Enter
INTERVIEWS & REVIEWS
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • Interviews
    • Interview Submissions
  • Award Seals
  • Reviews
    • Become a Reviewer >
      • Book Reviewer Guidelines
    • Book Submissions
    • Movie Reviews >
      • Video Book Reviews
  • Team Members Only
    • Biblical Fiction
    • Bible Study/Devotional
    • Contemporary Romance
    • Historical Fiction
    • Inspirational Fiction
    • Memoir
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
  • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
    • 2017 Book of the Year
  • For Writers
    • Resources
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Katherine Bartlett >
      • Anna Bottoms
      • Nancy J. Brown
    • Jason Carper >
      • Cheryl Colwell
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Gee Dixon
      • Joan Dowell
    • Marie Edwards
    • Melissa Glor >
      • Katie Green
    • Abigail Harder >
      • Adriann Harris
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • June McCrary Jacobs >
      • Jill Jones
      • Megan Jones
    • Raechel Kelly >
      • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Kara Linaburg
    • Kevin Maltsberger >
      • Rebecca Maney
      • Jane Mouttet
    • Trixi Oberembt
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Deanne Patterson
      • Kandace Perry
      • Susan Poll
      • Mary Polyakov
    • Martha Robinson >
      • Lynn Rountree
      • Olivia R.
    • Connie Porter Saunders >
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Amy Smelser
      • Debbie Smith
      • Nora St. Laurent
    • Abigail Thomas >
      • Laura Thomas
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Sabrina Wade >
      • Debra Webster
      • Nicole Wegscheider
      • Sara Beth Williams
      • Tina Williams
      • Cheryl Wood
  • Miriam Young
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • Interviews
    • Interview Submissions
  • Award Seals
  • Reviews
    • Become a Reviewer >
      • Book Reviewer Guidelines
    • Book Submissions
    • Movie Reviews >
      • Video Book Reviews
  • Team Members Only
    • Biblical Fiction
    • Bible Study/Devotional
    • Contemporary Romance
    • Historical Fiction
    • Inspirational Fiction
    • Memoir
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
  • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
    • 2017 Book of the Year
  • For Writers
    • Resources
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Katherine Bartlett >
      • Anna Bottoms
      • Nancy J. Brown
    • Jason Carper >
      • Cheryl Colwell
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Gee Dixon
      • Joan Dowell
    • Marie Edwards
    • Melissa Glor >
      • Katie Green
    • Abigail Harder >
      • Adriann Harris
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • June McCrary Jacobs >
      • Jill Jones
      • Megan Jones
    • Raechel Kelly >
      • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Kara Linaburg
    • Kevin Maltsberger >
      • Rebecca Maney
      • Jane Mouttet
    • Trixi Oberembt
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Deanne Patterson
      • Kandace Perry
      • Susan Poll
      • Mary Polyakov
    • Martha Robinson >
      • Lynn Rountree
      • Olivia R.
    • Connie Porter Saunders >
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Amy Smelser
      • Debbie Smith
      • Nora St. Laurent
    • Abigail Thomas >
      • Laura Thomas
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Sabrina Wade >
      • Debra Webster
      • Nicole Wegscheider
      • Sara Beth Williams
      • Tina Williams
      • Cheryl Wood
  • Miriam Young

Book Reviews​

5/16/2017

2 Comments

Taking My Life Back

 
Picture
Author: Rebekah Gregory
Genre: Memoir


On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year-old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blast of a homemade bomb packed with nails and screws went off three feet away, Rebekah's legs took the brunt of the explosion, protecting her son from certain death. Seventeen surgeries and sixty-five procedures later, she finally made the decision to have her left leg 
amputated.
This stirring memoir tells the story of her remarkable recovery--including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race and her participation in the trial of one of the terrorists--and explores the peace we experience when we learn to trust God with every part of our lives: the good, the bad, and even the terrifying.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

I wasn't sure if I could handle reading about the horrors Rebekah Gregory endured when she was a victim of the Boston Marathon Bombers. But one of the first things she mentioned was that she refused to be thought of as a victim, but rather as a survivor, so I knew this was going to be an interesting read.

How does one so young acquire such a positive attitude? Especially when her life before the bombing was not without its problems? I think a lot of the credit for her level-headed thinking goes towards her mother and the faith she displayed in God. Rebekah gives a thorough backstory to what her life was like growing up and it wasn't pretty. Her abusive father, who was a pastor, made it difficult for her to embrace God at all, but when she looked at her mother she could see what living for Christ and by His Words was all about. If not for her mother's faith and Rebekah's own renewed faith in Christ, I doubt she would have handled this trauma very well.

The book goes into her life before the bombing and after, so the reader will get a well-rounded view of the kind of person she was and the struggles she dealt with, especially in regards to her anxiety the day of the bombing. Her young son was leaning against her legs (one of which had to be amputated) when the bomb went off. She recounts that if not for her legs taking the full brunt of the blast, he would be dead. This mother's heart, felt her fear and anguish as doctors worked to save her life, all while wondering if he was still alive.

There were some parts of the book that badly need an editor to make the book more cohesive. It tends to jump all over the place, (from the past to present) and so requires more structure in that regard, but overall the book was a shining example of how good can come from evil.

2 Comments
www.smartpapershelp.com link
10/2/2017 04:05:32 am

Thank you for that concise review! Now I know what to look forward to when my package finally arrives next weekend. I have looked for a few inspirational memoirs up online since after dusting the house a little, I have too much spare time on my hands before I pick the kids up from school. The first time I made a research on this book, I was amazed by Rebekah Gregory’s bravery. I know the trials and hardships she must’ve faced were tough hence I really wanted to make sure that the book would be worth the read.

Reply
Laura Davis link
10/2/2017 11:39:31 am

I am sure you will enjoy it as it is very inspiring.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    Action/Adventure
    Amish Fiction
    Anthology
    Bible Study
    Biblical Fiction
    Children
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Church History
    Contemporary Romance
    Cookbook
    Devotionals
    Dual-Time
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Romance
    Inspirational Fiction
    Marketing
    Marriage
    Memoir
    Missions
    Movie Reviews
    Mystery/Suspense
    Poetry
    Prophecy
    Regency Romance
    Romantic Suspense
    Science Fiction
    Self Help
    Self-Help
    Social Issues
    Spiritual Growth
    Spiritual Warfare
    Theology
    Thriller/Suspense
    Time Travel Romance
    Women's Issues
    Young Adult

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016

    We are listed in The Book Reviewers Directory!

Services

Interviews
​Interview Submissions
Reviews
Our Reviewers
Advertise
For Writers
Book Submissions

Support

Contact


© COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Disclaimer
FTC DISCLAIMER: All the books reviewed on this site are given to us for the express purpose of review. They are provided by publishers, publicists, authors and agents. None of our reviewers were required to write positive reviews. All opinions are those of each individual reviewer. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”