Have you heard of the fiction book Take Daily As Needed by Kathryn Trueblood? I’m so thankful to have been contacted by Kathryn and asked to write an honest review of her book in exchange for a free e-book copy. I jumped at this chance because the main character has Crohn’s disease! So without further ado, grab your hot apple cider, your cozy blanket, and enjoy this book review.
Why I Wanted to Read Take Daily As Needed
I was so thrilled to be an early reader because the book’s main character, Maeve Beaufort, has Crohn’s disease! I’ve never read a fiction narrative that features a main character with inflammatory bowel disease, so I thought that was awesome and inspiring.
My Book Review of Take Daily As Needed
Take Daily As Needed is a collection of vignettes that follow the life of Maeve Beaufort over the course of roughly twenty years.
Each chapter highlights a significant event in Maeve’s life that has deeply impacted her—from learning how to be the best mother to her children with severe allergies and ADHD, to caring for her sick and elderly parents, coming to terms with her own IBD diagnosis, and stumbling through fits of nostalgia as she recalls her past life. Maeve grows as a person, a mother, and a daughter as major life events disturb her status quo and shift the way she sees both herself and the world around her.
This book’s casual writing style creates a stark difference against the chaos unfurling in Maeve’s world, reminding the reader that we’re never alone in the trek through the discord in our own lives.
Kathryn accurately portrays the rawness of living with a chronic condition, the cathartic grieving for one’s life before diagnosis, and the turbulent journey of highs and lows of living with chronic illness.
Final Thoughts of the Book
If you appreciate books that discuss important life topics—like grief, regret, and nostalgia—in a way that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable and deeply vulnerable, then I recommend giving this book a read.
I think this kind of rawness and openness can lead to discussions that have the power to transform, especially within the chronic illness community. And I believe that community can’t exist without vulnerability.
You buy the book and learn more about the author on Amazon or at KathrynTrueblood.com
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I’m reading this as well and enjoying it. Just going at it a little slower because I have not been well.
Oh no, I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well. I hope that this book can be a good way to self-care as you get through your flare 🙂