What You Don’t See

The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva was a nice little surprise. This book was written in such a nice way it was a fast read. The main character Amy has mental health issues that she doesn’t share with anyone else. She lives a meticulous life of going to work and then going home. Anything out of the ordinary or new stirs quite a bit anxiety for her and even though it sounds fun, by the time it arrives she finds a reason to bail. Little does Amy know her friends care so much about her; she can’t seem to wrap her head around that fact. Her best friend Ed helps her continuously and when he no longer can her friend Nathan steps up. Amy’s job pushes her out of her element when she has to travel to Sydney. She continues to push herself through this trip and ends up enjoying herself more than she thought she would. Until her return and some mixed feelings drags her deep down into herself. This is somewhat feel-good story that gives a little insight into mental health. It really shows how some people struggle so silently and some people are just quick to judge or dismiss them. As someone in the mental health field myself it was nice to read about it and hopefully this can help people be more aware of what is around them. Lana Grace Riva is a talented writer that makes a simple story into a captivating one. Her writing style was to the point and made the book flow so well it felt more like I was watching a movie. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially to people who think it is easy to just get over a mental illness. The important thing I and most should take away from this book is you never know what someone is going through, don’t judge, try to listen.