Blog Tour: Girl Unbroken by Regina Calcaterra and Rosie Maloney
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon
Etched in Sand, Regina Calcaterra pairs with her youngest sister Rosie to tell Rosie’s harrowing, yet ultimately triumphant, story of childhood abuse and survival.
They were five kids with five different fathers and an alcoholic mother who left them to fend for themselves for weeks at a time. Yet through it all they had each other. Rosie, the youngest, is fawned over and shielded by her older sister, Regina. Their mother, Cookie, blows in and out of their lives “like a hurricane, blind and uncaring to everything in her path.”
But when Regina discloses the truth about her abusive mother to her social worker, she is separated from her younger siblings Norman and Rosie. And as Rosie discovers after Cookie kidnaps her from foster care, the one thing worse than being abandoned by her mother is living in Cookie’s presence. Beaten physically, abused emotionally, and forced to labor at the farm where Cookie settles in Idaho, Rosie refuses to give in. Like her sister Regina, Rosie has an unfathomable strength in the face of unimaginable hardship—enough to propel her out of Idaho and out of a nightmare.
Filled with maturity and grace, Rosie’s memoir continues the compelling story begun in Etched in Sand—a shocking yet profoundly moving testament to sisterhood and indomitable courage.
They were five kids with five different fathers and an alcoholic mother who left them to fend for themselves for weeks at a time. Yet through it all they had each other. Rosie, the youngest, is fawned over and shielded by her older sister, Regina. Their mother, Cookie, blows in and out of their lives “like a hurricane, blind and uncaring to everything in her path.”
But when Regina discloses the truth about her abusive mother to her social worker, she is separated from her younger siblings Norman and Rosie. And as Rosie discovers after Cookie kidnaps her from foster care, the one thing worse than being abandoned by her mother is living in Cookie’s presence. Beaten physically, abused emotionally, and forced to labor at the farm where Cookie settles in Idaho, Rosie refuses to give in. Like her sister Regina, Rosie has an unfathomable strength in the face of unimaginable hardship—enough to propel her out of Idaho and out of a nightmare.
Filled with maturity and grace, Rosie’s memoir continues the compelling story begun in Etched in Sand—a shocking yet profoundly moving testament to sisterhood and indomitable courage.
Let me start by saying that although this book is categorized as a sequel, it is a book that can be read as a stand alone. It is a beautifully written though heart-breaking tale of these strong set of siblings that are determined to create their own destiny instead of following in the footsteps of their mother.
What I loved most about this book was how real it was. I know that it is a memoir, but at the same time I appreciated the rawness of the material. It isn't easy to write a book about abuse in all facets and somehow Rosie was strong enough and brave enough to relive every single hardship that she and her siblings encountered. It was amazing to see so many horrific events in the form of physical abuse, emotional abuse, and forced labor be woven into a story that becomes triumphant. It is easy to become a victim to our experiences and this family experienced so many horrific things; however, the children of this family take their past and become some of the most heart-felt and considerate individuals.
The manner in which the reader is provided insight to feelings of the victim is tough, but rewarding. There are no questions about what was experienced and how it was experienced. I appreciated the fact there were no areas left for questioning. It is just screams of maturity and grace.
If you are interested in a memoir that leaves no information out and is a bear all experience then this is the book for you. It really does illustrate the power of the human spirit and I can't recommend it enough.
What I loved most about this book was how real it was. I know that it is a memoir, but at the same time I appreciated the rawness of the material. It isn't easy to write a book about abuse in all facets and somehow Rosie was strong enough and brave enough to relive every single hardship that she and her siblings encountered. It was amazing to see so many horrific events in the form of physical abuse, emotional abuse, and forced labor be woven into a story that becomes triumphant. It is easy to become a victim to our experiences and this family experienced so many horrific things; however, the children of this family take their past and become some of the most heart-felt and considerate individuals.
The manner in which the reader is provided insight to feelings of the victim is tough, but rewarding. There are no questions about what was experienced and how it was experienced. I appreciated the fact there were no areas left for questioning. It is just screams of maturity and grace.
If you are interested in a memoir that leaves no information out and is a bear all experience then this is the book for you. It really does illustrate the power of the human spirit and I can't recommend it enough.
It is incredibly what people can live through and still survive as successful adults. What a heartbreaking, inspiring story!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of the tour.
Thank you for having me on the tour! I really appreciate it! : )
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