Lisa Harding

"Sonya used to perform on stage. She used to attend glamorous parties, date handsome men, ride in fast cars. But somewhere along the way, the stage lights Sonya lived for dimmed for good. And then, in their absence, came darkness--blackouts, empty cupboards, hazy nights she can't remember. Haunted by her failed career and unresolved childhood trauma, Sonya has fallen deep into an alcoholic abyss. What keeps Sonya from losing herself completely is Tommy, her son. But her love for Tommy is in fierce conflict with her love of the bottle. Addiction preys on her fear of losing Tommy, as every maternal misstep compels her to drink. But soon, Sonya will be forced to make a choice. Give up drinking or lose Tommy--forever. Bright Burning Things is an emotional tour-de-force, offering a devastating and nuanced look at an addict's journey towards rehabilitation and redemption"--

Bright Burning Things

Kristen Claiborn

I have tried to get better at writing a review as soon as possible after I finish a book, but I failed with this one. I can go back to my journal to try and figure out what was going on in my life that prevented a quick review, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t my life, except it was. This book hit me on a level that I wasn’t expecting. I sat on the review because I was needing more time to marinate my feelings. Honestly, I waited too long, but I will do my best. 
	Being a mom is hard. Most moms will tell you it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever done (and will continue to do). Women that are happily married and have immense support systems will tell you being a mom is the hardest job. Women with nannies will tell you being a mom is the hardest job. Women who have split from their child’s father but maintain an amicable relationship and coparent with ease will tell you that being a mom is the hardest job. These women aren’t going at it alone, they have people in their lives to work with them. “It takes a village…” isn’t just a saying, it’s the damn truth. I spent a lot of my children’s lives being single and being a mom, but despite calling myself a single mom, I was never on my own as a mom. I always had a village. Their dads were always in their lives, and their extended families have always been heavily involved as well. While I wasn’t necessarily on my own as a mom, I sure as hell felt alone many days, and I, too, sought solace in alcohol. 
	The woman at the center of this book was truly on her own. She didn’t have a “dad,” nor did she have family of her own willing to help out. She spiraled into alcoholism, and she didn’t have a support system to help dig her out. This book broke my heart, page after page. I found myself completely understanding everything Sonya was feeling, and being so damn angry at her dad. So, the truth is, I sat on this review because it hit way too close to home.

Cheri McElroy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story is amazing. It is heartbreaking, with a look into the mind of a mother in the middle of an alcohol addiction. But it’s also about messy family relationships, grief, and finding your voice. I can’t recommend it enough.

Katelyn Broad

I picked up this book because the plot sounded so endearing. A mother who struggled to get sober from alcohol forced to go to treatment so she could get her son back. I had high hopes but this was a hard book for me to get into. The main character was a childlike and always playing a role. She couldn’t communicate to herself or others how she was feeling, and her thoughts were so random and made no sense. The plot was quite weird and disorganized and in the end, I didn’t feel like I knew or cared about any of the characters.

Michelle Miller

Julia

'Absolutely dazzling' Marian Keyes 'On every page there are little shimmering bombs' Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women 'Quietly devastating . . . Reminded me repeatedly of Shuggie Bain' Observer AN OBSERVER, GRAZIA, IRISH TIMES AND IRISH INDEPENDENT HIGHLIGHT FOR 2021 Being Tommy's mother is too much for Sonya. Too much love, too much fear, too much longing for the cool wine she gulps from the bottle each night. Because Sonya is burning the fish fingers, and driving too fast, and swimming too far from the shore, and Tommy's life is in her hands. Once there was the thrill of a London stage, a glowing acting career, fast cars, handsome men. But now there are blackouts and bare cupboards, and her estranged father showing up uninvited. There is Mrs O'Malley spying from across the road. There is the risk of losing Tommy – forever.

Bright Burning Things

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