BOOK REVIEW: Dancing at the Pity Party

Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder (#33 in 2020)

Thank you to @penguinteen for my advanced review copy! Tyler Feder recounts her experience with learning of her mother's cancer diagnosis all the way through the grief she experiences after her mother's death. Dancing at the Pity Party is YA, but it's more than just a book for teens. Dealing with grief is something that anyone can relate to, and, through most of the book, Tyler is in her college years. While it's told through a graphic novel format, this book's messages are much bigger than "just a comic book." Tyler offers advice on how to communicate with someone who is grieving. She explains what to say and do and how to be present for the people in our lives who need us most. When Tyler discusses her shock at the physical and emotional changes in her mother as the cancer took over her brain, I couldn't help but have an immediate flashback to my grandmother's cancer battle. The range of emotions that Tyler expresses is vast and makes the reader realize that all of those feelings are completely normal. I highly recommend that you add this book to your TBR. Dancing at the Pity Party is currently available for pre-order and will publish on 4/14/2020. I never thought I'd admit that I cried over a comic book, but I did... multiple times. Thank goodness @penguinteen included custom tissues in my bookmail package! 5 stars