A review by ooohgoshtara
By the Time You Read This: The Space between Cheslie's Smile and Mental Illness―Her Story in Her Own Words by April Simpkins

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

In awe of her mother’s strength in being able and willing to carry out her daughters’ final wishes and making sure her memoir was published. I connected to this novel in a real way. It was an emotional read for me. I appreciated her sharing her feelings about the biggest moments in her life. Times when we wouldn’t imagine she’d be dealing with imposter syndrome or insecurities and an inner voice that always told her it still wasn’t enough. She wasn't enough. The pressure, scrutiny that comes with success as a black woman often the only black woman in spaces. Reading her thoughts in her own words gave us a intimate look into what her living with depression was like. This book is courageous, powerful and inspiring.