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I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are honest and my own.

Genres: Memoir
ASIN: B09M9J4SQXLessons born in the nostalgia of a 1980s childhood find their wings decades later, in this true coming-of-age story of a singer-songwriter reinventing his life outside the shadow of his mother’s dementia.
Open Up unfolds during the same day as the #1 bestselling Living Halfway, with all of the heart, vulnerability, and humanity of its literary fraternal twin, but none of the cynicism. Familiar scenes are seen through a different lens, suggesting not only the power of a changed perspective, but also what beauty we might find inside. If we can just open up.
Published by Amazon on November 19, 2021
Pages: 147
Format: eBook
Source: Indie Reader
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Open Up by Alex Woodward is a memoir of him growing up in the 1980s. It’s a coming-of-age story where he deals with life in general along with his mother’s dementia. He goes through his own memories through photos and the like, bringing a new perspective on each one.
It’s a short read and one that’s easy to get sucked into. The overall tone is gentle and familiar, making the book so much more relatable, even if you haven’t experienced these certain things yourself. You’ll still learn something new either way.
In addition, this book is like a companion to the author’s other book, Living Halfway. I haven’t read that book, but according to the synopsis, it seems the two books are similar but told differently. So, I didn’t feel like I needed to read Living Halfway to get into this book. However, I’ll admit that I’m intrigued to get the other book and see the similarities and differences.
Overall, if you enjoy emotional memoirs, this one is certainly worth a read.
Rating: 4/5 Coffee Cups
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Rachel Poli is an indie author, podcaster, and content writer working on her debut cozy mystery novel.
Although she favors mystery, Rachel is a multi-genre author with too many ideas and characters in her head, often experimenting with short stories and flash fiction.
When she’s not writing, she’s reading, organizing something, or playing video games. She currently resides in New England with her zoo.