If you are looking for a novel to give you a few laughs, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of “Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened,” by Allie Brosh. “Hyperbole” is more of a collection of short stories than a novel with a premise. Brosh recollects hysterical moments from her childhood, along with comical struggles she has faced as an adult.

One of my favorite excerpts from “Hyperbole” is the chapter “The God of Cake.” It is where Brosh gives a detailed account of how, as a child, she spends an entire day trying to steal a birthday cake her mother made.

The chapter “Dogs Don’t Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving” is a segment on all of the things dogs do to get on their owner’s nerves. Any dog owner can easily relate to this humorous account of Brosh’s dogs and their bad behavior.

Brosh includes two chapters titled “Adventure in Depression” and “Depression Part Two” in which she describes her experience with depression. Although these chapters are about a serious issue, Brosh makes them comical, but not in an inappropriate way.

Readers have shared that these chapters are the most accurate insight into the mind of someone with depression.

Brosh also adds many other humorous short stories involving her lack of a desire to do adult things, how she must force herself to act like a normal human being in social settings, the many things she did to drive her mother crazy and how a goose once terrorized her.

Brosh accompanies all of her stories with “rage comic” style illustrations. They are crude, simple drawings that really bring her stories to life. Like the writing in “Hyperbole,” the illustrations often made me laugh out loud while reading.

What really makes “Hyperbole” such a lovable book is how relatable it is to readers. Everyone has their embarrassing moments, funny childhood stories and secret thoughts that they feel are not appropriate to share. Brosh holds nothing back, sharing all of her flaws, dark (but funny) thoughts and personal life stories. Readers can connect with at least one of the stories, whether you are a dog owner, suffer or have suffered from depression or were a holy terror as a child. Brosh helps us realize that we are all human and being a little quirky and weird is not such a bad thing, after all.      

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