It had taken me a while to write a review of this, even though I devoured it in one night. I was drawn to this book for many reasons but the biggest one was that I suffer from bipolar disorder. I've lived the struggle and while I can never feel the feelings the author's daughter did exactly, I have been suicidal and attempted it myself. I don't talk about it often but it will always his close to home. I'll never know what it's like watching my child live it though so I was drawn in immediately. While not perfect in terms of writing, the feelings come through so strongly that I find no fault in it. I loved this book. As hard as it was to read, I will read it probably many more times and hope it gets the attention it truly deserves.

I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not My Story To Tell
My journey through grief: Loving and losing a daughter with bi-polar disorder
by Cathy Lynn Brooks
BooksGoSocial
You Are Auto-Approved

Biographies & Memoirs , Parenting & Families
Pub Date 18 Oct 2017

I am reviewing a copy of Not My Story to Tell Through BooksGoSocial and Netgalley:

Her daughter Justine reminded her Mother Cathy Of Annie Oakley. She was fierce protective and vulnerable. Justine also had her share of troubles.

Justine suffered from Bi-Polar disorder as well as post traumatic stress disorder from a young age. Due to the events of her past and her Mental illness Justine made a series of bad choices. Which sadly led to her death at the age of twenty nine, but despite everything her Mother never stopped loving her. It was not the disease that took her but the highway on her way home.

Justine was improving she went to college, graduated even started a career, she still had her problems but they were manageable, until one day the road took her away.

I give Not My Story to Tell five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

I have bipolar disorder and my heart went out so much to the author, Cathy Lynn Brooks in memory of her late daughter Justine. Like Justine, my mother also worked with special needs students. Reading this book helped give me a deeper perspective of how my mother suffered during my suicidal idealizations and hospitalizations. The love Cathy Lynn Brooks has for her daughter permeates this book. She is an amazing woman who demonstrates what it is to be a truly loving parent. "Not My Story To Tell" is a book I will highly recommend to the DBSA/Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance group I created and to my bipolar community online. Thank you, Cathy Lynn, for having the strength and perseverance to depict your daughter's early years and examine her later years in this well-written recount. This book will help many people, both those who live with a mood disorder or they love someone who has a mental illness.