'I am honored to admit my failures because they are what make me human. We all make mistakes in relationships. We need to give more grace to ourselves, to our friends, to our siblings, to our parents, and to our children.' Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In The Last Day of Regret, Matthew J. Diaz seeks answers to the questions surrounding the untimely death of his twenty-four-year-old sister, Hannah. Did he intend to take his own life or was his suicide an accidental overdose? Diaz movingly chronicles their relationship and Hannah's struggle with suicidal thoughts, addiction and borderline personality disorder. He discusses the family dynamics and timeline that led to Hannah's death and openly conveys his guilt and regret over his inability to show compassion to his sister in her time of need. Diaz expresses the range of emotions and helplessness that affect family members of people with mental illnesses. From the heart, she shares what she has learned from her sister's life and her journey from despair to healing and redemption. The loss of a loved one is always painful, and Diaz's account of her sister's unexpected death, while heartbreaking, is a significant tribute to her life. It eloquently conveys the complicated dynamics of a blended family and addresses themes including acceptance, faith, compassion, grace, guilt, regret, forgiveness and redemption. Diaz's thoughts are supported by scriptural references in a way that is comforting without being preachy. I like Diaz's heartfelt honesty best as he shares painful memories of his shortcomings in relating to his sister. She is brutally transparent and, at times, her emotions are raw. Anyone who has gone through mental illness or addiction with a loved one will relate to Diaz doubting his reactions towards his sister. I also appreciate his willingness to share lessons learned from Hannah's life and their relationship. My only dislike is the author's tendency to repeat content. Given the nature of the book, I understand his need to rely on the events leading up to his sister's death to establish the family timeline. However, there are some circumstances that repeat themselves, as if they are new to the reader, interrupting the overall flow of the story. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Additionally, there are some editorial issues that leave me to conclude that the book was not professionally published. First, each chapter begins with the first page; duplicate page numbers create confusion and, when combined with repetitive content, increase the lack of cohesion. I also noticed missing words, typos, and designated blank spaces for photos to illustrate Hannah's headstone and meaningful tattoos. It's possible that the PDF I received was an unedited version that has since been fixed. However, as it stands, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars; with a little polish, it could easily earn a perfect rating. I recommend it to Christian readers and families who have been affected by mental illness or suicide. On the other hand, readers who don't like reading Scripture may prefer to ignore this.
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