Words

Nov 20, 2011 Lori Henrich rated it 5 of 5 stars

God loves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is. What a concept!! Love is more that just the definition of word. Sierra and Kaylee are going to find out what God's love can do. Kaylee is 10 years old and is living in the most worst situation imaginable. Someone is hurting her and there is no one she can turn to for help. Sierra is a woman who has been living in the grips of a tragedy for 12 years. One day would bring them together. That one day's chance meeting would change both...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoirs

Story Description:

I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind…I’d like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I’d open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can’t take them.

Ten-year-old Kaylee Wren doesn’t speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the...more Story Description:

I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind…I’d like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I’d open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can’t take them.

Ten-year-old Kaylee Wren doesn’t speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods – in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.

Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter’s death, Sierra’s control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.

Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word – Jesus Christ.

My Review:

I have never read a more sad story of abuse and have never felt so close to a character as I did little Kaylee Wren. What a beautiful, innocent little girl whose life circumstances have thrown her into a world of silence.

Kaylee was only 9-years-old when her mother, Kathryn, left her leaving her all alone with a horrendous man who lords his power over Kaylee and turns her into his own private play toy. Kaylee likes to collect words that she finds in a dictionary that was given to her parents as a wedding gift. Kaylee and her Mom used the dictionary often to look up words they didn’t know or understand. The dictionary makes Kaylee feel like part of her Mom is still there with her and takes special care of it so “he” won’t find it and take it away from her.

When Kaylee meets Sierra, an equally damaged soul, the two of them form a bond of trust, respect, love, and the belief that together they can conquer all things through Jesus Christ. However, the road to healing is a long and exhaustive one that comes with many, many pitfalls that must be traversed forward and sometimes backwards before moving on to a higher understanding of their positions and circumstances in this life.

The characters were so well developed in this story that I felt I was living with Sierra and Kaylee and could picture in my mind’s eye the house, Kaylee’s bedroom, Van the dog, their backyard and everything else involved in this story. My emotions were played like a flute in a concert while reading this book and it’s a story I won’t ever forget. The unfortunate part is that there are many, many Kaylee Wren’s in this world and not all of them are fortunate enough to find someone like Sierra. It breaks my heart to think of the number of children, who at this very moment while typing this review, are being abused in some form. Abuse, whether it be physical, sexual, verbal, financial doesn’t matter, abuse is a cancer in our society and I pray that someday it can be eradicated. No one deserves to live a life of abuse and the damage and fear it causes. This book really touched my heart and to the author, Ginny L. Yttrup, I’d like to say “thank you” for having the courage to write WORDS, your own life story but injecting Kaylee as the character instead of yourself. I’m sorry for the horror you faced as a child and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

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Jan 04, 2012 GenieD rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books

Wow! What a wonderful book.
I wasn't sure I would like this book because of the subject matter of child abuse, but the author did a wonderful job of telling the story without sensationalizing. The truth is horrible enough!
The story of 2 people who needed what each other had and the Providence of God is beautifully told.
This book will stay with me forever.

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May 09, 2013 Rick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me set the record straight. I read. A lot! Not only do I read a lot, I am a GUY that reads a lot. It can be difficult, at times, for me to find something that I think that I would enjoy reading. Since I run the library for my church, I want to be well-versed in the books that I read so that I can make educated recommendations to my patrons that “are just looking for that right book”. Sometimes, though, I can’t seem to find just that right book for me to read. I was recently in Chicago on bus...more Let me set the record straight. I read. A lot! Not only do I read a lot, I am a GUY that reads a lot. It can be difficult, at times, for me to find something that I think that I would enjoy reading. Since I run the library for my church, I want to be well-versed in the books that I read so that I can make educated recommendations to my patrons that “are just looking for that right book”. Sometimes, though, I can’t seem to find just that right book for me to read. I was recently in Chicago on business and had finished a book on the flight up and hadn’t had the pre-thought to take a replacement. So off to Family Christian I went in search of a particular book that I knew was out, but I hadn’t bought yet for the library. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any in stock. They did, however, have the first novel by Ginny Yttrup, “Words”. Now I must admit that this was my last choice of books to purchase, but I have read her newest book, “Invisible”, so it wasn’t a stretch for me to pick this one up.

Young Kaylee has seen it all, experienced it all and continues to live it all. Her mother abandoned her with her alcoholic boyfriend and never looked back. Kaylee, though, has endured things at the hand of this “male person” ( I can’t call him a man because a man doesn’t do those things!) that no child should ever endure. Due to this abuse, Kaylee has shut down and lost her “voice”. She does retreat into a world of words that allows her to escape, even if it’s for a moment, from her horrid life. Sierra has spent the last 12 years mourning the loss of her child at the hands of a premature birth brought on by years of drug use. Though she’s clean now, that moment of holding her baby at the end of its life etched in her a season of loss that she hasn’t recovered from. As Sierra struggles again with the anniversary of her daughter’s death, she is encouraged by those around her to move on and accept forgiveness. She finds herself in the woods, once again confronting the issue of forgiveness with Him. While she’s there, she thinks she sees a young girl. Considering her current emotional state, though, she shrugs it off. Later, recounting the story with her friend, she recommends that she go back and see if the girl was real or imaginary. Thus, begins a relationship between these two souls; one looking for acceptance and one looking for forgiveness, but both looking for something that only He can provide.

Jesus = Truth = Freedom. What a powerful thought just in that one equation. Jesus promises us that “we will know that truth, and the truth will set us free”. That comes from John 8 and refers to Him. Once we lean on Him and live a life of truth, He will set us free from all that binds us. Will we have a perfect life? Not at all, but we will have a life that we can be assured that will be surrounded by His glory. The characters that Ms. Yttrup develops in this novel are amazing. They are so real and life-like and pull you into the story. I love reading a book that takes the time to cause you to invest yourself into the characters so that you root for them throughout the entire book.

Is this a "guy's book"? I have to say that this doesn’t rank up there in the guy’s book category. What I will tell you though is this. As I read this book on the airplane back from my business trip, there were times that the high attitude sure took a toll on my sinuses ;) Even though I did not rate this book as a must read due to it not being a true guy’s book, I am extremely glad that I gave it a chance.
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Apr 03, 2013 Maaike Louter rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a heart-stopping beautiful story! The author made such a good and strong character of Kaylee, that you want to do everything to help her while reading the book. She's so vulnerable, so innocent, and very real. In Ginny Yttrups note to the reader, at the end of the book, she writes that one of four women is sexually abused before she has reached the age of eighteen.

Not only Kaylees life, but also Sierra Dawns life is full of pain and sorrow. Kaylee is a victim, but Sierra feels like she is a...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Keiki Hendrix rated it 5 of 5 stars

It isn't often you find such a tender book dealing with such an evil topic. It was these two extremes that first griped me and then kept me reading. First there is Kaylee, a twelve year old girl abandoned by her mother and left in the car of a boyfriend that sexually abuses her. Then there is Sierra, struggling to get past the pain of loosing her nine day old daughter several years before.

When these two meet and share a sweet friendship, they begin to identify their enormous loss, pain and hurt...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Novel
Ginny L. Yttrup
2011
B & H Books
Fiction/Christian/General

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

WOW! This book is not casual reading material. It does need to be said that this book deals with mature subject material. However the sad thing is mature subject material incidents, do not always apply to adults only. A story of redemption, a story of the grace of God and a story of the horrors of drugs, child pornography and child molestation. You may ask yourself, how does a story of this ramifications hav...more A Novel
Ginny L. Yttrup
2011
B & H Books
Fiction/Christian/General

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

WOW! This book is not casual reading material. It does need to be said that this book deals with mature subject material. However the sad thing is mature subject material incidents, do not always apply to adults only. A story of redemption, a story of the grace of God and a story of the horrors of drugs, child pornography and child molestation. You may ask yourself, how does a story of this ramifications have a place in Christian fiction. Unfortunately in this fallen world we live in, horrible things happen to children every day and we as Christians can no longer turn a blind eye.
This is the story of two people, who you would never expect to find together, a successful artist, trying to escape the hell of the emotional darkness she lives in, after loosing her baby due to her own drug abuse. A little girl lost in the woods, trapped by her emotional muteness, hoping her mother will some day come back and take her away from the monster of a man who abuses her sexually. God in His mercy and His own understanding brings these two people together, not by chance but by plan, to each find their own healing and way through the darkness they are in.
This story will grip your heart. I cried buckets as I read of the horrors that young Kaylee faced daily. My heart broke with Sierra as she dealt with the guilt that she felt from her own actions. As I said earlier, not casual reading, nor would I suggest it for anyone under the age of sixteen. This book will heal people who allow the words to penetrate their hurts, it will cause them to look within themselves to find the Truth (Jesus) and to be set free by the Truth! Even with the tough subject matter, this book is not a dark book, it is a book filled with hope and a wonderful story of redemptive grace and mercy. A hard story to read because of the subject matter! A story however, worthy of 5 stars. 339 pages $US 14.99 Discussion guide included.
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review. (less)

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Feb 24, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Words took me for an emotional, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking journey. While this book touched on delicate subjects – sexual abuse and drug addictions – it breathed truth and honesty. Ginny wrote with such passion that I connect with Kaylee and Sierra almost instantly. They were so real. The emotional turmoil that Kaylee experienced was so well described it grabbed my heart. Having six sisters that are ten or younger, I can’t imagine one of them enduring what Kaylee endured.

You can’t help...more Words took me for an emotional, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking journey. While this book touched on delicate subjects – sexual abuse and drug addictions – it breathed truth and honesty. Ginny wrote with such passion that I connect with Kaylee and Sierra almost instantly. They were so real. The emotional turmoil that Kaylee experienced was so well described it grabbed my heart. Having six sisters that are ten or younger, I can’t imagine one of them enduring what Kaylee endured.

You can’t help put want to reach out to Kaylee. Only ten years old, this girl held so much hurt and shame pent up in her little body she lost her ability to speak. I connect with Sierra the instant she saw Kaylee’s hurt and wanted to help her. It is exactly what I would do – what anyone with a heart would do. Even though Sierra carried her own guilt and hurt from her broken past, she set that aside to help Kaylee. In fact, reaching out to Kaylee helped her come to grips with her own sins and turned her back to the Lord after years of cold separation.

With all this praise, there comes a big warning. As I mentioned, this book deals with sexual abuse and drug addictions. While Ginny handled both subjects extremely well, the sexual abuse may be too much for teens. Nothing is outright described in detail, but enough is said and enough of Kaylee’s own emotions are conveyed to the reader to understand what is happening. I just urge caution for younger readers.

Ginny has done an amazing job in crafting this story. Her characters, scenes, and events come alive through her writing. The lesson that Sierra and Kaylee learn – The Truth shall set you free – is a lesson we could all learn. As I learned after I finished reading this book, Ginny learned this lesson herself, first hand. Now I understand the passion I feel in her writing. She sums it up well – “Part of (God’s) plan, I know, was to write this book – it is a means of sharing God’s hope, mercy, and grace with others and to let abuse survivors know that they’ll not only survive, but they can also thrive.” I highly recommend this book.

I reviewed this book for B&H Books. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done. (less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

About the Book: Kaylee has been left with Jack, an abusive boyfriend of her mothers. She is only 10 years old and believes Jack when he tells her she can't leave as her mother will be back to get her sometime. She is repeatedly molested by him and has stopped speaking because of the trauma. Instead, she collects words in her head - words that she finds in a dictionary that she and her mother used to look at together.

Jack leaves Kaylee alone for long portions of the day, and she is pretty good at...more About the Book: Kaylee has been left with Jack, an abusive boyfriend of her mothers. She is only 10 years old and believes Jack when he tells her she can't leave as her mother will be back to get her sometime. She is repeatedly molested by him and has stopped speaking because of the trauma. Instead, she collects words in her head - words that she finds in a dictionary that she and her mother used to look at together.

Jack leaves Kaylee alone for long portions of the day, and she is pretty good at remembering his work schedule - so even though she wanders in the nearby redwood forest she is always home before he is. She has found a safe haven in a burnt out redwood tree. In this tree, inside a circle of pinecones, no one can hurt her. It is here that she first sees Sierra.

Sierra is an artist who has lived alone since the death of her baby daughter 12 years before. She had been a drug addict and her newborn baby, Annie, died because of it. She had been raised in a Christian home, but had wandered far off that path. She was still close to her parents, but refused to let go of the guilt and remorse of her daughter's death. It is on the anniversary of Annie's death that she thinks she sees the ghost of a little girl peering out of a redwood tree, when it is in fact Kaylee.

Although she leaves that day without investigating further, with the encouragement of her best friend Ruby, she ventures back to the spot to see if it was really a little girl. She can't help but wonder what a little girl would be doing out in the woods by herself. Kaylee feels pulled back to the spot to see if Sierra will return as she had been crying and Kaylee is curious as to why. What neither one of them realize is that they are both being nudged by God towards each other.

My thoughts: I really liked this book alot. Being a mom, I totally understood Sierra's need to find Kaylee and see why she was in the forest alone - and once she did, to follow up and try to learn more. You could feel Kaylee's struggle to speak, but also realize her reluctance is because she may have to answer some tough questions about things she doesn't want to talk about. It contains a great lesson in forgiveness and how God loves us, for us, regardless of what we might have done, and the importance of allowing God to do it His way, even when we don't think it is the right way.
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Jan 28, 2011 Nora St Laurent rated it 5 of 5 stars

“I can’t talk. I can’t breathe. Tears choke me.”

That’s exactly how I felt when I read the last page of this book. I’m thrilled to have received a review copy of such an astounding, debut novel. I haven’t read anything this profound, inspiring and life changing since Redeeming Love and June Bug. The author is a master wordsmith and trusts the readers’ imagination to fill in the blanks about the abuse Kaylee endures and talks about it without being graphic. Ginny L. Yttrup has overcome sexual abu...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Cafelilybookreviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Again, the haunted eyes of the child I saw yesterday come to mind.
What has she survived that her young eyes reflect fear rather than the playful innocence one might expect to see from a child hiding in a tree?
And why am I compelled to find out?
Isn’t it possible that I just startled her yesterday?
But my instinct tells me there’s something more."

This is the type of story that resonates with you long after you’ve closed the book.

Words is the first novel that Ginny Yttrup has written and it en...more

"Again, the haunted eyes of the child I saw yesterday come to mind.
What has she survived that her young eyes reflect fear rather than the playful innocence one might expect to see from a child hiding in a tree?
And why am I compelled to find out?
Isn’t it possible that I just startled her yesterday?
But my instinct tells me there’s something more."

This is the type of story that resonates with you long after you’ve closed the book.

Words is the first novel that Ginny Yttrup has written and it encompasses a lifetime of her own personal pain and shame. At times, it’s almost too painful to read. While not overly graphic, it does tackle the very sensitive issue of sexual abuse and readers can’t help but ache for Kaylee, the young victim in this story.

Ten year old Kaylee Wren has lost her voice – both figuratively and literally. The trauma and abuse she has suffered at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend, has turned her into a shell of a young girl. Withdrawn and silent, Kaylee spends her days listening and waiting for her abuser to come home; huddling in a corner hoping this time he won’t see her.

Kaylee’s mother, a drug addict, is nowhere to be found. Kaylee hopes and prays that if she waits long enough, her mother will remember to come back for her and take her away from the nightmare.

Sierra Dawn is a middle age artist, haunted by the death of her baby girl. Twelve years have passed, yet Sierra continues to be tormented by the choices she’s made. Alone and withdrawn, she throws herself into her artwork as a means of releasing some of her painful emotions. Sierra keeps a safe emotional distance from those around her – even the people she loves. And she definitely keeps her distance from God. She’s too scared of being hurt again to take a risk on love and has built a very high wall around her heart.

By divine intervention, the lives of Sierra and Kaylee become intertwined and readers are taken on a journey of hope, survival and restoration. Though the journey is painful and the process hard, God’s love is very evident all throughout this book.

A powerful, moving story that readers will quickly connect with – I highly recommend this book.
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Dec 30, 2010 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars

A gritty subject by many standards, WORDS delves into some of the basest of human evils. And while in many ways this kind of novel can come across as depressing, the author has done a marvelous job to ensure that the reader does not become ensnared in the tragedy and instead focuses on the determination and resilience of the characters. Kaylee is in the worst imaginable situation, but escapes through the dictionary her mother left and the power of the words hidden within the pages. Though she is...more

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May 19, 2012 Karen & Gerard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, favorites, inspirational, relationships, survival

Words by Ginny L. Yttrop is an inspirational quick read that is about choices, redemption, hope, healing. Kaylee, a little girl is abandoned by her mother and left with her boyfriend to be neglected, abused and raped. They live in a little cabin in the woods and the girl stops talking. She finds words comforting and reads the dictionary over and over to help her focus on something else while hoping that maybe her "mother will come back today." When Sierra, a woman whose child died just a few day...more Words by Ginny L. Yttrop is an inspirational quick read that is about choices, redemption, hope, healing. Kaylee, a little girl is abandoned by her mother and left with her boyfriend to be neglected, abused and raped. They live in a little cabin in the woods and the girl stops talking. She finds words comforting and reads the dictionary over and over to help her focus on something else while hoping that maybe her "mother will come back today." When Sierra, a woman whose child died just a few days after birth due to Sierra's drug addiction, visits the cemetery on the 12th anniversary of her child's death, spots Kaylee in the hollowed giant redwood tree and thinks she saw a ghost. Sierra is lonely so takes in a stray dog she names Van Gogh. The dog helps comfort Kaylee when they meet and is a wonderful addition to the story.

Sierra finally is able to accept God's forgiveness and move on with her life as she starts thinking about Kaylee and becomes her friend. Kaylee looks forward to seeing the nice lady in the woods again at her special spot inside the tree. Kaylee doesn't talk, but can communicate by writing and has an unusually big vocabulary for a girl her age. Through Sierra, Kaylee discovers Jesus is the most important word and learns the truth that He really does love her and is able to set her free from the screams in her head and help her to speak again.

I liked this Christian fiction book very much in spite of the predictable "fairy tale" ending. I couldn't help but pull for Kaylee and Sierra to get together and thought the Children's Services worker did a good job. Sierra was searching for God's purpose for her life and it was very realistic how because of her past with drugs, she was able to sympathize with Kaylee's mom and was torn between helping her get better or not because she was afraid of losing Kaylee. The abuse Kaylee endured is done in good taste, leaving details to the reader's imagination. There is so much humor and love in this book that prevents it from becoming depressing. The dog, Van, was a great addition to this book, showing how pets can by wonderful companions and give unconditional love. The information about the giant redwood trees was interesting too and provided symbolism throughout the book. This book even inspired me to read my little dictionary, a page a day! This is a great read that I highly recommend and am so glad I read!
(Karen's review)

Gerard's review:
This book is told by two people: Kaylee, a 10-yr.-old girl who is abused physically, sexually, emotionally and neglected at her cabin in the woods, then abandoned by her mother who is a meth addict and Sierra, a young woman who mourns the death of her baby and finds Kaylee who she wants to help.

I liked this book very much. It's a good story and I got into it right from the start. I highly recommend you read it too! It's a feel good book and you will feel happy at the end. (less)

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Jun 16, 2011 Beth Peninger rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ironically enough I don't have adequate words to speak about this book. It has left me speechless. What a hard read but yet so good. Ginny Yttrup exposes a silent problem that too few people are willing to think or talk about. And she presents the two-fold solution. Truth. Letting the Truth penetrate and then speaking truth. Both gain the wounded freedom. This is a heavy book because of its topic but weaved into the despair is Hope. I didn't laugh or even smile once while reading this book but I...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Em rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free

This book made me cry when I read it, I was so engrossed in their story.

There's little Kaylee, who has tried so hard to be strong in the face of a childhood that no child should really have to live through. Her mother, for reasons Kaylee doesn't understand until close to the end of the book, has abandoned her. Her mother's last boyfriend burned everything that belonged to Kaylee and her mothers, that he could find, but wouldn't let Kaylee leave. He told her she had to stay, in case her mother ca...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Sally906 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction

WORDS is a debut novel based around the harrowing subject of child abuse. Despite the gritty subject the book is an absolutely riveting read.

Kaylee is just ten and does not speak. She is living in a remote hut nestled among towering redwoods, left there alone with a cruel and abusive man, Jack, when her mother went out one day and never returned. The poor child believes Jack when he tells her she can't leave the hut as her mother will be back to get her sometime. The only way that Kaylee can co...more WORDS is a debut novel based around the harrowing subject of child abuse. Despite the gritty subject the book is an absolutely riveting read.

Kaylee is just ten and does not speak. She is living in a remote hut nestled among towering redwoods, left there alone with a cruel and abusive man, Jack, when her mother went out one day and never returned. The poor child believes Jack when he tells her she can't leave the hut as her mother will be back to get her sometime. The only way that Kaylee can cope with the horrors she has to endure at the hands of Jack is by collecting words. She has memorised words from a dictionary her mother left behind and when she can’t cope with what is happening to her Kaylee retreats into her mind and recites the words to herself. Jack leaves Kaylee by herself for hours and though she wanders in the nearby redwood forest she is always home before he is to avoid trouble and hoping beyond hope that today her mother will return and that tonight Jack won’t want her. Kaylee has found a safe haven in a hollowed out redwood tree, where she makes a circle of pinecones in which she believes no one can hurt her. She is sitting in her circle when she first sees Sierra.

Sierra is a middle-aged artist who is still living with the guilt of causing her baby daughter’s death. Sierra was a drug user when she fell pregnant and her baby girl, Annie, only lived for a few hours after birth. Sierra is still tormented by the choices she made and has thrown herself into her artwork as a means of releasing some of her painful emotions. Sierra keeps a safe emotional distance from those around her, only her parents and best friend Ruby have not given up on her.

On the twelfth anniversary of Annie’s death Sierra goes to a lookout in the nearby redwood forest when she thinks she sees the ghost of her little girl peering out of a redwood tree. A day or so later Sierra returns to the spot to see if it really was a little girl rather than a ghost and meets Kaylee. It does not take Sierra very long to realise that Kaylee is being ill-treated and abused and she sets up a rescue by child welfare and gains custody of the mentally shattered child. These two lost and traumatised souls, both seeking to be freed from their inner torments have been brought together by divine intervention, and together they have to learn to trust, and turn to God for healing and a chance to live again.

WORDS is extremely well written, the story switching easily between Kaylee’s and Sierra’s points of view. I could feel Kaylee's anguish as she struggled between her both her desire to speak and her reluctance to speak, as she knew speaking would mean having to talk about things she doesn't want to talk about. As far as the sexual abuse issue goes, despite being central to the first half of the book there are no graphic descriptions. Like her gutsy little heroine the author, Ginny Yttrup, uses words to evoke her reader’s imaginations as to what is going on, rather than explicitly describing the action. WORDS is a story that stays with you a long time after you close the book, it is very hard to read at times, and will break your heart in parts, but is well worth the read. Though terrible things have happened to Kaylee the main focus of the book is the resilience and determination of one gutsy little girl who just needs to be rescued.

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Mar 23, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am so glad that Ginny wrote this book for every woman who has went through some kind of sexual abuse! "Words" is such a deep, heart-wrenching, and powerful novel! You can see it in every page and every word as Ginny pours our her heart with every joy and pain!

"Words" is one of those books that you might not first pick up because you know it's going to cut straight through your heart, but you also know it's one of those books that you NEED to read! Their were times where I just wanted to put th...more I am so glad that Ginny wrote this book for every woman who has went through some kind of sexual abuse! "Words" is such a deep, heart-wrenching, and powerful novel! You can see it in every page and every word as Ginny pours our her heart with every joy and pain!

"Words" is one of those books that you might not first pick up because you know it's going to cut straight through your heart, but you also know it's one of those books that you NEED to read! Their were times where I just wanted to put the book down and not finish it because it just broke my heart, but I kept pushing on because I knew redemption would be found. And WOW! Redemption was definitely found and it brought such an amazing freedom that only Jesus can give!

I loved reading their story of redemption in how through all the pain they experienced that they both came to find freedom from bondage. It did not come easily, but it did come once they understood what Christ was offering them through His truth!

It is hard in what to say about Words overall because again it's just one of those books you need to read. To hear the story of a little girl who is sexually abused and abandoned by her mother for drugs while having to live through the tornado-like emotions it wrecks upon her is life-changing to read! We might not relate to Kaylee's story, but like Ginny mentions in her letter to the Reader, we all can relate to Sierra in that she is Sinner in need of salvation from the sin that is plaguing her.

I encourage anyone who is looking for a novel that goes skin deep and makes us reflect on our relationship with Christ in that are we truly surrendering everything to Him while letting Him make us free from bondage! I left this novel feeling encouraged because I know that there is hope not only for me, but every other person who has experienced abuse, pain, abandonment, loneliness, and every other feeling that has torn at our heart!

I give this novel an overall 4.5 out of 5 stars!

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32)(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Jennifer Jensen rated it 5 of 5 stars

A little girl, alone, collects words in her mind for comfort. Her mother is gone, and her remaining guardian is a monster. Is there any hope? Can she find the courage to breathe life to the words in her head?

A grown woman, alone, builds walls around herself. Her past is scarred, and her remaining days are supposed to be lonely. Is there any hope? Can she find the courage to give herself to another who needs her so much?

This is the premise of Words. The story is so compelling, and the characters...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I took this book along with me to my hair appointment last week. My hairdresser asked me about it and after I described the story, she replied, "Why would read a book about that?" Good question. I didn't mean to---wouldn't have if I had known what it was about. But, gosh, would I have missed out on something wonderful!!

WORDS brings the world of child molestation right up to the front of your head and heart immediately. It's not done with inappropriate descriptions, but through the mind and emoti...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

I will preface this review with the fact that I am not a Christian now nor have I ever been a Christian. I read this for the Readers Advisory class I am teaching this semester.
Sierra is a single artist and an ex-drug user. She is mourning the loss of her daughter 12 years ago when she comes across the neglected and abused 10 year old Kaylee in the woods. After some drama and soul searching, Sierra becomes the foster parent for Kaylee, who has a hard time overcoming her past sexual abuse.
There a...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Jan Holmes rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a book I just grabbed from the library new book shelf (along with two others) for a cold and rainy weekend. I just read the first few sentences on the back cover and thought it sounded like a great book,that night as I put the book down to go to sleep I thought again it was a great book. The next morning I read the rest of the back cover to see what was coming and saw that it mentioned that the characters discover the healing mercy of the Word- Jesus Christ. I am not a religous person in...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I randomly picked this book up and after reading the following lines, I was hooked:
"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."
What a beautiful and haunting book! I literally read in 2-3 day...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Lorie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well written, deeply touching, heart-wrenching and heart-affirming. This is the kind of book that sinks deeply into one's heart and stays there to influence one forever. You have to be a little brave to read it, but you should do it! Parents can hardly bear to think about abused children. Yet this book shows so many ways, and gives so much hope, that healing can occur. And parents are the surest foundation to see the need, and support the healing.

The author says in the :"Afterwords" that it is h...more

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May 12, 2012 Libby Sellers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-non-fiction, nook

Excellent. A very hard subject- sexual abuse, parental abandonment, drug addiction and their effect on one little girl but yet there is healing in the pages too and you are left with hope. It will not be an easy read but one, in my opinion, well worth your time and possibly life changing- heart changing

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Oct 15, 2010 Julie Graves rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads, christian

Sierra Dawn allows herself one day a year to think about the death of her baby 12 years before. Each year on the anniversary of Annie’s death Sierra goes to the grave, has lunch with her friend Ruby, and spends the rest of her day trying to forget. Sierra is consumed with guilt and anger. She knows that because she was addicted to drugs while pregnant with Annie that is the reason that Annie died. But she is angry at God because she feels that he could have prevented Annie from dying. Raised in...more Sierra Dawn allows herself one day a year to think about the death of her baby 12 years before. Each year on the anniversary of Annie’s death Sierra goes to the grave, has lunch with her friend Ruby, and spends the rest of her day trying to forget. Sierra is consumed with guilt and anger. She knows that because she was addicted to drugs while pregnant with Annie that is the reason that Annie died. But she is angry at God because she feels that he could have prevented Annie from dying. Raised in a Christian home Sierra chose a different path to follow when she went to college. Ruby and Sierra’s parents think it is time for Sierra to relinquish the anger and guilt and get right with God. Sierra doesn’t know if she ever can. A trip to a secluded spot in the Redwoods changes her life forever.

Kaylee has been abandoned by her mother and left in the care of Jack her mother’s last boyfriend. The only things Kaylee has of her mother’s are her dictionary and Emily Post’s etiquette book. Kaylee hides them from Jack so that they will not be taken away. To escape the daily sexual abuse and neglect Kaylee reads the dictionary and memorizes words and their meanings. All of the words are bottled up inside of her as she has not been able to speak since her mother abandoned her to this evil man. Too afraid to run away because she worries that her mother has amnesia and someday will return to find her Kaylee suffers in silence and fear. One of her favorite spots is the hollowed out spot in a Redwood tree. She sits in a circle of pinecones telling herself that nothing can cross the pinecones to hurt her.

Sierra befriends Kaylee and realizes that neglect and maybe something more is going on in her life. She contacts Child services to find out what can be done. Once Kaylee is rescued she is placed in the care of Sierra. From that moment on healing for both Sierra and Kaylee begins.

WOW! This book was so good. It was heartbreaking to read about Kaylee’s abuse. I wanted to jump through the pages and administer justice myself! Ginny Yttrup was able to show that God can redeem us from our worst sins and give us peace and rest in Him through the trials of life.
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May 18, 2013 Fragmentage rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: buchchallenge-vorgaben

Kaylee is 10 years old and for the past months has been living in a remote cabin with Jack who is constantly abusing her emotionally and physically. Since her drug-addled mother abandoned her, Kaylee doesn't speak but in her mind she collects and clings to the words she finds in a dictionary, the only thing left to her from her short childhood.

Sierra is 34 and has been alone for 12 years. Ever since her infant daughter died she's been struggling with guilt and trying to bury the pain by not all...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Review: When I started this book, I knew that it is considered Christan fiction / contemporary, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The first thing I thought of was, oh I hope this book isn't anything like The Shack. I've read that book, and did not enjoy it whatsoever, so I was really hoping that this would be different. And let me tell you that Words is NOTHING like The Shack. Yes, Words is about about finding God and understanding how He works and finding the truth and therefore freedom throu...more

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Apr 11, 2013 CatherineMorland rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-teens, christian, contemporary, favorites

How the heck I read this without crying, I'm not sure. This book touched me in so many different ways. I hate abuse in any form, but when it happens to innocent children, it's just... cruel. And I wonder why it has to happen.

The opening paragraph is beautiful but haunting: "I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, readi...more How the heck I read this without crying, I'm not sure. This book touched me in so many different ways. I hate abuse in any form, but when it happens to innocent children, it's just... cruel. And I wonder why it has to happen.

The opening paragraph is beautiful but haunting: "I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."

Words follows the story of 10-year-old Kaylee Wren. Her mother abandoned her a year earlier, leaving her with the mother's abusive ex-boyfriend in a secluded cabin. Traumatized from losing her mother and being molested, she loses the ability to speak. One of the only things she has left from her mother is a dictionary, and she becomes obsessed with words, memorizing definitions.

And then one day while playing among the redwoods, Kaylee sees an unfamiliar car drive up and a woman gets out. The woman is crying and Kaylee watches, unobserved. Or so she thinks.

The woman named Sierra returns the next day, thinking she's crazy because she could've sworn she saw a face among the trees the last time she was there. But it turns out the little girl isn't a ghost and she reaches out to Kaylee. This brings them both on an emotional journey of redemption, love, and honesty.

I just... gah. I'm speechless here. Warning: this book is a tear-jerker, an emotional read, and sometimes downright difficult to get through simply because of the subject matter. But it's also beautiful, a story that shows hope can bloom in even the darkest times and none of us are beyond redemption. The writing is also phenomenal, spectacular, stupendous :p Now I'm going to start using big words! But seriously, this author has amazing talent. This is the easiest 5 stars I've ever given and my favorite read so far this year.(less)

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Dec 12, 2011 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, christian

This was such a powerful book. Kaylee Wren is a young ten year old girl abandoned by her mother. She is left with her mother’s boyfriend. When the mother doesn’t return the boyfriend burns all of the mother’s possessions and most of Kaylee’s things. She is left there for him to do with as he pleases, and he does.

Kaylee clings to a dictionary and two other books left by her mother. Two books “he” doesn’t know she has. She has stopped talking. She keeps her words in her head. This is the one place...more This was such a powerful book. Kaylee Wren is a young ten year old girl abandoned by her mother. She is left with her mother’s boyfriend. When the mother doesn’t return the boyfriend burns all of the mother’s possessions and most of Kaylee’s things. She is left there for him to do with as he pleases, and he does.

Kaylee clings to a dictionary and two other books left by her mother. Two books “he” doesn’t know she has. She has stopped talking. She keeps her words in her head. This is the one place he can not find them and take them away. She is a survivor. As I read I wondered how she was still alive. She was hungry and dirty. She holds out hope that her mother will come back for her. She even tells her self that her mother has amnesia. This is how she deals with the situation.

The imagery and use of metaphors is wonderful. The author uses the redwood tree and its resilience to explain how Kaylee is a survivor. In the story, when Kaylee can steal away from the cabin, she hides in the base of a redwood tree. She keeps those things she holds most dear in that tree. It is here that Sierra, an artist, finds her. The meeting of these two is not by chance. Sierra is dealing with the anniversary of her own daughter’s death. Twelve years earlier she had given birth to a daughter who lived only nine days. Drugs she took while pregnant was the root cause of her daughter’s death. Sierra has been running from the pain and from God for a long time. With Sierra’s painful past, and Kaylee’s current pain, only God could bring two dysfunctional people together to show how God can heal. Kaylee uses words to protect her and help her heal. Seirra dives into her art. She talked about building layer upon layer, yet after Kaylee entered her life she begins to peel away layer after layer of her past.

It is proof that a person must deal with the past instead of holding it in, if they are to ever begin the healing process. Forgiveness must be given for complete healing. We see both Kaylee and Sierra dealing with their past. We also see that they have learned that dealing with their past through God’s helping love is so much easier.

This is a book I highly recommend. Don’t let the topic of sexual abuse scare you away. The messages of hope, forgiveness, redemption and love are more than enough to combat the scary topic. This powerful book will take you on a rollercoaster ride you will not soon forget.
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Dec 07, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: WORDS
Author: Ginny L. Yttrup
Publisher: Broadman & Holman
February 2011
ISBN: 978-14336-7170-8
Genre: Inspirational/general/contemporary

Kaylee Wren is almost ten years old, but she doesn’t speak. Abandoned by her mother, she lives with her mother’s boyfriend, an alcoholic who sexually abuses her. Kaylee is fascinated by words, and even though she can’t speak she reads her mother’s dictionary cover-to-cover, beginning to end, over and over again. Memorizing words and meanings.

Sierra Dawn...more

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