10 March 2015

If You Find This Letter by Hannah Brencher

Publication date: March 10, 2015
Publisher: Howard Books
Genres: Nonfiction
Format: eArc
Source: The publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Pages: 272

A heartwarming memoir of love and faith from Hannah Brencher, founder of The World Needs More Love Letters, who has dedicated her life to showing total strangers that they are not alone in the world.

Fresh out of college, Hannah Brencher moved to New York, expecting her life to look like a scene from Sex and the City. Instead, she found a city full of people who knew where they were going and what they were doing and didn't have time for a girl still trying to figure it all out. Lonely and depressed, she noticed a woman who looked like she felt the same way on the subway. Hannah did something strange--she wrote the woman a letter. She folded it, scribbled If you find this letter, it's for you on the front and left it behind.

When she realized that it made her feel better, she started writing and leaving love notes all over the city--in doctor's offices, in coat pockets, in library books, in bathroom stalls. Feeling crushed within a culture that only felt like connecting on a screen, she poured her heart out to complete strangers. She found solace in the idea that her words might brighten someone's day.

I absolutely loved this one! I was a bit hesitant at first since it's nonfiction and a memoir and that's definitely out of my comfort zone but when I began reading I just knew I'd love it!

I thought it would be more about the letters, which was the part that intrigued me, but it's more about Hannah's journey - obviously. I didn't expect that I could relate to Hannah as much as I can, I felt much of it could be said about my own life. Hannah didn't really know what to do after college - I'm 18 and in a few months I've taken my exams and I don't really know where I'll end up. I love that, for once, I didn't feel so alone. I'm not the only one who has fears about the future and this book was just what I needed to realize that. It simply took away my fears and I'm much more relaxed when I think about the future now - anything can happen and you don't have to know exactly what you want.
Depression is another thing me and Hannah have, or had, in common. It's not really something I talk about but I have to mention it when it comes to this book. Hannah is an inspiration! I love her optimism and even when she was diagnosed with depression she kept going. It's awful to have but it didn't bring her down and I won't let it bring me down either!
I love how openly Hannah talks about her life, the ups and downs - not everything is good. One thing Hannah said will probably stick with me the rest of my life;
"Life is just hard sometimes. And people deserve more credit for even getting out of bed sometimes."

I smiled everytime Hannah talked about her mother; I love their relationship! It's loving, kind and they actually talk to each other. I also love how the idea with love letters was inspired by her mother's love for letters. It is a relationship like that I want with my daughter
(s) when the time comes.

This book is packed full of lessons for life! I kept highlighting all the parts I love and quotes that's inspiring and I have never ever highlighted this much in my life!
One of my favorite quotes is probably:
"This was the moment when I discovered I knew close to nothing about what would happen next at any given moment, and surprisingly, that was okay."

It's not like this book is depressing at all, I guess you can call it inspirational or uplifting. That's what it was for me at least. If you're looking for a book to make you happy or just something to read this is probably not for you, but if you're unsure about life; what you're doing and where you're going I definitely recommend it. It has made me cherish life a bit more since I feel like she understood; she understood that not everyday is good and you just have to go through life one day at a time.

Since I've already told my mom to go ahead and buy this for my birthday I have to give it 5 stars. I feel like I have to have my own physical copy so I can read certain passages when I feel down and want something to help me through it.


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