Tag Archives: new

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust by Emilie Richards

by

Somewhere Between Luck and TrustWhere Luck Meets Trust, Miracles Can HappenChristy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she’s free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that’s the least of her hurdles.

Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way?

Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed. A place where two very different women might bridge the gap between generations and education, and together make tough choices.


Somewhere between the townships called Luck and Trust, at a mountain cabin known as the Goddess House, two very different women may even, if they dare, find common ground and friendship.–Description from Goodreads

 

 

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust by Emilie Richards

Paperback, 496 pages

 

Expected publication: June 25th 2013 by Harlequin MIRA (first published June 18th 2013)

 

ISBN
0778314510 (ISBN13: 9780778314516)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Somewhere Between Luck and trust” by Emilie Richards is a much deeper and more thoughtful book than I had expected. While many titles in this genre put the romance at the forefront of the novel and make it the focus, this author handled it different and it was a nice change. There are a couple of romantic threads in this novel, but it wasn’t the more prominent part of the story.

The main character has been through a lot, and unfairly accused of a crime she did not commit. She must now learn to adjust to life after her incarceration and find her place in the world.

This book deals with some very serious issues related to family, justice and dyslexia. It was interesting for me to see an author approach this subject (dyslexia) in a fictional novel. She did an excellent job of painting a portrait with words of the struggle and sorrow that comes along with this disorder. I really enjoyed her descriptions of the Goddess house and the people there. The characters are warm and compassionate and welcome the reader into their lives and homes.

Reading this book, you get a real sense of how important family is to the author and it shines through in the way she crafts her intricate characters and their histories. I was absorbed in this novel after the first chapter and became very involved in the story without effort. The innocence of the main character has you rooting for her success immediately.

The end wasn’t my favourite part. While I do see how the author came to the end and it was logical, it wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for in the terms of resolving all of the underlying issues of the characters and giving me a satisfactory result. Still, it answered all of my questions and didn’t leave me hanging, so I can’t really complain. The rest of the book was great regardless.

Overall, this was definitely worth a read, and although it was fiction, it made me stop and think about things. I look forward to reading further works from this author. If you are a fan of stories that have many layers and are well thought out, may I recommend this book.

This review is based on a digital review copy from the publisher, Harlequin–Mira.

* May I just say she has my respect—author and mother of four–Just saying:)

About this author

 

 

 

 

http://emilierichards.com

I’m the author of seventy novels, both women’s fiction and mystery. I’m excited about my newest series, Goddesses Anonymous, which debuts in August 2012 with One Mountain Away.

I’ve lived all over the country, and right now I’m a vagabond, along with my husband, searching for the next place to move. Florida seems to be taking the lead, the state where both is us were raised and met. I’m an avid gardener and quilter and the mother of four children, whom I regard as my greatest creative endeavors.

Last Chance for Justice: A Bloomfield Novel (Bloomfield #3) by Kathi Macias

by

Last Chance for Justice: A Bloomfield NovelLast Chance for Justice: A Bloomfield Novel by Kathi Macias

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome to Bloomfield, where life is simple, love is real, and stories are shared.

Lynn Myers is still reeling from losing her husband of thirty-five years when word comes that her only sibling, an older brother, has also died. With no one else to settle the estate, she must return to her small hometown of Bloomfield, however briefly, to settle his affairs.

Lynn’s daughter, Rachel, has just graduated from Bible college and with no other commitments comes along to sort through her uncle’s huge old home, right next to the local cemetery.

It isn’t long before Rachel has two men — a handsome CPA and the youth pastor — seriously vying for her attention. At the same time, Lynn’s attention is drawn to a set of journals her brother has left behind detailing a long-standing Bloomfield mystery.

As they pursue solving this mystery, Rachel must make some personal decisions about her future, while Lynn is forced to face unexpected issues from her own past.– Description from goodreads

 

My Thoughts

This book has mysteries going both directions..into the past and back to the present. I was very happy with this read. In the beginning I was sure I would have it all figured out by a few chapters in. Then I thought maybe by the half-way point. Nope. Took me until the very end to understand all the complexities in this book!

The author has created a really entertaining cast of characters in this novel. The main character is pretty tough, but also feminine and easy to grow attached to. The thoughts she expresses are often funny and right on target, many times they were the kind of things I would think myself.

If you like novels where the romance is evenly paced and the characters actually take the time to get to know one another before suddenly being madly in love, you will appreciate the style with which Kathi Macias has written this. I particularly enjoyed Rachel. She was totally different than I would have expected when first reading the details about this book, and it was a pleasant surprise to see something unexpected.

Perfect for an afternoon away from work with a cup of tea and a blanket! This story is so well paced and enjoyable that you just don’t want to put it down.

This review is based on a digital ARC provided by the publisher.

The Age of Ice by J.M. Sidorova

by

An epic debut novel about a lovelorn eighteenth-century Russian noble, cursed with longevity and an immunity to cold, whose quest for the truth behind his condition spans two thrilling centuries and a stunning array of historical events. St. Petersburg, Russia, 1740. The Empress Anna Ioanovna has issued her latest eccentric order: construct a palace out of ice blocks. Inside its walls her slaves build a wedding chamber, a canopy bed on a dais, heavy drapes cascading to the floor—all made of ice. Sealed inside are two jesters, one a disgraced nobleman, the other a humpback, a performer by birthright. On the Empress’s command—for her entertainment—these two are to be married, the relationship consummated inside this frozen prison. In the morning guards enter to find them half-dead. Nine months later, two boys are born.

Surrounded by servants and animals, Prince Alexander Velitsyn and his twin brother Andrei have an idyllic childhood on the family’s large country estate. But as they approach manhood stark differences coalesce. Andrei is daring and ambitious; Alexander is tentative and adrift. One frigid winter night on the road between St. Petersburg and Moscow, as he flees his army post, Alexander comes to a horrifying revelation: his body is immune from cold.

J. M. Sidorova’s boldly original and genre-bending novel takes readers from the grisly fields of the Napoleonic Wars to the blazing heat of Afghanistan, from the outer reaches of Siberia to the cacophonous streets of nineteenth-century Paris. The adventures of its protagonist, Prince Alexander Velitsyn—on a life-long quest for the truth behind his strange physiology—will span three continents and two centuries, and will bring him into contact with an incredible range of real historical figures, from Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, to the licentious Russian Empress Elizaveta, and to English explorer Joseph Billings.

Romantic, thrilling, and rigorously historical, The Age of Ice is one of the most inventive debut novels of the year.–Description from Goodreads.

Hardcover, 416 pages
Expected publication: July 23rd 2013 by Scribner
ISBN
1451692714 (ISBN13: 9781451692716)
My Thoughts:
Assessing this book for review is somewhat like trying to tell the entire world history is less than 300 words. It isn’t possible. Reading this novel is a journey through a world of history and amazing wonders and is a truly beautiful read. If you are into books that slowly and carefully unfold with excellent character development, “the Age of Ice” has you covered.

This is not an action filled book where things happen a mile a minute. The writing seems somewhat reserved and you never feel particularly close to the main character, but you never really have the desire to give up on him either. There is always a shield up between him and the reader, although I can’t help, based on the story, but feel that this was intentional.

The main character suffers from a “cold” condition, where any time he is riled up, either positively or negatively, he experiences a full body cold that allows him to hold snow without it melting and makes his desire for a normal relationship more than impossible. The idea that the author wrote his character somewhat impersonally matches that theme perfectly. I found that I, as the reader, spent my time trying to get inside his head and feel closer to him but continually came up short, which made me feel frustrated, just as the character did as he searched for someone to be close to. Well played, J.M. Sidorova.

This book spans a long period of time, and while I found the complicated tale interesting and well written, there were times when I felt my mind wander a bit while reading. The writing itself is solid. The author has an amazing grasp on how to use the proper language to evoke emotion, and the dialogue is excellent, although written in the same second hand delivery that makes it feel much less personal.

While I did have moments of wandering mind, there were many sections of this novel where I completely forgot myself and became so bound in the story that I could do nothing else but read, hoping the eventual result would be a happy one for the character that I had been with for the duration.

The ending of the book was a bit odd for me, and the reason why I have decided to go with four stars rather than five. I don’t want to include a spoiler, so I will proceed cautiously. This book, as I mentioned above, spans a longer time period than most. When it catches up to the more recent history of the world, the character makes a decision about how he will carry on, and I just didn’t feel that it quite worked with the rest of the book. It may have just been a personal expectation, but I felt the end struggled a bit to match the previous parts of this incredible Russian literature. I do give the author a lot of credit for dealing with important issues of environmental impact.

If you are going to read this book (and I recommend that you do) take some time away from life. Find a quiet place, and devote your mind to the story. It will consume you, amaze you and remind you that there are authors out there who use common words to create uncommon magic.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the Publisher, Scribner.

Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison

by

From Beth Harbison, the New York Times bestselling author of When in Doubt, Add Butter and Shoe Addicts Anonymous, comes Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong, a delightful new novel that will make you look at second chances in a whole new way.

Ten years ago, Quinn Barton was on her way to the altar to marry Burke Morrison, her high school sweetheart, when something derailed her. Rather, someone derailed her—the Best Man who at the last minute begged her to reconsider the marriage. He told her that Burke had been cheating on her. For a long time. Quinn, stunned, hurt, and confused, struggled with the obligation of fulfilling her guests’ expectations—providing a wedding—and running for her life.

She chose running. With the Best Man. Who happened to be Burke’s brother, Frank.

That relationship didn’t work either. How could it, when Quinn had been engaged to, in love with, Frank’s brother? Quinn opted for neither, and, instead, spends the next seventeen years working in her family’s Middleburg, Virginia, bridal shop, Talk of the Gown, where she subconsciously does penance for the disservice she did to marriage.

But when the two men return to town for another wedding, old anger, hurt, and passion resurface. Just because you’ve traded the good guy for the bad guy for no guy doesn’t mean you have to stay away from love for the rest of your life, does it? Told with Beth Harbison’s flair for humor and heart, Chose the Wrong Guy will keep you guessing and make you believe in the possibilities of love. –Description from Goodreads

ebook, 384 pages
Expected publication: July 9th 2013 by St. Martin’s Press
ISBN
1250031907 (ISBN13: 9781250031907)
My Thoughts on this novel:
First of all, how can you read this title and not want to read this book? I fell in love with the title so much that the book almost didn’t matter. Okay, not really, but still…you have to admit, it is pretty great.

So begins my review:

Sheesh! Don’t read this book if you have anything else you want to accomplish that day. This is one of those laugh out loud, carry-the-book-everywhere-with-you-even-into-the-bathroom kind of books. If I hadn’t been reading the digital edition it might have even had a bath with me. Couldn’t put it down!

Once I started reading this book it captured my attention completely. The writing is modern and a times a bit risque (there are a few F-bombs but they are rather funny.) I fell in love with the main character on the first page. I did, really. She is about to get married when all Hell breaks loose and she must make a decision that will forever haunt her. It must have been tough and I think I could identify with her indecision, even if I hadn’t lived through quite the same situation.

This novel is just an overall joy to read. The romance is paced perfectly. You never know exactly what to expect and the tension is just right. There is a feeling of comfort in these pages, like you have settled into your favorite pair of jeans and cuddled up in your most comfortable chair.

I loved that the main characters had such a long and developed history between them. This made the story feel somehow more logical and gave me another reason to care about what happened between them. The variety of choices the main character had on who she would choose and where she would end up kept the plot interesting and unexpected.

I didn’t really see the ending coming, and I liked that I had to guess even at the last couple of chapters. Well played author.

If you are looking for a perfect book for a lazy Saturday afternoon and want to laugh, smile and just have a lot of fun, this book would be a great choice. I have found another author that I must add to my list of favourites.

This book review is based on a Digital ARC from the publisher.

Mister Dash and the Cupcake Calamity written by Monica Kulling, illustrated by Esperanca Melo

by

Having four boys, I am always on the lookout for great picture books for kids. This  is one of the best picture books I have found so far and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share it with you guys. Take a few minutes–read with your child, it is the gift that keeps on giving long after they are grown!

You can find out more about Monica Kulling and her incredible books by going to:

http://www.monicakulling.com/
Where you can see her other books (many of which you may recognise if you have kids)  and learn about future projects. This is one seriously talented children’s author!
You can also find this book at Amazon
and other retailers.
Description borrowed from Goodreads:
Mr. Dash may not have a pedigree (he can count five different breeds of dogs as family), but from his furry head to his wagging tail, he is a gentleman. His fine manners make him a perfect companion to Madame Croissant. Their life together is graceful and civilized, what with walks in the park, stamp-collecting, and a passion for flowers.

Mr. Dash is also in charge of delivering Madame Croissant’s world-famous cupcakes. All is well until Daphne, Madame Croissant’s rather lively niece, arrives to turn the cupcake world upside down.

Filled with humour, this delectable story will appeal to dog-lovers AND cupcake-lovers the world over.

Hardcover, 32 pages
Published March 12th 2013 by Tundra Books
ISBN
1770493964 (ISBN13: 9781770493964)
edition language
English
Here is my Review:
Absolutely this has to rank within my top 3 favorite children’s books of the last year. What is there not to love about this book?

The first thing I loved about this (hardcover edition) is that it is a beautifully made book. The binding ins excellent and the pages are smooth, with bright, colourful illustrations. My little boys (age 3) were just as enthralled with this story as my older boys were.

The story is adorable, and long enough for a new reader to actually get some good quality reading time out of, but the story is still short enough that it can be read all in one sitting. This would make a perfect bedtime story for your child.

The story revolves around Mr. Dash, his owner Madame Croissant and little Daphne and their adventures making and delivering cupcakes. There is just the right amount of ‘calamity’ in this book to make it hilarious and enjoyable. The dog character is funny and does a great job making the kids laugh as they read.

The characters are well illustrated and fun to look at. I was impressed by the way the author included some french words for young readers to explore. I love it when a book can help teach the beginnings of a new language and this story makes it so much fun to learn. The passages are exciting and descriptive and prompted my children to ask questions, which I love when we are reading together.

The story ends on a happy note and is overall a very upbeat, thrilling story for young readers. I would certainly recommend this book to other parents, grandparents and teachers. This is one that will please both the older and younger kids!

The Normals by Alyx Mesun

by

 

Trent Bosworth is a popular kid in a small town who is surrounded by superficial acquaintances while valiantly trying to survive the fallout of a rapidly deteriorating family structure. Trent is angry and aimless, but thanks to his carelessness, he finds himself in a bizarre situation. After he fails, once again, to hand his class work in on time, Trent’s history teacher, Mr. Atkins, blackmails him into befriending three of the school’s biggest social pariahs, with a desperately-needed passing grade hanging in the balance.

Print Length: 217 pages

  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 147914701X
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B008ZIEK5U

You can find this book here

My thoughts on this book:

You know how the new thing with books for teens and young readers seems to be about not bullying, not being a bigot and not judging others–but then somehow the authors manage to make it kinda funny so the message is lost? Well Alyx Mesun doesn’t do that in this book and I was thrilled. It seems at first glance, that there is no group that is safe from being a target in this book. Then, as the story progresses, all at once the reader discovers–oh, this stuff really happens. I was surprised by how deeply thought provoking this book turned out to be. While I wasn’t expecting it to be what it was, it turned out to be better than I could have imagined.

The author uses the characters in such a way that you forget you are sitting on your couch reading a book. Some of them rile you up and make you mad, some of them make you feel sympathy and some of them make you feel like you are reading a story about yourself. I think this would be an excellent book for middle school kids to read and identify with. I dare you to read this book and not feel a sharp stab of recognition over some event that has happened to you during your school career. This is quirky, at times funny and intelligent reading that isn’t just for younger crowds. I would say a fair share of adults could stand to learn a lesson from this novel as well.

Dialogue-wise, the author has managed to capture the essence of being young. The struggles and insecurities that young adults feel throughout their journey to becoming an adult are clear in the way they speak and the language never felt odd or random. I liked the pacing of this book, there isn’t too much all at once, but there also aren’t any places where I wished the story would move along faster. This is the kind of book that you can cuddle up under a blanket and just enjoy.

I am so far, very impressed with this author and hope to see further works. If you are a parent, a teacher, or just enjoy a good book with a hopeful message, give it a try. I think you’ll enjoy it.

One Day in Apple Grove (Small Town USA #2) by C.H. Admirand

by

Caitlin Mulchahy doesn’t have much time for socializing now that her sisters’ handyman business is thriving. For Dr. Jack Gannon–former Marine medic–keeping the residents of Apple Grove healthy is a welcome distraction from the haunting memories of his time served in Iraq. Although the two have lived in the same small town their whole lives, Cait and Jack barely know each other. That is until a stray puppy leads them to the same place at the same time. But it will take more than one adorable canine to get these two together–it’ll take a whole town.–Description shamelessly stolen from Goodreads

Paperback, 320 pages
Expected publication: June 4th 2013 by Sourcebooks Casablanca (first published June 1st 2013)
ISBN
1402269021 (ISBN13: 9781402269028)
edition language
English
series
My Thoughts:
“One Day in Apple Grove” is a cozy book that you just can’t help but fall in love with. If you are a fan of Debbie Macomber, Fern Michaels and the like, then C.H. Admirand will no doubt soon be amongst your favorite authors as well.

Whereas many of the books I have read that try to pull off the cozy romance tend to bore me with their lack of character development, this book was different for a number of reasons. The first thing that made me love this was the ambiance of the story. The setting is perfect. The town is quaint and the people the author describes fill the roles one would expect to find in any real small town in America. I liked the varied backgrounds of the characters and how every piece of this story fit together like a puzzle.

The side stories kept the story moving and gave me something else to focus on other than the romance, which I appreciated since so many romance books tend to lack much depth.

The two main characters each bring their own interesting personalities and quirks to the table, and although there were times when I wished the female lead would just make up her mind already, I appreciated the tension between the two of them and the way the author introduced her characters was great. You get enough knowledge of them at the beginning of the story to tell you who they are, but you have to wait until further in the story to find out their secrets. That made it fun.

The descriptions, above all else in this novel made me love it. You can visualize everything the author speaks about through her use of rich language and colourful expressions. The dialogue is witty and interesting and felt very natural.

The romance is sweet and has enough spice to be interesting but is not the type that you would be ashamed to have your grandmother read over your shoulder.

Overall, this was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon and I think other cozy romance fans would really enjoy it.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

The Eighth Circle of Hell by Gary Dolman

by

 

 

The Victorian age is often held up as a shining era of British history, a time of wealth and power, of civilisation and philanthropy. It was all of these. Yet it was also a time of cruelty and depravity, where power and wealth were used to ill-purpose. It was the time of the ‘defloration mania’, where young girls were bought and sold like the slaves they became.

Elizabeth Wilson is an elderly woman who has spent a lifetime of grinding toil and poverty in a workhouse. She fled there as a young girl, pregnant and penniless, to escape her depraved uncle and his powerful friends. However, advancing dementia has caused her to regress inexorably back in her life, to the point where she is once again re-living the awful memories of her life as an orphaned child.

‘The Eighth Circle of Hell’ is a bleak study of the stark contrast between the polite, strictly ordered society of the Victorian age, and the utter depravity and exploitation of the vulnerable it shielded. This story demonstrates how in the furnace of shared adversity, enmities and friendships can be forged that will last a lifetime, and which are more enduring than the boundaries of life and death.–Description from Goodreads

Paperback, 228 pages
Published October 15th 2012 by Thames River Press (first published July 15th 2012)
ISBN
0857289233 (ISBN13: 9780857289230)
edition language
English
My Thoughts: I really loved this book.
“The Eighth Circle of Hell” by Gary Dolman is in my opinion, what reading is all about. If only we could vote to induct a book into the hall of classic literature. This is the kind of book that is NOT a feel good, make-you-smile kind of read, but rather a beautifully written, poignant piece of literature that will take you on a journey back in history.

When I first began this book, I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but the confusion dissipates within the first few pages and I soon found myself riveted by this book to the point where no one could have pried it from my hands with the jaws of life. It has been a long time since I have been so disturbed, enthralled and utterly captivated by a novel.

While we tend to think of the Victorian Era as a refined age where men were the epitome of the gentlemanly image and women were treated as proper ladies, this book explores the darker side of the Victorian age. I haven’t seen this done or at least not done well in other books.

This is at times a very emotional piece of writing. I wanted to run screaming into the pages of this book and defend the honour of Elizabeth, and other times simply hold her while she cried. The way the author tells the story is incredible. Older Elizabeth’s thoughts and recollections of the abuse she suffered as a young girl are heart wrenching, and yet the writing is so amazing that even through the sadness I was compelled to keep turning pages.

This story spans the life of a young girl to that of an old woman. She is the same person, but she is different, touched by the hand of passing years. The memories she has and the life that she has led have been adjusted by Alzheimer’s Disease and she is once more reliving the past and all of the various atrocities she suffered at the hands of others. The idea for this book was very original and the follow through for that idea was perfect. I never felt this book was a let down throughout the entire time I spent reading it.

While reading the final chapters of this book, I found myself half afraid to finish it. It will be hard to find something else to read that is as finely crafted as this is.

My recommendation? Read it. Go and get a copy today and read it.

Affinities by Chris Hollis

by

Andrew Goodwin hears voices. They wake him in the dead of night, lingering behind the walls, growing in strength until they take over.

Making him captive in his own home.

These voices are real. Andrew doesn’t know who they are or what they want. Every time he approaches the door, they force him back. Whenever he wakes up, they put him to sleep, making him live on stolen moments in the darkness.

Desperate, he records his own movements, and discovers his entire life is a lie – Andrew is somehow leaving the flat each day as if things were perfectly normal.

So why doesn’t he remember? Who is in control?
And why are there bruises and bloodstains all over his body?

Affinities is a fast-paced psychological thriller about a man whose very life is stolen from him. Sometimes, you can’t even trust yourself.–Description from Goodreads

Kindle Edition, 282 pages
Published March 12th 2013
ISBN13
9780957241435
edition language
English
My Thoughts:
It isn’t very often that I begin a review this way, but I have to do it this time: You gotta read this book! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this up. There have been a lot of books classified as psychological thrillers that have really been a let down. This one is anything but.

From the beginning of this novel you get the idea that something above average is going on with the main character, but you aren’t quite sure what. By the middle, there is a rather shocking reveal of information that ties the first and second halves of the book together (which I will not hint at for fear of a spoiler.) This is one Hell of a ride!

The character development in this novel is amazing. You not only get a sense of who the characters are physically speaking, but they each have unique traits that allow them to play their part in the story with perfect accuracy. I felt, after reading to the halfway point of the book, like these were people that I knew and it made me care what happened to them and pulled me in to the story more fully. In some places, you almost feel like you are experiencing the same things they are.

I was impressed by the way Chris Hollis uses his character’s reactions to build suspense. Rather than just telling the reader what happens, he shows you through the confusion and terror of his creations. i enjoyed this aspect, as I don’t see it very often in thrillers.

When you read this book, you forget about anything and everything else that is going on in the world around you and become totally absorbed in the struggles of the characters. The writing is edgy and exciting and shows that this author has real talent for his chosen genre. To put it simply, this is a book that you don’t want to miss.

I love books that keep you guessing and make you wait to find out the answers until the very end, and this book pulled that off in a fantastic way. If you have read a lot of books that you could figure out within the first twenty minutes of reading and it annoys you, pick up this one. You might just doubt your own sanity by the time you have finished.

I received a free copy of this book in order to give a review. My opinions are my own.

Property: The True Story of a Polygamous Church Wife by Carol Christie

by

In the early 1970s an innocent teenager who had led a sheltered life was forced to leave her family and enter into a polygamous, abusive, and deviant relationship with a man called the Prophet. In 2008, nearly 40 years later, she fled his religious sect.

Property is not a misnomer. It accurately depicts how the women in the sect were treated. Carol Christie reveals the degradation, abuse, and brainwashing that the Church Wives endured. She exposes the physical abuse, the mental cruelty, the slave labour, and the sexual deviance that took place near Owen Sound, a small community just a few hours north of Toronto, as well as at other locations. She describes the many opportunities that officials had to investigate but walked away from, swayed by the charismatic Prophet.

Carol is building a new life, one of freedom and options. With no money and no job she started again and is now dedicated to helping others who have escaped while raising awareness about the dangers of the cult.–Description from Goodreads

Paperback, 168 pages
Expected publication: May 14th 2013 by Dundurn (first published April 27th 2013)
ISBN
1459709764 (ISBN13: 9781459709768)
You can Preorder this title Here
My thoughts:
With the popularity of “Sister Wives” and other related media, I think this subject has seen more light than it ever has. I was curious to read this book and find out more about the life of this woman and what she survived.

The book opens in an interesting way, with the author sharing her feelings on her experiences and offering advice to others who may be in a situation that is making them uncomfortable or holding them back. I liked the positive start, especially for a book that dealt with such sorrow and dark subject matter.

The first half of this memoir should not be discounted as it tells the story of a woman who spent much of her life obeying the demands of others. The abuse is terrible, at times difficult to read and there are some places where I felt the subjects were not fully explored, but in this case, I was glad. The acts of the “prophets” throughout this narrative make you internally cringe and feel surges of anger at the same time. Still, it was the latter half of the book that impressed me.

There have been a lot of autobiographical memoirs published and many of them tell stories of overcoming great adversity to reach a goal or start a new life, but this one was very heartfelt and I couldn’t help but root for this woman to live the rest of her life free of her confines. It was the second half of this book that really made me feel something in my core, and gave me respect for the author and her husband. She has chosen to come forward with her story to enlighten her readers about the truth of what she lived through and to try to prevent the same thing from happening to others.

The author’s voice was very honest, and the writing was concise and easy to read. I was in some ways surprised to find that this was a first book.

Overall, this is not a light and pleasant read, but I felt it was a worthy read. I appreciate the trauma the author must have suffered and applaud her for coming forward with her story. If you wish to know more about this subject, this book is a good place to begin.