This is a beautifully written memoir read by the author that explores themes of identity, partnership, family, religion, mental health, and more. Maria Bello spends each chapter discussing various labels that might be used to identify her and whether or not those labels truly apply. Questions like “Am I a Partner?” and “Am I a Bad Girl?” While sharing her story she explores the deeper topic of labels in general. And in the end what it comes down to is this: only we get to decide the labels that define us. Life is not a static thing, it is fluid. We are all constantly evolving, changing, becoming. Each of us gets to decide which labels we want to use and what they mean to us. And we can change those labels as we grow and discover new parts of who we are. And it’s okay if we decide to just chuck the labels all together and be “whatever” too. So be who you are. Love loudly. Live boldly. You make the world more beautiful when you are your most authentic self. And only YOU get to decide who that is.

TW/CW: Mental Illness, Addiction, Suicidal Thinking, Abuse, Family Trauma, Death