home for me, I think everyone can find themselves somewhere within the pages of Secrets for the Mad..

It's been a long time since I read a book that made my heart beat like I was experiencing all my own life events again.

So, thank you Dodie for such a beautiful, honest memoir. I enjoyed listening to all your songs while reading the lyrics in your book.