Review of "When Life Knocks You Off Your Happy" by D. A. Mintaka

Score: 95+/100 (9.5+ out of 10)

When Life Knocks You Off Your Happy is a phenomenal short-story collection and thematic anthology by D.A. Mintaka!

Let's put it another way: When Life Knocks You Off Your Happy is one of the best anthologies and short-story collections we've ever read—EVER! It may very well be the best!

Seriously! This might be the only anthology/short-story collection we've ever read in which every single story is impactful, meaningful, compelling, and digestible—as opposed to a cobweb of "WTH?!" like some collections are (we're looking at you, Feral Fables by Lucy Jones).

Ironically, When Life Knocks You Off Your Happy and Feral Fables have pretty much the same goals: to guide readers who may be struggling with psychological, mental health, or general life issues to grow, improve, and heal. They also both fall into the category of self-help. However, while Feral Fables used extremely dense and intricate stories mixed with symbolic characters compounded by a plethora of exotic themes woven into them, we found this book to be so much more relatable, digestible, and, dare we say, pleasant.

The way we look at it is: if you're going to help and guide people who are already tangled up in knots (mentally), why would you present them with stories that are even more tangled up in knots? Wouldn't you want to calm them down and guide them toward a better understanding by presenting stories that are relatable and, well, understandable?

When you're stressed out, do you present someone with a complicated chess scenario that would take Kasparov himself a half-hour to solve and tell them: Solve it?

When you're lost, scared, and confused, do you open up the Book of Revelations or Daniel chapter 7 instead of John 3:16?

And that's one of the many way in which When Life Knocks You Off Your Happy shines: it's so down to earth and relatable.

Every single main character in this book (and even many of the supporting characters) actually seem like us or remind us of people we know. Every single story reflects feelings we've personally felt and experiences we've personally had.

We loved it so much that we want to talk about all of it, so:
SPOILER WARNING!

We're immediately introduced to one of the coolest, most compelling, and most interesting characters in the book: Jackie Sparks.

Jackie is an innovator with an imaginative, entrepreneur's mindset. However, she's also a stubborn goofball with great ideas that she can't quite bring to life and an unwillingness to seek help and advice from other people. Jackie thinks she doesn't need anyone.

Sound like someone you know?

Her mind races faster than most, and she's always scribbling plans for her next big invention—usually on the backs of napkins, worksheets, or even her arms when paper isn't available. She’s a one-girl think tank, a walking idea factory. But there's a problem: none of her inventions actually work.

She builds a homework-finishing robot that sets her backpack on fire. She creates an automatic sock sorter that launches socks across the room like missiles. Then there's the Super Sorter 3000—a massive contraption meant to organize her entire life—that ends up flooding her room with glitter, ping-pong balls, and peanut butter. Every single one of her solo projects ends in disaster, but Jackie doesn’t seem to care. In her mind, failure just means she’s one step closer to greatness.

The beauty of Jackie’s story is how it celebrates unfiltered creativity while also gently exposing the limits of lone-wolf inventing. Jackie doesn’t want help—not from classmates, not from teachers, not even from her curious little brother. She’s convinced that real geniuses do it alone. And so she keeps failing, gloriously and explosively.

But her journey isn’t about giving up; it’s about growth. Jackie slowly realizes that being a visionary is great—but being open-minded, collaborative, and humble enough to learn from others is what turns sparks into real light.

Still, her independent inventions—messy, hilarious, and doomed—are part of what make her unforgettable. She reminds us that sometimes, the most inspiring part of genius is the guts to keep going, even when everything blows up in your face.

The next story centers around Tessa Hart, a kind, giving, and self-sacrificing girl who finds that she can't say no to anyone. People are constantly asking her for help and for things, often without considering her personal wants, needs, or feelings. There are things that Tessa desperately wants to do, like seeing the puppies at the convention, but she gives that up to help her friend, her neighbor, and other people.

She expresses being unable to say no and feeling guilty or bad about not being able to help when people ask her for it.

Does that sound like someone you know?

This story is great at demonstrating why it's important to set boundaries and to check in with yourself. It's like Tela Talise said in Nature Mandalas for Busy Minds:

“Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first—it means me too."

You can't do everything for everyone. You can't be everything for everyone. You can't be everywhere all at once. You're human. And, sometimes, you need to know your limits and boundaries. You can't just let inconsiderate people take advantage of you.

Tessa's story and arc actually echo another story and arc in the book: that of Evelyn and her hummingbirds.

Evelyn McAllister goes from helping one bird to becoming the unpaid maid and hotel manager to a host of hummingbirds. She dotes on making sure they have perfectly fresh food and water every day. Her hobby becomes a slave-like job—unpaid with no vacation. Other aspects of her life deteriorate.

Evelyn has an added layer to her character (compared to Tessa): not only is she super kind and giving like Tessa, but she's also a perfectionist, possibly having OCD. Things always have to be the way that she planned or envisioned them. She imagines this perfect life for the hummingbirds with her as their caretaker or motherly figure.

The problem is that smothering others with love, attention, and affection sometimes backfires when you abandon having balance in your life.

Evelyn learns this the hard way when she becomes neurotic about taking care of the hummingbirds.

However, she's reminded by a guardian: would one day off be the end of the world? Do the hummingbirds always need perfectly fresh water?

Evelyn is relieved by the huge weight and burden lifted off her chest. She's also pleasantly surprised by how sovereign, independent, and self-sufficient the hummingbirds turn out to be.

Evelyn's perfectionism and potential OCD is echoed in another story and arc, that of Rachel in the story titled "Memory Keeper."

Rachel is obsessed with everything being perfect, everything being in order, and everything being as she envisions it. We almost felt like Rachel represented a utopian ideal—something unobtainable considering human flaws and fallibility.

Specifically, Rachel wants to make sure that her Halloween decorations are perfect. She won't accept anything less. And when her friends and family try to get involved, she becomes frazzled and upset, criticizing what they're doing, or changing/adjusting what they've accomplished.

This makes what could've been a great collaborative experience into a nightmare for her friends and family. Rachel becomes a dictator, in a sense, insisting on her own way and crushing individuality and innovation.

Remember what we said about this reflecting the idea of an unobtainable utopian ideal? Well, this is how communism becomes totalitarianism.

Rachel needs to be taught that she can't force her will on others and expect them to do everything exactly how she wants. She also realizes that she needs help and assistance, and that she can't do everything on her own.

This turns the decorating into a fun, friendly, social, and collaborative experience in which everyone enjoys and is allowed to express their creative freedom.

This story is unique in that it's actually just as much about the themes of legacy and memory as it is about perfectionism and collaboration. Rachel is fixated on the idea that everything in her life needs to be perfect (and look perfect) because it's what she will be remembered for—her legacy.

Dang, that almost reminds us of the Saddam Hussein quote (to paraphrase): "People ask why I build these huge impressive monuments instead of improving schools and hospitals. It's because in a thousand years, these monuments will still be standing and will be what I will be remembered for."

Rachel learns that people ultimately don't care about the big, impressive things you make or how perfect they are, they care about and remember how you made them feel.

Lisa's story titled "Bringing People Together" is similar to Rachel's with less emphasis on memory & legacy and more emphasis on unity & inclusion.

Lisa envisions herself as a unifier and a leader. However, similar to Rachel, she has totalitarian leanings, unrealistic expectations, and has trouble seeing herself int he shoes of others.
Rachel and her classmates are preparing for a spring festival.

She's surrounded by incredible talent: classmates with creative ideas, different styles, and unique visions for what the festival should look and feel like. But instead of celebrating that diversity, Lisa steamrolls it. She believes that in order for things to be perfect—and for everyone to feel united—they all have to follow her plan. Decorations must match her aesthetic. Music choices must align with her vibe. Food, posters, even where people stand—everything is dictated by Lisa's personal definition of "perfect unity."

Of course, the irony is that her rigid control creates the opposite of unity. Her classmates begin to resent her. Tension rises. Joy disappears. What was supposed to be a fun and collaborative event turns into a checklist of demands. And Lisa, still believing she’s doing the right thing, is shocked when people start to back out or push back.

The moment of reckoning comes not in a dramatic confrontation, but in a quiet realization: unity isn’t about sameness—it’s about inclusion. Lisa starts to see how her vision, while well-intentioned, left no room for others to belong. And more importantly, how her need for perfection and control was rooted in fear—fear that if things weren’t exactly right, she’d be forgotten or unloved.

Like Rachel, Lisa learns that people don’t remember the decorations or the playlist. They remember how they felt. And when Lisa finally lets go—finally listens—the festival becomes something far better than she could have imagined: not perfect, but meaningful.

In the end, Lisa learns that true leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating space where everyone gets to contribute to the story.

Eddy's story is arguably the most haunting and compelling in the whole book. Why?
Well, Eddy seems to fall into the autism spectrum. You can subtly tell by the way he becomes fixated on things, concepts, and ideas. He's also a bit of a genius and/or savant, fascinated by science and formulas.

Unfortunately, Eddy also finds himself fixated on other things, which make others confused and uncomfortable. Specifically, he becomes obsessed with a girl named Caroline. He constantly tries to do things for Caroline, communicate to her, and be around her. He desperately wants to be her "friend" but it is clear that she's taken aback by him and prefers her space.

Eddy, who can't read social cues, just keeps pressing the issue.

It gets to the point where Eddy unknowingly becomes a bit of a stalker.
He writes about Caroline constantly—nothing creepy (that we know of) but constantly and consistently.

His parents, getting a call from the school and finding Eddy's journal, realize that Eddy has a problem and confront him compassionately about it.

They do their best to teach Eddy about freedom of choice/the right to choose your friends and about boundaries.

We get one of the best analogies in the whole book in this story when Eddy's dad takes Eddy fishing. He teaches Eddy that you can't force the fish to bite. Specifically, Eddy's dad says:

"Do you know why fishing teaches patience?...you can’t force the fish to bite. It’s their choice. People are like that too. You can offer kindness and friendship, but you can’t make someone accept it.”

Another interesting aspect of Eddy's character, Eddy's psychology, and the story as a whole is the idea that Eddy sees everything like a math or science problem. He sees not being able to solve them problem as "failing." However, his parents tell him that he isn't failing, he's learning.

He's also taught that "People aren't equations" and "People aren't science projects" that need to be figured out.

"Relationships don’t work the same way as science. People aren’t equations.”

The character and story of Elliot Michaels is also interesting.
Elliot is the class clown and a perpetual jokester who believes that everything can be solved with a good joke and a laugh.

Sound like someone you know?

He's known as the "Sunshine Kid" because he always seems upbeat and happy. However, he finds himself confused and deeply bothered when a sad classmate, Grace, doesn't laugh at one of his jokes and instead erupts into tears.

Elliot realizes that Grace has suffered a great personal loss, something that Elliot was unintentionally insensitive about.

He learns to be more sensitive to others. Interestingly, he also learns that sometimes it's not what you say or do that can help a person the most, it's just being willing to listen.

This reminded us of something that George Beasley taught in his book The Ominous Struggle. Sometimes, the best thing to do for another person is to take time for them and to listen to them.

We get a great quote from this story: "Think of emotions like music. If someone’s playing a sad song, and you barge in with a marching band, it’s not going to help. You have to listen to the music first and match their rhythm."

Elliot realizes that he was being a marching band.

Joe's character and story is also interesting. Gosh, every character in this book is interesting.
Joe is someone who always says "yes" when invited to do something, but often dips out at the last minute. Similar to Tessa in the previous story, he just can't say no. Well, he learns to in this story as he becomes known as "No Show Joe" and is treated like a perpetual letdown and disappointment.

Joe is taught by Mr. Pennington: "Freedom isn’t about avoiding commitments—it’s about
choosing the ones that matter and being honest about the ones you can’t make."

Mr. Pennington also says: "...people respect honesty more than empty promises. If you can’t commit to something, it’s better to say so upfront."

In a separate story, Nathan is a "transactional kid" who never does anything unless the other person can answer the question: "What's in it for me?" This causes him to lose friends and clients.

The story of Jonah is a relatively simple one, but no less impactful. Jonah is in a group of friends that often bullies and belittles others, specifically a boy named Tommy. Jonah is torn about this. It deeply affects him and fills him with guilt and regret at not standing up and stopping the bullying.
It should be noted that this is probably the only story in the book with clear antagonists: Danny, Troy, and Max.

Jonah is taught the important lesson that you should surround yourself with people who share and support your values. You should choose your friends wisely.

It should also be noted that there's an unnamed female character in this story who makes a deep impact. This girl uses her voice to stand up for another classmate, saying, "Don't talk about her that way." This sets an example for Jonah to later follow.

Interestingly enough, Max (the smallest of the bullies) appears in another story "While Parents Struggle To Stay Together" in which it is revealed that Max is struggling silently at home and in school due to divorcing parents. Perhaps he takes out his aggression on people like Tommy because of this?

It's also possible that these are two separate characters who happen to have the same name, but we prefer to think they're the same person.

Lily's story centers on the pain of being excluded and feeling invisible.

She’s excited about a group project and wants to contribute, but her classmates continuously overlook her ideas, talk over her, or leave her out entirely—not out of malice, but because she’s quiet and doesn’t push herself into the spotlight. The emotional weight builds as Lily begins to question her value and whether she truly belongs.

Her story isn’t loud or dramatic—it’s subtle, internal, and deeply relatable. Eventually, with gentle encouragement from a teacher, Lily finds the courage to speak up and share her thoughts. When she does, her classmates are surprised by her insight and creativity, realizing what they’ve missed.

Lily’s journey is about reclaiming her voice and realizing that just because you’re quiet doesn’t mean you’re unimportant. Her story reminds readers that inclusion isn’t just about inviting people to the table—it’s about making sure they’re truly seen and heard.

Liam's story, despite probably being our least favorite, is probably the most relevant story in terms of this creative contest. Why? Well, it's about someone desperately and courageously trying to win a creative contest! Liam is an imaginative, creative person who is crafting a fictitious world called Zephyron, a planet with three suns and no moon.

Zephyron isn’t just a setting—it’s Liam’s refuge. It’s where rebels battle the oppressive hive-mind known as The Collective, and where Liam can explore ideas of freedom, identity, and rebellion that he’s too shy or anxious to express in real life. But Liam’s struggle isn’t a lack of imagination—it’s a lack of validation. At home, his father doesn’t understand his passions and sees fiction as a waste of time. At school, Liam is quiet and often overlooked. His ideas live in notebooks and sketches, hidden from a world he’s afraid will laugh or dismiss him.

But when a national sci-fi graphic novel contest is announced, Liam takes the biggest emotional risk of his life: he submits his work. And not just anonymously—he submits it under his real name. That single act is what makes Liam’s story so powerful and so relevant to this creative competition: it's about the bravery of putting your creative self out there, even when you think no one will care.

Liam doesn’t win because his drawings are the best or his storyline is the most polished. He wins because his story is honest, imaginative, and deeply personal. His victory is a triumph not just of creativity, but of vulnerability and belief in his own voice.

So while his story may not have been the most thrilling or emotionally intense in the book, it’s the one that most directly celebrates the heart of what creative contests are really about—sharing your vision, your voice, and your world with others, no matter how scary that might be.

This book is built on the premise: "Every story starts with a question... and the courage to dream up an answer."

Check it out on Amazon!