Voicemails from My Sister: Stories of a Schizoaffective Sibling

by Kate Russell

In "Voicemails from My Sister" author Kate Russell explores her sister Sibby's Bipolar Schizoaffective disorder through true stories that illustrate the disease and how medication both helped and hindered its progress. From her mother's drug use during pregnancy, which led to an incomplete diagnosis, to Sibby's current mental status, as a 37-year old ward of the state, Kate breaks down her sister's disease by highlighting events that contributed to the uprise and decline of her well being. Both heartbreaking and hilarious, Kate recounts true tales of her sister over the years, painting a picture of a unique, lovable victim of circumstance. Touching on their parents addiction, narcissism and neglect, Kate illuminates how their family's denial and unwillingness contributed to Sibby's disorder. A must read for anyone with a history of mental illness in their family, this quick read will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. Ultimately, you will fall in love with Sibby and be left rooting for her healthy recovery.

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2021

Reviews

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Voicemails from My Sister: Stories of a Schizoaffective Sibling
Author: Kate Russell

Star Rating: 3.5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 6/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 1/5
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
3 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
11 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘clarity of message’.
10 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
“Anybody trying to understand Bipolar Schizoaffective disorder will find this a compelling read. I felt it was very honestly written, accessible, and often even thought-provoking.” Male reader, aged 52
“In many ways, this is a very sad story; a story of child neglect and how drug taking during pregnancy can destroy a child’s future. The author even put in a little humour which was amazing. Although the odd paragraph is a little clumsy, this is a well-written book, honest, even compelling in parts. I congratulate the author on writing it.” Female reader, aged 45
“Reading this book, I often felt so angry at the parents. They can do so much damage, you sort of want to – well, I’ll let you guess what I want to do to them. Such a brave sister to put pen to paper in this way. Life has been such a struggle not only for Sibby, but also for the sister growing up with her. This is not a light read, but it is absorbing.” Female reader, aged 51

To Sum It Up:
‘The compelling story of a girl growing up in with mental illness in her family.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Sean Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caught Me Off Guard

I had just finished another book around 2:30am and wasn't quite ready for bed. I planned on reading a few pages of this book and then going to sleep. Two and a half hours later I finished the book. It's not often I laugh as hard as I did at a few lines in this novel. Kate does a wonderful job of humanizing a condition many people have never even run across, let alone had to live with. You can feel her love for her sister even if it is undercut with frustration and sadness, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Definitely worth a read.

[Paige Kirkaldie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Loved loved loved both Kate and Sibby. Finished it 5 hours after purchasing it, I just couldn't put it down.