Between the Bliss and Me

Praise for Between the Bliss and Me

“Lizzy Mason has done it again. Between the Bliss and Me is an eye-opening look at the impact of mental illness on the mentally ill, their families, and society. Sydney’s story is so compelling and real, I couldn’t put this book down.”
—Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of A Curse So Dark and Lonely
 
“Between the Bliss and Me . . . doesn’t only cover the genetic components of an illness like schizophrenia, but also the ethics of forcibly medicating and institutionalizing the mentally ill. It discusses the mass rates of incarceration faced by the mentally ill in America today . . . This book serves as a great history lesson in mental health politics as well as being an all-around great story.”
—Buzzfeed

“Filled with hope, Between the Bliss and Me brings forth a close exploration into the world of mental illness.”
—The Nerd Daily

“Filled with compassion and hope, Between the Bliss and Me opens a window into the world of mental illness in an intimate, eye-opening, and thought-provoking way. Impossible to put down; readers will finish the last page knowing that love, acceptance, and self-care are the keys to living one’s best life.”
—Liza Wiemer, author of The Assignment

“Between the Bliss and Me is an exquisitely written and magnificently compelling piece of storytelling. Sydney is a refreshingly authentic lead who charges through the pages, riffling through her family’s past to prepare for her own future. Truly, Mason’s sophomore novel is a can’t-miss book.”
—Rachel Strolle, Glenside Public Library
 
“Strongly appealing . . . Mental illness is handled with sensitivity.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A riveting read about dealing with mental illness.”
—School Library Journal

“Examines the paradoxes of schizophrenia and the challenges of an uncertain future . . . Will remind readers of Gilmore Girls.”
—Booklist

“Mason (The Art of Losing) provides a depiction of schizophrenia from a range of lenses, including personal, familial, legal, social, and medical. Some monologues communicating complex issues, such as the state of the U.S. mental health care system, may have better served as an author’s note, but Mason’s care in portraying the complexity of the mental disorder, as well as her exploration of genetic legacy and inherited emotional baggage, is laudable.”
—Publishers Weekly

“In turns sweet, funny, romantic, and heart wrenching, Between the Bliss and Me is a powerful and moving contemporary told with grace and truth.”
—Joy Preble, Brazos Bookstore (Houston, TX)

“Between the Bliss and Me will hit you right in the feels. Set during that unique time between high school and college, the book packs an emotional punch while exploring themes about family, first love, and mental health. It’s smart, realistic fiction with heart and humor.”
—Sara Gundell, Novel Novice 

“Sydney has spent years navigating the complicated relationships in her life, which only becomes harder when she defies her mother’s wishes about college and learns the truth about her absent father. The summer between high school and college becomes a turning point she could never have imagined, bringing all of her issues crashing together in a wave that threatens to destroy the person she’s worked so hard to become. Between the Bliss and Me is a heartbreaking exploration of the legacy of family mental illness and how it touches everyone in reach, rendered sensitively and beautifully under Lizzy Mason’s deft hands.”
—Melissa Posten, The Novel Neighbor (St. Louis, MO)