Details: eBook, 284 pages
Publication: July 7, 2020 by Vine Leaves Press
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Goodreads Synopsis: Living on the streets is terrifying and exhausting. Grace’s only comforts are a steady stream of vodka, and a strange little boy who’s following her around.
At nineteen, Grace has already had a child and endured an abusive marriage. But she’s also had her baby abducted by her vengeful husband and been framed as a neglectful mother. Even her own parents doubted her version of the story. So she did the only thing that made sense to her—run away.
The streets are unforgiving. Winter is drawing in. And Grace isn’t prepared for the harsh realities of survival. At her very bleakest, a Good Samaritan swoops into her life and rescues her. With a roof over her head and food in her stomach, she longs to see her baby again.
But nothing ever comes for free.
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My Thoughts: This was one of the darkest, most heartbreaking books I’ve read this year. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read that follows a victim of domestic abuse. It also shows how slowly the abuse can break someone down mentally, which I believe is very important.
The book shows all of the abuse Neil put Grace through, how he manipulated her, and framed her as a bad mother. The reality of this book was so raw and unnerving that there were several times I needed to take short breaks while reading. It’s all told from Grace’s perspective, which I believe is why this book broke my heart so much.
The chapters were very short, which made it pretty easy to read. Annalisa Crawford’s writing was so beautiful, and the book shed a light on something that many people go through. I personally loved that the book followed an abuse victim that wasn’t miraculously cured of the pain in a few weeks or months. The book was extremely realistic, which is what made it so terrifying.
If you aren’t triggered by domestic abuse – physical and mental – I absolutely recommend this book. While it focuses specifically on the downfall of Grace, it also shows many red flags that can be useful. This is an amazing book, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to read it.
Rating: ★★★★★
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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Rachel’s Random Resources and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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You can order Grace and Serenity from Amazon in the following formats:
Connect with Annalisa Crawford here:
My Fictional Oasis 