Book Reviews Parents Novels & Stories

This one resonated even more deeply. "Honest and heartbreaking." "A roadmap for anyone trying to be better than their parents." "Required reading for every parent." "The most important book on generational trauma I've ever read." The reviews poured in. Overwhelmingly positive. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Stayed there for twelve weeks. But more than sales, it helped people. Parent support groups formed around it. Schools used it in curricula. Therapists recommended it to clients. It became a movement.

"Sabrina was such a good kid. She was pretty, sweet, and everyone in the neighborhood liked her. How did she end up with parents like that?" "Exactly. This is murder, plain and simple. An eye for an eye wouldn't even be enough!" "The book should be thrown at them! If you don't want to raise a child right, don't have one. What century is this? Who still favors one child over another like that?" "They deserve to die!" Mom and Dad didn't argue. Instead, the corners of their mouths lifted slightly. "If only they'd let me pay for it with my life. Now that Sabrina's gone, I don't want to live either. Olivia shouldn't have murderers for parents." They both murmured approximations of this sentiment.

I offered him a warm, encouraging smile. "Would you like to tell me more about the books?" I asked, my tone inviting and gentle, trying to coax more information out of him. "Yes," he grinned, his eyes sparkling even in the dim glow of the nightstand lamp. "It's children's books, and they say family consists of father, mother, and children. Not father and father." My relief was palpable. "Oh, thank goodness," I breathed, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. I had momentarily worried that Ms. Ana had been exposing him to something entirely different. Something way bigger than his age.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Note To The Readers- You can check out her parents’ story in “Claimed By Five Alphas ?” You can read it if you are interested to know more for curiosity sake. However, not reading the book will not disturb the flow of this story. So keep reading and enjoy ! **

About what it is to be the daughter of a man who trusted the truth more than he trusted his own safety. The book is reviewed in three national publications in the week of its release. Two of the reviews are the kind that a first-time author does not anticipate receiving — serious and specific and written by people who have read it rather than read about it. The third review is in a financial publication and is largely concerned with the Blackwood Holdings story as a corporate narrative, which is not the book I wrote. I read it with the equanimity of someone who has learned that not every reader is your reader and that this does not diminish the ones who are.

Everyone burst out laughing. Manik adds with a smirk, "I heard there's a new 'parenting for dummies' book out there. Thoughtful gift, right?" Viren chuckles, "Or maybe a subscription to a couples' cooking class? You'll need to learn how to whip up those midnight cravings during those pregnancy cravings, Shlok!"

"Getting along with kids is simpler than you think, Mr. Mattel. Take Wanda, for example. All you have to do is show interest in whatever she's interested in. "When it comes to Rowley, however, you'll have to get creative. He's a tough one to crack, and you can't treat him like a child, either. You must think of him as a fellow grown-up you're trying to please." Rowan took a deep breath. Pleasing Rowley seemed to be the hardest task to accomplish in this world. As such, he headed to the bookstore the next day and bought an eclectic collection of parenting books. He spent the rest of the day poring over those books and doing nothing else.

She had never had anyone like that. Her dad picked a rag and dusted the books. When it was a little bit dust free, he picked out a book from the shelf. It was big, like encyclopedia big and Rory stared at it with wonder. It had dark brown hardbound cover with golden etches on the center of the book. A double circle outside a triangle, with a beaker in the front. It almost made her feel like chemistry. Noticing what she was looking, her dad smiled.

He lay down on the bed, placing his head on her legs. A moment later, Vivian heard his monotonous voice. "She clung to the broken pieces, praying for light to come tomorrow..." Frowning, she lowered her book to catch a glimpse of him. "What the hell are you reading?" "A book I bought from the bookstore." "For what?" "I heard that children like to hear their father's voice, so I will read to them." Vivian scoffed in disbelief. "What books are you reading? Peanuts won't understand."

It doesn’t take long before he returns, grinning like he just found the key to all of my suffering. A stack of books drops onto the table. I glance at them, unimpressed. Parenting books. Rook plops into the seat across from me, flipping one open immediately. He’s not even subtle about holding them up so the cameras outside can see. “‘Bonding With Baby: How to Ensure a Strong Attachment in the First Year,’” he reads, resting his elbow on the table. “Sounds like something you should brush up on, Mercer.” I don’t react, watching as Harlow slowly finishes her bottle. “I think I’m doing fine.”