So, You're Crazy Too?

By: Amber Portwood, Thea de Sousa

Narrated by: Kate Udall

Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

An in-depth look into Teen Mom star Amber Portwood's long history dealing with several severe mental illnesses, and how she survived almost insurmountable odds and unbearable public scrutiny to become the strong, self-assured woman she is today.

As a reality TV stalwart and one of the original stars of what's become a massive franchise, Amber Portwood has been the subject of media curiosity and public scrutiny for almost thirteen years of her life—since the age of seventeen. Throughout the years, Amber has struggled with up to five severe mental disorders that, especially when grouped together, would bring even the heartiest among us to their knees. Currently serving out her five years of probation for a widely publicized fight with the father of her son, Amber has been on a rollercoaster of experiences since she famously emerged from prison almost eight years ago. Now, she is finally ready to share the painful and emotional journey that has brought her to the more stable and productive life she's leading today.

This book chronicles Amber's journey with painstaking specificity, as she takes the listener through her harrowing battle with mental illness. Her story serves as a triumphant tale of rebirth, as Amber finally conquers her demons and begins her road to a healthy and happy life.

©2022 Amber Portwood (P)2022 Tantor

I gave this book a chance…but it was difficult to finish

As a former fan of Amber Portwood, she used to be my favorite of the OG Teen Moms on the show. However, this book I must admit was difficult to listen to as it carried a heavy tone of narcissism throughout the entire course of the autobiography. It was quite hard to finish the whole thing. Toward the end of the book, what really made me want to instantly return it is when Amber had the ignorance & ableism to claim that the online bully-comments she receives regarding her appearance are as difficult to experience as a wheelchair-user who is unable to walk. Yes, she literally goes there. As a disabled person myself & wheelchair-user since childhood, this particular remark was very upsetting and sealed the negative difference in how I see her now. She has revealed her true colors through this memoir, and I am glad to know before I use any further credits on any future titles she writes.

I usually love memoirs, but Amber wrote this book in a tone that felt forceful in trying to create this positive image of herself and the constant gloating was a bit overwhelming. I’ll definitely be returning this one unfortunately, and if it were a hard copy I certainly would not be keeping it either, but I do wish all the best to Amber. I’m just not quite sure being an author or public speaker is her strong point. I can only hope she at least takes the time to educate herself as to the remarks she makes regarding wheelchair-users like myself, because it implies and perpetuates an ableist perspective to society as a whole, and can be harmful for the disabled community.

Readers be advised: several of the topics (such as the one mentioned above) can be quite upsetting.