I’m Just Happy to Be Here by Janelle Hanchett (Review by Charlotte Collins)
You may already be familiar with Janelle Hanchett from her blog “Renegade Mothering” but this memoir delves deeper into her early childhood experiences, her struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction, and her journey through motherhood, in the most brutally honest way.
This is not your typical summer beach read; it’s raw, emotional, painful at times, but it’s also real, and funny, and an eye-opening look into one woman’s life. In our world of perfectly curated instagram feeds showcasing the highlight reel of motherhood, Janelle’s memoir makes for a brutal but refreshing change.
Janelle has hit rock bottom, arguably many times throughout her life, and lived to tell the tale of her recovery from alcohol, drugs and depression. She has destroyed and had to rebuild relationships with everyone around her, including her mother, husband and children. She has faced the mundane trials of an office job, and struggled with learning how to be a parent when she couldn’t even count on being around at all times for her children.
Her real literary skill though, shines in the way she manges to take the reader on this harrowing journey through her life, with painful insights into her mind, and leaves them inspired that whatever their struggles, they are not alone in this oftentimes dark and messy world.