Official Review: Little girl lost a real story of PTSD

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MrsCatInTheHat
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Official Review: Little girl lost a real story of PTSD

Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Little girl lost a real story of PTSD" by Angel Vetrano.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Little Girl Lost: A Real Story of PTSD by Angel Vetrano is a heartbreaking autobiographical emotional exploration of feelings. The cover art immediately draws you in as you see a little girl standing in the midst of a long tunnel, looking deep inside. One almost immediately knows that sadness will be found among the pages to come. Then you turn the page and see a vivid tattoo of a warrior princess; it's clear this is going to be as emotional a ride for the reader as it was for the author.

The story is told through the author’s thoughts, poetry and song, which are presented as a diary. However, this is more of a story of emotion rather than of “what happened when.” In the beginning, the author shares briefly about being abused as a child and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She shares that writing and sharing are her ways of healing. Most of the time, it is clear that she is remembering the past and is dealing with the happiness of love and the loss of love, but there are few concrete facts given so the reader must infer what has likely happened. It is her story of who she is and who she wants to be, of trying to become free from the past.

The organization is somewhat scattered and confusing until you realize later that, when put together, it all makes sense. The entries are not in chronological order; some are dated, some are not, while some are titled, and some are not. The book is divided into a couple of main sections: Childhood, LUVSIK, and Beyond the Pain. It’s not like a book of poetry, though, as one doesn’t pick out a favorite poem. One often doesn’t notice one has ended and another has started; one just feels as if they “hear” the author lament and, at other times, shares joy. There are times when I wondered if the author was telling the story from the point of her parents and their emotions as they hurt her. For example, there is a poem that starts with, “I will find another victim…”

The author addresses so many themes through her emotions. It was difficult to watch her blame herself for much of what had happened to her. The feelings of guilt and fear perpetuated her most inner thoughts. Vetrano shares that writing out her emotions is a part of the healing process, as is her reliance on spirit guides. The question, in the end, is whether she truly heals or empowers herself to keep moving forward.

I rate Little Girl Lost: A Real Story of PTSD 4 out of 4 stars. Without a doubt, my favorite part of the book is Vetrano’s ability to express her emotions. The subject matter itself is something that no one can possibly “like” and is, in a way, the thing I disliked the most, as it is heartbreaking, was to be reminded that such horrible things exist in our world. It feels repetitive at times, but for the author, this is part of the therapeutic value in writing out how she feels.

This book will most appeal to victims of childhood trauma who are searching for a way to get through it themselves, as well as those that want to be understanding towards those who are suffering. Mental health professionals and teachers might also find it helpful. This is definitely a book for adults as there are themes that require maturity, as well as occasional coarse language.

******
Little girl lost a real story of PTSD
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Post by gen_g »

This seems to be such an inspiring read! I feel terrible that the author had to go through such a childhood, and I'm definitely intrigued by her book. Thanks for the review.
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Post by kandscreeley »

The format of the book seems like it would be very appealing to me. I love that there is a mix of different types of writing, just like you'd find in a diary. It sounds like the author gets her point across well. Thanks so much for your review. Good as always.
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Post by Alicia09 »

I wouldn't mind the coarse language of this book as it was placed for the purpose of describing the events in the author's life. I (like many people) have also suffered childhood abuse and trauma so I would love to read this story sometime in the future. I think it's good that the author is comfortable enough to share her story because it can help bring awareness as to how childhood trauma can affect people for a lifetime. Hopefully writing about this was therapeutic and healing for the author to move forward in her life and take a more positive direction.
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Post by SWERVE »

Lots and Lots of great poetry with deep meaning. Defenitly keeps you interested from beginning to end. I would defenitely recommend this book to anyone
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Post by Juliana_Isabella »

I can't imagine the bravery it took for the author to reclaim her history and tell her story as one of healing rather than hopelessness.
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Post by spencermack »

Stories that generate a deep emotion whether positive or negative has been a success for the author. Great review!
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Post by chiefsimplex »

The cover is indeed impressive,it aptly illustrates the case.That the story's organisation is a challenge is the glory of actually exploring the meaning.I am happy to learn that the author's journey to self-rediscovery was a success story.Thanks for such an informative review.
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Post by frowngoclownfish »

I'm not the biggest fan of diary entry style of writing. This book seems very powerful and interesting, so I think I could get over that issue. Great review!
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Post by kdstrack »

This seems like it would be as hard to read as it was to write. The writing style clearly reflects the inner struggle. I admire the author for sharing her story. Your recommendations are excellent. Thanks.
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

gen_g wrote: 01 Apr 2019, 05:19 This seems to be such an inspiring read! I feel terrible that the author had to go through such a childhood, and I'm definitely intrigued by her book. Thanks for the review.
I did spend quite a bit of time feeling sad for her.
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

Alicia09 wrote: 01 Apr 2019, 12:20 I wouldn't mind the coarse language of this book as it was placed for the purpose of describing the events in the author's life. I (like many people) have also suffered childhood abuse and trauma so I would love to read this story sometime in the future. I think it's good that the author is comfortable enough to share her story because it can help bring awareness as to how childhood trauma can affect people for a lifetime. Hopefully writing about this was therapeutic and healing for the author to move forward in her life and take a more positive direction.
The coarse language was definitely used appropriately. The writing was definitely therapeutic for the author.
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

Juliana_Isabella wrote: 01 Apr 2019, 13:55 I can't imagine the bravery it took for the author to reclaim her history and tell her story as one of healing rather than hopelessness.
I agree, she was very brave to share her innermost thoughts.
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

chiefsimplex wrote: 01 Apr 2019, 16:14 The cover is indeed impressive,it aptly illustrates the case.That the story's organisation is a challenge is the glory of actually exploring the meaning.I am happy to learn that the author's journey to self-rediscovery was a success story.Thanks for such an informative review.
You are right, the cover art is perfect, as it really draws the reader into the story.
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

frowngoclownfish wrote: 01 Apr 2019, 20:30 I'm not the biggest fan of diary entry style of writing. This book seems very powerful and interesting, so I think I could get over that issue. Great review!
It really does work for sharing this particular story.
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