I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried from this being amazing. I recommend it for those looking for a good suspense book. My only complaint is that in order to make it a standalone, the author gave away too much of the plots of the previous books.

James Coast's compelling narrative in "Forgive My Insanity" delves into the intricate challenges faced by individuals amidst a psychotic episode. As readers embark on James's candid storytelling, they witness a profound journey through the blurred lines of reality, where hallucinations and delusions seamlessly intertwine with his daily existence. This tumultuous exploration ultimately guides him towards self-discovery and a spiritual battle amidst the chaos.

What was truly interesting was the slow unraveling of James’ grip on reality. While I always thought that the descent into psychosis was immediate, that was merely an assumption. It should be noted that the theme of Christianity and religion is offered up in this book. Don’t be swayed away from this novel however, if you are not religious. There is much more offered in this book.

This book allows a front seat view into descent and ascent from a mental illness. It offers hope to those that may suffer from mental illness or may be impacted by family members and friends with mental illness. All is not lost upon a diagnosis. There is hope to be had and James’ book clearly shows that. I recommend this book to anyone that is affected by mental illness in some capacity (self, friend, family member). I applaud the honesty and forthright manner in which this book was written. James was unafraid to share his story in the hope that he would help others.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a truly interesting book told from the perspective of the author as he goes through a psychotic episode in his life.
It was a change in reading style for me but very effective in that I felt like I was “in his head” and it made sense what he thought through the entire process. I am so glad he got the help he needed in a timely manner as I know finding a diagnosis such as this can sometimes take months to years.

“Pardon My Psychosis" by James Coast offers a compelling exploration of the mental, physical, and spiritual challenges faced by individuals experiencing a psychotic break. Through James's candid narrative, we witness the unraveling of reality as hallucinations and delusions intertwine with his everyday life, ultimately leading to a journey of self-discovery and spiritual warfare amidst chaos.

Coast's writing effectively communicates the complex themes of psychosis, mental illness, and christianity, providing valuable insight into the human experience. The seamless integration of these elements creates a captivating narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Prior to reading this book, my understanding of psychosis was limited, and I had assumed it involved sudden breaks with notable warning signs. However, Coast's writing slowly takes readers down the rabbit hole, illustrating that for some, the descent into psychosis may be gradual and imperceptible until they are fully immersed, only becoming aware once their behaviour begins impacting others. I was particularly struck by James's own walk with Christianity, which added a unique layer to his story and offered a compelling lens through which to explore the complexities of mental illness. Despite not being religious myself, I found this aspect of the narrative to be deeply impactful and allowed readers to fully follow the authors own descent through a tangible lense. I was also struck with the final chapters of this book, in which Coasts reflects on his experiences. Personally, I’ve never thought of what happens after and although I was heartbroken at the continued confusion and anxiety of relapsing that Coast shared, I was grateful that he shared this part of his journey so that I can be more aware moving forward.

Overall, "Pardon My Psychosis" is a poignant and thought-provoking memoir that sheds light on the often misunderstood world of psychosis. Coast's ability to convey the emotional depth of his experiences while maintaining a sense of hope and resilience is commendable. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of mental illness and the human spirit.

In conclusion, "Pardon My Psychosis" is a must-read for its ability to blend raw honesty and vulnerability. Coast's narrative flows effortlessly, captivating readers with its powerful storytelling and relatable themes. This book offers not only insight into the complexities of mental illness but also a message of hope and redemption that resonates long after the final page.

I’d like to thank NetGallery, the Publisher, Author and all those who helped create this novel behind the scene. I’m very grateful to have an Advance Reader Copy and to share my thoughts. Id highly recommend reading Pardon My Psychosis when it hits shelves on the 19th March 2024.

I received a free copy of, Pardon My Psychosis, by James Coast, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Psychosis is a scary thing. The mind has always fascinated mean, the complexities of it. How you can absolutely believe in things that others don't see or hear. This is James memoir of his psychosis. Mental illness effects everyone differently, this is James unique story.

The memoir is about Coast, who a couple of years earlier, had a sudden mental breakdown that lead to a diagnosis of Bipolar I with psychosis. This memoir covers the initial actions and thoughts of the author as he spiraled into mania, delusions and hallucinations, then as he's admitted to a psychiatric facility before giving his reflections a couple of years out of that initial breakdown.

A very heavy theme of this book is religion. All his mania seems to revolve around his faith, from seeing angels and demons in strangers, to being convinced that the rapture has happened. I'm not a religious person myself, so the constant preaching (that Coast was doing to other people) started to get frustrating after some time, but I can also see that someone who is religious may relate to this theme better than I can.

Saying that, the final chapter has Coast reflecting about mental illness was a good read. If anything else, the final chapter really ties together the book and could be read on its own at various points, as a sometimes much needed reminder for those struggling with their mental health.

"A once normal life now shattered like a piece of defective pottery at the hands of its distraught maker."

In what will be definitely remembered as one of the most smashing debuts of 2024, James Coast takes the readers by the hand and invites them to occupy his headspace during the tempestuous outbreak of mania. The authenticity and bravura by which the author handles his subject matter are indicative of a bona fide talent who took a big risk in his first writing attempt, choosing a distressing, even disturbing, main theme, nevertheless ultimately scoring highly in every aspect. While Pardon My Psychosis may be classified as a memoir, it certainly stands out among the other works of the genre. The author is himself the first-person narrator of a story that is brimming with insightful introspection and profound inner monologues that allow the quintessence of mania to be fully revealed. The book features a powerful first sentence, with Coast employing a sublime metaphor that encapsulates the essence of mental illness and sums up its devastating consequences for the sufferer.

The relationship of the narrator with God is one of the core motifs permeating the entirety of the text and Coast, a devout man of faith, is daring enough to intermingle psychosis and religion, never losing focus and remaining respectful towards the readers, believers or not. The author excels in the parts where he sinks his teeth deep into the description of the disrupted thought process and overwhelming elation experienced by a manic person. At one point, Coast makes use of a vivid simile as he mentions the Holy Book: "The words were a jumbled bowl of prophetic spaghetti." Confusion reigns in the narrator's mind, leading him astray to the perilous road of grandiosity, the pinnacle of the sickness; the man believes that he is God's chosen, thus as omnipotent as the creator of the universe.

Despite the book being a true-to-life account of the author's personal experiences while battling mental illness, it often feels more like a thriller, the tension gradually escalating to reach a climax and then melting away to let the afflicted breathe freely again and find his footing in the world, away from the distortion and turmoil imposed by the sickness. As a bipolar myself, I was diagnosed 11 years ago, and I've been on medication since, I know first-hand the hallucinogenic perception of reality by the manic and I always aspired to write someday an account of my own experience. After reading Pardon My Psychosis, though, I realize that I couldn't come even close to Coast's brilliant and accurate portrayal. His prose is something to be relished and doesn't even for a moment allow the reader to think that the author is a novice. I cannot recommend this title strongly enough and I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange of an honest review. The title will be released on March 19, 2024.

This is such an important read. The more books about mental health we can get out to the general public, the better. Thank you so much for this!

Pardon my psychosis is very well written. James carries you into his experience with psychosis due to Bipolar. Reading his story gives a visceral experience of the struggle and confusion of psychosis and the ways it can impact those around you. He weaves in how his Christian faith played into his delusions as well as how it provided support throughout his experience. It brought up some of my church/faith trauma and I really enjoyed considering how his faith impacted him.

I really tried hard to read this one, but within the first five pages the religious speak was too much for me and I had to DNF it.

Insert long exhale here.......... This book is so important. I have someone very close to me that also was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 in 2021 after a massive psychotic break. We knew nothing at the time. There was no family history or education in the world that prepared us for that chapter of our lives. Three suicide attempts. In-patient care for the majority of that year. Lithium was literally a life saver, along with therapy and some life changes. But this isn't about me. Reading through this experience (albeit, different than ours, but much the same) from the authors point of view shook me to my core. I cried through a large portion of the book just because it was surreal to read about it in a context that I couldn't fully understand before now. Thank you for sharing your valuable experience and I pray that you are able to help many people with your story. This book is well written, very detailed, and explains so much. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Featured more Christian spirituality than I had realized. I appreciated the author's vulnerability in writing this memoir, and I hope it reaches people and makes them feel more hopeful and less alone. Thanks for the ARC!

As a clinical social worker, I did enjoy the descriptions of what the author was going through during his manic episode. I will say I wonder how much is embellished since he admits to memory lapses often and it would be difficult to remember all this after the fact, but I think the key pieces are relevant. I also, personally, wasn't a fan of the significant amount of religion and bible passages throughout but that is a personal opinion. The delusions surrounding it were one thing, but most of the last 2 chapters was surrounding this and I will admit it lost me and I vaguely skimmed through to get to the end.

Thank you for sharing your story!

Thought provoking and scary, a reminder that we are all dealing with people who have things going on that even they may not be aware of.

An introspective reflection ingrained with faith, hope, and the potential of what will be and can be in the future!

The first hand perspective of what it's like to experience a mental health crisis is eye opening to say the least. This memoir has the pacing of a thriller, which really brings out the uncertainty of what will happen next as I'm sure the author felt living through it. The imagery really brought the hallucinations to life with vivid descriptions that captured the intensity. I can now see why it would be hard to tell the difference between reality and what someone experiences.

The story builds like the 3 part story structure of a novel and gains intensity as it moves through the chapters. The psychiatry hospital is where it all broke loose for me. I couldn't put it down.

This book will be blessing to anyone who knows someone with a mental illness, as well as someone who lives with one. It will also be a great read for someone who is intrigued by spiritual warfare. My personal opinion is I believe there is a battle for our souls, and I also believe that may have been what drove the author to his breaking point.
As a Christian, mental health is not usually a topic of discussion, but it should be. His walk with God is very upfront from the very beginning and I enjoyed and learned from how his walk was strengthened even afterwards.

Was not expecting it to be as religious as it was but I still appreciate that someone took the time to solve a mental health problem and then write about the experience they had in solving it. A different take on dealing with what is going on in your head.