Excellent Story of surviving guilt
581679
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas is an excellent Story of surviving guilt and living each day. There are many twists and the storyline keeps you moving forward and not wanting to put the book down. It will make you cry, but leaves you feeling so refreshed when you are through, it will make you crave for James Patterson to write more in this style than his thrillers (which I love). Marjorie Spoto, Author - When It Rains.
1138366
This story had to be told. And yet, the most difficult thing is to tell something that you only wish to delete from memory and forget. Writing about it is not only therapeutic, it also helps the reader to recognize if they themselves are in the same predicament,or beginning to be there. A story like this, helps the reader who may be experiencing abuse, realize that they are Not alone, AND, it is not their fault. While experiencing abuse, it is difficult to see it for what it is. The perpetrator is very skilled in shifting the blame and making the abused feel guilty for all that is happening. Often the perpetrated like the two main ones in Nikki's case, are well liked in their social circles, and for this reason, the abused feels like no one will be likely to believe them. The truth is, when there are physical signs of abuse, medical personnel will believe and act if taken into the abused persons confidences. So there IS help from professionals. If you are in a predicament, speak up! Not only do you deserve to be heard,you also deserve to remove people like this before they cause harm to someone else.
3396803
I was hesitant to buy this book and even more reluctant to read it, but it should be required reading in all English college classes. The writer does an excellent job of telling the horrors of life in the concentration camps without resorting to unnecessary embellishments. The truth is horrible enough , but she is able to tell her story with dignity and compassion for those who did not survive. I would have liked to have known what happened to her after she was liberated from the camps. What happened in Eastern Europe during WWII should never be forgotten. I hope that others will be encouraged to read her book.
3438209
An honest story is hard to come by, I think Ms Kelly's book is such a story.  The author tells her difficult story in a way that brought out in me a deep compassion for her, myself, and others - for that I am grateful.  Her straight forward style is grounding; it gives the reader the opportunity to see into the way life sometimes is, and to see people as they sometimes are. It also speaks to hope and growth, and shows us that when we live in a trap that we built for ourselves we can do the work to free ourselves. This is a book worth reading.
2750016
The pain of being abandoned is real. The pin of having it happen repeatedly is real. The triumph of realizing that its purpose was to give you strength is also real. As someone who has ridden her own version of an orphan train can attest, Christina Baker Kline does a thorough job of making Molly and Vivian's story real. Not over the top with complex emotions yet intricate enough to feel in the moment. Perhaps my background provides a more solid connection then the average reader; regardless the read was thought provokingly enjoyable.
811961
This well structured and eminently readable novel delves into the meaning of self-imposed guilt by a young man who has (at least at first) nothing to feel guilty about.  Greenfield's take on the Holocaust is unusual -- indeed unique in my opinion -- in that it focuses more on the effect of the Nazi genocide (and its perpetrators as well as victims) on people who did not experience it themselves but nonetheless feel affected.  The story also reveals a perceptive understanding of Jewish attitudes and moral standards as applied to particular circumstances.  In addition, it is a damned good page turner.  Highly recommended.
1644156
This review is for the Kindle edition ebook.

Disclosure:  I was given my copy of this book by the author as a review copy.

The touching story of a father's grief and his son's survival.

This is a story of how Marshall's father was able to work through grief and sorrow to help his son recover from a very serious injury. It is a factual account of the notification of the accident through the next 32 days in the hospital as Marshall recovered.

I was pleased that this is written in the first person. The author is the father of Marshall, his six-year-old son. The emails contained within the text show how difficult this journey was. The power of prayer is what Marshall's father believes helped get his son through the recovery of his injuries. I do not question anyone's faith in God or prayer. As a parent, I know that sometimes it is very difficult to help an injured son or daughter with their recovery. It is very emotional for both, and parents tend to become overwhelmed when the critical nature of the injuries finally hits them.

Sam Lester wrote this story to provide a form a therapy for himself. Further, he realized there were many parents out there that might need some help getting through similar experiences.

I would recommend this book to all the parents out there. I would never wish such a thing on anyone, but this story could really assist in getting those parents through a similar situation. For those who find themselves with a critically injured child, each person is different. Some will find this book a comfort to them, while others will find it stirs too many emotions at the time comfort is needed most. I will say "Thank you" to Sam Lester for writing this book and allowing us to see his own emotions.

This book is not the best thing ever written, nor is it the worst. However, as a father, I fully understand how difficult this was for the author to actually experience this challenge. I also understand the need to write it down and attempt to help himself and others.
1249868
At first I must admit, I did not want to read this book because of the sensitive nature within it. I didn't want to read about a persons story of being another statistic to a marriage dealing with pornography and the seemingly never ending battle that goes with it. I have counseled so many in this area. BUT HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS! Kirsten and her husband Dave share together their stories of walking through the pain of recovery to the other side. When Dave was captive to the addiction of pornography, Kirsten reveals the pain she had to look at from her own life and the lies she believed about herself. The accountability group and recovery process is so good to read about because there really is hope for marriages who are trapped in this kind of addiction.
4436617
This is one of the shortest books I've read in the past few years. I was able to finish it in under two hours.

A young girl (of unknown nationality) goes about her complacent routine until one day a tragedy befalls a nearby city and she loses her entire family. Told by the girl herself, it tells of her hope that her family will return, her denial that they won't return after time passes, her fears at being alone, her grief at losing those dear to her. We learn how she copes with being alone in a time of turmoil; her acceptance that there are others worse off than she; and of how she learns that life goes on regardless of what happens around us.

A compelling, gripping story; packs a lot of punch into a few pages.
2479011
Krystyna Chiger offers yet another perspective of surviving the Holocaust in her terrifying (yet uplifting) memoir, The Girl in the Green Sweater, when she details the fourteen months she and her family spent in the sewers under Lvov hiding from Nazis. Her family is truly remarkable - they took every horrible situation and figured out a way through it. At the beginning of the war, they were well-to-do business owners and by the end, they were destitute - without a home, money, clothes or food - and yet they were grateful to be alive. It would have been easy (and completely understandable) for Chiger to write bitterly of her experience and those who perpetrated crimes against her when she was only 7-years-old, but her parents taught her to look forward and appreciate the things she has rather than to dwell on the past. Chiger writes about the months leading up to her time in the sewer, how she and her young brother were forced to hide during routine Nazi inspections, how they managed to escape the round ups and "actions", and how they were shuffled from apartment to apartment before finally being forced to live in the ghetto and then the sewer. She writes about watching her grandmother and cousin being carted away to their deaths and her uncle drowning. She writes about things that no one should ever have to endure, let alone a young child. Reading this book, I realized that even with Chiger's vivid descriptions, I just could not imagine living in the sewer, enduring constant darkness, rats, mold and the threat of drowning (not to mention discovery and capture). Yet, with the help of their guardian angel Socha, that's exactly what the Chiger family did. Socha, a sewer worker, provided food and supplies for the family at great risk to his own well being. His dedication to their survival is another point of the book that shows how selfless and wonderful people can be to each other, even as others are behaving so atrociously. Chiger's tale is one of hope and humanity, of survival and love and gratitude, and I highly recommend it.
4554422
A very honest story that details the brutality of addiction and the capacity of people to forgive (not only others, but themselves too). So many people, myself included, grew up drinking too much too often and underestimate the impact it can have on those around us. I finished the book in one sitting feeling selfishly grateful that I got through it not having to endure such a personal struggle but also inspired that Amy & Matt were able to find their way back to each other and their family.
4599283
"Finding My Invincible Summer" is a story of tragedy and loss, fierce determination, patience, persistence, and triumph. Muriel's story takes us through her experience with breast cancer and her search for alternative treatments. Along the way, she is faced with challenges and frustrations that would have made most of us give up, but with dogged determination she bucked the system, stood up for herself, and found solutions. Muriel tells her story with honesty and authenticity, and even at times with humor, although we never doubt for a moment that it must have taken great courage to tell it. Not only is the book a page-turner, it's one that can be of great help and encouragement to people who are facing similar problems. Highly recommended!
3614943
I loved how The author was able to write with such honesty about her story. She beautifully and poignantly used words to paint the picture of her journey of secrets, shame and guilt, and eventual healing. I would highly recommend this book, especially for those of us who have been held back in life due to the secrets we have kept. We all have a story to tell, and sometimes reading another person's memoir can help us to examine our own lives as well as face our own truths. This is one such story!
2278195
In April 2008, Katherine Wolf was a 26 years old, with a six-month old son at home.  Katherine was a model with a promising career, and her husband Jay was preparing to finish law school.  She had been feeling a little strange, and her life changed suddenly when she suffered a brain stem stroke.  Fortunately, Jay was at home when it happened and she was rushed to the hospital.  Miraculously, she survived a long surgery, but the outlook did not look good.  Half of her face was paralyzed, she could not swallow, and she would need to learn how to complete basic tasks again.

Hope Heals tells the story of husband and wife Jay and Katherine Wolf.  The story goes back and forth between their two unique perspectives, demonstrating how this sudden tragedy affected their lives and the life of their son.  The story begins with Katherine's sudden stroke, and takes readers through the early days of her recovery.  Tears filled my eyes as I read through Katherine and Jay's struggles. At her first Thanksgiving after the stroke, Katherine recalls struggling as she watched others consume food, and she was unable to eat anything.  She had a moment then when she found herself asking why she had lived when she was unable to be the wife and mother she dreamed of becoming.  But an instant later, God revealed to her that He was in control, that He had her story in His hands, and in that moment, Katherine's faith and hope were renewed.

What has followed has been nothing short of a miracle.  Though Katherine still faces many physical issues, she and Jay are now sharing their story full-time with those that are in desperate need of hope.  Their commitment to one another, to God, and to their family is nothing short of amazing.  I found my own faith renewed after reading through this page-turning book.
589479
It is difficult to not feel shame at any niggling complaint I might experience having read this book.  I could not put it down.  For me, the focus was less on the horrors that occurred and more on the Strength from above that moved this woman, her family and countless others, forward.  I will certainly be reading more of Corrie Ten Boom's publications.
989596
Grace Graham goes to Tennessee to help her sister care for their father who is having surgery. Soon after they arrive, Grace's son Dylan becomes sick. She finds out that he may have put the lives of about 6 other children in danger - all because she chose not to have him vaccinated.

As Grace is struggling with guilt over putting other children's lives at risk, she is also dealing with issues of anger towards her father, whose years of smoking led to her mother's death.

She is also still dealing with hurt over the way her relationship with her fiance ended. Will she be able to forgive her father and ex-fiance? And will she be able to forgive herself for decisions she made that put lives at risk?

This book was a bit slow at the beginning, but once I got through the first couple chapters I couldn't put it down! I had heard about the vaccination-autism link before, but didn't know about the different sides to the issue. The book covers both sides of the issue with grace and understanding. I definitely want to read up on this more so I can be more knowledgeable when I have kids of my own. I also liked the way the author wove the forgiveness issue throughout the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who not only loves a good story, but one that touches on current issues of the day.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
4740664
For those of us who've wrestled with the anguish of loving a child bent on self-destruction, this mothers story is a must read. Sandra Swensons oldest son, Joey, is such a child. Like many of us, Sandra missed the signs of addiction in her young son. She attributed his loss of interest in school, his growing hostility, volatile anger, and hateful behavior to teenage angst. Like most of us, she struggled to help her son deal with what she believed were simply behavioral and emotional issues without realizing that beneath Joeys behavior lurked the twin monsters of alcohol and drugs. Even when Joeys actions strained the familys emotional stability and drained their resources, Sandra kept trying to help her son. She stuck with him as he crashed cars, ODd, and attempted suicide. For years, she believed that with the right placement and understanding, Joey would rise from his self-imposed hell. It took years for Sandra to realize that she could not save her son. That loving him meant letting go. She concludes the book without knowing what lies ahead for her son. This is not a happy story, but it carries a powerful message. While our children might move into a place where we can no longer follow, we must not blame ourselves for our failure to save them. Our children, much as they might blame us, must assume responsibility for their choices. Their lives depend on it.