This is a review I did for @SincereCritiques, please feel free to browse their book and use their excellent reviewers as well.

Title: How to Be a Horrible Person (incomplete)

Username: @marina-vega

Genre: Non-fiction, mature

Cover: Extremely provoking, very personal, intriguing

Title: Draws the reader in for sure

Blurb: This blurb draws the reader in and immediately focuses their attention with the list of issues. That list is formidable, and riveting. I read your Bio though and think that some of your recovery journey could be especially powerful if included.

Preface: Clear, concise, good length, energized, clipped verbiage, very personal

Introduction: The first paragraph is the hook and is very relatable. Good definitions, good incorporation of recovery keywords and trendy psychology. Good analogies, some hostility shines through, which although is natural and feels relatable, may trigger those in similar circumstances. If the goal is still to reach others, then possibly consider toning down the few little animosity and judgmental bits--- not that they are bad, and certainly not misunderstood, but they might slow down the flow. The reality memory in real time is effective and story- bookish. I really think the personal flashback stuff works, keeps it flowing in stream-of-thought journal mode. The mom and dad section could be included in a separate chapter, that also includes the last real chapter info posted in the story thus far, about each girl. I'd like to see that stuff included here, or as a first chapter or two. Gives us a better feel for the character development, etc.

Midway down the page in the Intro a paragraph starts, "I always thought"... find the line that begins, "Maybe I will always try to make it mean something---." This would be very powerful in the blurb.

Grammar and Punctuation:

This manuscript is fairly clean. There are minor spelling errors and grammar all the way through that a simple spellcheck or line edit will clean up even further. Tense is clear throughout, as it is written mainly in journal style, and clearly is a form of recovery journal writing. If the reader is familiar with this style, it will not come as a surprise to see the flashbacks, the actual dialogue and prose creeping in, although this can be confusing to those unfamiliar with journal writing and style. Might need to be rethought in a few places.

Show and Tell details:

The author has done an excellent job of holding the reader's attention through both showing and telling. The nature of a journal is simply all telling, but the author has sprinkled her narrative with a lot of good intimate detail to keep the pacing at a premium. I especially like the out of narrative recovery quotes and psychological analysis, as that really adds color and interest, and certainly credibility to the work. The author is also very skilled at writing excellent metaphors, which add so much to the flavor of her narrative.

Highlights: Foreshadowing the author's experience by going into fairly good detail about Riley's experience is amazing, and adept. It really includes the reader, and helps lose the feeling of simple expose. This is a great tool, that whether intended or not, definitely helps us relate. Recovery journals are very intimate and can be somewhat boring if the reader cannot feel empathy, due to the expositional nature of the writing. Including the other characters is interesting, and lets the reader feel a part. However, the final chapter all about the other girls might be better placed closer to the beginning.

Recommendations: Author notes asking for votes and giving more details of private life detract from the journaling feel to the story and make it feel more like fiction. I feel this piece is more powerful without these, and with a really great blurb, can really make an impact on people's lives without looking like a way to capitalize on what is a very intimate view of someone else's coming of age and recovery story.

                                                                                              *****

Please leave a comment so I know you read it. Remember that a review is simply my opinion and you as the creator still have all poetic license, and it will not hurt my feelings if you don't use my suggestions. It was a pleasure reviewing your story.