Hi there!
Welcome back to the Friday edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're tackling a different genre...the realm of the Memoir. I have been known from time to time to dabble in these real life stories when they truly capture my attention and when Emily at She Writes Press contacted me regarding this one, I knew I had to find out more. The cover alone is enough to give you pause, but the lives shared reach out through the pages to connect with readers on the most basic levels....love, life, and family. Ready or not, fair readers, here comes today's book of choice...
by
Nadine Kenney Johnstone
9781631522109
About the book...
At twenty-two, Chicagoan Nadine Kenney meets her future husband, Jamie, while vacationing in Florida. She soon uproots from her home and family to join Jamie in suburban Massachusetts. Once married, the couple begins trying for a baby. Yet neither of them suspect just how tumultuous the path to parenthood will be.
At twenty-two, Chicagoan Nadine Kenney meets her future husband, Jamie, while vacationing in Florida. She soon uproots from her home and family to join Jamie in suburban Massachusetts. Once married, the couple begins trying for a baby. Yet neither of them suspect just how tumultuous the path to parenthood will be.
Unable to conceive naturally, Nadine embarks upon a series of infertility treatments that wreak havoc with her health, her emotions and her marriage -- and threaten her life. From uncommunicative doctors and internal bleeding following an IVF procedure to emergency surgery that leaves her with a six inch scar instead of a baby bump, Nadine endures nearly every trial and tribulation that infertility treatments often bring. All the while, she’s astounded that few if any doctors or couples dare discuss these.
In what seems like a miracle, she eventually becomes pregnant naturally. But the horrors are not over: her unborn son is diagnosed with potentially terminal kidney complications. For the duration of the pregnancy, Nadine and Jamie must live with a profoundly troubling uncertainty about whether and how long their child will survive.
Ultimately, Nadine is forced to come to terms with the stark differences between reality and the notion of “happily ever after” she once harbored, and to recognize that amid great unpredictability the only thing she can be sure of is the healing power of hope and love
In what seems like a miracle, she eventually becomes pregnant naturally. But the horrors are not over: her unborn son is diagnosed with potentially terminal kidney complications. For the duration of the pregnancy, Nadine and Jamie must live with a profoundly troubling uncertainty about whether and how long their child will survive.
Ultimately, Nadine is forced to come to terms with the stark differences between reality and the notion of “happily ever after” she once harbored, and to recognize that amid great unpredictability the only thing she can be sure of is the healing power of hope and love
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A wonderful and at times terrifying journey through the beauty and wonder of pregnancy, childbirth, and all the craziness in between. All the injections, day counting, blood tests, and worry that went into the IVF process, not to mention the lack of emphasis on the potential negatives that can occur, were mind boggling. It's amazing how hard some fight to do what should be as easy as breathing, yet there are those that can and could care less. This couple tried so hard only to be met with adversity at almost every turn until one day they finally found their yellow brick road. Was it paved in gold? No. Was it easy street from there on? Definitely not...but they had been through SO MUCH already that every moment was cherished. Good news received was reason for celebration. Every time they shared a loving glance or minute of quiet companionship, they knew the true value of it and appreciated it THAT much more. When the going got tough, they got going...eventually...and learned that while individually tough, they were much stronger together.
In the end, it's a must read for anyone contemplating an addition to their family as well as those readers simply wanting another view on the miracle of life...and how hard we have to fight sometimes to achieve it. The openness and frankness of how Nadine's story is shared allows those readers going through similar times to relate, while still inviting those in that are nowhere near the same circumstances, but curious to learn more. It was a wonderful journey through one family's nightmare-turned-crowning-glory, and a testament to the power of love in all its forms.
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About the author...
Nadine Kenney Johnstone is author of Of This Much I’m Sure (She Writes Press, 2017), a memoir of her experiences struggling with IVF and illness, and the healing power of hope and love. Her work has been featured in Chicago Magazine, The Month, PANK, and various anthologies, including The Magic of Memoir. Nadine, who received her MFA from Columbia College in Chicago, teaches English at Loyola University and doubles as a writing coach, presenting at conferences internationally. She lives near Chicago with her family.
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Special thanks to Emily at She Writes Press for the ARC for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to release APRIL 11th, 2017, so mark your calendar or preorder your copy today!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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