Grief Sucks:

by Brooke Carlock

Your No-BS Guide to Navigating Life After Loss

Grief sucks, and Brooke Carlock gets it more than most. After losing her dad, mom, stepmom, and ten year-old daughter in a year and a half, she's practically a PhD in the school of hard knocks. Brooke shares her grief journey with raw honesty, providing a beacon of hope for those feeling overwhelmed by sorrow. This book doesn't just acknowledge the depth of grief; it also offers practical, actionable strategies for moving through it with her innovative TRUST Method.

But here's the Brooke's here to tell you that while grief sucks, your life doesn't have to. This book? It's your no-BS guide through the grief minefield—no platitudes, no sugar-coating, just raw, real talk.

What's

- Honest-to-Goodness Truth: Grief is messy, weird, and doesn't come with a manual—until now. Brooke's stories? They're about as real as it gets, served up with a side of humor and a hefty dose of "it's okay to not be okay."

- Grief on Your Terms: With the TRUST Method, you'll find ways to deal with your grief that feel right for you. No more "shoulds" and "supposed tos," just genuine, actionable steps to help you through.

- A No-Judgment Zone: Cry in the shower? Check. Laugh at something totally inappropriate? Double-check. This book is about embracing all the weird, painful, and sometimes funny moments of grieving.

- Empowerment: Because sometimes, getting through the day is a superhero-level achievement. Brooke's here to remind you of your strength, even on the days when you feel anything but strong.

So if you're sick of hearing "time heals all wounds" and ready for some real talk about grief, Grief Sucks; But Your Life Doesn't Have To is your go-to. Brooke Carlock is not just an author; she's a fellow traveler on this crappy journey, offering up a map, a flashlight, and maybe a few laughs along the way. Because, believe it or not, there's a path through this mess that leads to a place where life sucks a little less—and you don't have to walk it alone.

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2024

About the author

From the scenic countryside of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Brooke Carlock brings a refreshingly pragmatic and humorous approach to the often somber world of grief support. Armed with a BA in English from West Virginia University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, Brooke has spent 23 years in the trenches of middle school English classes trying to convince 13 year-olds that Shakespeare and grammar are cool.

Beyond the written word, Brooke is a certified grief educator, the host of the "Mourning Coffee" podcast, and the face behind the YouTube channel "Grief Sucks with Brooke Carlock." She strikes a delicate balance between being your witty, tell-it-like-it-is best friend and a knowledgeable guide through the labyrinth of loss and recovery.

As an author, speaker, and educator, Brooke’s blend of heartfelt sincerity and light-hearted realism prove she’s not just another voice in the field of grief education; she’s the one who’ll keep it real with you, offering pragmatic advice while never underestimating the power of a well-timed joke.

Reviews

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inhaled this book! One of the reasons I loved it so much was that it was incredibly relatable. As someone who has also lost too many close relatives in a short period of time, I could understand Brooke’s perspective and loved how she navigated her own journey with some pragmatism and humor. I wish her TRUST method had been available to me as I was in the depths of my own grieving process because it would have helped me immensely. But even a decade after my biggest losses, her tools were helpful in bringing me more closure.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, it does. And there is no guidebook. Warlock tells us we must find our own way.

[Kait Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be an advanced reader of Grief Sucks (But Your Life Doesn’t Have To). As someone who has experienced a tremendous amount of loss, I’ve taken in a number of grief-related resources (books, blogs, podcasts, etc). Brooke Carlock’s debut stands out as an honest, no-bs field guide for people making their way through the trenches of life-altering loss.

Forget sugar coating anything, this book gets right to the heart of the matter while offering the kind of understanding that only comes from those who’ve been there. Carlock not only shares her grief journey, but provides practical survival tools for the dearly bereaved left to sort out what life without their person looks like. This book shares an important and necessary voice in the grief space, and should be shared widely.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I took some time to think about this book before rating and reviewing it. I lost my mom in January, and I've been looking for resources to help me as I grieve this sudden loss. I'm devastated, and it's hard to put into words exactly what I'm thinking. That's where this book comes in - to help describe the feelings I'm experiencing.

While the book was helpful in relating to the reader (who has presumably lost someone they love), I found myself slightly disconnected because the book features the personal loss of a child. This is a loss I've not experienced, and so the chapter(s) that featured this type of loss weren't for me. However, I do not fault the author for this; that was their experience, and they should share that. It just personally did not help me on my own journey.

Regardless, the book has plenty of relatability, and it did make me feel a little less alone in this journey of grief. I'm grateful to people like the author sharing their stories and experiences, as it does help folks like me who don't have many people in their personal lives to turn to. Thank you for writing this and sharing your experiences with us readers.

[Amanda DiLullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to be one of her advanced readers, but I found Brooke through her YT channel, while dealing with my own depression. I want to give a review of this book from a bit of a different perspective. I found by listening to her story of grief that so many of the emotions and experience of depression are very similar to grief. With that said this book is such a wonderful resource, guide, and the honest feeling of talking to a friend. She invites you into her own world of grief while offering ways to navigate it. I found that grief can be something other than the loss of a person...and that's what resonated for me and what I am going through. There is never a one size fits all to grief and we can experience the feeling of deep loss over many different things in our life. Whatever your grief story is, a depression you feel stuck in, or even if you just know someone going through something and wonder how you can help...I cannot recommend this book enough. I will be forever grateful that I found Brooke. Its helped me in so many ways.

[Shelly Chmil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know Brooke. While we aren’t close friends I have always admired and cheered for her from a distance. I knew Libby, too. Not well, but enough that when you walked into a classroom and she was there, her smile lit up a room and you felt her sunshine.

I know grief in different forms, but I cannot imagine what it’s like to lose a child. Brooke has taken her writing talent and used it to help others heal in a way that is so raw, so real, and so HER. She can make you weep and laugh all in the same paragraph. Also, peppering in some swear words, yes please! She has a true gift and her outlook and honesty is going to help so many people. I’m so proud to know her and will forever be cheering for her.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! Grief counselor Brooke Carlock sets you straight on your deep grief. That it’s okay to have good and bad days. It’s okay to do things with out guilt. Very interesting and insightful. I laughed and cried reading her book. The book Grief Sucks ( But Your Life Doesn’t Have To ) I will return to reading this book throughout my years for guidance. Brooke also includes other helpful grief books and different exercises to do. Doesn’t matter what stage of grief you are in. I highly recommend for someone who is grieving. Please get it today !

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those suffering from loss and experiencing grief. Brooke takes us on a journey through her unimaginable losses in just a year and a half. She lost her father, step mother, daughter and mother in a very short period of time. Brooke is an amazing writer and person. Her book inspires others who have suffered loss to tackle grief and keep living. Brooke's writing is honest and relatable. I was unable to put this book down. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with grief, looking for hope that they too can find a way through and keep living.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

With compassion, empathy, and plenty of experience, the author acknowledges the pain of loss and then helps break grief into manageable segments. She offers practical tips to deal with loss. It didn’t take long to understand she gets it and encourages you to pull yourself out of the trenches of despair one step at a time. While everyone deals with grief in their own way, Brooke offers hope. I appreciated the fantastic resources for additional support. Highly recommended.

[Naomi Sosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grief sucks.. everything she said is so relatable, nothing sugar coated. Everything she wrote about I understood and it felt like finally someone I can relate to and understands how grief changes you. I’m glad she included her ways that helped her and shared those experiences and ways that can maybe help us. I’m glad I came across this book. Definitely recommend to anyone who just needs some help to navigate through grief and everything that comes with it.

[William Alexander Cleaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly inspiring book written by an author how has had mucany challenges and was forced to face many horrible events in her life.
Brooke writes as though she were in the room with me and I easily felt that it is her heart writing.
I'm almost into my 3rd month of grieving my wife's passing - it's extremely difficult but Brooke's book gave me hope. Thank you.

[Carmella Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lost my 26 year old amazing son 10 months ago and I was finally able to get through reading this amazing book/guide.

Grief sucks in ways only someone who has experienced it can understand. Finding a way forward in grief is something that I desperately want.

Thank you for sharing this book with us grievers.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 100 stars if I could. It's like I sat down and wrote a book. Brooke, you get me! THANK YOU! Honest, open, no sugar coating here! I will definitely be utilizing her you tube channel and website!

[Marie Polega · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a lot out of reading this book and wish it had been around years ago. I found it to be realistic, practical, and thought the exercises were helpful. It was written in a conversational way that is easy to read even though about a difficult subject.

[casey cays · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved how personal this book was, but she also shared her healing with us. It was so helpful and I loved the moments she was tough with us. It’s not your run of the mill grief book and that’s what I needed.

[Nicole Pilchowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much of this book focuses on early grief and I didn’t realize that when I bought it. I lost my husband a little over two years ago. This book was helpful but not in the way I expected it to be. It forced me to realize how far I’ve come.

[Valerie Nicolussi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This would have a larger impact for someone who is actively grieving. It’s good but I don’t think I can fully appreciate it because this isn’t something I’m currently experiencing.

[Kimberly Wetterstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book for Grieving

I bought this book because I had recently lost my mom to Dementia. I was her full time Caregiver for 3 yrs.

Grief Sucks is one of the most honest and validating books I’ve read about loss. It doesn’t sugarcoat grief or try to “fix” it—and that’s exactly why it works. The author speaks plainly and compassionately, acknowledging how messy, unfair, and exhausting grief really is. I highly recommend this book.