Official Review: Awaken by Walker Kimberly Brandt

[Nikolas Farmakis]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Awaken" by Walker Kimberly Brandt.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Awaken by Walker Kimberly Brandt is a non-fiction book about the author’s life experiences, her traumatic childhood, and her healing from the wounds of the past. The author wishes to create a positive and encouraging atmosphere in the text through her inspiring words.

The writer opens this book by saying that her family legacy was full of suffering and pain. She explains some of the difficulties faced by her family due to the social atmosphere created by the Vietnam War. She talks about her mom’s family, which was influenced by the perils of alcoholism and isolation. Her grandfather was an alcoholic who abused her grandmother, which led to her grandmother’s premature death. The writer’s grandfather was very scary, as she remembers that her grandmother would hide her in a closet when her grandfather would come home. Her father also abandoned them, and her mother married another man, but the writer found it difficult to accept her stepfather. Brandt also shares some of her mother’s traumatic experiences, such as growing up with parents who were often drunk.

This memoir consisted of many positive elements that elevated its status. To begin with, I liked the writer’s original expression, as she creatively described her life experiences. I also liked the positive message of hope and restoration that the writer expressed through her stories. What I liked most about this memoir was that it was simple and logical, making it very easy for the reader to understand and comprehend.

On the other hand, I also encountered some disadvantages in this book. For one, this book had several grammatical mistakes, which were significant for such a short book. Hence, another round of professional editing is necessary for this memoir. What I disliked most about this book was that it was monotonous and slightly repetitive, which made the mood of the text boring in some parts.

This book will be preferred by female readers who have gone through rough times in their lives. Women will better appreciate the author’s perspective as a woman, so they will enjoy this memoir more. There are some verses from the Bible in the text, so Christian readers may like this book more.

All in all, I rate this book with 2 out of 4 stars. I removed the two stars because of the book’s repetitiveness and its grammatical errors. I did not want to give it a lower score because it was creative, simple, and encouraging.

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Awaken
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