Nightbird is a memoir by Shavaun Scott. After a startling hook, the author shares her childhood relationships and hardships, outlining her often zealous attachment to religion in her youth. Scott discusses times in her family's history when they overlooked mental illness or viewed it as something else, shaping her early perspective on mental health. She exits her affectionless first marriage and meets a man, Robert, with dualistic behavior. Most of the time, he gives her the attention she desires but also has a quick temper and an even faster way of gaslighting her into believing his unreasonable behavior is her responsibility. By the time she's ready to leave, Scott comes home to a horrific scene in her dining room, sending her spiraling for a period of time, despite her personal knowledge about psychotherapy.

Shavaun Scott's work is raw and truthful. It shows generational trauma and trauma bonding and provides a warning for people who are uncomfortable with setting boundaries. Scott saw the parallels in some of the clients with whom she worked, but she made excuses for her husband until the emotional unrest took its toll. With her empathy and affectional dehydration from her first marriage, Scott became Robert's therapist without realizing she had slipped into the role. The author's narrative may raise awareness about suicide and inter-partner abuse. The emotional rollercoaster will leave you in tears and enraged, but it also provides a sense of peace at the end of the story. Nightbird would be a great gift for anyone who is struggling with an emotionally abusive partner.

Nightbird by Shavaun Scott is an account of her life. Her father was barely around due to work, and her mother was not emotionally available. Shavaun was shaped by other various factors, such as deeply religious surroundings. This indoctrination causes constant fear in Shavaun of going to hell, as many of the things taught seem unattainable. At the age of fifteen, she meets Greg, who is much older than her, and they soon get married. Greg is also very religious, but he doesn’t help much with the children. After completing college, Shavaun files for divorce; this disappoints Greg greatly. The next husband is Robert, who is charming but has anger issues. Shavaun doesn’t leave Robert, despite the many red flags. How are things going to turn out for Shavaun? Will she recover when Robert takes his life?

Shavaun Scott takes one on a roller coaster of emotions as you read her memoir, Nightbird. The well-crafted work also covers many topics that will resonate well with audiences, such as mental health and various social issues, and religion, and how it impacts people. This thought-provoking work also gets one thinking about how surroundings and genetics affect behavior. Shavaun also ensured all events and emotions were vividly captured, which captured my attention. The language used is also easy to understand, which makes the work accessible to all kinds of readers. The reader will also appreciate the narration, which was excellent. This was an amazing read, and I look forward to reading something else by this talented author.