kelseydumont's review
5.0
Lead With Love.
This book was all, and more, than I hoped for. As my previous post: from Amanda, Zoe, and their three children - this book will give you all the feels, all the lessons, the definition of a real family, what acceptance means and looks like, the true meaning of friendship and how valuable it is to be a good friend, the ability to self-reflect on one’s thoughts and actions, the importance of learning to be kind not only towards others but also yourself, the truth in the statement that just one person can truly make a difference in the world, and lastly, just how powerful love is. Like Amanda always states: Lead With Love.
This book was all, and more, than I hoped for. As my previous post: from Amanda, Zoe, and their three children - this book will give you all the feels, all the lessons, the definition of a real family, what acceptance means and looks like, the true meaning of friendship and how valuable it is to be a good friend, the ability to self-reflect on one’s thoughts and actions, the importance of learning to be kind not only towards others but also yourself, the truth in the statement that just one person can truly make a difference in the world, and lastly, just how powerful love is. Like Amanda always states: Lead With Love.
agnesg's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Dysphoria, Medical content, Transphobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Rape and Suicide attempt
bookmarkedbylauren's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
keribchilders's review
5.0
An incredible memoir. I really appreciate and respect that the author was honest about her feelings, mistakes, and growth throughout her child and spouse’s transitions. So much change in one household could have easily broken this family, but instead they chose love, patience, and grace.
The transgender community is something I’m unfamiliar with and have so many questions but never really knew where to start or how to understand. I think Love Lives Here was the perfect place to begin for me, and anyone else looking to learn more and be an ally.
CW: transphobia, depression and anxiety, suicidal ideation, self harm, addiction
The transgender community is something I’m unfamiliar with and have so many questions but never really knew where to start or how to understand. I think Love Lives Here was the perfect place to begin for me, and anyone else looking to learn more and be an ally.
CW: transphobia, depression and anxiety, suicidal ideation, self harm, addiction
melaninny's review
4.0
Lovely memoir told in an extremely relatable style. (Amanda Jetté Knox started out as a blogger, so imagine a well-done family blog drawn out into book form).
The style is maybe a bit lighter and fluffier than I would usually love, but the subject matter is close to home so I still really appreciate it. I'm really glad this book exists, it's one that I'd feel comfortable giving to family members struggling to understand trans issues. From someone already steeped in trans activism, it was a bit "trans issues 101." Which I think is a great thing, it could really resonate with people who know nothing about them.
The style is maybe a bit lighter and fluffier than I would usually love, but the subject matter is close to home so I still really appreciate it. I'm really glad this book exists, it's one that I'd feel comfortable giving to family members struggling to understand trans issues. From someone already steeped in trans activism, it was a bit "trans issues 101." Which I think is a great thing, it could really resonate with people who know nothing about them.
hnagle15's review
"When we're trying to change the world, love must be our foundation. Hate is loud and violent, but it burns out quickly. Love is quieter and slower, but more resilient. It lingers longer and ultimately gets the job done."
I've been a fan of Amanda Jette Knox for a few years now and have been anxiously awaiting the release of her book. It did not disappoint.
Amanda and her family's story is one of love, acceptance, and a great sense of humour. Throughout telling their story, Amanda is honest about the difficulties both her family and she personally faced during the time of transition. She is honest that it wasn't all easy and supportive and that there is a major leaning curve that came with the changes. Her honesty is apparent through the way she writes, serious with a hint of humour. During the "not so serious" parts I had a few moments where I laughed out loud. This aspect was something I was hoping for in this book, as both Amanda's Twitter and Instagram are hilarious while at the same time pushing a big message: At the end of the day, love and acceptance are what matters.
Amanda and her family are a wonderful example of how love does win. I highly recommend her book to anyone who wishes to look into the lives of a family who struggled throughout the changes life brought them, but in the end came out on top.
jessgock's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, though it suffers just a tiny bit from trying to be two things at once: It's Jetté Knox's memoir, and it's also meant to fill a need by sharing a positive story about a family that stayed together through the experiences of both a child and a spouse coming out as trans. It largely succeeds at both things, and I'm really glad it exists, because the reality is that a lot of kids get kicked out or abused, and a lot of marriages break up, and there aren't enough examples out there of families that stayed together and found more happiness in the long run after a family member came out as trans.
Jetté Knox is a cis woman, and she has written this book in a way that makes it welcoming and useful to people like herself who have just learned that a family member is trans, but also to people newly recognizing that they are trans or preparing to come out to their families. It's very gentle with giving definitions for all its terms in a way that is welcoming to people who are new to this language, but it defines terms and moves on so that it doesn't become completely tedious for people who already know the terms, either.
My quibbles with the book are mainly two things, both of which have to do with this book being a memoir first while also trying to serve more broadly as a positive example for families adjusting to a gender transition. One, Jetté Knox includes a small section about deciding to lose weight that was unnecessary for the book and makes the book unwelcoming to anyone who prefers not to read about weight loss. Across the entire book this is probably only two pages of content, but I really don't understand why it was included and think it should have been removed entirely. Two, Jetté Knox reveals that she always preferred women but felt she had to suppress those tendencies, so when her spouse came out as a woman, she simply embraced her new identity as an out lesbian; the book gives absolutely no template or language for someone who wrestles more than she did with this particular aspect of their spouse changing genders.
Again, overall this is an important book, and I'm very glad it exists. Jetté Knox is very careful to do many things right, including using the correct pronouns for her wife and daughter throughout the book and never deadnaming them. At the end of the day this is a memoir more than a handbook, though, and it won't work right for everyone. I hope lots more people write their success stories too so that those who need a different framing find what they need as well.
Jetté Knox is a cis woman, and she has written this book in a way that makes it welcoming and useful to people like herself who have just learned that a family member is trans, but also to people newly recognizing that they are trans or preparing to come out to their families. It's very gentle with giving definitions for all its terms in a way that is welcoming to people who are new to this language, but it defines terms and moves on so that it doesn't become completely tedious for people who already know the terms, either.
My quibbles with the book are mainly two things, both of which have to do with this book being a memoir first while also trying to serve more broadly as a positive example for families adjusting to a gender transition. One, Jetté Knox includes a small section about deciding to lose weight that was unnecessary for the book and makes the book unwelcoming to anyone who prefers not to read about weight loss. Across the entire book this is probably only two pages of content, but I really don't understand why it was included and think it should have been removed entirely. Two, Jetté Knox reveals that she always preferred women but felt she had to suppress those tendencies, so when her spouse came out as a woman, she simply embraced her new identity as an out lesbian; the book gives absolutely no template or language for someone who wrestles more than she did with this particular aspect of their spouse changing genders.
Again, overall this is an important book, and I'm very glad it exists. Jetté Knox is very careful to do many things right, including using the correct pronouns for her wife and daughter throughout the book and never deadnaming them. At the end of the day this is a memoir more than a handbook, though, and it won't work right for everyone. I hope lots more people write their success stories too so that those who need a different framing find what they need as well.