This book tells the story of Michelle, a young woman who grew up in South Africa and eventual applies for a green card and moves to the United States. Her journey to America is not an easy or direct route, and she experiences many moves before building a home and life in the U.S. In Michelle's childhood and adolescent years she grieves the loss of her mother to suicide, her father moves away and ends contact with her, and her sister and other close family members seem to come and go over the years. She lives with a variety of community and family members, sometimes sleeping on floors and subsisting off very little food, and experienced multiple situations where she witnessed and/or experienced domestic violence. Despite a challenging life, Michelle was able to face adversity, use her family's struggles as inspiration and motivation and create a successful life for herself, on three different continents!

This book is a fairly quick read, and I felt that each section of her life received a good amount of detail and description. Despite never having been to South Africa, I was able to picture several elements of the story based on her descriptions. Michelle shows the importance of taking risks and trying things that scare you as well as the idea that you need to take hold of your own life and choose your own destiny because no one else can do that for you. The resiliency and determination show on each page of this book.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading memoirs about immigration, traumatic childhoods and strong female role models. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me this copy of Whole Heart to review. Michelle lives with her father, mother and five year older sister. As time passes life is hard for the family. Disasters happen. Michelle is passed around to other families after her parents separate. She never has enough food, is bullied at school. This could have been the end of the story...life in poverty. This young girl finds strength in god and and herself, to forge a new life. What a great read. Very inspiring!