All That Fills Us

Author: Autumn Lytle
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: May 1, 2022

The journey toward healing starts with a single brave step--but it is never walked alone

Mel Ellis knows that her eating disorder is ruining her life. Everyone tells her rehab is her best option, but she can't bring herself to go. Broke, broken, and empty in more ways than one, Mel launches one last-ditch effort to make hers a story worth telling. She will walk her own road to recovery along the lesser-known trails of the North American wilderness.

Though she is physically and mentally unprepared to face the difficulties that lay ahead, she sets off on foot from Michigan. Her goal? Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State. During the long journey, she meets strangers with their own stories, as well as ghosts from her past who can no longer be ignored. But though the land she travels threatens her success at every turn, it's her own dark thoughts she'll have to overcome in order to find peace in the life and the body she has been given.

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Reviewer: Kevin Maltsberger

The book All That Fills Us by Autumn Lytle opened my eyes to not only a story of determination but of perseverance through both physical and mental struggles. I highly recommend this book. It brought so much adventure and seeing the inner struggles of someone dealing with an eating disorder. This was a side I had never been able to see, and it has taught me so many lessons for the future.

The author tells a fascinating story about a girl named Mel, who is fighting through the same cycle she has for years and to the point it may cost her life. She feels there is nothing about her story worth remembering and sets up a daunting task not only to set her life straight again but to give herself the strength that was never internally realized.

This book gives insight into the mind of someone suffering from an eating disorder. How much your mind and body fight against being healthy, and how hard it is to bring yourself out of it. Mel, the protagonist, sets out, ON FOOT, to travel to the mountain that has dominated her thoughts for years. It is a walk across the country, where she meets a strange, wonderful, and sometimes life-saving collection of people and the inner voice that constantly tears her down. God speaks to her through others and the sights she sees. This is a story of redemption and strength through God amidst all kinds of fears you might imagine. Autumn Lytle has written an exceptional and personal story that brings to life struggles many face. I will look forward to reading more from her.

If you are looking for a story of redemption or defeating your personal demons, this is the story for you. It is an inspirational, tragic, and wonderful story that pulls you in from the first chapter. This book has so many twists and turns and side steps that will keep you walking right alongside Mel.

A review copy was provided courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Joy Hannabass

After I read the first few sentences of All That Fills Us, I was hooked on this book and didn't want to put it down! Mel finds herself waking up in the hospital after some strangers find her passed out near her apartment. With her grandmother by her side, no less. Both her Dr and her grandmother insist on Mel going to rehab for her eating disorder this time. And Mel was ready to give in until she found some old papers at home that changed her mind. A walk to Mount Rainier sounds like a better plan to kick her eating disorder. So she is off.

Wow! Autumn Lytle masterfully writes her debut novel tackling the subject of eating disorders. Having known nothing about this disorder, I was glad to journey with Mel while she struggled each day. Lytle gives detailed descriptions of what Mel is going through each step of the way. Mel's journey was anything but easy, and I could feel her emotions in my heart as she struggled with each area of the disorder.

One thing that warmed my heart was the people Mel met along the way. Starting with the homeless couple, who had no money to give but gave real love. And on it went, with people meeting her needs. It was like God knew what and who she needed each time. The opposite of this is Mel's family. Her grandma and mom were cold souls with little feelings. As I read this book, I wondered how Mel would have turned out had they been a little more loving. There are lots of questions never to be answered. I did find it interesting and emotional how it seems the author is telling her story through Mel. Eating disorders are a real issue. I sure hope someone reading this book will find the help they need. Just about any lady, young or old, would benefit from reading this book.

I received this book courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest review.

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