This is a great book that kept me gripped until the end. It tackles lots of different issues that impact people in today’s society. I’d recommend this story.

Tommy is a 4-year-old boy who is trying to deal with his mothers alcohol addiction. He has no one but his dog, Hewbie. His mother, Sonya, was once a successful actress but her life has been taken over by addiction. Her father steps in to support Tommy from some of the behaviours that have been a result of her addiction and Sonya is sent to a convent for a three month detox.

This is a very raw and powerful story. Throughout each chapter you are pulled in a multitude of directions and through the experiences of Sonya and Tommy. Sonya is a very fragile woman, who you wish you could jump through the pages and do all you can to support her. Throughout the book you are exposed to the reasons as to why Sonya may have turned to alcohol to help her cope with her life experiences. Tommy is an adorable four-year-old child who deserves nothing but his mother who is still there deep down.

It is a well written story that is told with such raw emotions and impact with some wonderful character development. Yes, it is heartbreaking at times but it takes you on such a rollercoaster of emotions you cannot help but feel compelled.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A well written look into the pull of addictions and how mental health and life choices impact everything. A gripping read from start to finish, exploring how her lifestyle choices impact on everything around her and that impact on Tommy. Heartbreaking and harsh in its reality at times but a thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is a dark and compelling novel. It broaches many complicated topics; alcoholism, motherhood, and grief in a manner which is emotional and raw. The reader becomes engrossed in the story which we can see unfolding before us, beautifully written and tenderly addressed. Overall a fantastic novel from Harding and one to add to your book club picks as it is full of potential discussion topics.

Beautiful, heart-wrenching and tender, ‘Bright Burning Things,’ is an emotional roller-coaster of a read about the relationship between four year old Tommy, and his alcoholic mother, ‘Yaya,’ aka Sonya.
Sonya, previously an actress, is now a single mother, living with her son and their pet dog, Herbie...and her ‘mad imp’ - Sonya’s personification of the alcohol that controls her life.
Sonya’s alcoholism is spinning madly out of control; she can see it, her son can see it and those around her can see it.
Forced to make a choice between her beloved child, who she risks losing forever, and her alcoholic ‘imp’, Sonya finally faces up to her demons!

I was totally absorbed by this story which depicted Sonya so sensitively and poignantly. It will tug at your heartstrings.

I give this book 4 stars.

Sonya, Tommy and their dog live in their own world, where they go for daily walks at the beach, eat fish fingers and watch Jeremy Kyle show. Until their bubble burst and threaten with social services, Yaya - as Tommy calls Sonya- is forced by her dad to check into rehab.

This book is about love and recovery from addiction. I found the story very gripping, even though I didn’t fully understand some characters and questioned the way they had been portrait. Even though the relationship between Sonya and Tommy is beautifully developed and described.
3.8 stars

Woah, this was such a powerful book. Couldn’t put it down, definitely one I would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Although i don't read a lot of first person—preferring third person POV, books, this one is a must read. Sonya's story is told in the best possible way and gripped me from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Impossible to put down
Reviewed in Germany on 11 March 2021
I did something I haven’t done in ages and devoured this book in two sittings. Beautifully written; you can feel the torment of the main character alongside the beauty life offers

What a powerful read this was. It was so poignant but so dark. Absolutely loved the snapshot of Sonya's and Tommy's lives and I felt like I know them and that is when you know you've read a powerful story. Beautifully written and highly recommended. Well deserves the 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending this advanced reader's copy in return for a fair and honest review.

I found this book a very tough read which it should be with dealing with the subject matter. It was too real at times for me personally, but that is my own issue and will not detract from this review. It was such a powerful book. The only negative was that it ended suddenly. I felt it could have slowly come to a natural end, but it didn’t.

Such a compelling, raw and honest accounting of sinking into addiction and rising again through the power of motherly love…

Sonia’s story was so poignant and visceral it made my heart ache. I wanted at times to shake her awake to face her addiction and as other times hug her and tell her that “all would be fine”.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is powerful. The unspoken truth of what not wanting children but unconditional love makes you know what you have to do but postnatal depression blocks this out.
It was refreshing to read something real.

This is a very good read, tough at times as we follow Sonya's meandering mind as she tries to navigate her alcohol fuelled world while trying to care for her young son Tommy and her beautiful fur baby Herbie. It's a powerful story, honest and raw. It strips bare her struggles and temptations. It shows the effects that a dysfunctional upbringing can, at time, have on the life and future of offspring. It's another very well written and well researched piece of writing from Lisa Harding, a piece of work not to be missed.

Thus was a poignant and somewhat difficult read about Sonya, former actress and her complex relationships: with her son Tommy, her father, with food and arguably most significantly, with alcohol.

It was heartbreaking to be a helpless bystander in Sonya's demise, especially knowing that a vulnerable little boy was centre stage. This book was brilliantly written and realistically delivered on the detail of the devil that is alcoholism. I would love to find out what next for the protagonist because I feel a lot was left unanswered, this was make a fantastic mini-series.

A superb read, thanks to netgalley for the advance read copy.

A really tough read, the protagonists struggle to deal with her addiction is palpable on every page. The suffering it causes is as well. You can't help hoping for the best but fearing the worst as it draws to a close.

This book was impossible to put down! Such a harrowing story with such a hard topic running out through out the book! May be a hard book for some people to read due to the trigger warnings that come with this book, but overall a really great read!

Hard hitting narrative about a mother struggling with addiction. Hard to read at times but compelling nonetheless. Was difficult to get into but worth persevering

I loved this book and read it one sitting. It is an interesting and and often uncomfortable topic, but Lisa Harding deals with it perceptively and with real skill and sensitivity- I will be seeking out this authors other books very soon!

Thank you Netgalley & publisher for this advanced copy of this book.

Unfortunately I was hoping for an audio version as I am visually impaired and the version of this pdf means I am struggling to increase font to read

Therefore sadly I am unable to provide a review in this instance. So frustrated!

I look forward to an audio version as i was very excited as it looks great!

Sorry and thank you once again for the opportunity.