It’s Not Your Journey, from Rebecca Lombardo

Hi, guys! So, as you can guess, it was worst case scenario. I work with Public Relations, the famous PR, so I stay hooked to my computer and my phone all the time also professionally. Results? Tired vision on my left eye. Seriously, I can barely look at my computer screen or phone screen, it’s bad. And also, I had some crisis of really low blood pressure, that made my mom believe that I am experiencing some kind of post-traumatic stress because of Lady. Who knows, she may be right.

Anyway, I come back to you with a review for a gender that I rarely read: memoir & biographies. It’s nothing personal, but I usually prefer fiction when picking up books. I have to really like the person or character that the book portrays to pick it up. Rebecca Lombardo’s story was an exception that I’m beyond glad for making. She contacted me a while ago and sent me her book in exchange for a review. Thanks, truly, and I’m sorry for taking so long to read and review it >.<

from my Instagram

In her first published work, Rebecca Lombardo collects her internationally followed blog into the pages of “It’s Not Your Journey”. The memoir candidly details Rebecca’s two year long chronicle of her struggles with Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Self-Injury, and recovery from a Suicide attempt. Rebecca shares her very real, 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.

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

Lombardo had a very difficult path so far. We all have our problems and our own struggles, but I am amazed to see what Lombardo has already overcome at such an early age. As I already went through a serious treatment for Depression and Suicide attempts myself as a teen, her history touched my heart. I highly identified with the horrors that she went though and jumped in joy at the good moments. Lombardo isn’t trying to impress anyone with her book or over dramatize her life – she wants to help. She wants to save lives.

I keep my position of not reading many memories and biographies, but I regret nothing with It’s Not Your Journey 🙂 Four stars!

As this isn’t a fictional book, my review will have a slightly different format 🙂

Lombardo’s writing style is fluid and simple, without over dramatizations. It’s her history and I’m sure that she edited it, of course, but she didn’t left any awful details off. Lombardo knows that she hasn’t been living a fairy tale, and you don’t hear (or read) her complaining.

There are some minor editing slips, but nothing that seriously compromises the understanding of the book. I liked how Lombardo pours off her heart for the reader, how much she wants to help people to understand how mental illness gets in the way for both the sick person and all the people around. This is a dictionary with feelings, as Lombardo explains every aspect of each illness and how it affects people – how it affected her.

A very emotional read and very didactic, that I recommend to anyone suffering with any kind of mental illness or that knows someone in that condition. And trust me, you know someone. We all do. The difference lays on how much this person needs outside help.

Once again, thanks to Rebecca for sending me her book and trusting me with her feelings 🙂