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Melissa Burke (22) lives in Massachusetts with her parents, sister, grandmother and her pets (a dog, two hamsters and six chickens). She is a shift captain at her local animal shelter and a volunteer at a local animal sanctuary (Winslow Farm). Melissa likes to watch TV shows and movies and also loves to knit, read and write.
She is the author of Poetry And Short Stories By A Bipolar Girl, It's Just One Of Those Days, The Darkness And The Light and 46.
Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite
46 by Melissa Burke is a collection of poems written over a period of several years. Melissa is a young woman battling several mental illnesses including bipolar disorder, eating disorder, OCD, and depression. As may be imagined, her poems have a raw power and quality to them. The poems in this collection were written at various points in her life and reflect various moods and emotions, and give a glimpse into the mind of a person suffering from a mental illness. I felt that I could really empathize with Melissa and this book is an opportunity for people to read about and understand what it feels like to have an “invisible” illness, which is what most mental illnesses tend to be.
Melissa Burke is extremely gifted as a writer and her poems are some of the most lyrical and moving that I have read in a very long time. Her struggles and hopes clearly show through in her writing. This is one the most authentic, raw, and soul-searching piece of writing I have come across in a long time and full credit goes to Melissa for being brave enough and courageous enough to open up and bare her soul to the world. An absolutely enthralling read that will hopefully go a long way towards educating people on what mental illness feels like and create more awareness and compassion for the people suffering from one. This is one book that I will read over and over again that I would highly recommend to everyone.
