Scan barcode
lisacoop's review against another edition
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
jasmine08's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
wviellevoye's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
calturner's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful, moving and inspiring debut novel this is! It’s so nice to have a positive story that shows what living with a disability can be like, instead of the doom and gloom we usually see. It’s made all the more poignant as it is based on the real life events that happened to author Ella Dove, so you know it comes from a place of true authenticity and understanding.
Five Steps to Happy tells the story of aspiring actress Heidi who suffers a life changing accident at the age of 32. Her whole world falls apart as she struggles to come to terms with what’s happened to her. Her only companion is Maud, the elderly lady in the bed next to hers in the rehabilitation centre where she has been sent to recuperate.
Heidi misses her life, her independence and her flatmate, slowly sinking into despair at the realisation that nothing will ever be the same again. But then she meets Jack, Maud’s grandson, who comes up with the idea of making a list of all the things she’d still like to do that will help her on her road to recovery.
With Jack at her side, Heidi begins to realise that although her life is no longer the one she envisaged having, she still has so much to live for. But is Heidi brave enough to take that first step back to happiness? Or does life have even more surprises in store for her?
Five Steps to Happy is a beautifully written and poignant book that I fell in love with from the start. The author’s real life experience and understanding of the difficulties people with disabilities face on a day to day basis shines through with every word. The larger than life characters Heidi meets in this book are a true delight and felt very real to me.
It’s a story that swept me along on a tidal wave of emotions, making me laugh one moment and burst into tears the next. It painted a vivid picture of what it must be like for your life to change in an instant. The devastation and despair Heidi feels after her accident are palpable and I felt every emotion right along with her.
As the parent and carer of a young woman with a lifelong disability, I couldn’t help but feel a personal connection to this beautiful book, even though my daughter’s circumstances are very different to Heidi’s.
It was so inspiring to finally read a story where having a disability didn’t have to mean the end of the world, but could very well be the start of a brave new one that is filled with endless possibilities.
I can’t recommend this beautiful, moving and uplifting book highly enough. A stunning read that will stay with me.
Five Steps to Happy tells the story of aspiring actress Heidi who suffers a life changing accident at the age of 32. Her whole world falls apart as she struggles to come to terms with what’s happened to her. Her only companion is Maud, the elderly lady in the bed next to hers in the rehabilitation centre where she has been sent to recuperate.
Heidi misses her life, her independence and her flatmate, slowly sinking into despair at the realisation that nothing will ever be the same again. But then she meets Jack, Maud’s grandson, who comes up with the idea of making a list of all the things she’d still like to do that will help her on her road to recovery.
With Jack at her side, Heidi begins to realise that although her life is no longer the one she envisaged having, she still has so much to live for. But is Heidi brave enough to take that first step back to happiness? Or does life have even more surprises in store for her?
Five Steps to Happy is a beautifully written and poignant book that I fell in love with from the start. The author’s real life experience and understanding of the difficulties people with disabilities face on a day to day basis shines through with every word. The larger than life characters Heidi meets in this book are a true delight and felt very real to me.
It’s a story that swept me along on a tidal wave of emotions, making me laugh one moment and burst into tears the next. It painted a vivid picture of what it must be like for your life to change in an instant. The devastation and despair Heidi feels after her accident are palpable and I felt every emotion right along with her.
As the parent and carer of a young woman with a lifelong disability, I couldn’t help but feel a personal connection to this beautiful book, even though my daughter’s circumstances are very different to Heidi’s.
It was so inspiring to finally read a story where having a disability didn’t have to mean the end of the world, but could very well be the start of a brave new one that is filled with endless possibilities.
I can’t recommend this beautiful, moving and uplifting book highly enough. A stunning read that will stay with me.
aqilahreads's review against another edition
3.0
when struggling actress Heidi has a life-changing accident aged 32, her world falls apart. stuck in hospital and unable to walk, she reflects on a lot of things like the accident that happened, her bucket list and how her life would not be the same anymore. until she met Jack whom is Maud's grandson- Maud is her only companion in the hospital.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. i love how this is based on a true story and how it raises awareness about amputees.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. i love how this is based on a true story and how it raises awareness about amputees.
davidgilani's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! I wanted to like it from the start because I knew Ella from uni and so could just see her in the main character and was rooting for her success from the start. It feels very real - it's great at covering the way that so many of us try to support those around us who we love at the expense of our own happiness and health. If you're looking for a book to better understand how it feels to encounter a mid-life disability then I can't think of a better book to start with.
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
This book was both poignant and uplifting. Based on a true story, this book chronicles the life of Heidi Jackson after a jogging accident left her as an amputee. Heidi is devastated by the sudden upheaval in her life, and struggles with independence and tries to navigate her daily routine as an amputee. It is truly enlightening to delve into the life of someone suffering from such a loss, and the journey and struggle they had to go through to live a normal life. It shows how we often take things for granted, and that we should always be grateful and make the most of what we have. Heidi's perseverance, in choosing and finding herself throughout the journey is truly inspirational.
sparklymoom's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Really liked the writing style
Felt the story was a bit too tidy and she skipped over some of the emotional rollercoaster too flippantly
always_need_more_books's review against another edition
4.0
Heidi is out jogging one day when she trips and falls on a canal path and dislocates her knee so badly, that she ends up having to have her leg amputated. A freak accident, this story is actually inspired by what happened to the author, Ella Dove.
Divided into three parts, in part 1 we see Heidi’s devastation at the accident and her trying to come to terms with what has happened. After leaving hospital she goes to the Amputee Rehabilitation Unit in Lambeth where she must learn to walk again with a prosthetic leg. Part 2 is about her starting to come to terms with what has happened to her. With the help of her friend Jack, she writes a list of things she wants to achieve to help get her life back on track and calls them her “Five Steps to Happy”. Part 3 begins as she leaves rehabilitation to start living independently again.
What an inspirational story! This book certainly leaves the reader with a sense of the strength and willpower that is needed to overcome such an injury, seemingly all the more tragic because of it happening to someone in the prime of her life. I’m not sure how much of the book is based on Ella herself – from what I understand, the accident and medical diagnosis are very similar. I’m sure Ella must have drawn on her own experiences of what it was like in hospital and rehabilitation and the guilt she felt for being a burden and worry for her family and friends.
Thought provoking, it made me much more aware of the obstacles that face disabled people every day, something I must admit I hadn’t given much thought to before. Things like using the London Underground which has very little provision for disabled people and the impatience of people when someone is in their way.
It really made me realise I shouldn’t take my life, mobility and health for granted. This book is sad but ultimately uplifting and is an inspiring and moving story. A great debut and I hope Ella has more stories to tell as I want to read them!
Divided into three parts, in part 1 we see Heidi’s devastation at the accident and her trying to come to terms with what has happened. After leaving hospital she goes to the Amputee Rehabilitation Unit in Lambeth where she must learn to walk again with a prosthetic leg. Part 2 is about her starting to come to terms with what has happened to her. With the help of her friend Jack, she writes a list of things she wants to achieve to help get her life back on track and calls them her “Five Steps to Happy”. Part 3 begins as she leaves rehabilitation to start living independently again.
What an inspirational story! This book certainly leaves the reader with a sense of the strength and willpower that is needed to overcome such an injury, seemingly all the more tragic because of it happening to someone in the prime of her life. I’m not sure how much of the book is based on Ella herself – from what I understand, the accident and medical diagnosis are very similar. I’m sure Ella must have drawn on her own experiences of what it was like in hospital and rehabilitation and the guilt she felt for being a burden and worry for her family and friends.
Thought provoking, it made me much more aware of the obstacles that face disabled people every day, something I must admit I hadn’t given much thought to before. Things like using the London Underground which has very little provision for disabled people and the impatience of people when someone is in their way.
It really made me realise I shouldn’t take my life, mobility and health for granted. This book is sad but ultimately uplifting and is an inspiring and moving story. A great debut and I hope Ella has more stories to tell as I want to read them!