A review by ohshanada
Me vs Brain: An Overthinker's Guide to Life by Hayley Morris

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Me vs. Brain: An Overthinker’s Guide to Life by Hayley Morris is hands down one of my favorite reads of this year (I listened as an audiobook & have already bought a copy as my “book trophy). But let’s be honest, I was probably the exact target audience for this book as (1) I have been a longtime fan of Hayley’s work on social media & (2) I am absolutely an Olympic-level overthinker. 

In this part memoir part self-help book, Hayley serves up her usual (& amazing) brand of humor to examine the relationship she has with her brain & how she has struggled throughout her life with…The Voiceover. This is something we see in her everyday videos but this book is so open & raw & honest in such a personal way, & at an unexpected level, sometimes. She truly cracks open her brain (& heart, uterus, & vagina…not that way, you weirdo) to share thoughts, feelings, & experience. 

And goddamn, is it relatable. 

I mean, I have actually worried about accidentally putting in a second tampon when on my period & to hear this so hilariously expressed in her own words was validating in a way I never thought I’d feel. (Along with many other of the absurd thoughts she shares that were so relatable she could have gotten them from my own brain.)

And y’all. If you are able to, you should absolutely read this as an audiobook. I always recommend the audiobook for a memoir, especially if the author is also doing the audiobook (like Hayley), but also this audiobook specifically is just *chef’s kiss*. Hayley delivers this book with honesty, emotion, humor, sound effects, & we get to hear the voices of all our favorite body parts characters. I cried a bit & laughed a lot; what a delight of a human & a lovely book. 

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for providing an advanced listening copy of this book for review. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.