Imagine Me Gone

"My mind can rest. Which is when my situation becomes obvious. There is no getting better. There are the medicines I can take that flood without distinction, slowing the monster, moving the struggle underwater, where I live in the murk." ~ 23%

Margaret is faced with a difficult choice back in the 1960s when her fiancé, John, is hospitalized for depression. She can either stick around and marry him as planned or back away from a life of suffering and the unknown. Despite never acknowledging what brought on John's hospitalization, Margaret marries him and starts a family. And so unfolds their story.

Michael is the eldest son, an anxious music fanatic. Celia is savvy and the responsible one. Alec is the youngest and most tightly controlled. Along with their mother, Margaret, they walk on eggshells while John keeps testing them with "imagine me gone" scenarios.

Imagine Me Gone is a great reading choice for National Mental Illness Awareness Month. It details how mental illness not only affects the individual but also challenges their loved ones. Thanks for bringing this perspective to fiction form, Adam Haslett. The book cover may be simple in a clever way but the content is very serious. This novel is available now for those interested in how families deal with loss and mental illness individually and as a unit.

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Imagine Me Gone
Author: Adam Haslett
Published: May 2016
Pages: 368
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

#KillYourTBR2016 May

• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger ~ It doesn't get any more classic than this. Originally published in 1951 and kept on the banned books list, I am finally picking this novel off my TBR shelf.
• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath ~ The plot of this American semi-autobiographical classic parallels the author's mental breakdown, severe depression and suicide attempt. Published in 1963 and still a popular novel.
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith ~ Focuses on the later lives of two wartime friends and their families. Anything by Zadie Smith is considered a modern classic, to be quite honest.
• What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day ~ Pearl Cleage's debut novel about a girl from Idlewild, Michigan.
• An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison ~ This bestselling classic memoir is known for changing the way people think about moods and madness. The author is an American clinical psychologist, writer and expert on bipolar disorder.
• The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow ~ Recipient of many literary prizes for its focus on society's ideas of race, class and beauty. I can finally pick this book from my TBR and get into its deep plot.

I specifically chose these classics because May is Mental Illness Awareness Month. I will not get through reading all of these in the next 20 days but visit throughout the month for my reviews of most of the above-mentioned books. If you are interested in joining this challenge with me, visit Bookish for the deets. Share your progress using #KillYourTBR2016 on social media.

 

Can I ask you a personal question?

Do you love to host events/gatherings? Are you sometimes at a loss for words on a first date? What is the best way to learn more about someone? Well I found the perfect book to help you. Can I ask you a personal question? by Jon Steele is a collection of 1000 questions to ask yourself, friends, family and lovers. The questions are funny, invasive, nosy, revealing and thought-provoking. Keep in mind some questions ask the same thing but worded differently—my only gripe about this book.

Can I ask you a personal question? is available now. Every event host needs this.

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Can I ask you a personal question?
Author: Jon Steele
Published: November 2015
Pages: 205
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥♡

 

Series Sunday: Blood Defense

(Samantha Brinkman #1) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Revision. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"When I walk into court, I'm not concerned about justice, the rule of law, or making sure it's a fair fight. Fuck fair. I'm there to protect my client. That's where my duty begins and ends."  ~ pg. 22

My Series Sunday pick is Blood Defense, the first book in the Samantha Brinkman series by Marcia Clark. Yes, that Marcia Clark from the OJ Simpson trial. Samantha Brinkman is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney trying to make a name for herself in the legal services big leagues. She lands a double murder case that is so high profile, it turns personal. A secret revealed makes Samantha question her client's motives and innocence. Jekyll and Hyde, is that you?

It was challenging I'm sure for Marcia Clark to write from the perspective of defense as opposed to prosecution. At 389 pages, it seemed like a long read. Usually I can knock out a book within a couple days, but it took me over a week to finish reading Blood Defense. Not because of the writing or story line, but it seemed like the longest book ever.

I also had to mentally separate the fictional main character Samantha Brinkman from real life Marcia Clark. It took nearly the entire book. But after turning the last ePage, I realized there wasn't a single unnecessary detail. It was all pertinent to the story line and establishing the personality of the main character. The side cases were true to a real attorney's life; you don't just work on one case at a time. And I love a mystery where scenarios play out in the character's mind along with the reader. Blood Defense was literally down to the wire like a good Matlock episode. Even better, there is one particular sentence toward the end where I was reminded, ah yes, that Marcia Clark. Good thing the author dropped just the right amount of details and crumbs for me to be interested in continuing this series.

Title: Blood Defense
Author: Marcia Clark
Published: May 2016
Pages: 389
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

milk and honey

"like your mouth has the gift of reading
and i'm your favorite book." ~ pg. 73

milk and honey is a collection of poetry told in chapters that carry themes such as survival, hurt, love and healing. Accompanied by original art by the author, it is visual literary art.

Rupi Kaur's poetry is simply stunning. The words hit me with a gut punch and throat lump. Prose had me waving my hand in the air like I'm listening to a good sermon. Thank goodness for the highlight and bookmark functions in eBooks because there are so many quotables within the lines of this poetry. Halfway through, I had to share it with a couple friends and immediately gifted a copy to them. I hope they enjoy it and find it helpful. I suggest that you read it for yourself and pick out the jewels that matter to your unique situations.

" i am not the whiskey you want
i am the water you need" ~ pg. 89

Rupi Kaur, thank you for keeping it honest, relatable and a written healing. milk and honey should seriously be on everyone's bookshelves.

Title: milk and honey
Author: Rupi Kaur
Published: March 2015
Pages: 201
Edition: eBook
Challenge: Popsugar A Book of Poetry
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡

 

Let's Go Crazy

During the month of May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness brings awareness to mental illness. By reading books about and by people living with a mental health condition, I hope to fight the stigma, share my support and share my own experiences.

But first a PSA: Neurological disorders and mental illness are not interchangeable terms. My migraines can be seen on a nerve scan/medical exam versus depression or anxiety that cannot be seen in brain activity testing. Although both affect brain functioning. Please educate yourselves before labeling someone "crazy" or throwing around terms. It is not funny. It is not cute. It is in fact insulting and a show of ignorance. The truth is, people hurt physically, emotionally or mentally. Be knowledgable and respectful.

At the risk of sounding like an infomercial rapidly muttering the side effects of medication, if you or someone you know is experiencing depression, please seek professional help. Don't let the elevator bring you down.

  

Invisible Fault Lines

"And the days passed, feeling like slow motion and fast-forward at exactly the same time." ~ pg. 36

My childhood fave author Judy Blume calls the author of Invisible Fault Lines "a remarkable young novelist." So of course I am interested in reading and reviewing this novel.

Callie's father disappeared on a Tuesday and life was never the same afterward. In fact, the story is broken into parts "before" and "after" the Tuesday her father disappeared. She decides to investigate her father's disappearance. Is he lost? Is he dead? Is he hurt? Then Callie sees a familiar face in a photo from the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. Could it be something else entirely?

Interesting concept, right? Yes. But it dragged, as much as a 200-page novel can. It took longer than expected for the story to pick up. But when it did, it was disappointing. Frankly, by the ending, I didn't really care. Perhaps if readers were given more clues to follow along with the mystery of her father's disappearance. Invisible Fault Lines is intended for young readers, which may be good for their reading level. However, mature young readers may find it uninteresting to follow.
 
Happy Pub Day! Invisible Fault Lines is available today.

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Invisible Fault Lines
Author: Kristen-Paige Madonia
Published: May 2016
Pages: 203
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♡