Abuse Books

"A terrific book, full of wit and wisdom, humor and hope. The stories will make you laugh out loud...when you're not wiping away the tears."
- Mark McGarry, A Spiritual Journey

Instinct Magazine (October 2005) - Page 32 - Michael Williams

Sit back, grab a book and pour yourself a drink. Well, maybe not that last part. The Adventures of Soberman! is a tall glass of laugh-out-loud misadventures about the author's battle with alcoholism and everything else. The author cleverly recounts his life experiences growing up Irish-Catholic in Hell's Kitchen, going to war in Vietnam, being married, realizing he is gay and discovering Alcoholics Anonymous-all while peppering his memories with hilarious and often touching anecdotes. Soberman! just might leave you with a thought hangover.

Instinct Magazine (October 2005) - Page 32 - Michael Williams

Sit back, grab a book and pour yourself a drink. Well, maybe not that last part. The Adventures of Soberman! is a tall glass of laugh-out-loud misadventures about the author's battle with alcoholism and everything else. The author cleverly recounts his life experiences growing up Irish-Catholic in Hell's Kitchen, going to war in Vietnam, being married, realizing he is gay and discovering Alcoholics Anonymous-all while peppering his memories with hilarious and often touching anecdotes. Soberman! just might leave you with a thought hangover.

Pajo did service by writing this terrific book. It's full of wit and wisdom. I laughed out loud at some of the crazy stories (and believed every word of it - AA can be the best show in town!). The stories changed my outlook on AA. They're full of hope and humor, just like AA itself.
Thanks, Pajo!
Mark M.

This book is great! It is well worth your time if you're interested in recovery / sobriety, spirituality, issues of sexuality, or just interested in a light-hearted, comical autobiography of an Irish Catholic, born & raised in Hell's Kitchen, sent off ("volunteered") to Vietnam.
It's really got some humorous anecdotes in it that I just couldn't stop myself from turning the page, wondering when I'd be laughing next. Often, it wasn't several pages before I was cracking up - again and again.
Plus, the honesty - of his alcoholism, his battle w/ being gay, in the closet, out of the closet, in his spiritual life & trying to balance that against his Catholic up-bringing was just very revealing, honest, sincere and intriguing.
This book is well worth your time, a quick read and more than enjoyable.

Most books that deal with drug use gone seriously wrong only touch the surface of what the family, friends, and even victims go through before and after. But BLOOD BROTHERS by Shirley Harazin shows a realistic portrayal of the terrible after effects of drug use. From the very first page I was hooked.

BF's Clay and Joey have been through alot of history. Clay still remembers the first time they met when his father lost his job and he shows up at their house one Christmas Eve. Joey's parents have Clay, his sister, and father sleep in the shed which horrifies Clay's sister. Joey loves it. Later Clay's family leaves, but Clay comes back and becomes 'blood brothers' with Joey.

Their friendship lasts until that one fateful day. Blame it on a girl. Or a party. Something terrible happens to Joey that has Clay questioning whether or not he is to blame. Clay watches in horror as his once charismatic friend slowly slips away. What happened that one night? Clay vowes to find out. The answer will change Clay forever.

I loved this story. Powerful writing grips the reader with an intense tale of friendship and loss. Shirley Harazin does a great job showing the pain Clay feels watching his BF slowly die from an overdose. The hospital scenes were strong and kept me on the edge of my seat. What I really loved was how Harazin shows us both boys and the love that's between them. I cared for Clay and felt his pain, anger, and loss. A very haunting tale that's guaranteed to stay with the reader. I recommend this book to those looking for not just the usual friend-takes-PCP-freaks-goes into coma-dies story. No, this story is much more. I can see why it's nominated for the Edgar award. Very powerful story that will have you say, "Wow."

Bad Girls Club

Every teen needs a place to call home and someone to believe in them and love them. Clay has never really had that. His father has emotionally abandoned him and forced him to help pay rent. So Clay has found his home in the hospital where he works and this gives his life meaning. Other than that, there isn't much that holds his life together.

But he has Joey. His bestfriend has helped him for a long time but Clay's life changes when Joey ends up in a coma and it looks like maybe he's not coming back.

I am amazed by Clay's resilience and ability to keep going even though everything is against him. I do love survivor stories and this is one you might like, too! I needed to know what happened at the end and worrying about both boys pushed me to read on, quickly, and find out.

Joey Chancey is the perfect friend, smart, handsome, rich, and athletic all in one package. He was both Student of the Year and Valedictorian, and plans to head to Duke in the fall. He's everything Clay Gardener is not. Yet they've been best buds since Clay was seven and Clay's family arrived at the Chancey's doorstep.

Clay has always measured himself against Joey. Unlike Clay, Joey has parents who cry when Joey gets awards, who watch when they boys ride down the road on their bikes, and who are fiercely protective of their only son. Clay was raised by his older sister and has never known his mom. His dad drives a garbage truck and otherwise snores his life away, while Clay works as the hospital as an orderly to help pay the rent. He rides his bike everywhere because he can't afford a car. He and Joey are so different, yet Jody still calls Clay his best friend.

The two boys have been training for months for a cross-county bike trip. They plan to leave on Clay's 18th birthday after dipping their tires in the Atlantic Ocean. Instead they fight over a girl. Clay's girl. Who now wants Joey. All the girls like Joey. But does he have to take Michelle, too?

When Clay goes over to the Chancey's to talk, he finds Joey in the shed naked, and acting crazy. Joey comes after Clay with a hoe and Clay must defend himself. Now Joey's in the hospital with tubes snaking everywhere. As far as Clay knows, Joey has never and would never take drugs. Clay bathes his unconscious best friend and vows to find out what happened.

BLOOD BROTHERS by S. A. Harazin is one of those books you simply cannot put down. I had to stop in the middle and couldn't wait to finish it. The author immerses the reader in the world of an orderly in the ER from the first page without intimidating the reader with excessive hospital jargon. The reader sees what Clay does not. Clay is thoughtful, kind, sensitive, and thorough. The reader has no doubt that, one day, Clay will be a doctor. Clay is everything he sees in Joey. And more. This is a fabulous read. Well done!

"Blood Brothers" by SA Harazin captured my attention at the beginning of the book. It is fast paced and keeps the reader's interest at all times.
The story has a meaningful message to young adults. I felt this was an exceptional story and I look forward to future novels by Ms Harazin.
I've ordered several copies to give as gifts, and I think the parents of the young people will appreciate the book.

I don't have nearly enough time to read, but this book captivated me. I put aside my own writing to read it, and finished it in just two days. It reminded of SE Hinton - a good kid from a bad background, still trying to do what's right. The end made me cry. Highly recommended!

this is a great book for when you have left a cult and you did some work on yourself allready and you need to check again what happened

I keep "Take Back Your Life: Recovering From Cults and Abusive Relationships" on my bedside table, my living room end table, and everywhere I can grab a chance to read it. I keep a pen right in the book, because I am underlining so many passages, and marking others with stars. This book is extremely practical, giving very specific suggestions for recovery, even while it covers material that is incredibly deep and analytical. I could not recommend it more highly! This book will help you help yourself to extricate your emotions and thoughts from the negative past, and build new freedoms into your life. CW

Incredibly comprehensive and poignant. As a cult survivor, I've read a lot of cult-related materials, and this one just struck a deep nerve, where others didn't quite have the same effect. It's also the only one that my partner is willing to read. He says that this book is a much more relatable piece than any other book I've suggested, and states that it brings cult experiences down to a layman's level to understanding these past experiences and some of its lasting effects.

Take Back Your Life: Recovering From Cults and Abusive Relationships by co-authors Janja Lalich (Associate Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico) & Madeleine Tobias (The Clinical Coordinator and a psycho therapist at the Vet Center in White River Junction) is a self-help resource for survivors of harmful relationships, whether with an individual or a group, and their loved ones. Chapters explain in plain terms the siren call abusive relationships have some people, and the confusion, low self-esteem, and post-traumatic stress experienced by the victim, along with suggestions for picking up the pieces of one's life and embracing the healing process. Of special note are the chapters addressing problems with family members and children in cults, and therapeutic concerns. Take Back Your Life is written primarily for lay readers however, and is a very sober, serious, and practical guide.

As an ex cultic relationship survivor cum exit counselor in training I can attest to this being the most comprehensive and helpful book to date I,ve read. THis book definitely encompasses all facets of what it is to go through the aftermath of a cultic experience. It is a warm and welcome friend as I repair my life. It is a must for not only the survivor but for the support system that helps the survivor repair the damage done. Best to all!

This is one of the most helpful books out there for treating depression. And most of the concepts and advice are useful for anxiety as well. Easy to read, excellent illustrative examples, non repetitive, concise, and accurate. Even if you don't go in for the Eastern views on diagnosis and treatment (although I personally believe that the practice if mindfulness is one the best treatment modalities out there), the first section on understanding and taking care of your brain is well worth the price of admission alone. Thank You for this informative and innovative book!

This book was very informative and an excellent resource. You learn a lot about yourself.

I see Dr. Emmons as a regular patient. He is a gifted doctor and healer. His book goes on to further demonstrate his ability to combine western medicine with eastern logic only to achieve amazing results.

Anyone looking to improve their lives should definetly take a look at this stuff. This book literally changed my life. Whether you suffer from mild or severe depression, the small suggestions offered in this book are priceless and very easy to follow (plus, they're fun to try).

I've spent years battling severe depression. I dropped out of college for a year, and recently ended up in the hospital with suicidal thoughts. I'm not sure if I would be here if I hadn't accidentally picked up this book. It was refreshing to find so many extra steps that I can take to improving my lifestyle, other than just medications and therapy. The book is easy to read and fascinating.
These practices have kept me on track in graduate school, and many people have told me I look better than I ever have (I'd bet everything that it has to do with my better diet and meditation practices). The book was just a start, but it's the only book I've ever seen that allows that kind of start. I've read extensively on depression, and I've never learned more than I learned in one little book.

Most of all, I feel better than I've felt since I was 16 (before the depression). This book has opened new doors for me and I feel well enough to take them all!!!

This is a fantastic book. For anyone who has every experienced the "prisoner in you own mind" feelings that come with anxiety, this book really lends a helping hand. Like the other reviewers mentioned, it is well written and concise...but perhaps most of all, it gives you some very empowering tools amid an otherwise desperately helpless-feeling time.

What this book does is teach a chilkd that the only person that they can truly rely on is themselves. It teaches a child how to be self aware and alerted. It also allows the parent to bond with the child through lesson of education for both. This book also has alot of extras that all parents should have, like a list of emergency contacts and information on how to put together an I.D kit. this alone is worth the money.

As a father I always try to find ways to protect my chiuldren. This book teaches everything I needed to know. A easy book to read and easy book to use as an educational tool for my kids.

The book gets strait to the meat ant holds your attention until the ending. Maurice Woodson did a wonderful Job. I recommend this book very much.

The book gets strait to the meat ant holds your attention until the ending. Maurice Woodson did a wonderful Job. I recommend this book very much.

Exceptional! An Informative Gem! No household should be without this one!

The added material is a major plus. Run don't walk to buy this book!

I first saw the movie version of this book about 10 years ago. I was stunned and I had to read the book. After much searching and alot of trouble I found it at a used bookstore. The search was worth it. The book takes the reader deeper into Berlin's underworld and truly exposes the heroin lifestyle for what it is, a nightmare. i also recommend the book Panic In Needle Park, if you can find it. ...

You hear how shocked people are by the extent of drug abuse in 'our day and age' and 'what the young people get up to', but here is a chilling and important book written, about the destruction of a child, before I was born. People need to know this stuff - and the reason 'H' is such an important book is because it is written from the inside out. No-one can understand who hasn't been there, and they shouldn't pretend to or try to. There is certainly no place for judgement.
I was interested by Vicky790's comments that there are websites about Christiane which might tell us about her now, 20 years on, but all I can find are pictures of the film. Anyone got any tips?

I have read this book on several occassions and I still find it shocking even as a 34 year old.

I think this book should be read in schools, and I am disappointed it is no longer in print or available in book shops.

This is the type of book I feel should be available in light of the tragic drug problem we now seem to have. It gives a more realistic interpretation of what a drug addicts life is really like and how it isn't the glamourous life some think it is.

Christiane is still fighting with her addiction now, so it is not an easy thing to escape. If you are interested there are web sites about Christiane, just use your search facilities.

... but it's the most impressive book i've ever read. all the information from the book alerts those who still escaping this serious social problem. this book deserves spending your precious time.

Any Teenager should have read this book or at least have seen the movie. This is not a fictional Story, it's the ugly Truth that most people don't want to know. Instead of pointing the Finger at the Addicts, people should get a bare impression of what they go through everyday and how easy it is to become an addict. For me, the most shocking thing about this book was, that if I would have been in that scene (Berlin 70's), I would surely also have become a junkie. This book should be read in every school, it would be actually something that we could LEARN from. Although it is certainly not a listening pleasure, everyone that is barely interested on what can go wrong should read it.

Women everywhere will applaud the writings found within Whitehouse's Circles in the Sand. There is a little bit of every woman's story in her story. There are some parts of her story that some women will never experience. But the one universal truth in Whitehouse's story is that women who take necessary risks to search their souls and define themselves reach a point of being keenly aware of who they are.

From the Dedication page: "To my family - this is who I am." With that one powerful statement, Whitehouse drew me in and didn't let me go until I reached the final word of this powerful book.

Circles in the Sand is Whitehouse's very personal memoir of her quest to understand the events of her past and to move beyond them. Daring to do what few women would dare to do, Whitehouse travels through the Middle East on an emotional and spiritual journey to "find herself." What she found by the time she had completed her journey was the window into her soul and a degree of self-love, self-acceptance and confidence that allowed her to share her journey with others.

From the About the Author page: "Edna Whitehouse now goes by the name 'Samadhi,' which means 'Being one with the Divine and being in the moment.'" "A writer who has never forgotten what it feels like to be young and be silenced, Samadhi's messages are: Break the cycle of dysfunction. Be heard. Take back your own power. Go girls!"

The author's work deals with a number of very painful topics, including incest, homophobia and the brutal devaluing of women in the cultures of the Middle East. Through such specific topics and through some very common threads in the lives of all women, readers come to know not only Whitehouse, but the Middle East through her eyes and the beauty in women basking in the midst of other women to claim or re-claim their power.

Whitehouse is currently working on a second book titled Separated at Birth. With her comfortable writing style and her depth of character and substance, I will be eagerly awaiting this book's release!

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Dear Samadhi:

Hope all is well. I am finally at the library, and have the time to share my thoughts with you about your book. I manage to get here only once or twice a week. I am getting ready for a trip to England next week, something that is adding to the busyness of my lifestyle.

We met and chatted at your booth during the Body, Soul, & Spirit Expo in Calgary in April 2006.. It was just after I retired from the Alberta Government as a social worker in the child protection field. I read about half the book, and {personal life issues arose}. Your book remained untouched until recently when I managed to finish it.

I am part of two spiritual groups in Calgary and they are a good stabilizing influence. Both teachers are women who are connected to a current that I resonate with at the present time.

When I finished your book, I felt deep appreciation that I had been exposed to your journey, but traumatized over what you experienced, as a child and a woman. Though I encountered a lot of child sexual, physical and mental abuse in my profession, the job itself was highly rigid and bureaucratic, leaving me with little quality time to spend with the children.

I was a case manager and arranged for therapists to work with the children. I knew the big picture about each child, and in general terms the emotional and behavioural consequences, but I never had the chance to get into such a detailed exposé of the personal side of what the child experienced. Hence, your sharing about what you experienced as a youth and adult was highly relevant, and served to round out my understanding of what this kind of suffering is all about, including the deep emotional and mental scars it leaves.

Circumstances took you to lands where male brutality to women, both psychological and physical, not only prevailed but was culturally sanctioned. I cannot help but wonder whether you were guided to what you experienced simply in order to exacerbate your personal issues and bring the whole thing to a head, where psychological release from your attachments and inner turmoil was the only alternative for a harmonious inner life to prevail.

You came out of the other end a whole person with a lot of understanding of the letting go process, something that can help many people you encounter, if they are receptive to hearing you.

I hope your present life is fulfilling and that you encounter ongoing growth and happiness. When I settle down somewhere, which only the universe knows where and when it will be, I will extend an invitation to you and your partner to visit and enjoy our beautiful Rocky Mountains and turquoise lakes.

Best Wishes,
Doug Christou, Calgary

Turning the pages as you unravel each layer of the veil takes you beyond religions, borders or sexual orientation, into the core of the human Spirit. Your heart travels along the edges of your own insecurities and fears as you explore life through someone else's eyes. Samadhi's amazing journey makes you want to do something, anything, to give your higher self a chance to come into the light, release those butterflies, who in turn will give wings to every Soul they touch along the way. As the circles widen and open up, the little flutters of the voice of LOVE are heard.

This book touched my heart and gave me hope that women can survive abuse in all areas and find the strength to heal and move forward in ones life. I have worked as a counselor in the area of trauma and abuse, for over twenty years. Themes of healing from trauma and discovering ones sexuality only empower and strengthen ones soul from the inside out. I could relate to the family of origin wounds for all individuals and the ability for Samadhi to discover, heal, and forgive are truly the answers to finding peace and serenity within. I was touched by each page of absolute honesty and willingness to share her story. Samadhi, you have changed my life because of this book and reminded me one more time that love does prevail. Thank you.

Linda Mackenzie
Social Worker
BSW, RSW.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Samadhi's Circles in the Sand is a thought provoking read that I couldn't wait to finish. It is well written and the story flows from start to finish. This is not one woman's struggle; it is every woman's struggle for equality, self respect and self love. I recommend it to everybody.
My only suggestion would be to include maps of the Middle East at the beginning to get a better understanding of Samadhi's travels.
Way to go, Samadhi!

I would like not to see the parallels. Any rational and compassionate person should like not to see the parallels. But the parallels are there, and Miller lays them bare in this devastating and meticulous extended analogy.

This is an astonishing book. Its thesis is provocative, to say the least, and it may not be for everyone -- but if you've ever wondered if just maybe our current federal drug policy wasn't delivering quite what you'd hoped, crack this book open and prepare to lose sleep.

This is one of the most powerful books I've read in a long time. Richard L. Miller deserves an award. In this book, the author details the erosion of civil liberties by the current war on drugs. For those familiar with this area, he trots out the typical points: harsh penalties for minor violations and loss of civil liberties for all.

But what makes this book special is the author's analysis of legal issues and history. Richard Miller is an independent scholar who has written about Nazi justice (in "Nazi Justiz"). I thought his application of Nazi jurisprudence to the drug war was overkill at first. Little did I know just how wrong I was. As one reviewer put it, this book will help you lose weight.

What sets this book above the others on the drug war is that Miller explains how the war effects the innocent, and how innocence is no longer an adequate defense. In fact, Miller has a Justice Department official quoted as saying that innocence was not a defense to forfeiture of assets. He argues that asset forfeiture has corrupted law enforcement at all levels.

In one example, Miller tells of an elderly couple in one California county who owned a mutil-million dollar ranch adjacent to a national park. Apparently, the Park Service wanted the land, the local law enforcement the assets (in the form of the house, possessions, etc.). Thus, police had to get a warrant to raid the property. First, they searched it illegally. This is a typical tactic of DEA agents and local law enforcement, who search a house and either plant or discover evidence that they can use to get a warrent later. Regardless, the courts have determined that even illegal searches and seizures are acceptable in the war on drugs. All of this is documented in the book. Even in the illegal search, no drugs were discovered. An elderly couple, go figure?

If you think that stopped the police, DEA, et al., then you haven't read the book. One local officer testified before a judge that "thousands" of marijuana plants were being cultivated on the property. This testimony was based on a lie told to the officer by another. Although both were aware of the lie (and the couple's complete innocence of ANYTHING), this way neither officer could be chared with perjury. Needless to say, the judge issued the warrant.

During the raid, the husband was sleeping. He was roused awake by his wife's screaming and was shot to death as he put down his rifle, which he had becuase he thought he was being robbed and was defending his wife. The agents participating in the raid evicted the wife. Even agents of the U.S. Park Service were involved, in case you doubted their complicity.

It gets better. The location of the ranch was in a different county than the one in which the local police were from! They went out of their own jurisdiction for the express purpose of seizing property from people THEY KNEW were innocent. All of this was expressed by the county prosecutor (where the ranch was), when he said that they appeared to be motivated by a desire to obtain the property and assests of its owners.

This book is meticulously documented and researched. The analysis of the legal issues with references to the Nuremburg Tribunal and Nazi legal principles is stunning. As well as his telling of the internment of Japenese-Americans to demonstrate how segments of society can be treated if the propaganda warriors desire their elimination.

If you're not enraged by the time you're finished reading this book, your heart is dead.

The author has done the work and now the citizens must spread the "gospel". Like a seer Lawrence is able to anticipate the insane trajectory of where this drug war is leading. Though the picture he paints is ugly, if these drug warrior zealots are not vigorously challenged now he clearly shows how much uglier it will become. The evil of Nazi Germany and that of the US drug war are clearly shown to progress via the same chain of events: identification, ostracism, confiscation, concentration, and the final solution ie annihilation. Miller is an American hero doing the best he can to awaken conciousness.

This is one of the best books I have read. I am against prohibition. Many people are but whenever the subject comes up in conversation the retort to my sugestion that prohibition be repealed is typically something along the line of "all you want to do is smoke pot" ...followed by some chuckling and then some stories about the days when we use to get high as kids.
This book is not about smoking pot. It is about the use of the drug war and prohibition law to circumvent Americans civil liberties. It is very well written. It helped me to form reasonable counter arguments to the for mentioned statement such as... "is it OK to strip search a child?"
This book is made even more relative when used as background material to analyze what I witness while watching the Judge Alito confirmatio hearings.
The scariest part of this book is watching the events described come alive right before our eyes on C-span.
I think you should read this if you, like me, suspect that something is rotten in Denmark and the official version of what is happening just isn't making sense.

This book is an anomaly amidst the typical drug policy literature available. Miller's argument stems from his scholarship on Nazism. He applies Raul Hilberg's "chain of destruction" to the current "war," not on drugs, but on drug users. William Bennett was less than secretive about his abhorrence for those who used drugs, especially those "hard-core users who were too far gone to care about" - stated differently, the real issue is not the drugs themselves, but the type of people who use drugs. America is full of social problems, e.g. poverty, crime, &c.; problems that most politicians are timid in addressing because of the complexities involved in solving them. Yet, politicians need a platform to stand on and the American public needs a scapegoat. Drug users, that most alien element in the population, according to Miller, are the perfect group to identify, ostracize, confiscate, concentrate, and then annihilate as scapegoats for all the ills in society: in fact this sequence of stages is Hilberg's "chain of destruction." It is from his "seminal" study on the Holocaust, later published as: The Destruction of the European Jews, that Hilberg constructed his theory of the chain of destruction. Nazi Germany, like America, was in the throes of profound social discord and the public demanded a scapegoat. The Jews became the literal manifestation of a scapegoat for the German people. Hitler, faced with harsh social problems, exercised his own prejudices to isolate, blame and thus use the Jews as a scapegoat for Germany's problems. It was identification of the scapegoat with a real entity and the eventual acceptance of this scapegoat by a German majority that led to the conceptualization and employment of a "final solution" for the riddance of social ills from German society. Miller's argument is provocative, to say the least, in that he sees a direct correlation between the processes of Nazism and the processes of the "drug warriors." Moral indignation when it is directed toward a highly specified group of people can have disastrous consequences. Miller is not the only scholar who has applied the scapegoat theory to drug users in American society, but he is the first to take it to its disturbing, but logical end.

As a support group facilitator of a domestic violence group, I have found Encouragements for the Emotionaly Abused invaluable. Women in group and every woman who comes to the shelter program for help receives a copy of this book. It aids healing and validates everything someone feels when in an abusive relationship. I highly recomend this publication to anyone who has at any time in thier life experienced any form of abuse.

No woman wants to need to read this book. However, those of us who have lived the abuse know the pain. We carry our abuse with us like an unlit torch thinking it will light the path before us. Only to find out it is the abuse that keeps us in the dark. This book is the true light; it is the words we need to hear echo in our heads; it is the hope that our lives in the end will mean something to ourselves and others. Both Encouragements and "The Emotionally Abused Woman" are a must read. It can make life lighter.

I read this book as a way to help clients that come into our office. I was amazed at how much I learned, and what a pick-me-up it ended up being for me. It is an easy read, and is a wonderful help to anyone, at any stagein the healing process or life. I highly reccommend it!

I purchased this material, because I am in love with a woman who has suffered from emotional and sexual abuse as a child and I wanted to learn more about the subject. My hope was to learn about the topic, so as to be understanding and helpful to her, as our relationship progressed. Honestly, this has proven to be a difficult relationship, yet I would say the material has been rather helpful...written simply, and clearly...an easy read. No 2 situations can be exactly the same, so not every point can be applied, that would be my only caution when reviewing the material. For anyone who has suffered from this tradgedy, my guess is this is valuable reading...for anyone wanting to understand the challenges of those who have, it is a good starting point to learn. However, more sources will be needed to grasp the challenges presented.

Gives you so much insight into your own world. Thank you for this book. It has helped me see the truth as it really is. Not how I would want to see it.

Recently, I read Fault Line, by Janet Tashjian. I first picked it up because the author also wrote The Gospel According to Larry and its sequel, Vote for Larry, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed and read multiple times. Later, I was intrigued by the subject of the story. Rarely do you read novels, especially young adults', that deal with abusive relationships. I have noticed the signs in several, but none actually call it abuse. It's kind of a touchy subject. But this book deals with it straight out. I really appreciated that.
Becky and Kip are very original main characters that drew me into the story. I liked that they were both aspiring comedians. I was able to laugh at this book even though it has a serious topic.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this book was that the story was told from both points of view. It really helped me understand how abusive relationships work and why the girl doesn't just leave. I blamed the girl in the relationship for not leaving before I read this book, but now I see why it's so hard. I also don't perceive the abuser as a heartless jerk any longer. It's more complicated than that. However, that doesn't make what they do right.
I would definitely recommend this book to every girl in eighth grade or above. These are important issues that need to be recognized. Not only should everyone girl read this so that she can recognize these warning signs in her own relationships, but also because this is such a good and interesting book. Read it!

I really like this book in different ways from the way I liked Sarah Dessen's Dreamland. I like the detail better in Dreamland but Faultline was still a very good book.

Becky Martin is a 17-year-old comedienne who believes she has found true love with fellow comedian Kip Costello. As Kip becomes increasingly more possessive and controlling, however, Becky finds herself enmeshed in an abusive relationship she has difficulty giving up. This novel is written with great sensitivity as both sides of the abusive relationship are explored, and all the characters are very believable. Recommended for young men as well as for young women.

Book Response:

The book Fault Line by Janet Tashjain deals with a girl named Becky Martin who is struggling in an abusive relationship while at the same time trying to balance her career as a standup comic. It analyzes the steps of how men can take control so easily. Through this process of controlling and abusive behavior, she comes out as a new person who is stronger, wiser, and majestic.
Starting off, Becky is a very self-conscious girl who relies on the opinions of others to form who she is. For example at the start of her career as a standup comic a simple insult of her performance caused a major breakdown. She thought she was a lost cause and could never have been worthy of any real career in this profession. Also as she gets deeper into her relationship with Kip she feels that she isn't worth anything unless she has a boyfriend. Becky stays in the relationship after repeated physical and emotional abuse because of the peer pressure to have a boyfriend, which comes from her friends. Finally, because of the constant insults from Kip she started to become isolated from her family and friends. After this she only plummeted into a world of insanity and suicidal. She even went as far as keeping dead animals in her bedroom. Of course by the end of the book her skin became thicker. When an insult was made about her performance she took it as constructive criticism instead of a remark dealing with the quality of her character. Also Becky discovers that a woman doesn't need a boyfriend to be accepted by her friends. She even starts giving lectures to other women who were previously in abusive relationship just as she was. Finally because Becky starts to come out of her isolated world of insanity she finally starts interacting with her friends and family once again. This leads to a healthier environment in which she takes more risks in her career as a standup comedian.
Becky Martin not only becomes a stronger individual but also uses her new wisdom to impact the lives of others going through these same circumstances. In a lecture given to women in the same position she says that, "A relationship is a lot like a hot bath. The more you get used to it, the more you realize it's not so hot..." She means that in this instance it can be hard to determine how dangerous the situation is because of how manipulative the man can be and how easily he can get away with treating women violently. Also Becky starts to go after her dreams of college and a career as a comedian. She realizes that in order for things to happen she must do it herself by focusing on her grades and working on her act as a comedian. Finally, Becky becomes more confident with herself and creates a clinic for abused women. Through this she obtains the tools necessary to help others in need.
Because Becky becomes wiser and stronger through the hard times of her relationship with Kip she becomes an icon in the world of jokes and laughter as well as an icon to the people she works with at her battered women's shelter. Her transformation of a simple struggling comedian to a majestic and influential individual shows how extreme her character has changed form the beginning. For example in the beginning of the book she had stage fright and constantly feared rejection from the people she was entertaining. By the end her act onstage was solid and took the rejection as a way to figure out how to improve her performance. She even lands a spot on MTV where she is able to perform some of her material live. Also with the women that she helps through her shelter she is able to give them a voice by making this issue more aware to the public through her fame as a comedian. Finally through her struggles she manages to achieve everything she wanted; acceptance to a good college and a career in the comedian business.
Becky Martin never expected to be so violently transformed from the self-conscious teenager to a famous comedian who advocates the abolition of abusive relationships. She not only changes her resume, but changes a person as well. She does this by becoming stronger, wiser, and more majestic as a person who was once weak, ignorant, and still trying to find her spark in life.

Abuse. You've heard about it a lot, it happens everyday; it may even happen in your own lives. Whether you're the victim or the perpetrator, whether you're a young teen, whose relationship just began, or an older lady who's been in the relationship for years, it happens all the time.

Becky and her family are working on Becky's career in comedy. While performing Becky and Abby, Becky's best friend, meet a new guy who they think is real cool, sweet, and the best comedian ever. Becky and Kip begin a relationship that doesn't go as they dream. Becky finds herself trying to be the perfect girlfriend, trying to do what she thinks is best, but Becky's relationship, may not go like the fairytale she's always dreamed of.

It's all through all the tragic events that Becky figures the dating life out. She realizes that she doesn't have to have a boy to make her comedy career, really something.

Sometimes the most important lessons are learned through a tragedy. Its also been said, that everything happens for a reason. Janet Tashjian gives us a realistic view of relationships; she lets us know that a relationship doesn't always stay the same. The harsh realities of our decisions don't only affect one person, but everyone involved in our lives.

This is a great book. A lot of people will enjoy this reading material. I would recommend this to any teen, but I'd recommend it more to teen girls or even grown women. This book lets us know some of the dangers of abuse and how it can worsen, but it also lets you know that you can get out of the relationship. This is a really great book and anyone could read it and enjoy it.