Welcome to Litsy!

I had really high hopes for this one. A personal memoir about a teenage girl kidnapped from her bed during the middle of the night & sent to a mental health institute. It sounds unreal, tragic, & exactly like something I would like to read. And then... The author feels like she's holding back. Like more happened but she hasn't had enough time to process it. This self monitoring left me skeptical. It was okay but not what I thought it would be. ⭐⭐⭐

I‘d like to start using 👉#nonfictionnovember but I‘ve been on such a nonfiction kick this year, I can‘t say I‘m specifically dedicating the month to it. Also, this one continues #theyearofthememoir from the perspective of a survivor of a “troubled teen” program. Gilpin‘s ordeal began when her parents enrolled her in a program with Carlbrook School (now closed). She spent the first 3 months in the woods followed by intense “reform” at the school.

It will forever feel weird to say I enjoyed a book about a human's bad experience. I do feel that reading about it, acknowledging it and learning from it, is the respectful thing to do. Elizabeth Gilpin had horrible experiences at Carlbrook School. She expressed herself in a way that was relatable. I hope that she continues to heal and sharing her experience with writing this book will help others.

5🌟 An absolutely harrowing memoir! This book had me reeling! Accounts of going through the troubled teen industry isn't something that gets written about enough considering it's prevalence. Gilpin does a great job recounting her experience and giving voice to others who went through similar experiences. This memoir really shows the lengths of what the human spirit can endure and recover from. My god, definitely recommend this one!

Took my daughter to the bookstore today. Plus, my #BAM order showed up. The only bad thing about getting new books is not being able to read ALL of them at the same time!! So excited for the tagged book. Looking forward to some #nonfiction especially Ethel Rosenberg!!