Therapy Review

Therapy

(Therapy Book #1)

By,

Kathryn Perez

3.5 Stars

I’m needy.

I’m broken.

Cutting breaks through my numbness, but only opens more wounds.

Depression, self-harm, bullying....that's my reality.

Sex and guys....that's my escape.

The space between the truth and lies is blurred leaving me torn, lost and confused. And while the monsters that live in my head try to beat me-- the two men that I love try to save me.

This is my story of friendship, heartache, and the grueling journey that is mental-illness.

Sometimes you have to get lost in order to be found…

“Their weapons aren’t illegal, yet they cut me deeper than a blade ever could. Hiding behind electronic shields, they use their words like swords.”

Is you are in the mood for an emotional read than I would pick this one up. This book follows the life of Jessica Alexander. She uses sex and cutting to get through the bullying she suffer in High School. But it’s also about love and having people that care about you so much they let you be you. You don’t have to pretend. You just have to be the person you were meant to be. This book shines a light on what it really means to live with a mental disability and all of the people that beat on you because they don’t understand. This also shows a girl’s fight to get healthy no matter how many times the world beats her down.

Jessica.

“I. See. You. Jessica Alexander.”

Jess is going through high school with a mental illness she doesn’t even know she has. She gets bullied all through High School for being different until Jace comes into her life. He has always tried to stop the bullying but eventually it becomes too much and he breaks off his relationship with the mean girl. Jess and Jace become friends and then lovers. She makes a mistake that costs them their future. She runs and doesn’t see him again for six years. She starts a group therapy where she meets Kingsley and her life changes again. I really liked Jess’s character. She was strong even when she thought she was weak. Her making the choice to get healthy is a big step and her choice really shines the light on the fact that a lot of people grow up with mental illness and don’t even know it. It also shows that you have to have a whole lot of strength to make those kinds of choices.

Jace

“I belong to you, Jess. My heart has belong to you since I scooped you up off the ground over six years ago. That has ever changed.”

Jace was popular in high school. He dated the high school’s mean girl until he realized just how bad she really was. He became Jessica’s friend and wanted to keep it that way. Until he couldn’t anymore. Jessica leaves him when he goes to college and he never hears from her again. He starts to date someone else and when he finds Jess again he is engaged to be married. His life is empty and he didn’t see that until he saw Jess again. I actually didn’t like Jace’s character at all. I was happy that he stood up for Jess but their relationship was all kinds of unhealthy. For the both of them.

Kingsley.

“You’ve awakened a part of me that’s been locked away for the past year. I love you and if loving you is wrong, then I don’t ever want to be right.”

Kingsley is going through his own form of heartbreak. He is finally mourning the two lives he lost over a year ago. He meets Jess in group and can see a kindred spirit. He needs to know her. He starts to be her friend even though they both know they want more. They take it slow until they both admit they love each other. I loved Kingsley’s character. Even though he was going through his own rough time he understood Jess and let her be the person she was all the while pushing her to be the person she could be. Kinglsy helped Jess get as close to healthy as he possible could and gave her the strength the choose treatment.

“I don’t love him because I want his love or because of some incessant need. I love him because he sees me and allows me to be me while never letting me forget who I can be. He never tries to fix me and he always, no matter how mad it makes me, forces me to see past my own bullshit. I love him in an I’ve never loved before. I love him unselfishly.”

This was a really great book. The writing flowed well. It was also beautiful. Poetry and the way the book was actually written took my breath away. Mental Illness, no matter what it is, is something that people still don’t understand and don’t know how to deal with. With these kinds of stories out there I think people will start to understand what it means to live with mental illness or how it is to love someone who has a mental illness. This was a powerful book and I enjoyed reading it.

Now I am going to go into the story a little so if you don’t want any type of spoilers about the end don’t read any further. Click the buy link. Read the book and then come see my opinion about the end.

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OK one more chance to leave with a spoiler free review......

I actually really hated the ending. I don’t think Jess got the happy ending that she deserved. I mean she made the decision to get healthy and she is on her way but other than that I wouldn't consider this an HEA. She is going back to an unhealthy relationship that I feel will feed her triggers for her illness. She lost the one person that made her stronger. That showed her how to love and how to be loved. I really think the ending didn’t do the story any justice. It actually infuriated me. When He died I almost didn't finish it. I feel like if what happened with Kingsley didn’t happen I would have been able to give this book another star. I could have loved this book. Jessica had been through so much. I think giving her a strong person and a great HEA is something she deserved and Jace is not that for her. Sorry to all you Jace fans out there. I really didn't like his character.

That is all. The only spoiler from me. Go read the book! 

Leave me a comment. Did you like the ending? How do you feel about Jace and Kingsley?