Rising Above To Heal Within

Close your eyes.  Picture the face of the person you love most in all this world.  Now, imagine they are horrifically tortured and murdered in the bedroom and living room of your home while you are beaten to near unconsciousness and tied up in the basement.  Then, think about how you would feel if that was not only ONE person you loved and adored, but rather THREE.  Finally, thank God that none of it is true for you personally.  The same can not be said for Bill Petit.

The Rising: Murder, Heartbreak, and the Power of Human Resilience in an American Town by Ryan D'Agostino tells Bill Petit's story from beginning to end in a way that allows the reader to connect with many of the individuals involved.  Specifically, I enjoyed the chapters that focused on Jennifer, Hayley, and Michaela.  That section really honored their memory in a special way by pulling stories from family members and friends.

The book shares some pretty intense scenes from the night of the brutal crime that took their lives as well as from the trials of the two murderers.  Definitely had my emotions running high and stomach completely turned at times.  I just can't fathom such senseless acts.  My mind truly can't process it.  I have so much admiration for the sole survivor - Bill Petit - as he fought through both his physical and emotional pain to honor the memory of his wife and daughters.  And to continue to live a life they would have wanted for him.  That sheer resilience and strong will is not easy when death comes naturally to people you love, but in this situation it is a true miracle of God that Bill wasn't completely crushed and defeated forever. The book shares in great detail his struggle to live in the days, weeks, months, and years after that horrendous night.  That was another true bright spot in the book.  Everyday we make choices about how to live our lives.  Bill Petit does the same.

I was particularly intrigued by the Petit Family Foundation that Bill began with funds that he received in the aftermath of the tragedy.  The Foundation serves to honor the memory of Jennifer, Hayley, and Michaela as well as recognize the charities and events that were close to their hearts during their short time on Earth.  I was quite impressed with the impact the Foundation continues to make in their community today.  A wonderful legacy for three seemingly fabulous women.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.  If you would like to learn more about the book or purchase a copy of your own, click HERE.  I learned so much from reading the story of the Petit family.  I would recommend the book to anyone with an interest in psychology, human resilience, and the power of community.

Andrea :)

#collaboreads: A Non-Fiction Book

Have you felt the pull toward a different career path, but allowed fear to keep you in your current situation?  Have you ever considered leaving your job with no Plan B allowing you nothing but time to figure out what's next?  Have you ever wanted to just take a leap...and see what happens on the other side?  It can be so easy to get stuck in a routine or want to ensure you have the next thing lined up before you move on. Honestly, it was refreshing to read Tess Vigeland's story as she made a huge leap of faith from a prominent radio host on NPR's Marketplace to the great unknown.  When I saw this month's topic was non-fiction, I was thrilled this book had just arrived in my mailbox!   

RIVETING.

What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?

Perhaps it is the current state of my life, but I absolutely could not get enough of this book.  So many of the thoughts and fears rang true for me.  I have been struggling for some time to figure out my passion.  While this book doesn't necessarily help with figuring it out, it does present a number of interesting stories and findings from studies as they relate to work and happiness.  Tess shares much of her own story, but also pulls from the experiences of others.  This was a great way to include different perspectives and make the book even more engaging. 

ELEMENTS.

How did you relate to/care for the characters?
What's your thought on the plot line and twists and turns?

While I enjoyed the overall theme and message of the book, I did find it a bit difficult to relate to many of the characters simply due to age and life circumstance.  Most of them were in lucrative careers pre-Leap and had a bit of a financial net to fall back on.  However, there were a couple of stories that related more to the average Joe.  Similar to Tess, I don't currently have any children, but I was happy to read stories about individuals who did and still made the Leap.  It was also helpful that Tess included the dark side of Leaping as well as the exciting, new, adventurous side. 

ASSOCIATE.
What other books are like this one? If none, did it remind you of a particular TV or movie with it's themes and characters? Does it serendipitous-ly line-up with things going on in your life or the news right now? 

I would classify this book in the self-help line.  It was a bit of a biography, but mostly it was set up to be a tool to help others going through the Leap process.  I can't think of any others that were like it exactly, but self-help was immediately what came to mind when I started reading it.  As I mentioned, it was very insightful for me.  Over the past couple of years, I have thought many times about other career paths that would be a good fit for me.  It was interesting to see how similarly my thought process and fears were to others in the book.  Additionally, I was fascinated by the information Tess presented in regard to how closely we associate ourselves with our work - how much of our identity is wrapped up in what we do from 9-5.

DESIGN.
You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? 
How did it relate to the contents of the novel? And the font and layout of the pages? 

The cover was boring.  It didn't really stand out at all.  I did like the tag line that was included on the cover though.  After much thought, I'm not entirely sure how the cover could be changed effectively.

STARS.  
How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend? 

I give this book 4 stars.  It was a quick read that kept me engaged and wanting to learn more with each chapter.  It was written in a way that made me feel like we were sitting down for a chat - very personable and honest.  If you have ever considered taking a leap of faith in your career, I highly suggest giving it a read. Click here to learn more about the book!  

Andrea :)

*I received this book from Blogging for Books in return for my honest review.