It's Not Your Journey Book Review and Giveaway

Mental illness impacts so many lives, in so many ways, on a daily basis.  I personally struggled with anxiety for many years--and continue to battle it with more regularity than I would like to admit.  I was interested in reading Rebecca Lombardo's personal story of her own mental health journey in It's Not Your Journey.  What is my review of this author's first book?

I received a complimentary copy of this book for use in my review.  All opinions are my own.

Quick Summary of It's Not Your Journey.  In her first published work, Rebecca Lombardo collects her internationally followed blog into the pages of It's Not Your Journey. Rebecca shares her struggles with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, self-injury, and recovery from a suicide attempt. Rebecca candidly reveals her real and raw feelings on these subjects, as well as addressing other issues that have contributed to her downward spiral and eventual climb out of her own pit of despair. Issues such as the loss of her mother to lung cancer, the death of her brother, abandonment from friends and family members due to her hospitalization, and more.

It's Not Your Journey is a Heartfelt Memoir.  The author isn't offering a piece of fiction based on her experiences--she is offering a chronicle of her life and her personal mental health struggles.   Lombardo doesn't hide her experiences or mask her pain as she writes.  This is a difficult story to read at times--but, it's simply heartbreaking to realize how difficult it must have been for the author to write.

This Isn't a Self Help Book--But, it Helps Anyway.  The author is not writing this book as a mental health guide for depression sufferers or anxiety sufferers to tackle their problems as the author did.   Lombardo wrote this book to put her illness into perspective--and help others realize that they aren't alone.  She shares very real fears and feelings with readers.  The ups and downs, the incessant fears and worries, the constant struggles are "invisible" to much of the world most of the time.  That "invisibility" makes it a very lonely place for sufferers.  While this may not be a "self-help" book--it is very helpful to read someone else's feeling and emotions--and to know that , while your own journey may be different, there are many other people feeling many of the same thoughts and emotions.

Would I recommend It's Not Your Journey by Rebecca Lombardo? Memoirs aren't like other novels.  There is no plot development.  There's no climax to some wonderful resolution.  A memoir is successful when the author has a life story to share--and is written in way that resonates with readers.  This novel tells the authors story and allows her to share her struggles in a way that is almost therapeutic to both herself and to her readers.  I do recommend this to readers interested in the real-world struggles of a mental illness sufferer. 

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Meet the Author

I'm 43 years old and have been happily married for nearly 15 years. I enjoy  reading, writing, music, watching movies and sports. I live in Michigan with my husband and our cats.

At age 19, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I have struggled with mental illness in many forms for more than 20 years. I'm a published author, bipolar blogger, and a mental health advocate.

In addition, I am about to become a contributor for the Huffington Post.

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