Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I am finding it difficult to put into words how much I loved this memoir. I chose it due to an interest in the question of what shapes a person and makes us who we are. Not only does this book delve into this question, but so much more. It examines the relationship between what we are born into, what we are taught, what we want to be, and what we ultimately become. Tara had almost every odd against her yet she shattered the mold and boundaries and charted her own path. This is a story of education, religion, love, resilience, growth, but more than anything it is a story about female strength and the need to always follow your heart. The good: I still have a difficult time believing this story is true. It has every element of a good novel but means that much more coming from her own voice recounting her experiences and personal memories. You become attached to the characters, the writing is great, and this is a story that stayed with me and I found myself thinking about it when I was working, running, lying in bed, and even after I completed it. It makes you think and question, and it made me so appreciative for my education and the environment I grew up in. The bad: not much to say here other than there are some heavy topics that are quite disturbing at times. This isn't "bad" but something to be aware of; this is not the lightest of reads. Be prepared to think and seriously question what education means and the ways that people across the USA learn and grow up. I also seriously wonder about what happened to some of the family, especially "Shawn." Something this made me realize- I often wonder about the point of a liberal arts education, especially when other countries allow students to go straight to a specialty such as a doctorate without completing college- ie. is the extra time really worth it . I went to a small liberal arts school and took many courses that taught me "cocktail party knowledge." I often questioned the importance of these even though I loved every class I took (especially literature and german studies and I ultimately became a veterinarian so these had little bearing on my ultimate career). This novel made me realize that education is a way of seeing the world and it comes in many forms. It teaches us to question things and continuously push ourselves beyond our comfort zone. I cannot recommend this memoir highly enough. 10/10