Really enjoyed this book. Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story. Would definitely recommend.

Having recently finished the previously published “Forgiveness Road" by Mandy Mikulencak, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books!

The beautiful cover art caught my eye while looking for my next story, but the heart-breaking family drama between the pages is what I will remember.
This story was filled with secrets, suffering, sorrow, and in the end, perseverance, strength, and healing. I am glad to have found this story, and to see where this road of forgiveness led.

Great novel. It starts strongly - young girl shots and kills her father - and it never leaves the very impactful path. The authoress deals with very heavy topic like rape and incest, unplanned pregnancy, psychiatric hospital stays, violence, injustice - and also family ties, healing and forgiveness.
Insightful, impactful, worth pondering about. I am very surprised that this enormously talented and skilled authoress is not more known. She fully deserves that.

The story begins with sixteen-year-old Cissy calmly shooting her father in the back when she feels it's the only thing she can do to save her younger sisters. Her grandmother Janelle became Cissy's advocate and rescuer.

Forgiveness Road has some dark themes to it, however, it has a lighter tone to it and lacks that grit I like to delve into. That "you need to see the dark to see the light kind of thing." The characters get to the light early on, and it has this understanding of everything that is spelled out to you in kind of a preachy tone. After the halfway mark, I threw in the towel. I struggled to buy into the family dynamics and feel with the characters. That is definitely a me thing, and I think if you want a lighter tone to your stories with some darkness, this might be a better fit for you than me.

Please be warned that Cissy's motivation for killing her father is dark and disturbing to think about.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I had read one other book by Mandy Mikulencak before reading this book (The Last Suppers) and found that once again the author has created a story with sympathetic characters within the midst of controversial topics. Forgiveness Road starts off with a shocking start when sixteen year old Cissy shoots and kills her father in order to protect her two little sisters from being abused by him. She is sent to a state hospital in order to be treated by a psychiatrist. Her grandmother Janelle becomes her strongest advocate as Cissy must face head on the emotional and physical implications that years of abuse by her father have created. I found that this book touched on some sensitive topics such as incest and abortion that are not usually talked about in other fiction books that I have read. I mention them in this review because I know that some readers may have strong opinions about these issues and would prefer other books with lighter themes instead. I thought it was interesting to see how the author had different characters react to different situations because I agree that not everyone would react in similar ways. The last hour of the book was quite gripping. (I found myself reading it by headlamp while the rest of my family was asleep in our tent on a recent camping trip.) By this point in the story, I was emotionally invested in the story and was anxious to find out what would happen to everybody. I would love to see the author write a sequel to this book or at least a short e-book epilogue story because I'm still curious to find out what will eventually happen to some of the characters. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read Forgiveness Road. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinions.

Henry’s only desire is to make it to the 70th anniversary of Dday in Normandy. The story flips back and forth between current day and his memories of time in the war. The author demonstrates excellent descriptions that make you feel the moments Henry’s is telling us. Love Henry! Many memorable phrases pepper this writing.
I throughly enjoyed this selected provided to me by Netgalley.

4.5 Bittersweet Stars. This is a heart-breaking family saga set in the 1970’s, in Mississippi. It centers around Cissy Pickering, who shoots and kills her father to protect her younger sisters. Cissy had been assaulted by her father for years and when she realized that he was ready to move on to her younger sister, she did what she needed to in order to protect her. Cissy's grandmother, Janelle, steps up to help her when her mother Caroline does not believe her. Cissy ends up in a mental hospital rather than in prison, but she is far from crazy. When Janelle slips Cissy away when she is in the hospital, they have to deal with being on the run and saving themselves.

This book deals with some very sensitive issues of incest, abortion, and institutionalizing women in the past for protecting themselves. This was a very emotional read, so be prepared for lots of feelings. The characters were well-developed in most cases, but there were some things missing that I would have liked to know more about. While Cissy and Janelle were very likable, Caroline was one I disliked very much. The story was well-written in a no nonsense manner. As I read quickly through the story, I was hoping that Cissy would come out okay in the end. I will say, I both loved and hated the ending. I liked this story and the author's writing very much. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I will look for other books by Mandy Mikulencak in the future.

Ms. Mikulencak has written a compelling story of a sixteen year old girl, Cissy Pickering, who does the unthinkable. She kills her father by shooting him in the back. She is arrested and shows no remorse during questioning. All she will say is, “I had to do it to protect my little sisters.” Her mother turns on her, blaming her for ruining her life, but her grandmother, Janelle, does all that she can to protect Cissy. She hires an attorney who convinces the judge to send Cissy to a mental hospital instead of prison.

This is a very emotional story, filled with dysfunctional family drama. I was drawn into the story from the first chapter and couldn’t put the book down until the end. This is the first book I have read by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

3.5 Stars!

I requested Forgiveness Road on a whim, as I’ve never read anything by this author. The synopsis sounded like something that would interest me and it did.

This is a bittersweet family saga set in the 1970’s. It centers around Cissy Pickering, who shoots and kills her father to protect her younger sisters. This book rustles up plenty of emotions while reading because there are some very sensitive subjects happening here. I was not a fan of Cissy’s mother, Caroline, but I was a fan of her grandmother, Janelle.

This story was told in a very straightforward manner, without a lot of fluff or unnecessary additives. I really liked the ending, but wish we could’ve learned a bit more detail about some of the characters.

Overall, it was a good book and I would recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Mandy Mikulencak for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an emotional and powerful read. Spanning topics of sexual abuse, mental health and more - it certainly wasn’t an “enjoyable” read. It was, however, quite a good read. The emotions were genuine and the writing style was not excessive.

Forgiveness Road is the first book I have read by Mandy Mikulencak and it will not be the last. I thought this one was great.

Five stars.

This new novel by Mandy Mikulencak wastes no time getting intense. Cissy grabs a pistol, calmly strolls out to the garage and shoots her father in the back. 16-year old Cissy refuses to discuss why she killed her father or defend herself. With no choice, the court sends her to the state mental hospital to be incarcerated until she’s considered sane enough to stand trial for murder.
Cissy’s mother can’t forgive her, so it’s left up to her grandmother Janelle to represent Cissy and fight for her best interests. As the two slowly peel back the layers of what really happened within that supposedly happy and healthy home, we’re constantly trying to determine if she’s truly crazy or did she have just cause to murder her father.
With beautiful and eloquent writing, the author speaks from Cissy’s mind, exposing her memories, describing her daily visits with God as the two play chess and slowly explaining the war within this young girl’s fragile mind.
This was a gentle and solemn read that will stick with you long after the last page.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for making it available.)

I read Mandy Mikulencak’s previous novel last year: The Last Suppers and I really enjoyed it. It was a very original novel and I’m glad to say that her new book FORGIVENESS ROAD was also quite unique and I loved it even more. This was a moving, beautiful and delicate book that I would recommend to fans of historical and southern fiction.

The book starts with a bang… literally. When shy and fragile Cissy kills is father, everyone is shocked and can’t understand why this has happened. Soon enough, Cissy begins telling the truth and my heart broke when I realized not everyone believed her. Cissy is then sent to a psychiatric hospital and her life will never be the same.

I don’t want to dive too much into the plot, but let me assure you that this book was a wonderful adventure. It’s sad, beautiful, emotional and, in the end, hopeful. What I loved the most is, of course, the relationship between Cissy and her grandmother Janelle. Janelle was such a fascinating character, I thought their dynamics were unique and depite Janelle’s apparent coldness, she was such a caring person underneath.

This book deals with important themes and topics, some of which are not easy to read about. And although what happens to Cissy in this book is definitely something that we’ve read in other books, I love how Mandy offers a unique perspective and strengthens the relationship between a girl and her grandmother. The road trip part was my favorite and I never knew how the story would end.

In the end, there wasn’t a moment when I was reading FORGIVENESS ROAD when I didn’t feel like I was reading something truly special. This book touched me deeply and had me crying more than once. I know I won’t ever forget it.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

Forgiveness Road by Mandy Mikulencak

This book hit home and made me think of my mother, now deceased, and the story of abuse she revealed to me the day her father died. I was a freshman in college when she unburdened herself and did my best to absorb her pain. Her mother was not there for her but her grandmother was...and her grandmother had been in a mental institution so...there were definitely parallels in this book that made me think of not only my family but also of friends who told me of similar abuse in their own lives.

This book was well written and not easy to read due to the weighty issues that were dealt with – incest, child abuse, cutting, psychological care/institutionalization, bigotry, the race divide, religion, God/dess, cancer, domestic battery, dysfunctional families...and more. Cissy is a truly good person with an outlook on life that was interesting to read. She was mature for her years and there for her sisters in so many ways. She developed coping skills to deal with the physical and mental abuse her father handed out and these coping mechanisms at times made her seem peculiar. Even after reading the ending of the book I am unsure just what Cissy will end up doing and almost wish there had been an epilogue so I would know just what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Forgiveness Road deals with a difficult subject but is still a very good read. Without giving anything away that you can’t read about in the description, the book takes place over a few months in the life of a teenage girl named Cissy, who kills her father to protect her two sisters from the molestation she’s had to live with for years.

The characters were really fleshed out. Characters you didn’t particularly like at the beginning of the book made my heart happy towards the end. Janelle, Cissy’s Grandmother, was perhaps my favorite person and it was wonderful that she changed from proper and stand-offish to displaying real emotion.

The writing was great, and the storyline kept me interested. I couldn’t wait to finish the book! The conclusion was a bit open-ended, which bothered me a little at first but when I thought about it I realized it was the perfect ending. I’d love to read more by this author!

Janelle is determined to save her granddaughter Cissy, who has already endured so much. Abused by her father, she shot him in the back and then finds her mother Caroline doesn't believe any of it. Cissy is now a mess- she's got PTSD and OCD and she's just spiraling down until Janelle steps in. Their road trip and Janelle's efforts at healing Cissy are the focus of this well written novel of family. This is set in the 1970s and while you hope things have changed, you know, don't you, that there are other Cissys out there. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Mikulencak has a written a novel wth a big heart and good characters.

This was a very good book.It had me hooked right at the beginning.I felt sympathy and compassion for Cissy.The relationship between her,her mother and grandmother was interesting.The subject matter,although difficult,was compelling.I think that the author did a good job making Cissy and her family believable and relatable.

Sixteen-year-old Cissy Pickering would do anything to protect her little sisters—even if that meant shooting their father in the back. It was a scandal that rocked the town, estranging Cissy from her mother, Caroline, and her beloved sisters. Only Cissy’s grandmother Janelle stands by her, and she needs her more than ever after further discoveries are made while Cissy is at the state psychiatric hospital. Determined to save her granddaughter at any cost, Janelle takes Cissy on a road trip that will leave them bonded more closely than ever before.

Beautifully written, with unforgettable characters you won’t soon forget, Forgiveness Road is a haunting tale about the measures someone is willing to take for the sake of the those they love.

I love to read novels that explore family relationships, particularly when they somewhat troubled or distant. Generational tales, especially, catch my eye because it’s always interesting to see how missteps of the past affect the future. A common thread between the relationships Janelle, Caroline, and Cissy had with one another was a lack of the closeness they all privately wished they had with one another. For me, that adds another element of heartbreak to the story, because they weren’t able to support one another when things went wrong. As I read, I kept hoping they would take the risk of being honest about their feelings to one another, because it physically hurt to read how badly they wanted to connect, but felt too afraid to try most of the time. It made the times when they did connect have an even greater impact, though.

I appreciated the attention Mikulencak gave to Cissy’s way of coping—by counting things and making lists— because it showed her taking control of something, when there was little she could do to control her father’s abuse.

There is a great deal I would like to discuss about this book, but spoilers are inevitable. Suffice to say that I found this book to be incredibly moving, and I really loved it. I have a feeling these characters will live on in my mind for quite some time.

This is a great read for fans of historical fiction, and I definitely recommend it!

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of John Scognamiglio Books via Netgalley.