Official Review: The girl nobody liked by Kim Cox

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Official Review: The girl nobody liked by Kim Cox

Post by Brenda Creech »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The girl nobody liked" by Kim Cox.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Girl Nobody Liked: My Daddy Married a Wolf by Kim Cox is a true story about the author and her twelve siblings after their mother passed away. Kim was four when she lost her mom. Her daddy proclaimed to be a preacher, but he had never shown affection to his children. After Kim's mother died, her father left Kim and her siblings to be cared for by whoever would take them. But one day, their father came back, and he brought Johnnie Mae. That is when the real trouble began. Johnnie Mae was mean and cruel to the children who were still at home. She didn't allow them to talk to each other, she made them work selling potholders she made door to door, and Johnnie Mae took the money. The children barely got anything to eat. When they did, they had to eat moldy bread and spoiled fish or a piece of cornbread with two spoons of beans. Kim reveals the brutal beatings she and her siblings endured by her father and step-mother. She was made fun of at school, and every man she met seemed to be a predator, even her father, and brothers. Nevertheless, she learned to survive in an environment where very few could. Can Kim and her siblings escape this madness? Will they have a chance at having everyday lives?

Kim Cox has written a heart-wrenching memoir of her life growing up in the ghetto. I couldn't help but be shocked and filled with remorse toward neighbors who heard the children screaming from their beatings and church members who looked the other way without trying to rescue Kim and her siblings. No one wanted to 'get involved.' It took a lot of courage to reveal the sexual abuse of her sisters by her father, brothers, and uncles and the severe beatings by her step-mother and her father. However, I have to give Kim credit for exposing both kinds of abuse by relatives in this book. Incest is more prominent than society wants to acknowledge, yet here it is spelled out in its worst-case scenario for anyone who wants to listen. It is not just physical and sexual abuse these children endured. It is also mental, verbal, and emotional abuse in its cruelest forms.

The most crucial aspect of Kim's story is that she doesn't hold anything back. Instead, she bares her soul and exposes the ugly truth about those who abused her. Kim managed to elude the advances of her father and brothers, but her sisters did not. She describes how God started speaking to her. She started going to church, and several of her family began to attend with her. But life at home did not change. The story of Kim and her siblings is heartbreaking. The ending was abrupt and surprised me. It did not indicate another book forthcoming, but it left me with many questions.

On the negative side, the narrative feels strained, causing the story not to flow smoothly from one incident to another. In addition, I found quite a few errors in the book, so a round of professional editing would be worthwhile. Furthermore, there is some profanity, and there are descriptive sexual encounters based on the abuse.

Because of the courage it took for Kim Cox to tell her story and for her transparency in telling it, I am rating this book 3 out of 4 stars. Although I had to deduct one star for the errors, I couldn't remove two because this is a story that needs attention. I would recommend this book to those age sixteen and above. Anyone experiencing abuse now and those who suffered abuse in the past may relate to Kim's story. However, those sensitive to the type of information this book shares may want to avoid this one.

******
The girl nobody liked
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B. Creech
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Post by Kavita Shah »

By the title it sounds like a fantasy story. But what lies inside isn't. Truth of a girl and her siblings, being abused in all manner possible by her father and stepmother. Thank you for a great review!
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Post by MarveeAman »

Kim Cox has written a moving autobiography about her childhood. It's heartbreaking. Thanks for the great review!
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Post by Becca Olsson »

Wow, I can’t imagine everything Kim went through. I’m so glad she had the courage now to be so vulnerable and share her story. Thank you for the insightful review
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Post by Kirsi Cultrera »

This memoir sounds like something I could not read and stay calm. Your review already got me into tears and burning with anger towards these monstrous predators Kim had to call family! Thanks for your honest review!
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Post by Peace Odii »

I don't like it when fathers who are preachers don't show affection for their children.
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Post by Sakura5 »

This seems like a really tough read, but I agree with you, that we need to be exposed more to this kind of story and don't consider it taboo. Topics such as these need to be faced and heard more so that it can become also more normal to acknowledge them and take action in case we need to.
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Post by Stephanie Runyon »

This is a very emotionally turbulent story. My mother used to say she endured similar abuse from her parents, her name is Kim as well. Good review, I am sure it wasn't the easiest book to read.
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Post by Brenda Creech »

Kavita Shah wrote: 08 May 2021, 03:21 By the title it sounds like a fantasy story. But what lies inside isn't. Truth of a girl and her siblings, being abused in all manner possible by her father and stepmother. Thank you for a great review!
Thank you! Yes, it is a tragic story. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Brenda Creech
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Post by Brenda Creech »

MarveeAman wrote: 08 May 2021, 04:03 Kim Cox has written a moving autobiography about her childhood. It's heartbreaking. Thanks for the great review!
Her story is heartbreaking. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Brenda Creech
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Post by Brenda Creech »

Booklover Becca wrote: 08 May 2021, 10:08 Wow, I can’t imagine everything Kim went through. I’m so glad she had the courage now to be so vulnerable and share her story. Thank you for the insightful review
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
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Post by Brenda Creech »

Kirsi_78 wrote: 08 May 2021, 10:52 This memoir sounds like something I could not read and stay calm. Your review already got me into tears and burning with anger towards these monstrous predators Kim had to call family! Thanks for your honest review!
I felt the same way while I was reading this book! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Brenda Creech
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Post by Brenda Creech »

Piece Nkem wrote: 09 May 2021, 08:03 I don't like it when fathers who are preachers don't show affection for their children.
Exactly! I don't like it either, but I believe it is something that happens quite often! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
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Post by Brenda Creech »

Sakura5 wrote: 09 May 2021, 16:13 This seems like a really tough read, but I agree with you, that we need to be exposed more to this kind of story and don't consider it taboo. Topics such as these need to be faced and heard more so that it can become also more normal to acknowledge them and take action in case we need to.
Exactly! Abuse like this is always kept hush, hush and it needs to be out in the open so kids who go through this can get help. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Post by Brenda Creech »

Mounce574 wrote: 09 May 2021, 23:14 This is a very emotionally turbulent story. My mother used to say she endured similar abuse from her parents, her name is Kim as well. Good review, I am sure it wasn't the easiest book to read.
You're right, It was a hard read! I suffered some abuse while growing up, but nothing as bad as Kim and her siblings! I admire her strength for sharing her story! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
B. Creech
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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