2 out of 4 stars
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Amanda had no idea that she had a twin sister until she laid eyes on Jessica and saw her own face. The sisters felt an instant connection, but their reconciliation was sadly short-lived. Author, Ruth Wiley Shaw tells the suspenseful story of these long-lost twin sisters in Amanda’s Journey: Stolen Sister Shout-Out.
Amanda and Ken were enjoying their honeymoon in Niagara Falls when tragedy struck. Ken was assaulted and thrown over the Falls! Amanda is certain that he is alive, and she waits as the authorities search for Ken. Amanda is drawn to a beautiful singing voice at the hotel. She meets and befriends a lovely little girl named Jena. When Amanda meets Jena’s mother, Jessica, she is astonished to learn that the single mother is her twin sister. Shortly after Ken’s return, Jessica is abducted. Amanda is devastated but loves her new role as guardian of her niece, Jena. The new family soon learns that the hard times are only beginning as they wonder if they will ever see Jessica again.
This book was not at all what it seemed to be. I expected a family mystery story, but I was actually reading a political opinion piece. The author’s views on immigration, gun control, healthcare, and Confederate monuments were awkwardly placed in the characters’ dialogue and the narration of the story. I love characters with strong opinions, even if these views differ from mine, but these statements were not naturally written into the story. Also, the discussions concerning immigrants bordered on racist. This made the book very uncomfortable to read, and the characters were very difficult to like. However, the young girl, Jena, was an interesting character from start to finish.
Much of the dialogue was very unbelievable. For example, an eight-year-old girl expressed her deep regret of the past because she was not living fully in the present.
The number of grammar errors in this book was quite astonishing. There were run-on sentences, missing punctuation, and misspelled and missing words. These errors caused constant distractions and disrupted the flow of the story.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The plot of this story had great potential, but the author’s awkward placement of political declarations and grammar errors ruined it. Readers with very strong far-right political views might enjoy Amanda’s story. Amanda’s Journey: Stolen Sister Shout-Out reminds the reader that life can change, for better or worse, in an instant.
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Stolen Sister Shout-Out
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