Review - Splintered Reflections by Laura Kelly

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Year Published: 2016
Genre: Contemporary; Inspirational

Blurb:
Shattered with the disturbing loss of both her parents, Cathy struggles with her identity asking every morning as she looks in the mirror Who Am I?  Riddled with guilt and plagued by the issues left unresolved with her mother's disappearance, she reluctantly pushes outside the box she has created for herself. Rescued from her isolation by a new friend named Jane, Cathy begins to break free of her shell through Jane's insistence that the world's adventures are to be embraced.  Further, challenged by a demanding, creative writing Professor, Cathy discovers the cathartic effects of writing as she pours her thoughts and feelings onto paper, transforming not only the blank piece of paper but also herself. 
As if emerging from a fog, Cathy's recovered memories enable her to look within and begin to piece together the shards of her shattered life.Through her small network of friends and mentors, her self-doubt slips away as her confidence begins to grow, and she discovers that the answers she seeks lie within.  A wistful first love brings a touching element to remind us that there is a Cathy inside all of us.
Many will identify with Cathy's loss and loneliness, a condition which plagues most teenagers.   While we feel her ennui, ultimately we are uplifted by the triumph of her spirit.  With subtle grace, complicated wisdom, and striking emotion, Splintered Reflections reminds us of our human capacity for resilience, epiphany, and self-realization.  This is a contemporary and relatable tale of personal growth, discovery, empowerment, and, finally, self-forgiveness that old and young alike will find compelling.

About the Author:
Laura Kelly is a project manager, fitness instructor extraordinaire, and social butterfly. She has worked full time at Los Alamos National Laboratory for over 26 years and part time as a fitness instructor at the local YMCA for over 20 years. Her claim to fame is that she can teach everything but Zumba.
During her free time Laura volunteers at the local art center and the animal shelter. Laura has built a wonderful life in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where she likes to say that she grew up in this small town as an adult, but is still a kid at heart. Her favorite activities include skiing, playing golf, and the occasional athletic event. She loves cooking and her ultimate dream is to be a sous chef for Bobby Flay.
Laura has always wanted to be a writer. She made that dream happen in 2015 with her first book, Splintered Reflections, published in August 2016. Future books will range from fictional books revolving around romance and relationships as well as her adventures in online dating and trying to find the one. Laura can happily say that she did find the one. Laura and her husband, Dave, are looking forward to many years filled with happiness and adventures.
In all that Laura has done she always strives to inspire. She hopes that you will be inspired by her blog and books.

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My Take on the Book:
This book was quite easy to get into once you get through the first three chapters; with the chapters being quite short, and is a relatively quick read. The plot twist is a really good one; considering that the rest of the story is so convincing. At the end of the novella, you're not sure what part of the story was imagined, and what parts were real. I gave this book a five star rating and got a copy in exchange for an honest review.  

 Last Word:
This book ended up being quite a surprise for me - and I think it was the plot twist that did it for me! I hope that this author carries on with her writing career - I would be interested to see where it goes.

 Enjoy,
Carmen. 

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