University of Pittsburgh law student, Maggie Hovis, battles an enemy she cannot escape—her own brain. Her family calls her a drama queen. Her fiancé, Sam, moves out after she throws a shoe at his head. Maggie knows there is only one way to get him back—control her moods. So she takes the step most of her family is against: therapy.
After a diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder, Maggie begins to investigate her family tree—which is plagued by mental illness and hidden relatives—and develops empathy for her deceased Great Aunt Ella, who lived her life in a mental institution. But Maggie’s journey leads her into fear and insecurity, afraid she’ll end up like Ella and never get Sam back. But what about Nick, her super-sexy old flame, who wants to reignite their passion? And does it even matter, anyway? Won’t mental illness stop any man from loving her? **
Review
**OnlineBookClub.org: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and found it really inspiring and motivating, and I learnt a lot about the Bipolar II Disorder, which I admit I didn't really understand or try to understand. Although this book paints a picture of what it is like to suffer from mental illness, it does so in a way that is informative without boring the reader. One would expect such a book to be filled with facts about this illness that would make the story more serious and perhaps put one off. However, this book is written in such a way that the reader learns about this illness and begins to understand it at the same time as the main character, Maggie, thus drawing one into the story.
Other than this being a book about Maggie coming to terms with her mental illness, it is also the book about a love story and about family, and how certain families deal with problems by burying them deep or ignoring them. This will no doubt resonate with many people in several different ways.
I too, had certain perceptions about people who suffered from bipolar illness and I probably had a certain amount of prejudice towards them. This book explains easily the trials that a person suffering from mental illness has to go through, the struggle of the mental illness as well as the prejudices that come along with it, and at the same time it is a captivating and enjoyable read. For this reason I will not hesitate in giving it a four out of four stars * , and I would recommend this book to everyone.* blackopalbooks.com - Taylor Jones** I found the story extremely interesting as I knew nothing about bi-polar disorder. It is sobering to realize that sometimes people act crazy because they really can't control their behavior. You simply cannot help but feel for Maggie as she struggles to live a normal life, knowing that she isn't really normal, but not knowing why. And you rejoice with her when she finally finds a medicine that helps her control her symptoms and "quiet her noisy brain." It is warm, inspiring, and moving.****
blackopalbooks.com - Regan Murphy The book is touching as well as thought-provoking, giving us a glimpse into the daily life of someone whose own brain is her worst enemy. It may not be a page turner, but it is definitely worth the time to read, and think about. It will at least make you realize how lucky you are to be normal, and perhaps make you a little more understanding of those who aren't. **