My Story Isn't Over


Non-Fiction - Autobiography
174 Pages
Reviewed on 08/31/2019
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Author Biography

Natasha Simon is the author of “My Story Isn’t Over” and co-author of “The Bi-Polar Express” and “Panic Stations along The Bi-Polar Express”.

She is also an artist; painting semicolons on canvas and selling or donating the paintings and miniatures around the Blue Mountains and Sydney to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental health.

Natasha is a qualified counsellor who runs mental health support groups; including a BiPolar support group.

She lives and works in the Blue Mountains of Australia.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

My Story Isn't Over by Natasha Simon is her autobiography as she recounts her mental illnesses and moves in her life, conquering one thing at a time. Divided into 2 parts, the author shares her stories, her worries and her successes in small chapters that allow the reader to understand what is happening with her and how she is trying her best to excel at everything she does. This is not a self-help book, this is not a book that will give you a magical cure-all, but this is a book that will give courage to people who are suffering from any form of mental illness or any kind of physical condition. The author handles a multitude of illnesses, recounting what they mean to her, how she copes with them, and shares how she fights these things one day at a time.

This feels like a personal note for the reader, a conversation that you have with a friend and feel connected to. I am amazed at how Natasha Simon is resilient enough to get up every morning and fight her anxieties to become the best she can be. The chapters are short, which makes it easier to read and understand. She shares some very valuable lessons with readers, she gives them courage and she makes sure that they want to get to their feet and fight back. The language is simple yet powerful; it is passive yet very positive. You never feel sad while reading this book, you will only feel the urge to do better, become better and make sure that you are proud of you! I loved this book and the very essence of it. Brilliant and very helpful!

Tiffany Ferrell

In Natasha Simon’s autobiography, we look through the author's eyes and the everyday struggle it is living with bipolar disorder. In the beginning, she explains the reason for the title of her book, My Story Isn’t Over. It comes from the 'semicolon project' in which the semicolon means that 'my story isn’t over.' It’s a suicide and mental health movement that grows every day. Simon covers various ups and downs that she has experienced living with this mental illness. From stories of depression to stories of extreme mania and the many, many partners that she fell for who ended up breaking her in the end, we also read about the good moments and the achievements the author accomplished despite it all.

I really enjoyed My Story Isn’t Over. The writing is witty and flows easily, which catches readers' attention and keeps them motivated. It also gives us both good and bad moments in her life which are very relatable, especially to a person who suffers from bipolar themselves. I find it a great read for someone who has a loved one or knows someone that suffers from mental illness and Natasha Simon literally walks you through her struggle as if you are in her shoes. Most books on mental illness are facts and what you find in the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders. It’s hard to understand and get how a bipolar person truly feels through medical texts and books of the sort. My Story Isn’t Over goes above and beyond and really gives you a first-hand account of living with the illness.

Benjamin Ookami

In My Story Isn't Over, Natasha Simon starts off with a slightly seriocomical introduction which states when a semicolon is used and she draws an interesting comparison by stating what it means in the realm of suicide awareness and mental health. The author gives readers useful advice as she takes them on a journey through her career as a counselor, which comes in handy for readers who lack the support and knowledge to keep going in the face of suicide, mental illness, addictions, and a wide range of medical conditions. She struggled with mental and physical conditions at a young age. Her life's mission became to save as many lives as she could.

In Simon's previous books, titled The Bi-Polar Express and Panic Stations along The Bi-Polar Express, the subject she focused on a lot was bullying, but not suicide. In My Story Isn't Over, the reader enjoys a well-formatted book divided into two parts: the first is based on the author's younger years before she got her counseling diploma. The second part is where we see her work and grow into loving herself. I found Natasha Simon's book to be helpful for people who might suspect that they are struggling with a variety of mental illnesses. Therefore, if they want to learn how to cope with one, maintain a happy family and enjoy a wonderful career, I see this witty and practiced author's work as the answer.

Ankita Shukla

Mental illness has always been a sensitive topic and, in a way, it has been a taboo in society. A discussion about physical ailments is acceptable; however, any conversation regarding your mental health must be done behind closed doors. Slowly but surely this mindset is changing; unfortunately, the pace of this change is quite slow. Natasha Simon has done a commendable job of sharing this aspect of her life in My Story Isn't Over. She struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and many other medical conditions. By revealing the impact of these conditions on various aspects of her life, she has provided much-needed insight into the mind and thought processes of a person suffering from mental illness.

On her low days (or moments), she often considered committing suicide; however, the unconditional love of her family prevented her from taking her own life. A simple punctuation mark of a semi-colon worked as a lifesaver for Natasha. This symbol made her realize that her story wasn't over. Although she has her own demons to slay, she actively helps others fight their issues. She feels very strongly about suicide-prevention programs and bullying. Other than that, she has been working in several support groups. She has rough days when she can't stop crying, but those days don't dictate her life.

Natasha Simon is a living and breathing example that life doesn't end with the diagnosis of mental illness. You can do anything if you just believe in yourself. With an unwavering determination and the help of friends, family, and professionals, Natasha has been contributing so much to society. I would recommend My Story Isn't Over by Natasha Simon to readers who wish to understand different aspects of mental health and also to those who are having a hard time coping with their own mental health.

Astrid Iustulin

How can a small punctuation mark like the semicolon be so significant to people who have bipolar disorder? Natasha Simon answers this question in her book My Story Isn’t Over. Here, Simon reveals the effect of bipolar disorder on her life and how important it is to believe that there is something worth living for, even in the darkest moments. Simon recalls both difficult and pleasant experiences with candor. She also lingers on various medical issues she has besides bipolar disorder. Most importantly, she speaks her mind about controversial topics like suicide and its consequences and also offers advice to people who need help.

My Story Isn’t Over is a remarkable book from many points of view. The first aspect I like is Simon’s honesty. She wrote her book with commitment, and the result is a vivid and emotional picture of her thoughts. She also makes you realize how bipolar disorder affects your life, and she is commendable because she can talk about it. Second, I like that she asks many questions and leaves them open. These questions are often difficult to answer, and perhaps there is not an unambiguous answer at all, but they invite reflection. Last, I am grateful for the advice she gives now and then on her pages. I hope that people going through difficult times will find it useful and will benefit from it. My Story Isn’t Over is a book everyone should read. Simon’s appeal to be kind and avoid hurting others is a lesson we need to learn nowadays, one more time.

Jamie Michele

Over the past 18 months, I have seen photo posts of no less than six acquaintances who have gotten a semicolon as a tattoo, so when My Story Isn't Over by Natasha Simon crossed my path, I knew I had to pick it up. The author begins this non-fiction guide with an explanation of the semicolon's significance with relation to mental health issues (as well as addiction, but that's a different book for another day), then chronicles her own personal journey with Bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, mania, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It also touches on suicide and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder over the course of two comprehensive parts: TheBiPolar Express and Semicolon Ongoing Support. Part memoir and part self-help guide for the layperson, Simon offers up experience and factual data in a straightforward, honest, and wholly relatable way.

I admit that Natasha Simon's book, My Story Isn't Over, spoke to me on something of a spiritual level. There's quite a bit that I couldn't identify with but recognized as issues others have spoken of, and a great deal that I knew first-hand. I enjoyed Simon's writing style, which felt like a friend sitting on the couch conversing with me, and the open narrative that talks with its reader as opposed to talking at them. Medical jargon is broken down into understandable terms and Simon's own stories thread through and give weight to the experiences being conveyed. I would highly recommend this book to those who have or know someone who is living with mental health issues, particularly as they relate to Bipolar disorder.