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To Whom It May Concern: A Memoir of a Foster Child
She has abandoned me, broken my heart, lied about me and given me cold, deadly glares that made me think she wished I were dead. Mom has also made me feel loved and special, given me a sense of humor and made me feel like a beautiful person." With a warm conversational tone, Laurie Kast-Klein describes her tumultuous childhood and the lack of care demonstrated by the Michigan foster care system. From the loving atmosphere of her grandparents' home to a variety of abusive foster care homes, Laurie has survived and ultimately flourished. Her story is heartfelt and heartbreaking, but her words will inspire you. Laurie Kast-Klein has been involved in advocacy for abused women and children, and she currently lives with her family in Michigan.
2 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2013
26 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 2, 2014
Reads like a rough draft
The bones of the story are in this book, but that's it. There is no chronological order and with so many characters this makes the story confusing at points. Sometimes parts or the story were repeated practically word for word which annoys me. I wouldn't call this a memoir, but a collection of diary pages filled with rambling thoughts and no cohesion. It's seems that the author was in a rush to hurry up and publish the book, which is too bad because she has an interesting story and a promise to be a fine writer, but even the best authors go through several edits and revisions.
The bones of the story are in this book, but that's it. There is no chronological order and with so many characters this makes the story confusing at points. Sometimes parts or the story were repeated practically word for word which annoys me. I wouldn't call this a memoir, but a collection of diary pages filled with rambling thoughts and no cohesion. It's seems that the author was in a rush to hurry up and publish the book, which is too bad because she has an interesting story and a promise to be a fine writer, but even the best authors go through several edits and revisions.
February 17, 2018
Wow
It is a testament, to your spirit, that you survived. Was able to love, marry & raise your own kids. God bless you.
It is a testament, to your spirit, that you survived. Was able to love, marry & raise your own kids. God bless you.
April 26, 2018
Very good book. I've read almost every book written by this author. She knows how to pull the reader into her story and keep them their till the end and then have them want more.
February 17, 2015
This book was hard to read; each 'story' in this memoir was its own 'chapter' which made everything feel very disjointed and split things until the timeline was hard to understand. Some 'chapters' were only a couple of paragraphs long and didn't even take up a whole Kindle screen. The book would also stop mentioning certain people (usually the author's siblings) until you'd forgotten them and then just throw them back in for one paragraph until you weren't sure you knew who they were. It was never clear what order the children were born in, nor was it clear how many children were even in her family. Maybe if I'd been related to the family I'd know who all were kids in it, but as an outsider it was impossible to decipher. It also never specified that the author had kids - it went from a drunken proposal straight to her having 3 kids, which took two or three chapters to really be clear. It would have been nice for at least a mention of "I had three kids" so that when new names are thrown at you it isn't just a guess or looking back to see if the name was used before and you just forgot it.
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February 9, 2014Such honesty!
I only wish that the characters were introduced clearly and maybe a family tree written in the front pages it was very hard to keep track of the eight plus kids. Then adding in the step children, it made it really hard to follow.
I know this.Must have been hard to recount. Praise the writer for doing so and showing people that they need to be the ones to take action. We can't sit by waiting for someone else to do it.
I only wish that the characters were introduced clearly and maybe a family tree written in the front pages it was very hard to keep track of the eight plus kids. Then adding in the step children, it made it really hard to follow.
I know this.Must have been hard to recount. Praise the writer for doing so and showing people that they need to be the ones to take action. We can't sit by waiting for someone else to do it.
April 1, 2014
Touching and telling
as a parent reading this broke my heart for these children. as a child who grew up with mental illness in our household, I see so many things could have been worse. I am proud of this book and the writer for being able to bring attention to a system that is lacking.
as a parent reading this broke my heart for these children. as a child who grew up with mental illness in our household, I see so many things could have been worse. I am proud of this book and the writer for being able to bring attention to a system that is lacking.
November 23, 2015
Thanks for writing your story.
So many of us come from abusive homes and live with the painful memories, writing helps to start the healing process. Thank you for your story, it helps to know we are not alone... we can make a difference one child at a time. I recommend this book to everyone.....
So many of us come from abusive homes and live with the painful memories, writing helps to start the healing process. Thank you for your story, it helps to know we are not alone... we can make a difference one child at a time. I recommend this book to everyone.....
March 29, 2014
Good, but no clear story line.
It was alright, but there was no flow of a story-line. it was pretty all over the place, but each part was more standalone rather than an entire flowing book.
It was alright, but there was no flow of a story-line. it was pretty all over the place, but each part was more standalone rather than an entire flowing book.
February 16, 2014
Good book. I appreciate the insight into the foster system.
April 18, 2014
Being there for a child
I chose this book for the insight into the needs of the community's young members. As a CASA job in
I chose this book for the insight into the needs of the community's young members. As a CASA job in
February 7, 2015
Clearly It Should Concern Us All
The mission of this book is to make us, the general public, aware of the abuses within our Foster Child Care system.
K Agle
02-05-14
The mission of this book is to make us, the general public, aware of the abuses within our Foster Child Care system.
K Agle
02-05-14
February 15, 2015
Interesting story, but disjointed. Read more like journal entries than a book.
May 5, 2015
Sad
How awful it is to see that these people who are to protect children don't sickens me how they treat kids...you get in more trouble for hurting animals
How awful it is to see that these people who are to protect children don't sickens me how they treat kids...you get in more trouble for hurting animals
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews