Review: Sticks and Stones - Chelsea DeVries

Review: Sticks and Stones - Chelsea DeVries - December 2021

I have recently gotten back into reading poetry and verse format books as one of my favorites I used to enjoy and am looking forward to her new one is Ellen Hopkins, so when Happily Booked PR had Sticks and Stones available to read, I hopped on it. This one spoke to me as it would for anyone who has ever been stuck in a toxic work environment, harassed, bullied, and gaslighted. I also understood this author as she too is on the spectrum, even though I have been undiagnosed and my siblings were diagnosed as children, I know I have some of the tendencies and as I am getting older and doing more research, I am feeling less alone and able to connect. Sticks and Stones follows Chelsea's experiences as she writes them in the form of poems and a few stories scattered throughout Sticks and Stones. Reading this collection, I found myself transported back three years ago when I had to leave a job I had been in for 15 years as it had gotten to the point where my mental health was being affected and even had suicidal thoughts. The last four years of the job we had a restructure and I was given a new team and a new team leader to report to. That team leader made my life hell as we clashed and it got so bad that I was physically sick when I left that job, I remember being at my new job and watching a Health and Safety video in which a team member was being bullied and gaslighted by her team leader. I remember sitting there in complete shock as it was almost word to word for what I had gone through myself. I changed jobs and despite the pay cut and the fact it was a job I had loved, I am happier. I recently got an email from that team leader and boy, the anxieties and feelings I got from seeing it, really showed the triggers and damage that person had done to my psyche and the fact that I didn't receive help or support from the job has affected me in the fact I don't use the library physically anymore. Reading Sticks and Stones brought back those memories and also showed me that as a reader and a person, I am not alone and that no matter how bad things can get, something better comes along and helps us grow and foster our nature and that what we go through as bad as it gets - only makes us stronger and resilience and helps us acknowledge what we don't want in life. Sticks and Stones is the perfect collection of poetry and prose for any reader who has ever found themselves stuck in a toxic work environment as it gives the readers hope for a better life and situation.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ME2pyd