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3 out of 4 stars
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Addiction poses devastating health and social effects. Having affected the health status of an individual, the menace, without warning, ventures to other aspects of life; relationships with spouses and relatives.
When Aleisha Turner ventured into drug abuse and utilized her body for financial gain, she did it handsomely without thinking about its consequences. Aleisha would lure thirsty men into her nest via her seductive and sexy looks. Most of the heinous acts happened at Pete’s premises. She convinced herself that it was a genuine business as no one was hurt. One evening, Aleisha turned up at her house high on heroin. She paid little attention to her children: Nataya and Willard Turner. Things got heated as she tried to evade her husband, Mark. Apparently, Aleisha engaged in drug abuse despite having an infant, Michael. Mark’s rage led to him assaulting Aleisha.
The scrabble resulted in the hospitalization of Aleisha. Since Nataya and Willard were not Mark’s children, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kale took them into custody; Michael remained under Mark and his sister’s custody. Beverly, a widow from CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), was tasked with Aleisha’s case: ensuring that the children were under proper guardianship, such as responsible parents and a secure environment.
Most of the characters in Catch a Falling Star by Keith Julius contribute to the plot of the book. While Beverly Turner is assigned to the CASA cases, Patrick Zimmerly complemented her efforts at the Children’s Services. To help conquer her addiction, Dr. Antonio oversees the therapy sessions. Antonio reckons that it is an individual initiative to overcome her predicament. But will Aleisha Turner and Mark fight the skeletons in their closet successfully?
My favorite aspect of this book is its inherent ability to allow the reader to connect with the characters. By far, Beverly was my favorite character. She took her volunteer experience at CASA to heart. She made it her job to ensure that the affected children found solace in their new surroundings. Beverly envisaged empathy and sympathy. She genuinely wished that all her clients overcame their addictions and became responsible people. Due to the slew of character development, I also connected with Aleisha’s fears. I was enthralled when she accepted her situation and committed to mending bridges with her family.
I also appreciated the spectrum of themes incorporated in this book. Drug abuse, the legal system, prostitution, and family are some issues addressed in this book. I also relished the twist in the novel. It is impossible to dispense some scenarios without providing spoilers.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I didn’t like the book’s formatting. Both the chapters and the entire text were bolded. Moreover, the organization of paragraphs seemed quite untidy. I felt that the author/editors did little to organize the book because the headings of some chapters occurred towards the far end of the page. However, the text was edited professionally; I noticed a few grammatical errors.
Due to the formatting issues, I deduct a star and award this novel three out of four stars. It is a fast-paced thriller providing insights into the shackles of social ills in society. I recommend this book to lovers of books depicting drug abuse and those dealing with loss. However, those triggered by such issues should read it with caution. It also contains some extreme adult language.
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Catch a Falling Star
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