This Does Not Leave This House by Julie Coons

A 1970’s album like the cover, a colophon describing the author’s journey from torment to recovery. I didn’t know Julie Coons and I was skeptical of what was to come (The title had two “This”’ after all).

Book Blurb

How does a little girl survive an abusive mother, Catholic school, rape, and a near-death experience? 

Raised by an abusive, narcissistic mother (who once tried to trick her into having an abortion), Julie Coons was also raped in college by a stranger and later married an abusive man who threatened to kill her if she ever tried to leave. 

Suffering from physical and mental torment resulting in very low self-esteem, Julie often felt so completely alone during the many struggles of her life that she tried to take her own life. 

This book is her true story—telling all the secrets she was never allowed to tell to encourage and motivate others to heal their own lives and break the cycle of abuse. 

Her story shows that there is hope and life after abuse. 

Now that the secrets are finally out, Julie has found freedom. 

So can you. 

This Does Not Leave This House is a raw, poignant, and secret-revealing memoir written to lead a movement to break the silence of abuse and finally end its vicious cycle. With strength and resiliency, Coons provides a voice for the silent abused, letting them know they’re not alone. Justice and hope can prevail. The abused can become victorious. 

Read the heartbreaking true story of her journey to triumph above overwhelming obstacles. 

“This Does Not Leave This House” is the autobiography of Julie Coons where she survives child mistreatment, parental slander, brutal rape, marital exploitation, life-threatening diseases and a lot more; all this time holding herself for her daughter Stephanie until she finally breaks the vicious cycle of abuse with the hope that she inspires others to do the same.

Be it the trauma of rape or be it the happy memories with her Grandma Eva, the author successfully depicts the same in a manner that captures your soul. It wrings your heart and hits you in the right spots as you journey with her through her social injustice, experience her shattered dreams and feel her renewed hope till she pulls through and succeeds.

The book is well written in first person narrative. Be it the lunatic mother, the abusive ex-husband, the almost absentee brother and father, her dearest daughter Stephanie or the divine angel/ savior Grandma Eva, the author is successfully able to channel her emotions through our minds. She successfully narrates her life where she faces the worst and the best of humanity has to offer.

There were times when it became so gut-wrenching that I had to put the book down and stop reading.

There are some portions of the book which I felt were repetitive. Personally, I would have loved some more of her life with her loving husband Jeff. So in the end when she advises us to listen to our hearts and get out of anything abusive, it grills through our heads and we are left to praise her undying and fighting spirit.

Julie Coons really needs to thank her healer Theresa for bringing out the writer in her. Her autobiography can serve as a guideline to people who complain that they have suffered much and a beacon of hope to the ones that actually do. Personally, I am thankful that the book was shared with me and it was my privilege to read her, understand her and admire her through her book.

Overall Verdict:- A silver lining of a dark journey

For Julie Coons’ well inspiring autobiography, my overall rating would be 4/5.

Book can be found at Amazon India and Amazon USA

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads