I was given this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This was a sad book. Really shows what faith in God can do.

A heart wrenching, beautifully written book. A book about hope, healing and forgiveness in the midst of a family's greatest tragedy. A book about God's ever faithful promises no matter the circumstances. Emilie's joy and compassion emanates from these pages and this family's story will continue to change others lives in the years to come. Thank you Alissa Parker for sharing your heart touching journey!

This is a very honest book about grieving and finding peace. Alissa Parker reveals her raw grief and her struggles to move forward. Even though it is about the Sandy Hook tragedy, it is also a book about facing your struggles, learning to accept your life, trusting God, experiencing joy after pain, and finding purpose in life again. The ideas in this book can apply to anyone in any circumstance.

As Alissa wrote about her struggles with depression and isolation in a blog, she came to a profound realization: "Even though my specific trial was different from the trials of others, I saw that others, with their own unique crosses to bear, often felt emotions, sorrows, and fears that were very like my own." (In the chapter titled "Blessings from a Blog"--the specific reference cannot be given because this was a pre-read copy with the formatting not complete.)

Much of the book focuses on her daughter Emilie's life and purpose after death. Very often, the Hebrew meaning for the word angel is messenger. This fits perfectly with Alissa Parker's knowledge of Emilie's life now. Emilie is a messenger of God's love in our lives.

While this book is a religious book and while Alissa Parker has deep faith centered in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the book is written from a non-denominational perspective. In an effort to be non-denominational, though, I feel like many of the doctrines and beliefs that gave the Parkers comfort and the ability to move forward again were curtailed. Specifically, I wish there had been more of a testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the power of his atonement in her healing process.

Thank you to Net Galley and Shadow Mountain for a pre-read copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ensign Peak for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I remember my feelings on 12/14/12, and I remember thinking I just couldn't imagine how one would go on. It still crosses my mind a lot. When I think about things being bad, or I'm down, I try to think of those children and the staff. I was afraid to read this book, thinking it would put me into a bad place. Instead, I found a book that was full of heart and truth. I am not a strictly religious person...my views are less about organized religion that the Parker's. That said, this book gave me hope. In this world of so many bad things, is it so terrible to find love and light where we can? I will think of this book, Emilie and all of those involved, for a long time to come.

I read this book in one day, I couldn't put it down. December 14, 2012, was just another day in this mother's life, until she got a call from the School district about a shooting at one of the schools. Thinking that it couldn't be at her daughter's elementary school, until she sees all of the emergency vehicles lining the street.
I cried and felt the gamut of emotions. The authors raw emotion and road of healing , that is ongoing will touch your heart. A powerful book on forgiveness and hope.

WOW! I cannot even image what this mother has gone through. Loss is hard and to lose a child-- especially in this way-- I am extremely grateful Alissa has shared her story. Told in such a beautiful, inspiring way-- this story will stay with you for a long time after the last page is turned. Definitely worth reading!

I remember where I was when I heard about the Sandy Hook tragedy, December 14, 2012. I was driving to lunch with my husband when the radio show we were listening to said it had been confirmed that most of the victims were possibly first graders. My heart hurt for the families of the victims and for the community of Newtown, Ct. I remember cheering at my son's basketball game that night, and feeling guilty that I was cheering, as I knew these families were in a nightmare they could not wake up from. My heart still hurts when I think about it.
This book was written by Alissa Parker, the mother of sweet little Emilie Parker, one of the victims of Sandy Hook. I wasn't sure how I would feel reading this and I wasn't sure what to expect. Alissa did a beautiful job sharing her family's grief and their path to healing. I loved reading about how they can see Emilie in small, every day miracles. I love that they can feel her presence at times when it is least expected, but very needed. I believe Heaven is real and is closer than we think, so to me it just seems natural, and right, that we would feel our loved ones who have passed on.
The emotions I felt while reading this book varied, but overall I was inspired. Alissa was very open about her feelings towards all the unwanted attention, the nation's touching, overwhelming response, anger towards Adam Lanza, guilt as a parent, and so much more. I appreciated her honesty and her willingness to share her testimony. I feel this book could help other's suffering from grief find a path towards healing as well.

On December 14th, 2012, America & beyond was sent into utter shock at the brutality and tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary. One of the 20 children murdered that day was Emilie Parker, who had immediate family connections to Ogden, Utah. Close to where we lived and also a member of the same faith, I felt an extra level of compassion towards this family. As a mother of a then Kindergartener, my first thoughts were to not even take him to school that afternoon. He had half days, and I caught the news as we were getting ready to go. With heavy heart, I approached our school like most parents probably did, with anxiety in my soul. I stopped in the office to talk to the staff who hadn't heard the news yet. Needing to talk I stayed for a little longer than I usually would. After this event our school took on new ways to implement added security, though it was still hard to send my little ones off to school. Like most parents, what happened at Sandy Hook that day - deeply affected us all.

For Robbie & Alissa Parker, Emilie's parents, they were thrown into a living nightmare. One of my supervisors at work lived close to Alissa's family, and knew them well. She would tell us about the grief they were feeling as a community, and gave us a little insight. We worked together in a Bookstore & Clothing Distribution Store, owned by our Church. I was blessed to be working in the Distribution Center at the time, and it was a great blessing to me to be touched by the sensitivity of my supervisors thoughts, and the Spirit, as we went about our work. I recall one day I arrived at work, and was told Alissa & Robbie had just been in there. I was so grateful that I had not been on shift. What would I have said or done? I've been in that situation of deep grief over a immediate family member, and feel empathy for those who are suffering too. It still doesn't make it easier to express that. As I went about my work, I suddenly felt prompted I should stop and pray for the Parkers. "Hey!" I thought. Just how am I supposed to do this in the store? It was unusually quiet, and I decided to step into the Temple Room, which is a small quiet room in which we keep our sacred temple clothing, and spend time with those going to the Temple. It's a beautiful space to me, small, and nothing stunning in design. But I always loved going in there with people preparing for a special moment in their spiritual journey. I went in and knelt down and the Spirit overcame me in such a powerful way. I pled with God to touch their lives with peace, to help them feel His presence. It was short, and I got up and went straight back to my work, but I'll never forget the prompting or that moment. Grateful I had somewhere peaceful I could stop and act.

It's been 4 years since that dreadful day, and occasionally I've wondered how they were coping. How they managed to go forward. Survive. A few weeks ago this book 'An Unseen Angel' by Alissa Parker popped up in my books to review collection for Shadow Mountain Publishing. I felt a gut wrenching ache. There is no way I can read that book I thought. Just no way. I'm just going to have to skip over it and move onto the next fiction book waiting in line. I felt the same in-trepidation I felt over picking up Elizabeth Smart's book. It took me months before I could face that one. Today, I decided to pick it up. The first 25% of this book I literally sobbed with tears pouring down my face. I don't even know where Alissa found the courage to write these words. As I turned the pages though I felt utterly astounded and amazed at the ability, the faith, the determined will to survive this. At the outpouring of love that came their way. Do not knock the human race. The blessings that poured from people in their community and all over the United States reminded me that despite all the troubles we face, all the conflict, differences of opinion etc, love abounds.

Alissa has so poignantly invited us to share in this unbelievably heartbreaking journey. I can't imagine her bravery, to open her private thoughts, emotions & experiences and share them with us.

If you're feeling like you're in a bad place, upset, angry, struggling, in need of hope... seek out this book. It will be released in April, and I tell you, you will see your life a little differently.

What touched me the most was the special, sacred experiences they have encountered individually and as a couple as they have walked, cried, mourned this difficult road. The recognition that Emilie has been there, touched their lives and many others in unique and special ways is testimony building. The moments, the people, the way events fell into place before the tragedy and after. When you loose a loved one, that you have been very close to, and especially when it's been unexpected or too soon, you are occasionally blessed with 'moments'. They won't be like you expect or probably wish for, and you can't even explain them to another person, without taking away the sacredness of it. I have experienced it, and I believe in every, single, one of these experiences Alissa has eloquently shared.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain & Netgalley for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

An Unseen Angel

A Mother's Story of Faith, Hope, and Healing after Sandy Hook



by Alissa Parker

Shadow Mountain Publishing

Ensign Peak



Christian

Pub Date 04 Apr 2017 | Archive Date 14 Apr 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Unseen Angel through the publisher and Netgalley:

In December of 2012 Alissa Parker's life was forever changed, on December.14.2012 her six year old daughter Emilie was brutally murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Emilie was born on May.12.2006, and was a confident little girl. She loved to draw, often going through an entire notebook in a day. She talks about the morning of December,14 and how her daughter crawled in bed with her, for what would be her last time.

This is the story of a Mothers unimaginable loss, and how she found the strength to move on.

I give An Unseen Angel five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to read how faith helped this family to cope with this unthinkable tragedy. I can't imagine what I would have done.

Alissa Parker is convined that her daughter Emilie is literally now an angel who's always nearby and is helping and comforting not only her but others.

I can imagine that this thought is comforting and may be encouraging for some readers, but it is a kind of deception that has nothing to do with biblical angels. I'm sure there are angels, but angels are a different creation, they are not humans who have died and gone to heaven.