Awesome book. Will be hard to forget this one. Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

The entire time reading this book I just wanted to jump in and give Corey a big hug and a shoulder to lean on. The struggles that not only she lived through but her entire family. I can’t pretend to know an inkling of what she had to endure. But as a mom you want to do what you can to protect your babies. Sometimes one needs more protection than the others. Sometimes we don’t realize after the damage is done what has happened. Reading this book put me through the wringer with emotions but it gave me a glimpse of what families go through when dealing with struggles and obstacles with their children. A def must read just to get a glimpse of what some go through on a daily basis. This is why when I see an adult struggling in public with their child I try not to judge because at the end of the day you don’t know what they are going through.

Corey Hatfield's memoir was heart wrenchingly raw and honest. At times I wondered how one person could withstand so many challenges.. No matter what new problem came her way--she kept going forward.

A few thoughts: While I understood that childhood poverty drove her husband to take a job which resulted in Corey being the equivalent of a single mother, taking care of 5 children, one with violent autistic tendencies alone surely was not in the best interests of his family. Less money in exchange with helping with these children would have been a better compromise. While Corey blamed herself for not being there for the other four as much as she had to be for her autistic child, at some point, all parents just need to accept that if they truly did the best they could at the time--that is all they could do. Being a parent is hard--especially if you have a child who requires so much attention.

Corey experienced so much growth in the book, and this is a story that would benefit moms with special needs children, but honestly, I think most people who have children would find bits of her thoughts and experiences that resonate with them. Teachers with special ed classrooms should have this to read also.