Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in order to write up an honest review. The views shared are mine and mine alone.
- Paperback: 254 pages
- Publisher: Amazon Publishing (June 25, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1477800662
- ISBN-13: 978-1477800669
- Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
Synopsis:
"When their five-year-old daughter, Emma, is miraculously found alive, Megan and Peter are overjoyed that their nightmare is finally over. But Emma is vastly different from the sunny toddler who disappeared two years earlier. She barely remembers her parents or her older sisters. She is quiet and withdrawn, and, worst of all, longs for the very people who kidnapped her. Megan is consumed with bitterness, while Peter works later and later nights in the company of his gorgeous business partner. And in the middle of everything, Megan’s best friend has become suddenly distant and secretive. Then a chance encounter at the local donut shop leads to a secret that changes everything again. And Peter must decide between the happiness of his youngest daughter and the trust of his family."
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My Thoughts:
It is usually hard for an author to follow up to a best selling book with a sequel. Oftentimes I find the second or even third installments to be lackluster or just rehashing of the first book. So, when I heard that Steena Holmes was following up with "Emma's Secret," after her successful first release, "Finding Emma," I didn't know what to expect.
I was first introduced to Steena Holme's work after my mother had been given "Finding Emma" to read from a friend. She warned me that I would need a box of tissues as I read this book, and boy did I ever. Being a new mom, I couldn't imagine what I would do if my child ever went missing. This book was so good, that I found myself not being able to put it down, and finished it in one sitting. It definitely was a page turning. And, as you read the story, you only hoped that Emma would be found safe and sound.
Well, little Emma was found alive, hence the reason for "Emma's Secret" being released recently. This book follows up to "Finding Emma" after Emma was found after gone missing for two years. How can a family move on after such an ordeal? Can you really ever go back to the ways things were? This is the premise of the book, where we the reader are like wallflowers watching as Emma and her family try to piece together their lives and try and get back the two years that were taken from their.
Don't worry, I will not spoil the ending of the book. I will, however, say that Steena Holmes did a fantastic job on this second installment in the Emma story. And, like the first book, I was crying like a baby as I read through the pages of this heartwarming story. This is one book that will definitely pull at your heartstrings, and make you think about what you would do if you were put in the same situation. Could you move past this life altering event? Would like ever be "normal" again? This page turner will have wiping your eyes, but happy at the same time, knowing you just finished an amazing book, by an amazing author -- and one you will want to follow.
Don't worry if you haven't read the first book, "Finding Emma," as you can enjoy this second installment on its own. Just be prepared to want to pick up the first book to add to your summer reading list, to see what you had missed.
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Q & A with Author, Steena Holmes
o Tell
me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?
Emma’s Secret is a story about a mother’s deep fear of losing her
child all over again, and when it happens, she doesn’t know how to handle it.
It's a story about secrets. Secrets within marriages, within friendships and
even within families (mothers/daughters).
The storyline came easy to me. I know my readers wanted to know
more about Emma and what happened with Jack.
o How
did you get interested in writing this particular genre?
I love to read stories that
hit me hard in the heart. My favorite ones are those that refuse to leave me,
that cause me to question myself in how I parent, how I love and how I live.
That’s the kind of stories I want to write as well.
o Do
you have any favorite authors or favorite books?
Fav authors: Ted Dekker, Diane Chamberlain, Kristin Hannah and for
guilty pleasures: Daire St. Denis, Tiffany Reisz…
o What's
a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a
daily writing goal?
Mornings are my weak point, so I tend to do social media first
thing in the morning, then when I’ve woken up a bit, I’ll start to write and
work my way through till dinner. In the evenings I’ll do more social media and
writing. I have a daily word goal and I always reward myself with some
chocolate if I meet it J It’s a good incentive!
o What
is the hardest part of writing for you?
Plotting by far. I tend to be more organic – I have a rough
outline of what I want to happen but then I let things flow the way they
should.
o What’s
the best thing about being an author?
I love everything about being an author. I love knowing there’s a
place for my creativity, that there is something I can do and do it well, that
I am able to tell the stories of my heart and others fall in love with them as
much as I do!
o What
are you working on now?
It’s called The Memory Child and it deals with Post Partum
Psychosis. It’s been a very difficult story to write but I love it.
o What
advice would you give aspiring writers?
To believe in yourself. Go with your gut – even when it’s hard.
Stop looking to others for approval, instead, trust yourself, trust your skills
and trust your heart.
o What
question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you
answer that question?
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Now that you know a little bit about Steena Holmes and her new book, "Emma's Secret," why not head to your local bookstore, or visit your favorite online retailer to order a copy? This is one page turner that will get you excited about your summer reading. :-)
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in order to write up an honest review. The views shared are mine and mine alone.
wow thanks for sharing I am always looking for a great book with sequence to read and I will have to go and check these ones out thanks...
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