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4⭐️/5⭐️

#Wardens2024 #ReadAway2024 #BookSpinBingo

A flop in my #UnpopularOpinion.

Lindsay‘s back this season and has recommended a memoir on Book Interrupted‘s Manuscript Monday. https://www.bookinterrupted.com/post/manuscript-monday-my-lovely-wife-in-the-psy...

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I always find it hard to review someone's account of personal trauma - it seems kind of heartless or something. Yet here I go: This book was so-so. There were a few good insights on how the hospitalization of a spouse affects someone, and how the dynamic is forever changed. I didn't expect it to be wrapped up neatly with a bow - It's a life still in progress. But I also didn't feel that it had any sort of resolution at all. 🤷‍♀️

Next book down the hatch! This book broke my heart and then put back together! #mentalhealthmatters Great book!!

Interesting perspective from someone caring for a loved one who suffers from severe mental illness.

#AnglophileApril #FixYou This was a powerful and at times harrowing journey from the husband‘s perspective, as his seemingly “healthy” young wife starts to mentally come undone. It‘s written with honesty, frustration and heartbreak as Mark tries his best to support Giuliana as she completely unravels.

Mixed feelings about this one. First of all, I think it is amazing that Gulia had such a strong support person in Mark. I do not want to minimize their experinces in any way. Mental health crisis and suicide ideation is terrifying, not only for the patient, but also for the loved ones. And the system is broken. Underfunded, overcrowed, confusing. But I feel like Mark spent too time basing the mental health professionals who are doing the best ⏬⏬⏬

So far, not a big fan of how he is talking about hospital social workers. Contrary to popular belief, we do not have magic wands. I really wish we did.

#newyearwhodis @monalyisha @veehabib

This book reminded me of Brain on Fire but with a caregivers point of view. Which, admittedly, I never thought about. Illness isn‘t our own, it affects all those closest to us. You can tell at times he‘s angry or resentful - but overall Mark is looking after his wife and son because he loves them. Thought provoking for me! 5/5.

My Book Outlet order finally came in!

I like participating in readathons, but stopped keeping track of my time because I find it unnecessarily stressful. For #24B4Monday I finished 5 books. I have no idea how much time I spent reading, but I am happy that I had the time. Thanks to @Andrew65 and @TheReadingMermaid for hosting this monthly challenge!

Book 5 for #24B4Monday!

#becauseoflitsy #kindledeals #kindledeal #ebooksale

I heard about this book on Litsy, and it's on sale today.

Kevin and I are having a buddy read this morning. @Cinfhen you were right, so good and a quick read. Heartbreaking at times but the truest glimpse into mental illness (for the family) I‘ve read. Another broken system.

This was a very well written memoir from the POV of a husband whose wife is diagnosed with mental illness. Their perseverance was inspirational throughout the years was truly amazing.

This was an emotionally draining roller coaster of a read for me. My feelings were all over the place for Mark, Guilia and their extended families. I thought Mark wrote this story beautifully, bravely & honestly. He really avoided sugarcoating the mental illness, the treatments, policies, facilities and behaviors. This book felt very real & unflinching. A total pick and huge thank you to @Victoriahoperose who generously gifted this book to me.

I am completely blown away by the kindness and generosity of this community ❣️❣️❣️No less than 20 minutes ago, I casually commented on a book I would like to read and next thing I know, I received the book as a Kindle gift 🎁 🎉💚 A million thanks to @Victoriahoperose who truly sparked joy in the most wonderful and loving way. #LittensAreTheBest #NoWords #IncrediblyGrateful #IMayHaveCried 😘😘😘

On my Kindle TBR. Anyone read this one? Thoughts?

#misterasylum #Octoberxfiles
@Cinfhen @Robothugs

"In fact, maybe love, in the purest sense, is about being kind to someone with no expectation of how they‘re going to respond. They can ignore your kindness, reject it, or return it tenfold, but you just continue to be kind, and that is love."

Memoirs always throw me off. My expectations are almost always inaccurate and this book was no different.
Mental illness is something that is not understood well. Makes sense, the brain is the most mysterious of all organs and one we know the least about.
This journey was one I was not anticipating. Enjoyable and enlightening.
....”happiness is a beautiful form of courage....”

Tea and reading for the evening.

4 stars! This book was raw, heart breaking, and beautiful. Lukach does an amazing job recounting the events of his wife‘s mental health crisis with honesty & compassion. He describes the frustration, the scares, the hope, and the love that they encountered during those years. Read this book if you want to gain an understanding of what an individual goes through during a psychotic break and how this impacts his or her family and friends.

Just started this one and so far I‘m really liking it!! It‘s definitely going to be one that tugs at my heart strings

Current read and I can‘t put it down!

This book had all the feelings! It would be so interesting for Guilia to also write a book from her perspective!

OMG this book...all the tears!!
#tearjerker #passthetissues

Such respect to those that have to navigate mental health facilities. And navigate care and treatment. This book was eye opening and a much needed topic to be written about.

I always feel like it‘s so hard to say that “I liked” a book about mental illness because they generally leave me feeling like I have a pit in my stomach. This one, is the same, but I really found it interesting for it to be from the spouse‘s perspective. This was well written and relatable. I will be thinking about the Lukach family and hoping for the best for them for a long time to come. #goodreadsgiveaway

1. I don‘t think I‘m going to make it to my goal of 101 this year, so it‘ll probably stay the same.
2. My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward - Mark Lukach, The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood, The Twelve - Justin Cronin
3. My favorite is crime fiction, but I‘ve been dipping my toes into fantasy and I‘d like to continue exploring that next year
4. 3-4
5. I don‘t have a goal, really. I‘m just here for the books and new friends.
#2018goals

A raw look at life with a spouse prone to psychotic delusions. It portrays the grinding, crushing weight of mental illness on marriage and parenting, and how unpredictable and elusive our grip on sanity can be. (I did finish the book not liking any of the people in it... I think that says more about me than them, though.)

Amazing, heart wrenching , and uplifting at the same time. Such a realistic account of someone trying to navigate their way through a loved ones mental illness while trying to maintain normalcy and not let it completely define their lives.

Just started and I think it's going to be a good one....

I was drawn to this book because I wanted to read about the effect of mental illness on family members. Devastating and exhausting.

This biography has one of the loveliest openings to describe new love. From that point on, this becomes an incredible look into mental health from the point of view of a caretaker just trying to figure out what's wrong with his wife. At times it is heartbreaking, it is revealing (most decisions are up to the patient!), and he admits his own shortcomings and mistakes. A difficult story to read in that his wife isn't going to get "better."

Wow!Started this book this morning and I've just finished it, I literally could not put it down. Having previously worked in the mental health field for a number of years I feel books like this are so important to show that mental illness can happen to anyone and to highlight the impact that this can have on not only the individual themselves but also on their family and friends. A beautifully written account of love and support. Highly recommend!

Forty years ago I lost a close family member to mental illness,and have lived with other family who suffer various degrees of depression. This book really struck a chord with me. It offers great insight into living with,or caring for, somebody with mental health issues. Mark has done a remarkable job of telling his and Giulia's story.

New Stack, thanks Mom! 📚💕

Chores be damned! The sun is shining,which has been so rare here for a while,so it's a reading day,by the pool. Besides,I can't put this book down!

I had to take a kid to a birthday party, so I moved my #LitsyPartyOfOne to the bookstore. #bookhaul Back to #gwtwreadalong until it's time to pick him up.

We all need to start viewing mental health issues differently, too many times it is considered taboo to talk about the issues people with mental health problems face!! People shouldn't have to hide their mental illness! It's not something to be ashamed of, it's a sickness!! This was an honest, open telling of this family's experience with psychosis! A beautiful, often hard story of one man's love for his wife!!

I hope today is the day I finish this book! The plan was to take it away with me this past weekend and put a dent in it but alas it was left behind! No worries! I got this people! Great, important book!!

So I think I've decided to just focus on this book and get it read then I'll pick up something lighter! I also have made a new reading rule! Every time I pick up my book I have to read at least one chapter! If I want to keep going I. An but I must read at least one chapter! Busy weekend ahead so we'll see!!

So I'm going book crazy here! I just keep starting book after book after book! This book is important, I know that! So I keep going but I sort of need something lighter to counter balance the heaviness of this book! I think I need to stop picking up more books to start!! Wish me luck!!

My sister is bipolar, and so far, this book is a very accurate portrayal of how the mental health system treats the families of patients.

Lukach provides an honest look at his wife's descent into mental illness and how they continue to cope with it and move forward. I'm grateful there are people like Lukach who are willing to share their stories.

My midnight reading includes a love story fraught with mental illness. What about you?