How to Be A Better Adult by Jacque Aye

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm sure we've all wished at one point there was a magical guide to being an adult especially when things get tough. I wasn't sure what to expect with How to Be a Better Adult but after following Jacque Aye I was intrigued and when she offered me a copy in exchange for review.

Hope Obiako is a young Nigerian American woman who is unsure of where she's headed in life. Her father sees her as someone who should be doing better. It feels like everyone else her age is successful in life while she's working at a job she hates. She's eager to prove her worth to the company and move up the corporate ladder. One day she receives what she thinks is a guidebook on adulthood that ends up taking her on a journey of discovery.

So this book reads like a manga which was a little bit of an adjustment for me at some parts. At some parts I found myself wishing it was one because I think the more outlandish parts like Hope jumping into the ring to literally fight "The Fear" would've been a better fit. But despite the light tone and sometimes absurd scenarios it does touch on some very real feelings surrounding dealing with depression. And it does so in a very relatable way that shows how it manifests in different ways and doesn't feel like therapist speak. I liked the friendship in this book and the spark of potential romance. I thought Hope's child of immigrants experience was very relatable.

Hope makes questionable decisions but at the same time there were moments in this story that reminded me of my own journey in the workplace. Anyone who has worked in an office environment with multiple people has come across a coworker like Alex who will do anything to get that promotion. There were a lot of funny moments sprinkled throughout.