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This Bird Flew Away

Lynda M. Martin

Start date: January 1, 2012

Finish date: January 31, 2012

Discussion: Bloggers Unite Book Club

Why we're reading this: January 2012 - Bloggers Unite Book Club Selection
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Apr 14, 2011 Cyle rated it really liked it

GENRE: Women Fiction/Drama
THEME: Coming of Age Story
RECEIVED: Copy from Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: April 15th

REVIEW:
This is a first for me, I’m a reviewer who has specific genres where my heroine is a woman who normally kicks butt and fights monsters. But, I was given a chance from the Enchanted Blog Tour to review: This Bird Flew Away by Lynda M. Martin, which was way out of my element. I have to say I’m glad I took the leap and tried something new.

This is GENRE: Women Fiction/Drama
THEME: Coming of Age Story
RECEIVED: Copy from Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: April 15th

REVIEW:
This is a first for me, I’m a reviewer who has specific genres where my heroine is a woman who normally kicks butt and fights monsters. But, I was given a chance from the Enchanted Blog Tour to review: This Bird Flew Away by Lynda M. Martin, which was way out of my element. I have to say I’m glad I took the leap and tried something new.

This is definitely a coming of age story, the heroine in this genre has no powers but she has strength in her personality and instincts that help her survive. The hero is no immortal but a man who is a hero for being caring and protecting, he’s not perfect, neither lead characters are but they are real.

Bria is introduced at the funeral for her stepfather, a man who was horrible and not well liked. This is also where you meet Jack, a young but a lot older family friend who becomes her best friend.

Bria has an extremely hard life ahead of her and the only constant is Jack. The story is written from Bria and her Aunt Mary’s point of view. I’m not a big fan of jumping back and fourth between characters but I do have to add I would of loved to know what Jack was thinking. But this is only my opinion.

A major factor in the book is the relationship between Jack and Bria. At sixteen she feels she’s in love with him, the man that’s always protected her. Since Jack and her have a major gap in difference for their ages it makes for some inappropriate actions, that Jack I felt handles pretty well as he always reminds her to find someone her age. But deep down you can see he has to fight his feeling for her just as much as she does. The end of the book I felt was so right in what happens with the two of them. Lynda M. Martin really did great job in creative sculpting a touching resolve, which will continue on to the next book.

A lot of very sad situations happen in this book, from abuse, to kidnapping, but it really opens the reader’s eye to what some children have gone through in the real word. It’s a story with a message of hope and possibilities and I’m intrigue to see what happens next.

As for a book that doesn’t have any paranormal elements I liked this book. It was a bit tough in the beginning to get into but really flew once I hit the middle and kept my attention. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story even though it was not my normal cup of tea.
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Sep 13, 2011 Philip Nork rated it really liked it

“Girls grow up, you know?” Bria Connelly sure did. Saddled with a father she never knew and a mother who loved her in her own way, but who was afflicted with a disease not well-known at that time, Bria steps up and tries to help her baby sister whenever she could.

After her step-father dies, and her mother leaves her with an Aunt she despises, in a place she didn’t want to be, ten-year-old Bria grew up much faster than most. Her only “friend” is a cousin, an older male cousin at that. Jack becom “Girls grow up, you know?” Bria Connelly sure did. Saddled with a father she never knew and a mother who loved her in her own way, but who was afflicted with a disease not well-known at that time, Bria steps up and tries to help her baby sister whenever she could.

After her step-father dies, and her mother leaves her with an Aunt she despises, in a place she didn’t want to be, ten-year-old Bria grew up much faster than most. Her only “friend” is a cousin, an older male cousin at that. Jack becomes her “lawyer” and helps her through many “trials” and issues. She trusts him because, “You can tell a lawyer things and they have to keep it a secret.”

Jack gets Bria to talk about how her step-father beat her mother, and sometimes her. And a lifelong friendship is formed. After Bria is sold to ‘bad men’ when she is twelve and used as a pawn in child pornography, Jack is one of the few people that can help her come out of her shell.
“Our experiences always affect us, often in ways we don’t recognize,” is a phrase that This Bird Flew Away puts to good use. Throughout the book, Bria experiences this over and over again. She also begins to understand the meaning of, “We don’t deal with our trauma once and call ourselves cured.”

Using her experiences as a way to help others just like herself, Bria grows up as normal as a young girl who has been traumatized can. Like she says, “Picking up the pieces is all we can do.”

I have to be honest, before I received the book and read the reviews that I did, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to connect with Bria and her story. I was very pleasantly surprised that many of the feelings she experienced--lack of trust, feeling the guilty one, and wondering why things happen--those that are considered ‘normal’ also feel.

Lynda Martin takes a very real occurrence, one that happens far too often, and turns a tale that keeps your interest the whole way through. I found it hard to put the book down, although I had to because of some of the content…Emotions got to me many times.

This is a read for everyone. I think most people will connect with something in this book. The best way to describe the book’s message comes from the words of the author, Bria’s story is one of optimism, the healing power of love, the strength of the human spirit, the connection of family and the triumph over evil.

I look forward to seeing what is next from Lynda Martin.
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Sep 19, 2011 Laurie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, fiction, contemporary, womens-fiction, inspirational, read-in-2011

The story of a young girl’s travails and journey to adulthood is warmly conveyed through alternating voices and POV of the girl, Bria and her aunt, Mary. I frankly, became immersed in Bria’s young life right from the start. This is one of those special books that occasionally comes along that just wraps one up in its warmth – cocooning and insulating the reader within its own special world and boundaries.

Bria’s story is one of triumph over the evil that people can inflict on others – sometimes The story of a young girl’s travails and journey to adulthood is warmly conveyed through alternating voices and POV of the girl, Bria and her aunt, Mary. I frankly, became immersed in Bria’s young life right from the start. This is one of those special books that occasionally comes along that just wraps one up in its warmth – cocooning and insulating the reader within its own special world and boundaries.

Bria’s story is one of triumph over the evil that people can inflict on others – sometimes intentionally, sometimes thoughtlessly. It also examines the people around us in life. For all the suffering that Bria endured, she was also fortunate because there were a few steadfast people close to her to love her; even as bull-headed and contrary as she sometimes could be. But then again, it is those very qualities that gave her the strength and determination to prevail and to overcome obstacles she encountered in her young life.

This is a tale told with warmth and candor, but one that also unflinchingly examines some ugly truths about the society in which we live. Ugliness that is not confined to the lower echelons but rather permeates the fabric of life and festers malignantly all around us, for the most part unseen, or at least unacknowledged. It is so much easier to remain blind to that which we may feel powerless to change or conquer.

In my opinion, Bria is fortunate to have Jack as her rock in her young life. Thirteen years older than Bria, he babysat her, fought for her, and was her anchor. Jack, an honorable man, helped Bria and stood by her during the most difficult times. He, along with Mary, became, in essence, Bria’s surrogate parents – but more, too. This story is one that will remain with me for a good, long while. There are many nuances to it that I find myself thinking about at odd moments. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read this book and I am looking forward to the next installment of Bria’s fascinating life.

Reviewed by Laurie-J
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Apr 07, 2011 Jenny Orozco rated it it was ok

Jun 30, 2011 Bobbie Crawford rated it it was amazing

Sep 15, 2011 Jo-Anne Vandermeulen rated it it was amazing

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