Alcoholism Books

I first ordered this book for my son-in-law, because he is such a Charlie Daniels fan. I then ordered a copy for a friend of mine who is going through a rough time in her life right now. Before giving it away, I flipped through the pages, and read the story by Jonny Lang. I am a 61 yr. old grandmother, but I have albums by him. I was just blown away, and had to order a copy for myself.

In the book, How Do You Know He's Real, you'll get an inside look into the spiritual lives of 34 celebrities. Hagberg has compiled testimonies ranging from Kirk Cameron to Rudy Sarzo (former bass player for Ozzy Osbourne). Each story is remarkably different and it's amazing to read how God has worked in the lives of each of these well-known people.

The author has collected very readable stories telling how celebrities have become Christians, and they share their low points and their joys here. This is a welcome peek into the lives of well known people who typically are more secretive.
Ricky Skaggs, Kirk Cameron, Gloria Gaynor, Bethel Johnson (34 people in all) tell about their struggles and their early days as new Christians.
Billy Ray Cyrus tells of singing in his grandpa's Pentecostal church when he was 4, and includes the touching lyrics to the song he wrote "The other side."
Jackie (Jacklyn) Zeman, star of General Hospital, advises that when you are at a crossroads "cry out to God and ask for His guidance."
Al Kasha's story resonated with me; this Academy Award winning songwriter overcame agoraphobia, and talks about how Hollywood is a tough place for a Jew who came to Christ, and how he started a Hollywood Bible study group.
There are stories here for anyone to enjoy and find spirit lifting.

(Hagberg has written a companion book with the same title, subtitled God Unplugged)

How Do You Know He's Real? is a collection of celebrity essays about God acting in their lives. The contributors include athletes, musicians, and actors. Their stories often follow a familiar pattern of fame leading to drugs and alcohol before hitting bottom and being turned around by an encounter with God. That's not to say the accounts are all stock and cliched, but rather that God meets each person in their need--and for celebrities that need will be similar. And many of the tales include growing up in stable Christian homes, but still needing to make personal decisions about God and Christ and how that decision impacted their careers.

The stories are collected alphabetically but Hagberg has provided a topic finder so a reader battling discouragement or frustration can find offerings from Billy Ray Cyrus, Nancy Stafford, Zorro, Gary Burghoff or John Schneider.

Each essay begins with a picture and short biography of the contributor, listing their accomplishments. Following the selection is God's Road Map, a few sentences about the issues raised by the author, with Bible verses for teaching and encouragement.

The essays themselves are as varied as the contributors. Some of them read as if they were written to be given as speeches. Several sound like the writer could be sitting at your kitchen table, chatting over the coffee pot. All of them are honest and share from their heart how God has acted in their life and how they know He's real.

Reading the accounts of God acting in both miraculous and mundane ways reminds us that no matter what a person does for a living, each of us are created beings who need a loving Savior and merciful God.

Armchair Interviews says: Up close and personal stories from celebrities.

I received this book as a gift and once I started, I couldn't put it down. Ms Hagberg has captured the beliefs of these well known and respected celebrities, sports figures, and musicians. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and can't wait to give copies of this one to all my friends. Order 2!

Journey on the Road Less Traveled is a phenomenal book!! I must admit however that it has taken me quite a few weeks to read, but not because I did not love it, because I LOVED IT SO MUCH that I found myself reading and re-reading chapters. I absolutely 100% believe that has saved my marriage and helped me find "real love"! I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking spiritual guidance their marriage, when it seems as all else has failed and you need "somewhere" to turn, this book is the answer! It has been my handbook these past few weeks and I know that it will be forever. I sought this book out to rescue my marriage, yet it has also helped me understand my own feelings, the importance of faith and taught me the act of forgiveness.

Angie explains how important it is to have a relationship with God and the how critical it is to submit ourselves to Him and everything else in our life will just fall into place and we can be the person that God intended us to be! Once we understand what God's purpose for us in this world, then we can apply it to our marriage and all other aspects of our life.

I lived in my emotions and my feelings and could not understand why I was so unhappy, this book shows you how to take control of your feelings by having faith in God and gave me clarity on how to take a look at my own actions first before I try to change or control the actions of another person. Thanks to Angie, I am truly less emotionally stressed which in turn has allowed me to become a much more loving person!!

Review: A Journey On the Roads Less Traveled
by Angie Lewis

Rated: 5 Stars
Angie Lewis' book A Journey On A Roads Less Traveled should be in every AA meeting hall. As I read Angie's book, I wished that my sister had been able to find the strength to break through her addiction before that addiction took her life.
I found Angie's words of wisdom to be not only for those who find themselves addicted to alcohol or drugs, but for each and every one of us. We all are battling some sort of demons in our lives--be it love of money or things we can possess. We are all selfish to some point and our loved ones often suffer. I myself, found Angie's book calming, placing a comforting balm upon my heart.
I highly recommend A Journey On Roads Less Traveled. All the roads she described will ultimately lead the reader to road that leads to salvation through Jesus Christ.

Review by Nancy Lee Shrader
IS IT NOW? The End of Days!
The Curse of Mayweather House
IS HE MESSIAH? Messianic Prophecies Revealed!

If you are looking for a book that jumps right into the "heart of the matter" concerning the transformation a Christian should experience when becoming serious about putting his or her faith into practice, you can't go wrong by purchasing "Journey on the Roads Less Traveled." Angie Lewis must have an angel helping her find the words to write, because so many times while I was reading this book - I imagine others experience the same - I said to myself, "That is exactly what I needed to hear!" This is an extremely powerful book!

When we try and create our own version of joy and contentment, we often become trapped in our own selfish perceptions of what happiness is. We rely on our own limited abilities to keep up our emotional high. Lewis challenges her readers to find and rely on the One source that can lead to more happiness and joy than we ever imagined for ourselves.

What is truly captivating about Angie's book is that she talks about her own selfishness, pride, and life mistakes on such a personal level that I kept asking myself if I could have that kind of courage while writing a non-fiction novel.

Mrs. Lewis also offers some of the best advice, in this book and her other books, on how to maintain a joyful marriage I have ever read. When I read her advice concerning marriage, I can't help but think of her having her own television show giving advice to couples in front of a live studio audience.

"Journey on the Roads Less Traveled" challenges us to make our faith first and foremost in our lives. Careers, homes, family, and relationships are enhanced and experienced on a whole new level when we experience them as we live under the umbrella of God's will for our lives. God's gifts to us should be used to give Him back the glory He rightly deserves.

Forgiveness is another main theme Angie Lewis provides her readers with. If we are not willing to truly forgive the people who have upset us, then we are limiting our ability to experience the kind of love Jesus came to teach us about 2,000 years ago.

I could write for days about how much I loved this book. But I just might give away so much of the "guts" inside that purchasing the book would be unnecessary, so I will close by saying this: If you want to purchase a book that can truly change your life, inspire your faith, or make you ponder how joyful your life can truly become, this is a book that can do just that!

See ya next review!

Angie Lewis has taken the road less traveled and is an excellent tour-guide as well as trail blazer. She has taken the road to change, which is something so many of us have never been able to do. If you have any interest in loving yourself or wish to be loved as God loves you, then you must read and follow this clearly marked road map which she has explored and drawn for you. I myself have just recently learned to love myself with God's help, now loving others is my goal. Thank you, Angie for enriching all of the lives you touch. Since ready Angie's book, acts of kindness have become a way of life, in sharing The Lord's love for me.

This is a great book for anyone who is married or thinking about marriage. It outlines how marriage should be according to God. It takes you through a personal journey of the author, which really makes you think about yourself. This is a very inspiring book that brings hope and healing to the reader. I would encourage anyone who would like to have a closer relationship with the Lord to read this book.

Lost (part three) is such a departure from the first six chapters of Moments and Milestones that I almost could not believe it was part of the same story.
The author; Timothy Mulder takes the reader boldly and with courageous honesty along for the ride as he dives deep into denial, drug addiction and betrayal of self.
After witnessing him fully blossom into a proud self-realized gay man in 'Lonely', this willful self destruction was painful to behold.
He never looses his sense of wit and seems to learn powerful lessons along the way, so I can only hope for a light at the end of the tunnel.

Riveting storytelling.

"Lost" continues Timothy Mulder's trek through life, and as the title implies, the period covered by this book is dark, indeed. It covers his fall into drug abuse and the problems he suffers in his relationships and life in general during a very tough period, leading to what amounts to a spiritual collapse.

To be entirely honest, writing a review for this book is difficult. The author's life as depicted in "Lost" is such a huge departure from anything in my own personal experience that it's hard for me to find a frame of reference. I've been blessed with a comparatively easy life, no substance abuse problems (either for myself or others in my family), and while I've had a number of challenges now and then, I can only give thanks that I've never had to see the sort of hell the author has lived through. I have been extraordinarily blessed.

But, upon reflection, that's truly the power of this book and the others in Timothy Mulder's series: I believe that sharing his traumatic experiences helps those of us who haven't had to go down that road appreciate how good we have it, and hopefully makes us more understanding - and respectful - of those who have.

I am enjoying my journey through the chapters of Mr. Mulder's memoir. Once again, I am captivated by his lifestyle involving drug use, nightclubs, and the people he associated with during those times. I am leaving this chapter with the feeling of satisfaction of having been somewhere, yet frustrated because I am left wanting more. It is with great anticipation that I look forward to the next chapter.

Anticipating another winner I found one. Mulder writes with wisdom of hindsight but realistically not leaving anything out incuding his own mistakes. Nothing hides in the closet with this riveting sequel.
Still wanting more. Can't wait.

Timothy Mulder's first-hand perceptions of gay domestic life in America is far from fragile and right on target. In fact, it's so frank, it's courageous. LOST shows us a gay man who lives through the domestic issues that gay couples live. The question of fidelity, jealousy, open-relationships, alcohol, drugs, white picket fences, and even the picking out of the family dog. In short, modelling a union on heterosexual patterns. This soon slides into redefinition, showing that all relationships are prone to a maelstrom of symtoms that could (and in this case do)amount to potential self-destruction.

LOST is an engrossing middle passage, and I for one, can't wait to see what happens in Mr. Mulder's next issue. Great read.

[...]

My first inclination was to skim this book enough to write a review. Instead I wound up reading it cover to cover--the story is that engaging.

The book can be read on three levels. First, it is a story of a family devastated by one of its children sinking into the drug culture, with the anger, lying, secretiveness and mistrust that come out of that. The mother slowly watches her real son fading away, replaced by this total stranger she calls "The Other Son." She cannot understand, predict or trust what this "Other Son" is or will do next. She describes in great detail the burden carried by everybody in the family who cared for him and hated what he was doing to himself and them. I think every parent who has gone through the process of a child or relative gradually self-destructing in this way can relate to this story on a very personal level.

The second level describes in painstaking detail how there are very few effective solutions available for parents with an "Other Son." The author describes how they tried the police, a voluntary treatment program and the courts, among other things, with no positive effect. In all these attempts, they learned that he had his "rights" which the law demanded be respected. Many of the people they looked to for help understood what was happening, and sympathized with what the parents were trying to do, but their hands were tied by the law. The author in an anguished cry asked about the rights of others he was abusing and if anybody gave any consideration regarding the responsibilities he was shirking. The response was at best an ineffectual expression of sympathy from all sides.

The third level is a detailed description of what it took to get his attention and gradually bring their real son back to life, out of the self-centered, pleasure-oriented, irresponsible "Other Son." After all these failed attempts, what finally worked was a private boarding school that works with children with these attitudinal and behavioral problems. Called Everest and placed in Connecticut in the book, in reality it is a long time boarding school in Maine called Élan. Élan (Everest) follows the model of a therapeutic community where the main curriculum is to teach the students to be responsible for their actions. Their main tools in accomplishing this are a tight structure (where, contrary to most youth institutions, consequences are immediate and appropriate) and utilization of a positive peer culture.

This book is probably the best description I have read of how a therapeutic community works in the lives of real people. What she describes regarding therapeutic communities is a key ingredient for success that has been adopted by many of the successful therapeutic boarding schools in the private parent-choice network of residential schools and programs for struggling teens. The ideas of a therapeutic community have heavily influenced not only Élan, but many other schools including John Dewey Academy in Massachusetts, the now closed CEDU schools in California and Idaho and all those schools with key staff heavily influenced by what they learned at CEDU, which is a significant percentage of the successful schools and programs in this network.

This book is more than just another chronicle of a family in crisis caused by their teen in crisis. It is also more than just a description of a family lucky enough to happen to find a specific school that worked for their son. It is an indictment of public attitudes and resulting public policy creating rights for irresponsible teens that parents and society can't handle, and it is an insightful description of a workable solution, which is the whole idea of a therapeutic community. Any professional working with struggling teens would benefit from reading this book and understanding the underlying concepts the author spells out so well, whether or not they agree with them.

If you have a child who's behavior tends toward beliggerent, abusive, and confusing to you then you are not alone. Mrs. Pappas book gives you great resources and more importantly the feeling of relief to learn that you are not alone and there is something you can do about it. "The Other Son" is such an apropo title for any kid dabbling in the drug/alcohol culture. I highly recommend this book for helping you cope with the unknown world of drug/alcohol addicition.

Every parent should read this book and learn from it. It touches the very soul of a parents deep love and commitment to their child while clearly and passionately illustrating the tenacious struggle with societies inadequacies.

This is the story of a wonderful and caring family and the progression of their son into the world of substance abuse. Having a 16 year old child of my own who has been in drug rehab and now seems is on the relapse path, I could not put this book down. There were so many incidents which I have been through almost as if the script were my own. It is always a good thing to understand that you are not alone in the teen addict's world of lies, manipulation and low moral standards and that most importantly, there is recovery but, that it takes time and patience.

I commend the author on a great book and on her courage and wisdom to get her story out for so many others who need to understand there is help and support and most importantly, there is hope.

This book was recommended reading while my son was in treatment for substance abuse. An openly honest account of family pain and struggle while in the thros of a childs substance abuse. I was able to relate to so many circumstances mentioned which gave me better insight on helping myself and my family better deal during this topsy-turvey time in our lives. Regardless of your own personal situation and cirsumstances, this book was extremely benefical in obtaining new knowledge toward family recovery.

I must say that even though Frank Turner fell from grace I had no idea that he was so addicted to drugs that he had to have a "transition team" just to get by in the Detroit market. It was inspirational to learn that he is healed body and soul. It reminded me of my own encounter with God. We can all relate to what he wrote. It took guts to reveal himself in such a profound way. I admire him for being able to to that. The book is well worth reading.

"Raised from the Dead" by Frank Turner, is the personal testimony of America's First Evangelical Anchorman. Ironically, the first book that I read in one day, "Hope for the Flowers", had the same wonderful message for me. March 11, 1971 is when my life changed forever. The other book was about crawling catapillers, that God changed to beautiful butterflies, as only He can do.

This is one man's story about abandonment and sexual abuse as a child, in addition to smoking pure cocaine. It's about his marriage to the daughter of Louis Farrakhan. It is also about drug use and trafficking. It is about salvation, deliverance, healing and restoration. But if you are seeking for truth in your own life, I promise you this book will show you the miracle that happens when you reach out and ask God to change your heart, change your mind and turn you into that beautiful person that He intended you to be. (Remember the butterfly?)

I'm the mother of five children and a grandmother of eleven. I've never had Frank Turner's horrendous experiences in life, but I could relate to him just because I was a lost, self-righteous soul headed for hell until that awesome day, March 11, 1971, when God called my name and changed my eternal destination. "Old things passed away, He made all things new."

Thank God I was forever changed just as you will be after you read what God did in Frank Turner's life and what God wants to do in each of His children's lives.

Thank you for sharing your story and I'm praying that you enjoy His miracles that are "new every day".

Gratefully Yours,
Boots Barlow

Rarely has a Christian biography like RAISED FROM THE DEAD by Frank Turner, grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go from the first page to the very last. Seldom have I read one with the really "hard" issues in it. This is Reality at its worst and its very Best.

The thoughts, experiences, and word images are so artfully written that they seem burned into my memory. I was disappointed when the book ended. RAISED FROM THE DEAD is captivating, riveting, challenging and with a bit of humor thrown in. The way this author has with words, makes the reader stop to marvel and meditate at the depth of his thoughts and the beauty of language.

The best part of course, is how Frank Turner brings you right into the experiences with him--from the deepest pit of addiction to the heights of his love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his Nicky. This author doesn't cop out and whitewash his "before" story so as not to offend Christians' sensibilities. While tastefully written, he is refreshingly honest, open, and vulnerable, which makes him someone the reader can relate to.

I don't usually use the word "anointed" about anything these days, but I believe it applies to this book. I believe the Lord will use it to reach many for salvation in Jesus Christ, and to give all believers renewed hope and looking forward to living a life totally dedicated to Him and anxiously awaiting His soon return.

Raised From the Dead Frank Turner's book is a sure breath of hope to any who have felt hopelessly alone and/ or have or are battling addictions. This book is just not for those in the categories described above; it is a true work of hope. Frank keeps you on the edge of your chair from defeat to glory. A must read for all who could use some inspiration in their life.

Bob Kirby-Incarceratedyouthministries-RETOOL

Just when you thought you knew what a "crack head" would talk, walk and look like...you were wrong. Frank Turner was a high-profile news anchor on ABC Detroit but had real "issues." Like a lot of us, he had ghosts from the past that haunted him - but he let those ghosts torture him - almost to the point of destruction! Thank God for HIS GRACE. This book shows you the amazing grace of God and how much His love for us is not beyond anyone's reach. Great, fast read. Better than chocolate!

Pam Perry
Chocolate Pages Reviews
www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com

Being as I am a fully recovered alcoholic myself, I loved the stories in this fine book, and can relate to them. I work with alcoholics, and have noticed that those who discover a faith in themselves and their own concept of a higher power do make a complete and full recovery from the terrible power of alcohol. This faith is not that hard to discover, and is easiest found by doing the simple Steps. Almost as simple as painting by the numbers. Just go over them one by one, and before one is aware, one is surprised to discover a deep faith within. Funny how it works, once I hit bottom and had no where to go, the simple reading and mediating of the steps is what did the trick for me. The stories in this wonderful book are very true, I know because I've been there, done that.

A collection of messages, tools, and 'How I did it's' to make sobriety/serenity a more easily achievable goal. Real life memoirs and guidelines to enable the still struggling alcoholic, their family, their friends, and peers get further insight to recovery and the uphill climb it can be, as well as ways to 'lower the hill'. Truly from the heart writing, not a collection of fantasies.A must read for anyone in recovery, or involved with someone in recovery A collection of messages, tools, and 'How I did it's' to make sobriety/serenity a more easily achievable goal. Real life memoirs and guidelines to enable the still struggling alcoholic, their family, their friends, and peers get further insight to recovery and the uphill climb it can be, as well as ways to 'lower the hill'. Truly from the heart writing, not a collection of fantasies. A must read for anyone in recovery, or involved with someone in recovery.

Many members of AA today currently feel that they cannot recover from alcoholism and they will always be recovering. Through the sharing of experience, strength and hope, the authors of the stories in this book show that recovery is not only possible but available. In the Foreword to the First Edition of the AA Big Book it states that the main purpose of that book is "To show other alcoholics PRECISELY HOW WE HAVE RECOVERD..."

Many in AA fear the word "recovered" because they feel that it means that it will give them an excuse to drink alcohol. Those who wrote the AA Big Book attempted to dispel that fear by giving examples of how THEY recovered. Today, many people are not willing to go to ANY lengths to get what the founding members of AA had but would rather live in fear of that first drink and thus be recovering rather than realize a new freedom and a new happiness.

The main purpose of the AA Big Book is to show other alcoholics precisely HOW we have recovered and this book helps to show other alcoholics that recovery from alcoholism is possible and can be accomplished.

Chapter 5, in action. I am a recovered alkie, sober almost 30 years. I encountered this book from a friend. I now highly recomend it to any new person I encounter searching for more than the current 'teachings' in AA. Anyone who is willing to do the 12 steps exactly as written can attain all these folk have and more. The voices in this book tell exactly how it works. The experience of each writter is believable with no pulled punches. It is my belief this book will be a great addition to any sober alkies library. I like the idea of the same writters telling how they got sober doing the steps, and later describing how they found a 'Power Greater than themselves' as stated in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous'. I can think of about 25 people I would buy this book for Christmas or Birthdays or just because they're my friends. WPG. Recovered Alkie

Here is a book full of the stories of honest and full recovery. These people are not "recovering", they are RECOVERED from alcoholism and the difference of monumental. Their stories are true victories over alcoholism; they are inspiration and informative. More importantly, they are honest and truthful stories of people who triumphed over alcoholism. ajorlando

I really liked The Serious Kiss by Mary Hogan. For her first book, she did a great job making her characters believable and easy to relate to. Although I haven't had to experience all of the awful things that Libby, the main character, had to go through, I can sympathize with her. I feel very lucky not to have an alcoholic father who loses everything and forces our family to move to a retirement trailer park with a grandma that i've never met in the middle of no where. But most of all, I am extremely happy not to be Libby and have to leave my house, school, best friend and almost boyfriend. This book makes you really think about your own life and hopefully realize like I did, that life isn't always as bad as it seems. Things could always be worse ot could even get better.

i loved this book.it is so crazy with the characters libby is so awsome and whe she kisses the guy it is so so romantic.i would recommended this book to my 7th grader friends and to anyone else thats in love.it totally rocks!!!!!!!!!

Libby is struggling against Creation. You know the big debate, nurture vs. nature? Well, either way, Libby is in trouble, with her alcoholic father and a mother who overeats, and whose idea of a wholesome meal is a large pizza from Dominos or a red and white bucket from KFC. But amidst the chaos, Libby is determined to experience It. True love in the form one perfect, unforgettable kiss from the One. And with the way things are going, her dream may not be that far off.

But all of her plans are disrupted when her father's drinking leaves him jobless, friendless, and ultimately, their family homeless. Libby's family must pack up and leave the only home she's ever known and move out in the middle of nowhere. She's devastated, humiliated, and hurt. But slowly she'll learn to find peace within herself, and maybe come to find beauty and life in the middle of the desert.

The Serious Kiss is quite an accomplishment of a first novel. It deals with many heavy issues at once in such a way that you can only feel deep empathy for Libby and at the same time deep admiration for her as she's dealt blow after blow, but still manages to bounce back. The characters are all far from perfect, but each is honest and significant. Hogan has a way with details that breathe life into each element of the story, giving the reader a more realistic reading experience. Eye-opening, a bit quirky, humorous, and poignant, The Serious Kiss is the sort of book that won't leave you any time soon, and it'll very easily become a favorite as this resilient heroine still manages to move on and learn to let go.

I bought this book because I LUV the cover! It looks just like my dog, PeeWee. But, when I read it, I quickly saw that it's much more than a book about a dog. The story was so great, I read every night after I was supposed to be a sleep. It's totally REAL. Like real life. Awesome! Why aren't there more books like this?? I can't wait to read Mary Hagen's next book!!

The Serious Kiss is a great book. I love all of the crazy characters in this book. It's about a girl named Libby that has a crazy family and her best friend and she had made a deal that they each would have a serious kiss before the end of the school year. But everything goes wrong when her family moves to the desert and she finds out that she has a grandmother that she thought was dead and they end up moving into a trailer park. Her grandmother had the trailer put right next to hers, which makes everything even worse. Her dad and her grandmother hadn't spoken to each other in 20 years and she doesn't fit in at her new school. Also, her family is different from other families. So if you love the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison I am positive you will like this book also.

Many young adult books cannot be compared to the technique and writing style of Lori Aurelia Williams. In her sequel, Shayla's Double Brown Baby Blues, Williams gives her characters conflicts in which many readers are able to relate to, or can understand based on human emotions. Williams heroine, Shayla, is a bright beautiful young lady who has a strong sense of self and faces many problems to determine her self worth. I would recommend this book to any and everyone, espcially young adults, because its a comming of age book and many young people can relate to Shayla's problems.

In this sequel to When Kambia Elaine Flew in from Neptune, Shayla's father has a baby daughter with his new wife. The baby is born on Shayla's birthday and has Shayla's eyes. As Shayla is learning to accept the new baby, Gift, she is also dealing with Kambia, who is getting threatening messages from someone while she is trying to recover from what happened before. Also in the midst of everything, Shayla meets a boy named Lemm. Lemm is a gentlemen who does a lot of sweet talking, and really likes Shayla, but he has real problems too. This is a great book, and anyone who liked the first book will really like this one too.

this was a great book, just as good as Lori Aurelia Williams's first book. it focuses on friendship and growing up. shayla must deal with some really difficult issues. her father has a new baby that she fears will take her place and someone begins sending Kambia packages that remind her of her childhood, sending her into her own little world for hours at a time. i can't wait to see what else williams writes.

Shayla Fox's life seems to take turn after turn for the worse. First, her estranged father left her mother for good. Then he remarried a woman Shayla does not like in the least. But worst of all, he has a new daughter named Gift --- a daughter born on Shayla's birthday! Shayla feels as if she has nothing of her own any more, not even a special day. Her grandmother, her sister, and her mother all try to help Shayla. Grandma Augustine is a wisecracking wise woman. Although Shayla feels like her drama is unbearable, Grandma Augustine constantly reminds her to be thankful that she is alive and whole and smart. Grandma Augustine knows that Shayla can be melodramatic and so she gently tells her grandchild that her life, like most people's, will be filled with a little rain, but it's up to Shayla to make sure her sorrows don't turn into a big, overwhelming storm.

A girl who does have a stormy life is Shayla's best friend Kambia. (Their friendship was detailed in author Williams's first book, WHEN KAMBIA ELAINE FLEW IN FROM NEPTUNE by Lori Williams.) As this second novel opens, Kambia's life has only gotten more complicated. A year prior, Kambia was found wandering, alone and amnesiac. Adopted by the Dreyfuses, Kambia is caught in a search for her identity as well as having to find a place for herself in the world. Shayla must help Kambia heal, even as anonymous notes and packages start to plague her friend and bring her to the edge of sanity.

In another subplot, Shayla befriends Lemm, the new boy at school who's lost most of his family in a tragic accident. Lemm struggles, feeling as alone and hopeless as Kambia and Shayla. Lemm also has severe problems with substance abuse, and even as Shayla tries to gain some control in her life, she finds she wants to help Lemm with his issues. Most of the time Shayla feels as if she's caught up in a world full of problems whirling about her, just waiting to reach out and snatch her.

SHAYLA'S DOUBLE BROWN BABY BLUES presents a harsh picture of contemporary life in the African American community. The families are strained nearly to the breaking point but held together by a web of women. These woman show their strengths and vulnerabilities while keeping life going, despite upheavals, dangerous events, and secrets from the past. Women like Grandma Augustine carry with them the promise of a brighter future, even when that promise seems to be withheld by violence and uncertainty; they never allow hope to become totally eaten away. By sharing her enduring strength with her granddaughter, Augustine demonstrates that it is possible to bear the shocks of life and, in time, overcome them.

This isn't the kind of book you can say you enjoyed; "enjoy" simply isn't the right word. But it does tell a powerful story in tight well-crafted prose that lingers in the mind and in the soul long after the story has ended. Lori Aurelia Williams's characters are so solid, they seem as if they've been hewn out of rock instead of the airy stuff of imagination. It's the kind of book that makes you want to hold your own family just a little nearer, just a little dearer. See for yourself.

--- Reviewed by Cassia Van Arsdale

Shayla is young, black, and feels that now that her father's new wife has given birth to a baby (born on Shayla's own birthday!) that she has been replaced in her father's affections. Shayla can't even confide in her best friend, Kambia Elaine, because of not wanting to diminish Kambia's own happiness at finally being part of a loving family in her own right. Nor can Shayla confide in a new friend, Lemm, when she discovers that he has his own troubles and tragedies that he is trying to keep secret. Lori Williams' Shayla's Double is a superbly written, emotionally articulate novel of unconditional love, human heartbreak, and family relationships. Highly recommended for young listeners 10 through 18, this 10 hour, 30 minute Listening Library unabridged production is flawlessly produced and aptly narrated by heather Alicia Simms.

This is a penetrating story written gracefully and honestly by a courageous woman. Its compelling and essential messages are delivered with exquisite subtlety, so that our appreciation for the earth, for the people in our lives who lift us, for the waters that cleanse and renew us, and ultimately, for ourselves, is heightened and sharpened by each flowing page. What's more, Hemingway's Southern wit, charm, and guile make this book a heck of a lot of fun to read.

For anyone who has ever witnessed a loved one do the slow dance with alcoholism, Lorian Hemingway's memoir is waiting for you. Yet another lesson that life is best described with four letter words: love, hate, hope and dirt. I laughed out loud at her hilarious drug hazed antics and cringed as she began her long drawn out fall. Her honesty is astounding: no regrets, no finger pointing, no pass off of responsibility of her actions. Thank you, Lorian, for this memorable book.

Forget all that you've read about redemption and the bad girl made good, if you like to live in the real world and to fish, this book is for you. Not to mention that it's pretty damn well written to boot. Good Stuff!

WOW! I didn't buy this book expecting much. Yes, I knew it was written by the granddaughter of the Ernest Hemingway and yes, I know it was about 'fishing'....but I really had no idea. Really..no idea how this woman's words would grab me. Knowing that she lives in the same city where I work, I'm hoping to one day stumble across her and just tell her how much impact this book had on me. A co-worker just went through alcohol de-tox and this book gave me some vague notion of what he went through. Thanks for that! I'm not a fisherwoman....but I love fish and I work with dead fish parts daily as a science-lady, and this book is full of fish-wisdom, honesty and beautiful, true words. This book is full of all that. Humor, honesty and love. Again, WOW!

The book was recommended to me by a friend and I thought it would be a great lazy day reading book. Was I wrong! Once I started, I couldn't put it down. The book grabs your soul from the beginning and by the end, you can't believe it's over. It iis truly the ultimate in survivor stories and it proves the adage.."What does not kill you, will make you stronger." Obviously, the author is (at the end) a stronger, resiliant woman .

Catherine Ryan Hyde's THE YEAR OF MY MIRACULOUS REAPPEARANCE tells of Cynnie, whose mother is drunk all the time. She's gotten good at caring for her little brother, and she's proud of being the 'real mother' of the house - but can't handle the adult-sized problems which come with such responsibility. An excellent story of recovery evolves.

If there was a college to give instruction to authors on how to portray the realities of life instead of glossing things over, and on how to draw characters on the page without flinching away from the dark underbelly of their world, Catherine Ryan Hyde would be Dean.

With every new novel, she draws us deeper into her story with deft strokes from the brush of her impressive talent. This is true with "The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance." The reason Cynnie's story resonated so well with me is that much of her life mirrored my past in many ways. But even beyond the personal connections I felt, the themes in this outstanding novel are becoming more prevalent in current society and should not only serve as a forewarning to young men and women as to the responsibilities of each and every choice we make, but offer hope as well when life seems too much to take.

Hyde tackles very adult issues in this young adult story with sensitivity and clarity, and manages to make it poignant and enjoyable in the process. You owe it to yourself to read her books.

As a recovering alcoholic and a public librarian, I was eager to read this book. Catherine Ryan Hyde absolutely nailed what it's like to be a kid struggling with addiction and alcoholic parents. However, she goes even farther in her portrait of Cynnie and her struggle. The downward spiral could have been mine and the struggle in early sobriety is detailed perfectly; no sugar coating, no happily ever after without a lot of pain on the road to get there. Cynnie's sponsor Pat is perfectly drawn as is her mother's former boyfriend Zack. Even her friend/boyfriend Snake struck me as a mosaic of a lot of kids I've known who were survivors from the war zone of abusive alcoholic parents.
This book should be in every school and public library where at risk kids can read it and maybe see a glimmer of hope.

Everyone I've talked to about The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance seems to agree that Becoming Chloe sounds (and is, for those who have read both) better. I respectfully disagree. I loved Becoming Chloe, but this book spoke to me so much more personally.

When Cynnie grandparents take her three-year-old brother, Bill, away, leaving Cynnie to "make sure her mother is okay", and Cynnie is miserable. To soothe the pain, she begins drinking. Even though she vowed never to become her alcoholic mother, Cynnie finds herself spiraling down a slippery slope and doesn't even realize it. When she's the cause of an accident that could've killed not only her, but her kid brother and one of her only friends, Cynnie is court-ordered to take the Alcoholics Anonymous program. And there, she begins facing and understanding all the damage she's caused.

Oh, where to begin, where to begin on saying how all-out fantastic this book was. The plot is dark, taking dips into abuse and vices, but the author doesn't try to make it easier to digest. Some parts had me going, "No! Don't do that, Cynnie!" But that's the thing--it got a reaction (and a big one, at that) out of me. I was incredibly invested in the story. Cynnie is a lost, broken, hurt, confused, cynical character who is just trying to do the best she can with her scant circumstances. She falls into the alcoholic abyss. She commits some godawful mistakes. Some of the choices she makes are downright stupid. It takes all the strength she has, and more, to climb out of the hole she dug for herself. And she does it! She does it for herself. Most importantly, she does it for her brother, who needs her.

Cynnie's strength is in all honesty amazing. She captivated me, and I don't know why, but I felt like I knew her and understood her (as much as I could, anyway) because of Catherine Ryan Hyde's stellar first-person portrayal of her.

This book just, I don't know, grabbed me and registered with me. It was very different from Becoming Chloe. Both were thought-provoking, but this one dug deeper in me. The writing here was still sharp as ever, but very introspective, because of the few people Cynnie allows herself to trust. The characters, even the secondary ones, were super well-developed and had not three, but four dimensions each. And best of all, the ending gave me hope for Cynnie. It wasn't too pessimistic or too optimistic--it was just right.

I wouldn't change a thing in this novel, and couldn't recommend it more. I can't say enough great things about Catherine Ryan Hyde, either. She's seriously an author to watch out for. If Becoming Chloe is in my list of top ten favorite books of all times, this is in the top five. I seriously challenge anyone to read it and see if it had the same effect on them.

Grade: 10/10

Thirteen-year-old Cynnie has a lot on her plate. In trying to carve out a place for herself in the world, she has to contend with an alcoholic mother who hosts a revolving door of boyfriends (none of whom last very long, which Cynnie is fine with). Cynnie also finds herself being more of a mother to her younger brother Bill, who has Down's syndrome. Add to this her reputation at school for being difficult, her tomboyish behavior that confuses her relationship with the neighborhood boys and a stubborn streak, and it's easy to understand how she becomes overwhelmed.

Try as she might not to become like her mother, Cynnie begins to rely more and more on alcohol to dull her pain after her grandparents take Bill to live with them, believing Cynnie's mom can't handle the responsibility anymore. It takes a drunk driving accident and court-ordered AA meetings before Cynnie begins to understand the trouble she's in and takes the first steps to turn her life around.

In creating Cynnie, Catherine Ryan Hyde has given readers a very real character whose pride continually gets her into trouble until she learns to let it go. The book presents a potent reminder of how easy it is to succumb to the allure of alcohol and, worse, how easy it is to become that which we hate the most.

In a world where the varied dangers faced by teens are growing exponentially on a day-to-day basis, THE YEAR OF MY MIRACULOUS REAPPEARANCE serves as a warning that the old dangers are still very much around.

--- Reviewed by Brian Farrey