Going into this book, I knew about Munchausen's [and MbP, though I know more about this], but in a much more technical way, clinical, from reading medical texts about it and the such. This book brings in the personal side of it and it is absolutely devastating. Helen suffers such neglect and abuse at the hands of her narcissistic mother [and an passive, largely absent father {who suffers from a real illness that also consumes the family and who in turn is often neglected by his wife because she is so wrapped up in being "sick" she cannot deal with him}, who, in my opinion is complicit in the abuse of Helen over the years] that it is a real wonder that she turned out as well as she did. She is really amazing and I think having such a normal relationship as she does with her husband Peter helped her, especially when they had children - being with him showed her what normal really was like and helped her really question all of the things her mother was inventing over and over. Narcissism is difficult enough, but when you add the Munchausen's [and Dr.'s willing to play into that], it becomes nearly impossible to be with that person. I admire Helen so much in that she stayed around her mother much longer than I would have been able to do, even when she confirms her mother is lying about what is going on. I admire that she stands up for her own children [so they don't see or hear their grandmother go off about all her "complaints"] and I REALLY admire her for walking away [even while working to try and get her the best care possible]. Walking away from toxic people is one of the hardest things you can ever do and the fact that she is able to and then to come to grips with her own life and the past and move forward is amazing. The last few chapters where she recounts her mother's diaries and what they reveal is some of the most heartbreaking things I have ever heard - I cannot even. Absolutely blew my mind.

This book hit really close to home for me - I grew up with an extremely narcissistic father [who I no longer have contact with] and that part of Helen and her mother's relationship was very familiar to me. I too was an "unwanted" child, who ruined his life and he never failed to remind me of that [especially after he had been drinking]. Reading how Helen's mother would treat her and the things she would say to her brought back unwanted memories and I cried right along with the author as she tried to navigate the waters of her teen years with a mother who cared little for her.
Unfortunately, as I was reading this, my relationship with my ex came into play and so many things that happened while I was married to him has made me question if he too had Munchausen's [he is absolutely a narcissistic sociopath, so what's one more thing right?] and a lot of things that happened in my marriage started making more sense to me and to be honest, just made me sad all over again. These are new revelations to me and I know I will need some time to processes them and figure out how to deal with all the emotions that reading this book brought forth. I know my heart hurts [for Helen, for myself and for all the people who's lives are affected by narcissism and Munchausen's as well as abuse and neglect] and I have cried buckets of tears - for all of us who have suffered at the hands of parents and caregivers and spouses. I can only hope that they too find the help and peace that Helen has and are able to move forward [and break the cycle]. I can only hope.

Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Naylor, and Thread books for providing this ARC and Audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**I was also given an audiobook ARC of this book, read by the author and it was really good. She does a good job at telling the story and there were moments where you can just hear the sadness and pain and frustration and all of the emotions that come with having a parent like that and it makes you just cry along with her. So well done!!

Wow just wow. This book was not only fascinating but stressful and heart wrenching. Following along as Helen explained her life growing up with her mother, Elinor, was absolutely unreal.

Even though we only got Helen’s side of the story, she wrote this memoir in a way that felt very truthful about what it was like having a mother with munchausen’s, who also seemed to have a variety of narcissistic tendencies, and all the dramatics and stress that went along with that.

My heart absolutely broke for Helen in the moments where she described scenarios she experienced. I can’t imagine the constant spiral her mind was in trying to process these events that happened throughout her life up until her mother’s death (and even after.) There were times I felt legitimately mad, upset, bewildered, etc. and I was just a person listening to this story. I truly can’t wrap my head around experiencing anything Helen went through but I commend her deeply for persevering and creating a good life for herself, her husband and their children.

I absolutely loved listening to this (Helen does narrate the audiobook so that’s really neat) but I think would’ve enjoyed it just as much if I had actually read it. The story is so incredibly moving and I think anyone could enjoy it.

I want to thank netgalley and Thread Books for this ARC! The book drops November 24 so pre-order, add it to your TBR, write the title down somewhere, whatever it takes to remind you to read this! You won’t regret it ☺️

I'm as fascinated as the next person when it comes to illness fakers and personality disorders, so I couldn't wait to hear this book!

It is so well written. It was very easy to listen to when I was cleaning my house and driving. The author paints a vivid picture of her life and certainly has a gift of storytelling.

My advice to anyone reading or listening to this book would be to stick it out to the end, it does get "better". And by better I mean the juicy insights into the mother's Munchausen. I spent the first half of the book really enjoying the writing and the way the author tells her story but......her childhood seemed pretty normal to me! A lot of mothers have narcissistic personality traits and are daggy and embarassing. I failed to see how her childhood was "stolen". The author went on holidays to the US and was able to go to university. I almost turned off when she was talking about her parents kitchen renovation as though it was akin to abuse. Or her mother giving her a thick sanitary napkin instead of a tampon. Oh the 1980s horror! But I'm glad I saw this book through. It was a story of someone's life told very well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for a honest review.

Not really what I expected, it didn't go as deep as I'd like. But I still recommend it if you like the theme.

Helen experienced a great deal of psychologically damaging neglect and emotional abuse. She was forced to grow up too quickly in order to provide care to her supposedly sick mother. She had a closeness to her mother growing up that came by necessity and it’s one that led to resentment once her mother’s betrayal was clear. Her feelings are fair and valid. While I did not grow up with a mother who faked illness, there were still experiences Helen described that I found relatable, especially when considering the emotional impact of such treatment.

Still, there was so much in the tone of this that bothered me. I never wish to invalidate one’s experiences or their attempts to process those experiences. I wish I had learned more about Munchausen’s through this, but it ultimately felt like an angry journal (which is totally fair to write) that I am sure proved cathartic for the author. It just wasn’t enjoyable for me.

I sympathize with the injuries Helen is left to work through.

I am immensely grateful to Thread Books for my audio review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting story and true account of the author’s mother afflicted with Munchausens syndrome. The dynamics of the family and how it effects her husband, daughter, relatives and friends.
I had little knowledge of this mental illness before reading and it was quite eye-opening. Choosing illness to get attention and having it take over her life . This was the life of Eleanor Page.
It seems doctors were of little to no help and the author had to live her life as a neglected child and then a caregiver. As an adult Eleanor felt her grandchildren took time and attention away from her. Her personality was either rational or an off-the-wall hypochondriac.
I felt bad for the daughter, who longed for a real mother and towards the end I was sad to read a year had gone by with no contact between the two women.
I highly recommend the story. The author does a wonderful job as narrator Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutre

This book is Helen Naylor's account of growing up with a mother suffering from Munchausen's disease. It reads like very compelling narrative fiction but for Helen and her family this story is, unfortunately, all too real. The writing switches between Helen's memories of various events in her life where she suffers varying degrees of abuse and endless gaslighting at the hands of her mother and actual excerpts from her mother's diary. I found it so interesting to see these events from both perspectives and how disjointed her mom was from reality. This was a difficult read at times but I found myself unable to put it down. I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by the author and I thought she did an excellent job of telling the story.

A shocking and distressing story from a daughter torn between her love for her mother and wanting to protect her and her family from the cruel manipulation and abuse from the person you should be able to trust most in the world to care and protect you.

I found myself compelled to keep listening to this audiobook, such a heartbreaking story. I really recommend.

i am not usually one for nonfiction, but this book was so good. the writing was straightforward with a good balance between feelings and emotion to keep you engaged, and plot to keep the story moving. having a parent who also suffers from npd sometimes it was hard to read, but i definitely connected with the story. would 100% recommend. (4.9)

In this book Helen Naylor the author is brutal honest on how her mother affected her life. How her mother’s lies shaped the way they lived and their relationships with each other. It was the first book of this type I had listened too and it brought the subject of munchausens home to me. The fact the author also narrated this book was brilliant.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy

I really liked the concept of this book and feel awful for Ms. Naylor and all that she went through. Unfortunately I was hoping for a little bit "more." drama. I did really appreciate how this memoir read almost like a piece of fiction. It was easy to read and follow.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thread Books for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book was hard to listen too, because I too, have had many experiences similar to Helens . After dealing with a narcissist mother, and a munchausen father I found this book to be helpful in my own healing but also heart-wrenching. I never understood how a person can lie for so many years and not feel one sliver of guilt. Yes this mum was severely narcissist and they lack empathy. However how does one get away with the lies for years and years. And I too had a sick parent who unknowingly took my childhood from me too. I saw some reviews saying the author was playing victim and also showed self pity., I don't feel this way., I feel that when you have a lifetime of mental abuse and manipulation it can really effect your physical and mental well being.. there was some parts that dragged on but overall it was interesting and heartbreaking..

Received an advance copy of the audio version of My Mother, Munchausen's and Me written and narrated by Helen Naylor.

The story is a memoir of Helen's life and how her mother's illness impacted her as a child and beyond. She shares portions of her mother's diary that she has recieved after her mother's death.

The story is a honest and often sad how the issues Helen's parents had impacted her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. This book was just okay on audio. Narrative non-fiction is tricky on audio, and I think that this misses the mark. The story is captivating but gets off topic a lot which is frustrating. i enjoyed parts of it and others not so much. 2/5 stars.

I found this to be a highly enjoyable and well written memoir. Told through the eyes of the daughter but also with insight from her mother's daily journal entries.

Helen knew she did not have a normal childhood but she thought she still had a good one considering her parent's disabling illnesses. But decades later learning that her mother had been faking her conditions and could have been a normal mom makes her rethink how she was raised.

The audiobook was read by the author and I think she did an outstanding job. Even better than professional audio readers. Highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thread Books for an advanced audiobook for review.

I was super excited about this book from the title alone. I love being a voyeur into someone's personality disorder, the more obscure the better. Unfortunately, this book didn't rise to the level of excitement that I was hoping for. At no point was I dying to know what her mother was going to do next. This is a memoir of Helen, a woman whose mother was constantly ill and taking to her bed and seemed to revel in any attention her fragility garnered. I didn't understand really the significance of the excerpts from her mother's diaries, until the end of the book where Helen explains each entry. We hear about Helen's life from childhood to adulthood and it was just too burdened with small details that made it seem to drag on. Perhaps my issue was with the Helen herself, she put up with much more than I would have under the banner of "being a good daughter" and "she's my mom" especially when pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.
I listened to the audio version of this book and the author narrated her own memoir and I thought did a very good job.

Many thanks to #NetGalley and ThreadBooks for allowing me to review an advanced copy of #MyMotherMunchausensandMe.

This audio version of the book, which I listened to all the way through despite having read some of the written version too, is extra special as it is read by the author and person who experienced the story herself. This makes the whole experience all the more engaging. Helen is a great reader.
There is no need for me to retell the storyline as that is done better by the professionals but it is not giving anything away to say that you will come into an increasingly emotional roller coaster ride as this book continues. I can well believe that this type of life actually happened, especially the early chapters. However I did get a bit fed up of the same sort of stories in repeat (I'm sure it was like that but ...) and feel that the book would have benifitted from editing to about 80% of its final length.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review as well as an audio copy for review.

I don't know where to begin with this book. The story is so compelling and sucks the reader right in. It sounds like fiction and reads like it, but incredibly it is non-fiction. Helen (the author and a fantastic narrator) tells us of growing up as the daughter of two disabled parents. As she grows and becomes more aware of her mother's behaviours and illnesses, Helen discovers that her mother actually likes being sick - she craves the attention. The entire book is gripping; and when you really think about it, terrifying. The toll that her mother's lies had on Helen are immeasurable. I can't even imagine the strength that Helen must posses to overcome her past. This book will stick with you long after you are finished.

Wow! This is a crazy story and with Munchausen's becoming a popular topic ever since the Gypsy Rose case I knew I had to read this book! I was not disappointed at how this book was written, my heart is full of sorrow for the author because of everything she went through!
The author starts off with when she was a child and the passive-aggressive side of her mother with her, and how she was basically left to fend for herself growing up because her mother needed her to sleep in the afternoon. Then when Helen overhears a conversation between her mother and one of her mother's friends about her father may die at any moment, her mother unknowingly gave her this complex that if her father was gone she would have to take care of her.
As time went on Helen did her best to do well in school and in her studies, nothing was worth praise or anything like that. It was all about Elinor's disease and what was going on with her.
As time progresses the author is often put on the spot because her mother was competing for her attention even over Helen's own children. When Elinor was meeting her grandchildren or even visiting if the visit did not cater to her or her diseases she would have an episode to where she would need help or something. This, of course, caused Helen to back off and take care of her family and when that happened Helen was starting to get accused of abandoning her mother in her time of need because she was an awful daughter.
This book was really interesting because it's kind of interesting when Elinor kept a diary for her whole life and with that Helen was able to get a glimpse of her mother's twisted mind and her own thoughts. Elinor pretended for over 30 years to have different chronic diseases to gain concern and the attention that she wanted, she wanted to be the center of attention at all times.
This novel is about a sorrowful, stolen childhood, mental illness, and what a toxic bond can do to a person.
I listened to the audiobook of this book and the author was the narrator and it was really nifty to hear the story from the author! I would definitely recommend this audiobook!
Thank you Netgalley and Thread Books for the opportunity to read and review this one!

The author narrates her own story, and this made it that much more interesting for me. You can hear the anguish in her voice as she recounts memories of growing up with her mother and in adulthood, trying to navigate her own family, while also caring for her mom. I don't want to say too much, but it is a sad story for all involved. I'm familiar with some of the same behaviors in a couple of my family members, so I sympathize with Helen. You want to help and be involved, but it can get so overwhelming. Mental health issues are a huge concern for so many. I hope this book and others like it will help others sharing similar experiences.