Oh look, another absolutely devastating family memoir.

“You wish there was an adequate term for what you are—like orphan or widower—a term that says ‘I once meant something to somebody.’”

The only thing 6-year-old Kait Leddy wanted in life was a sister. When Kyleigh finally arrived, the two were inseparable—until Kait hit adolescence, suffered head injuries, and started to change in scary ways. She was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and lived a volatile life in and out of healthcare facilities while Kyleigh watched on with a mix of fear and annoyance. The day after Kait disappeared, Kyleigh went to school, expecting it to be another incident they would move past. But that didn’t happen. Kait was last seen crossing a bridge, but never on the other side. A body was never found.

The Perfect Other is a beautiful book about grief and loving someone who is mentally ill. Leddy’s work as a mental health advocate, especially with psychotic disorders, makes this an even more powerful book.

✨ From Mental Health Memoirs From the Sidelines at Crooked Reads.