Book Review: The Book I Never Had by Rose Butterfly

I am not the self-help one in the group. I personally avoid my feelings and emotional self as often as I possibly can. My mother laughs at me because I hate being alone. The silence is loud. And silence is good for your mind to be like: "Hey. Let’s discuss all the things you have shoved in these boxes in the basement." (I hoard unpleasant things in my brain. I admit it! Jayna, don’t even try to psych me!)

That being said, this book is a little similar to the relationship book He’s Just Not That Into You (yes, it is also a movie). That is the only self-help book I read because I wanted it, and I loved it. This book seemed like it would be well suited for a younger audience, late middle and high school ages. It has no sexual context to it, but is about the reader--written in a generic ‘she’ pronoun to correlate with the author’s gender/preferred pronoun--learning how to move on and let go of those relationships that many teenagers find themselves in.

The vicious cycle of "He loves me." "He loves me not." "He loves Rebecca from 2nd period." "He loves me!" "He loves me not…" ON AND ON. We have all seen it or lived it.

I feel this would be better geared to that age range simply because it is trying to make them see their worth outside of what the movies depict as a true relationship. As a former teenage girl, this book probably would have helped me avoid the many dating problems I experienced.

Overall, I would give this book a 3 out of 5. The writing style is a little strange, but it is easy to understand when you sit down and pay attention just like the beginning tells you to. I did read the Kindle version and was able to fly by with this book. (It states it takes an average of 1 hour and 20 minutes to read.) For a physical copy of this book, it is $16.99, paperback only. It is offered through Kindle Unlimited, which is how I got it (Free days are my favorite of all days!) Otherwise, it is $2.99 to buy, which, honestly, is a great deal.


Because this is a self-help book, I will not be doing our normal rating system. There is no language, no sexual content, and nothing graphic. It is honestly just a book helping people manage to get through life, out of unhealthy cycling relationships and into their best selves.

To purchase a copy of this book, use this link. (we do get a tiny cut off the bottom, but it doesn’t affect the price for you.)

Aarika Baxter is a self-proclaimed dark and twisty individual. However, those who know her best, know that she is secretly squishy sweet like a marshmallow. She manages a hotel in her spare time, devotes herself to her dinosaur toddler, and works to save the world--one book review at a time.