This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Memoir of a Mangled Mind by Steven Simmons Shelton is a courageous and raw memoir detailing the author's battle with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which developed as a response to childhood abuse. With unflinching honesty, Shelton recounts the complexities of managing his multiple personalities, some of whom led lives of their own, as he navigated adulthood, a legal career, and efforts to conceal his condition. The memoir explores his ethical compromises, the emotional and professional toll of his concealed disorder, and his journey toward healing and redemption, offering a powerful narrative of resilience in the face of trauma.
Author Steven Simmons Shelton crafts a narrative that reads with all the intensity of a psychological thriller while never losing sight of the deeply personal nature of his story. It's one of those books where you sometimes have to step back and take a beat to remember it's all from real life. His writing strikes a remarkable balance between professional insight and raw emotion, drawing readers into the complex reality of living with DID in a way that creates genuine understanding and empathy, yet it never feels off-topic or uncomfortably personal. I was profoundly moved by his ability to examine his past actions and their consequences without self-pity, offering instead a nuanced exploration of survival and healing, but in a narrative that is friendly and welcoming, and never too clinical. The way he describes the influence of his alters and their impact on his life creates an intimate portrait that helped me understand DID in ways that no clinical description ever could. Another outstanding feature is his extraordinary courage in sharing not just the trauma, but also the ethical compromises and mistakes made along his journey, creating a story that feels completely honest and deeply human. Overall, Memoir of a Mangled Mind is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexity of trauma and the profound strength required for healing.
