A Different Kind of Same, a memoir by Kelley Clink - TRUTH OR DARE Blog Tour

I received a complimentary book to help me write an honest review. I am participating in this  BookSparks' TRUTH OR DARE Blog Tour, reviews contain my own affiliate links for the books being read and discussed. #BookSparks

This month, I have a few more reads to add on top of the #SRC2015  Summer Reading Challenge with BookSparks. Over the next three weeks, I will be sharing 3 stunning debut memoirs full of incredible true stories that include secrets, hard truths and heart-pounding true stories. Huffington Post, Woman’s Day, and PopSugar all give these rave reviews and I think we all want to slip in a few more great reads before summer is over.

A Different Kind of Same - a memoir by Kelley Clink

Kelley Clink’s brother Matt was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teenager and had once attempted suicide but failed. Kelley was diagnosed with depression at a young age and had once attempted suicide but also failed. Two weeks before his college graduation, Matt attempted suicide again and this time he succeeded. This book traces Kelley’s journey through grief, her investigation into the role her own depression played in her brother’s death, and, ultimately, her path toward acceptance, forgiveness, resilience, and love.

“Kelley Clink laces suicide and mental illness with one of life's most important ingredients: hope. You need to read this book. It will change you.”— Gillian Marchenko, author of Sun Shine Down: A Memoir

My Review:

I am a huge fan of autobiographies and memoirs and this brave memoir from Kelley Clink is right up there with the best. Exploring a painful topic of mental illness, suicide and loss, it also tackles the complicated relationship between a brother and sister suffering in their own ways from the demons in their genes.

I appreciated the honesty with which the author shared her feelings, memories and journey of grief following her brother's suicide. It was a rare glimpse into the painful realities of living with depression and bipolar disorder. Kelly Clink could not only share how it felt when she was lost in her own depression, but how easy it was for her to miss the symptoms of her brother's problems.

Through the memoir, the author explored her own feelings of guilt and loss. It was a painful journey for those her brother left behind, and author Kelley Clink shared a raw and vulnerable side of herself in this journey.

Heavy subject matter, I wasn't left feeling overwhelmed. Instead I was left with hope and a feeling of awe for the amazing person that emerged on the other side of grief and understanding. Masterfully written, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a meaningful and though-proving read this summer.