Defective

by Susan Sofayov

University of Pittsburgh law student, Maggie Hovis, battles an enemy she cannot escape-her own brain. Her family calls her a drama queen. Her fiancé, Sam, moves out after she throws a shoe at his head. Maggie knows there is only one way to get him back-control her moods. So she takes the step most of her family is therapy. After a diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder, Maggie begins to investigate her family tree-which is plagued by mental illness and hidden relatives-and develops empathy for her deceased Great Aunt Ella, who lived her life in a mental institution. But Maggie's journey leads her into fear and insecurity, afraid she'll end up like Ella and never get Sam back. But what about Nick, her super-sexy old flame, who wants to reignite their passion? And does it even matter, anyway? Won't mental illness stop any man from loving her?

Genres: Fiction, Mental Health, Dark, Contemporary

308 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2014

Reviews

[Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I enjoy this book: Yes.

Defective is a brilliantly written, vividly descriptive, and painfully honest look at mental illness from the first person point of view. One particular exchange involving main character, Maggie, really touched my heart:

“We were really young. I don’t think either of us could have comprehended mental illness.”

“You’re right . . . but what I did understand was the pain I saw in your eyes. Maggie, you cried from your soul.” It gives me chills again as I type the words.

Fortunately, Mrs. Sofayov sprinkles just enough humor throughout the novel to prevent it from being too emotionally taxing for the reader. I especially liked the humor in the “About the Author” section.

“Susan Safayov lives in scenic, tropical Pittsburgh, PA . . . ” Scenic? Okay I’ll buy that. Tropical? Pittsburgh – tropical? Now that’s just crazy.

Would I recommend it: Yes. I think this would be a good discussion story for book groups.

As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.

http://everyfreechance.com/2014/05/re...

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming

When I read the synopsis and realized the book was about bipolar disorder, I just had to read it. My oldest son is bipolar. We did not get a diagnosis until he was in his 30's. It has been a rough road for all of us since none of the meds he has been on have worked long-term. Maggie's story touched me because my son has a 7 year old daughter and I find myself evaluating her behavior for signs of my son in her. So far she is very different from him and I pray she escapes his disease. This is a well written book and worth reading even if you don't know anyone with bipolar disorder . Bipolar people are not defective.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult story to rate because it covers so many things.

Following Maggie's struggles with Bipolar 2 and unwrapped the unspoken of her family we see the ways mental illness has touched the family.

My only real complaint with the book is how ending up with Nick is what finally assures Maggie that she's not defective. Not the fact that she seeks treatment on her own or anything, but the fact that there's a man to chase away her fears and reassure her instead of her own self worth was a little surprising to me.

[Mrs. Ashworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I can give this a positive enough review...

Personally, I don't enjoy romance in books. I don't like hearing someone being flushed over another person and their woes about their relationships - but it WORKED in this book.

Maggie's journey to finding out about her bipolar type 2 and her family history is something that I related to in such a powerful way. Her feelings of being cheated out of normalcy was something I struggled with for years, even un-medicated.

As someone with bipolar type 1, you read all these stories about people that go through euphoric mania and suicidal depression - but you don't hear the angry energy ever in bipolar type 1 or type 2. Atleast, I never got to.

I felt like finally someone understood what I meant about it! It's so hard to describe and finally I have a representation about it. For myself, I would self harm instead of lashing out. I knew something was wrong about it after 20 years, but knew if I was going to hurt anyone it was going to be myself.

I deserved the pain and suffering which I knew others felt because of me. Although the book didn't delve into that topic - it did the anger. That was what was important to me.

I would suggest any young woman who has any mentally illness or disorder, regardless what it is, to read this. Bipolar type 1. Bipolar type 2. Cyclothymic Bipolar. Anti-socail. Rapid Mood Cycling. Borderline. Anything.

You will see yourself in some way, shape, or form with Maggie. I'm glad she bought that headstone.

I just wish the book had been longer. I want to know what happens after and her continued journey with the new medications.

My heart breaks for you Maggie, but only because you made me realize all the things I had been bottling up.

[Amanda Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, wonderful story!

I received a copy of Defective in exchange for an honest review.

I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

Usually, when I'm reading for a review, I nit-pick the entire thing, making notes as I read it. Not the case with Defective. I could not put it down. From page one, I connected with Maggie, feeling her pain, fears, and despair. I wanted to find answers with her. I felt relief when she did. And her happy ending felt like MY happy ending.

Susan has written a touching story, bringing to light hard issues that many people face. If I hadn't known this was her debut novel, I'd say she's been on the New York Times best seller lists for years. Well done Susan!

[Nicki Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Woman's Search fot the Truth

Defective is a book about a
woman's search for the truth about family secrets,finding her true love and her mental health. The main character is stong willed and pushy at times but in the end she finds the answers to her life long questions. If you are interested in reading about what it's like to live with mental health issues this book is for you.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did very much enjoy this book, but it doesn't quite reach a 4 for me for various reasons. I did very much appreciate getting insight into what it's like to be bipolar from someone who has first hand experience.

I have my ups and downs and have struggled with depression from a young age, and so though I'm not bipolar a lot of what Maggie goes through is still recognisable from my worst periods of depression.

The author's note at the end is touching. She says she didn't realise that most people woke up in the same mood most of the time and that most people didn't hate themselves. Maybe that is true, but in my experience most people struggle and have moods and even mild depression at some point, and a lot of us struggle with self-esteem and sometimes feel like we're worthless. So while it's not as extreme as being bipolar I think most people fit somewhere in the middle. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the impression I get from most of my friends and family. Maybe we're just a weird bunch.

I have admittedly zero experience with pyschopharmaceuticals, mostly because they scare the crap out of me, but I do find it a bit hard to swallow (see what I did there?) that taking some pills turns her life from more or less living hell to pretty much perfection. I know drugs help people and that's awesome, but it just seems a little too picture perfect in this case. She's happy, stable, no noise in her brain, focused - I mean is that really what it's like for most people? If that's the case then I would also like a do-over please.

Thematically I find it hard to believe that she's obsessed with Sam for 90% of the book and then it suddenly dawns on her that she actually loved Nick all along. It seems like something that would grow gradually. The sudden realisation and the rushing to find him to see if she still has a shot has that sort of romcom ring to it which is something that doesn't happen in real life and therefore takes away a bit of the impact of the story.

This is more minor, but I also find it a little unbelievable that she seems so genuinely upset about Steph telling Amy about Nick. I mean it's 3 girlfriends hanging out and having drinks, of course you're going to talk about guys and relationships. Why is she so uptight? She doesn't seem to be in the rest of the book, so I found it a bit jarring.

Mostly the writing flows and it's easy to read and really compelling. But it's a bit awkward at times, giving too much detail about mundane things along the lines of "the doorbell rang, I went into to the hall and opened the door and retrieved the food and brought the food to the kitchen" - not a direct quote, it's not that bad, but you get my meaning.

The dialogue is good, but everyone keeps using the person they're talking to's name all the time. Like if someone is talking to Maggie they repeat her name each time it's their turn to speak. It's not like I don't know they're talking to her, so it doesn't make sense from a clarification standpoint, and in my experience that's just not how people talk.

So I have a few issues that knocked it down from a 4 (would be a solid 3.5 if I could give that), but I did absolutely enjoy it, and would recommend it for anyone who wants to know more about living with mental illness and being bipolar, while reading a good story.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a stigma about mental illness that is like no other. When people are physically ill, everyone around them wants to help. When people are mentally ill, everyone around them wants to run away. In Defective, Susan Sofayov tells the story of Maggie, who not only was unaware she had Bipolar 2 until in her 20s, but that many others in her family were similarly afflicted. Defective is the story of her journey toward acceptance of herself and during the process teaches her family that this unfair disease should no longer be swept under the carpet. Sofayov has Bipolar 2, so while this book is written as a really good novel, it feels almost as if it’s a part of her story as well. When picking up a book about mental illness, one doesn’t expect to fall in love with the characters, doesn’t expect to laugh with them, and certainly doesn’t expect to get so caught up in their lives that you want to tell them that they truly are worthwhile human beings. I loved this book. It has helped me to understand one of my dearest friends who lives with mental illness and takes medication for it. I commend Sofayov for writing with such gut-wrenching honesty while teaching us all a great big lesson about compassion.
~ Linda Thompson, Host of TheAuthorsShow.com

[Douglas Thornley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is why I love Goodreads, it gives me a chance to discover beautiful gems like "DEFECTIVE.' From the beginning I learned a wealth of information about people who suffer from a Bipolar condition. I love the way it put bipolar on the same plane as diabetes, high blood pressure or any other condition that requires daily medication for life. That's the way I look at other conditions also like alcoholism or drug addiction. These things should not be hidden or looked down on just as a heart murmur should not.
But the book is much more, it is a love, a mystery and detective story also. The last half of the book I could not stop reading until it was done. The novel also touches on the way mental health patients were treated not too long ago in this country and how far we have come, but also how far we have to go.
In conclusion I would recommend this book to everyone it is done very well and in no way DEFECTIVE.
I've received a advance copy of "DEFECTIVE" for my review and I have not let it effect my review of the novel.

[Nonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

While not everyone can relate to the issues of the story's protagonist directly, I bet everyone can indeed relate to at least some of the subplots covered. This book has two very distinct halves: one that is a serious, almost heavy background story and build up and one that is a story of ordinary life full of school, family, relationship and friendship drama that all young women can connect to at least in some ways. The lesson, the moral of the story is clear and yet it is not preachy. It is just the sort that will stick to your mind and may be, just may be you will be able to share it with someone for whom it will make a lifetime of difference.

[Kirsten Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening

I have battled depression my entire life. This book struck such a nerve - it was almost scary. It is so difficult to try to explain how I feel and what I am going through. In Defective, I felt like someone finally understood what it's like to live in a constant state of self loathing and a feeling that I was never good enough.

If you have ever wondered what it's like to have a mental illness, read this book. It is such a wonderful insight.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest Discussion

The brutal truth of mental illness. This book takes a shot at describing Bipolar 2. It looks at family history with mental illness, what Bipolar 2 looks like from both viewpoints, the progression of the science of mental illness and how it is treated, how mental illnesses is a taboo topic and how many people are unsure of dealing with a person who has a mental illness.

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[annabelle kowalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this book captured the struggles of being undiagnosed for so long, but I wish it delved more into that side of it. Yes I was happy that Maggie was able to stabilize her emotions after trying one brand of pills, but going into the side of switching medication or medication failing would have made the book feel a little bit more inclusive of the failures that sometimes comes along before the healing process actually begins.
Overall, a good read and basic interpretation of Bipolar II

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about mental health in today’s climate is a must. Being educated and understand is so important. Defective was a perfect way for me to open my eyes about things I knew nothing about. We take a journey through mental illness and truly learn the true meaning of a “light at the end of the tunnel”. I really really enjoyed this book.

[MsHeather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Defective was a first person account of a woman struggling with Bipolar 2. From an author with the same diagnosis. It was interesting to get a first hand account. Sometimes, she wasn't successful in making it narrative and it came across more expository. But, overall it was a good read. When you know someone with this diagnosis, this book helps give you understanding and perspective.

[Kelsey Aronhalt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very raw and real depiction of mental illness. I enjoyed learning about Maggie’s journey with herself and her mental illness, however I felt like there were way too many characters and way too many story lines. Also Sam’s a bitch? Also loved that it’s set at Pitt cute read to finish out my last semester here.

[Jessie hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story summing up coming to accept our flaws

Nice, easy reading book of living with and coming to accept our imperfection in ourself. Good back story of love and loss. Until she wins again. Good read.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie's struggles with Bipolar 2 and unwrapped the unspoken of her family we see the ways mental illness has touched the family.

[Denise Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever struggled with something that no one seemed to understand? That’s the case with Maggie in Defective, who is just learning that her “drama” is actually Bipolar II Disorder.

[Plot]
There are two main plotlines that interweave to tell Maggie’s story. She’s in the process of finding out that her good days and her “episodes” have a name and medications that may help. She’s also just lost her fiance because of these “episodes” and is fighting to win him back despite the fact that he’s already found another woman. We follow Maggie through one heartbreak after another as she overcomes these obstacles and learns how to have a “normal” life.

[Characters]
We follow the life and struggles of Maggie, who is not only trying to finish law school, but trying to win back her fiance and find a way to be “normal” when her brain wants to act otherwise. Maggie has several supportive friends and family to help her through this time. And, of course, what’s not to love about Nick, the summer fling who pops up again. The best thing about the book was getting to know Maggie and join in her journey as she tries to figure out who she really is and what to do about it.

[Writing Quality]
I do wish the dialogue were a little smoother. Some of the wording and the repetition of the character’s names in their dialogue made it feel rather stiff, but overall, Sofayov paints a very clear picture of what life is like as someone with Bipolar. She makes you feel Maggie’s frustration at her own mind.

[Entertainment]
If you ever struggled with a mental illness or know someone who has, this book is a great way to gain some understanding and perspective. As Maggie learns about her illness, then finds out it has run in the family, but was kept as a secret, she has to come to terms with her own limitations and those put on her by others. She wonders if she is lovable and if she should ever have children for fear that she might pass on her “defective” genes. I came away with a much greater understanding of how Bipolar II works and what someone living with it goes through.

Full review here: denisedrespling.com/book-review-defective-by-susan-sofayov/

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Reviewed for EBooks Galore**
Defective is a new adult quasi romance that follows law student Maggie Hovis as she battles with an invisible enemy – Bipolar II Disorder. Spurred into therapy when her fiancé moves out, Maggie does everything she can to “get better” so Sam will come back.
As the story progresses, family secrets are revealed – turns out, Maggie’s not the only one who’s fighting. The more Maggie learns about her family history and past, the more she wonders if she’s crazy and if she’s destined to be alone forever.
This book is a sort-of romance. I say sort of in that we see the break up in the beginning, and we see Maggie in a relationship near the end – it’s far from the whole focus of the book. But that’s okay, because the story reads almost as a self-love romance. Over the course of the book, Maggie learns to love herself, her imperfect family, and everything that makes them unique. It’s not really a coming of age novel – Maggie doesn’t “grow up” through the trial (she’s pretty adult through the entire story, actually). I found the voyage to be realistic, believable, and poignant.
I very much enjoyed Defective. While it wasn’t a book I would have gravitated to on my own, it was entertaining and I couldn’t help but root for Maggie to find her own way. Everyone in the story is flawed in one way or another, and yet every character has his or her own charm. I recommend this book if you know anyone who has struggled with Bipolar Disorder or Depression. The insights Maggie shares into her illness are staggering in both their beauty and their scope.
The only reason this book didn’t get a perfect rating is because there were a few scenes I thought could have been shortened or summed up as they never ended up being important; a few things were extreme in their level of detail (for example, her psychiatrist’s outfit and jewelry are described each time Maggie visits).
Favorite Quote:
It wasn’t until a conversation with Aunt Rose that I started to understand there is a distinction between having a defect and being defective.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

From page one, Defective pulls you in and doesn't allow you to put the book down until you reach the powerful author notes by Susan Sofayov at the end.

The story pulls on your heart strings, you want everything to work out for the best as well as creating a personal relationship with Maggie and the rest of the characters. With each turn of a page, a new development happens, keeping you on the edge of your seat (or bed) and makes the story easy to relate to. The world is not perfect, especially not for Maggie Hovis, but there is a way to be your best self and make the most of every moment, an idea which Susan grasps and portrays to readers so well!

Pull up a chair, grab your copy and enjoy!

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.