“Fix the Fire Damage” by Ya-Ling J. Liou is a beautifully written and deeply introspective book that left a lasting impression on me. It’s the kind of story that quietly unravels layers of pain, healing, and resilience in a way that feels both raw and poetic.

Liou’s voice is tender yet powerful, and her observations about trauma, identity, and rebuilding are incredibly relatable. This wasn’t a fast-paced read, and it wasn’t meant to be, but the emotional depth kept me engaged from start to finish. It felt personal, thoughtful, and incredibly grounded.

The only reason this isn’t a full five stars is that I wanted just a little more closure at the end. Still, I absolutely recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this moving ARC.

This guide was so informative and helpful! I tend to panic at the first signs of pain or something going wrong and the book gave me some peace about a lot of the things in my life. It has helpful tidbits they I will use in the future. Very well done!!

This is a very long book, 600 pages, but I do not think it needs to be read cover to cover to be useful. I think there were sections that focused on different areas of pain and strategies to combat that. Those areas can be dipped into and/or revisited as they are relevant. For example I have neck and shoulder pain so that section resonated more with me than the part about hip pain. However, I would keep these as a resource to revisit if needed.

The discussion about inflammation and the many different triggers and action plans to eliminate those triggers was very informative. These triggers include food as well as fragrances and other environmental triggers.

Though I think the book is good I do wish it maybe was less wordy. Sometimes that can detract people from reading and the very useful information is lost. So less words and more pictures with color would have made this more accessible to the average reader who needs the info.

Liou's focus on the critical early stages of pain management could genuinely prevent minor issues from becoming chronic problems. The comprehensive visual approach with over 100 illustrations suggests this is more reference manual than inspirational read, which could be exactly what readers need during pain crises.

I'm at somewhat of a loss as to how to review this accurately. Understandably, based on a book of 600 plus pages, I can't supply detailed strategies like it does. So, I'll settle for saying that while admittedly I didn't read each and every section, I found the basic foundation of the book well done. As the author notes, pain has been a part of their own life, so their involvement in ways to alleviate it are personal. Personal stories of others are also shared, reminding those suffering that you aren't alone.

While I won't share details, I will note a few of the things I particularly liked about the book. I liked that the author seemed a real person, not a reserved, distant voice who neither understands nor has the time to help you sort out a solution. There are photos illustrating suggested strategies, something that reminded me of the handouts I received when doing physical therapy for a bad arm break. There are also cartoon-like graphics used to help illustrate points, frequently with some humor. One real plus is the inclusion of how to retrain your muscles and body, not just solve the problem and go on with life as if it never happened. More, much more, of course, but didn't drift into difficult to follow strategies, either.

Bottom line, although a lot to take in, for those suffering pain, this might be a helpful tool. As the author notes, the key is to take action soon rather than later. The longer you wait, the more likelihood of chronic pain developing, in other words. While I'm not sure I've done this book justice, thanks to #ReturnToHealthPress - #IBPA for this early share of a book that may prove invaluable to many.