Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me the privilege to read The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman, and provide an unbiased review.

Ellen Marie Wiseman has a way of writing that evokes such an emotional connection to the characters that you don’t want the story to end. This story is heart-rending but beautifully told.

Lilly is an albino born in the 1930’s, that parallels with the story of Julia decades later. Their intertwining lives are revealed one small bit at a time, which makes following both storylines work exceptionally well. The heartbreaking treatment of Lilly pulls you into her world where she faces what no child should ever have to; being hidden away in an attic for years. Julia is strong-willed, and perseveres throughout in search for answers in her own way. Her return after leaving her childhood home, Blackwood Manor horse farm, to escape her fanatically religious mother is charged with unpleasant memories, along with questions that fuel her determination to piece together a past she never knew.

This story touches on one of the more unpleasant facets of circus life of the time. The realities of the truth are what makes stories like these touch our hearts and feel for the characters that are brought to life in these pages. EMW has an exceptional talent for taking very sensitive issues and presenting them for readers inside a story that draws us into their world between the covers. At the end, we don’t feel we knew them; we did.

3.5-4 stars

The Life She Was Given is one of the saddest books that I have read in a long while. The book is beautifully written, but I had a hard time reading portions of it because the story line is so depressing. The Life She Was Given is written in a dual timeline format. Lilly’s story takes place mainly in the 1930’s, and Julia lives in the 1950’s. Having children of my own, I found it so disheartening to read about the parents that raised Lilly and Julia. With respect to Lilly, I do not want to spoil the story so I will simply say that I had hoped for a different ending for her. She encountered way more than her fair share of cruel people in her lifetime. I liked the story involving Julia a lot better and was pleased with the resolution of her story. I was very glad to read this book because I had heard so many good things about it, but it very much weighed heavy on my heart. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. What did I just read? This is such a great summer read. Here’s why:

The plot was well written, and the writing just immediately pulls you into a time of circuses and chaos. You can really empathize with the stories and lives that Lily and Julia were dealt, and we see their journey to make the best of the situation (and, in ways, make it better).

Animals are so important to both of their lives, so that was nice to see the connection between Lily and Julia; animals are the central point to the entire story, and it all comes full circle at the end. I love it! No loose ends, no leftover questions. Just a nice, easy story.

But is it?

No, because of the emotional roller coaster! The last time I felt all these emotions was with Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult, which was a while ago. I just felt like “The Life She Was Given” was written perfectly; there’s nothing wrong about it. It is a book that you need to read if you’re on the lookout for something different, but still want that emotional response, then this is exactly what you need.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of the book.

Blackwood Manor is the center point of the action for this dual-timeline story: set in both the 1930’’s and the 1950’s, the manor, the attic room and the struggle to find one’s place in the world all combine to build a story that is rich in gothic feel and surprising moments. Alternating points of view come with each chapter: we start with Lily’s story. Born an albino after her mother’s many miscarriages in the 1930’s: she was a prisoner in her own home: shut into a tiny attic room with no visitors save her mother. Purportedly to ‘keep her safe’, Lily’s mother is extreme and prone to words like monster and abomination when speaking with her, but juxtapose that with her fanaticism and religious fervor, and perhaps a touch of guilt or self-recrimination for bringing such a ‘different’ child into the world. To rid herself of the curse and burden, at ten, Lily is sold to a traveling circus to become a headliner in the freak show.

Fast forward twenty-ish years to meet Julia, now 18 and working in a restaurant after having left home years earlier. She’s never quite felt as if she was loved or fit in, and things are tough, including her falling in with an abusive man. She’s living hand to mouth, never certain that food will be on the table, or the rent will be paid when she is handed a chance at a way out. A private investigator found her to deliver some news: her mother is dead and Julia is now the owner of Blackwood Manor, her family home.

The story winds between these two – showing their own struggles with finding a place in the world to feel safe and loved, and their own issues with abusive or neglected pasts. Each new revelation from the girls brings a moment of pause: truly horrible situations yet they survived, and always looked for another day, another moment, a reason to hope. But the story quickly adds a third character, that of the manor house itself. Abandoned and aging, Julia’s discovery of a mystery and secret within its walls, the dank and removed attic room and her need to expose all of the darkness to the light and hopefully move forward keep the story engaging and intriguing, with a series of questions situations and answers that drop like petals from a flower.

There is a feel (and I say feel in the most general sense) that a reader will want to connect this to another title and say it’s like This or That – but those connections are the most basic (circuses, attics) and here is where I think Wiseman excels: her writing is evocative and laden with emotion. The prose flows smoothly, allowing each moment of discovery to stand on its own and be explored: from the character’s viewpoint and as a reader. You want to savor these moments as you are placing the pieces of the puzzle together: never quite certain just how moments will relate until the last pages. As an introduction to Wiseman’s work, this was a great one, and the ending here couldn’t have been more perfect.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9dT/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman

My wish was granted by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley when they allowed me to read this ARC and I would like to thank them and also say this is my honest review.

When I first started reading I wondered if I would enjoy the book. The story was being “told” of Lilly, her life in the attic, her thoughts as she looked forward to her tenth birthday. When her mother swept in, took her to the circus and sold her it was heartbreaking and from that point on her life, though in some ways better, wasn’t filled with happiness and light.

From that introduction to Lilly I was then introduced to Julia. Again, I had trouble relating to her and her situation but picked up that both Lilly and Julia were raised by and called the same woman mother. And, Mother did not treat either of her daughters well. In fact, she was abusive and a horrible person with a husband that was rather weak and unlikable, too.

Lilly’s story begins in 1931 and unfolds in chapters that alternate with those of Julia’s that begins in 1956. The two women’s life stories eventually interconnect with a twist that I am not sure I was expecting. And, I felt sad for both of them in more ways than one.

Some of the words that came to mind while reading include:
* Thought provoking
* Informative
* Sad
* Dark
* Twisted
* Unsettling
* Disturbing

Did I like the story in the end? Yes

Would I recommend it? Yes – BUT I will caution you that this is not a romance though there is a bit of romance AND the life in the circus is not a happy story for the animals or the people. SO, if you are interested in a book that may make you think and wonder and be grateful you are who you are as you explore the lives of two women you will be glad you are not then…definitely pick up this riveting read and settle in for a while because the book is definitely worth reading.

4-5 Stars

Fantastic book! I was really looking forward to this one and I finally got a copy of the ARC through the publisher and NetGalley, I was not disappointed at all. It was a very engaging story that made me hate to put the book down to do things one must do in life. If it had been possible, I would have loved to read this in a couple sittings, but that's not realistic for me unfortunately. The characters are well-developed and the plot is told in two points of view from Lilly in the 1930s and Julia in the 1950s. There is a brief instance of animal cruelty, but it is an integral part of the story. I highly recommend this book and although, I have read one of her previous books and gave that one also 5 stars and I look forward to getting a chance to red her other 2 as well. I will look forward to any of her future books

. I don't want to say too much, as I believe a clean reading of this book is the best one. I will say that it is an absolute page-turner from start to end, and will threaten to crush anyone who has a heart. While it is not literary in its writing, it is nonetheless an excellent piece of historical fiction.

This book was suspenseful, but a bit unbelievable. If Julia hadn't inherited millions, It would have been more realistic to me. But, the storyline of Lilly and the circus, the cruelty of her parents was a good story and one I would recommend.

Set in the 20th century, this very emotional tale weaves together the stories of two women. Alternately we follow Lilly Blackwood, a young albino girl who has been kept in a secret attic room most of her life till one day her mom sold her to a traveling circus freak show. Once there we are in the circus world, with all the good and bad. We jump two decades later, with Julia Blackwood returning to the family farm where she will soon discover the attic’s dark secrets ….

The story is very touching as we slowly discover the disturbing and frightening things done to Lilly and the kind of life she had hidden away in an attic for years and how she must have felt to be sold by someone she loved to an unscrupulous man running a circus. Undeniably Ms. Wiseman did extensive research to recreate the circus life, its slang, performers and their superstitions, animals training and shows, their behaviours including noises and most of all, how the freak shows was run and how important and lucrative this sideshow was, not forgetting the presence of fraudulent medium star performer who was the highlight in many ways. In graphic scenes, the story also explores how the circus animals were treated or mistreated.

The story overlaps with Julia taking over her family’s horse business and slowly the secret that binds the two lies at the heart of the tragedy…..Moving between Lilly’s and Julia stories the authors has portrayed two extraordinary and very different women with exceptional life filled with family secrets, tragedy, hope and joy. Their stories displayed a mix of emotions that can possibly drain some readers. Both characters are compelling as well as the myriad of vivid secondary players even the evil ones. All roles were played perfectly.

This engrossing tale is written in short chapters using contemporary language and keeps a steady pace throughout. “The Life She Was Given” is a page tuner almost impossible to put down.

I received this review copy from the publisher via Netgalleys

Blackwood Manor is a chilling place, hiding family secrets in its locked rooms and forbidden spaces. Lilly and Julia both live in the house, 19 years apart. One shut in the attic as an abomination until she is sold to a passing traveling circus as a freak. And the other growing up with no love from her parents, an ignored outcast until she runs away. Years later, when Julia inherits the manor and surrounding horse farm, she will discover the horrible truth.

I found this story mesmerizing and disturbing at the same time. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop...but I still found it difficult to continue. The life Lilly and Julia face in Blackwood Manor at the hands of horrific parents is bleak. The father is weak and the mother is clearly mental. I found myself wishing I could jump into the story, throttle both of them and take the girls out of their horrible lives. But, the story does end with hope -- good does come out of the bad. So, in the end, there is peace and renewal for one of the girls.

The story does depict child and animal abuse as necessary parts of the story. If that would be too disturbing, then it might be best to pass this book by. For me, the hope at the conclusion of the story made up for all the duress. There is one scene with a circus elephant though that I found particularly disturbing. I refuse to attend circus performances because I feel the animals are abused, and this scene shows the worst sort of abuse that early 1900s circus animals faced. The scene is painful to read, but an important and necessary part of the plot. The abuse of the animals and performers in the circus just brings home the difficult lives that those with defects or differences of any sort faced only decades ago -- and, in many cases, still face today. More horrific though was the abuse and neglect of two girls, years apart, in Blackwood Manor.

The Life She Was Given -- the title has two distinct meanings in this beautiful, yet haunting, tale. This is a book that will keep you thinking and feeling for days after you finish reading.

Ellen Marie Wiseman is the author of several books including Coal River and The Plum Tree. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.ellenmariewiseman.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I love this book!! The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman is a well-written, heart-wrenching book about two girls who were raised in the same house two decades apart. Each grew up in exceedingly restrictive environments and neither felt loved. It is told from the points of view of the girls - Lilly, who grew up in the 1930's living in the family's attic because she was told she would frighten normal people; and Julia, who had to start living on her own as a young teenager.

Yet this book is so much more than the wonderful and interesting story of these two girls, who, despite their backgrounds grew into amazingly strong, compassionate and loving women. It is also a societal tale of how lies can grow to not only ruin the life of the liar, but also the lives of those around him/her and even the generations that follow and that redemption may not always be possible, no matter how much it is hoped for. It's also a lesson on how cruel and horrid people can be to those they think are "less than" or different from themselves, and how often the one they scorn, be it human or animal, has more understanding of and adds more value to life than the cruel person.

Ms. Wiseman is quite a craftsman! She makes each time period and character come to life for the reader. She engaged me right at the beginning and kept me rapt until well after the last page. This book had moments that surprised me, angered me, startled me, made me joyous, made me sad. It has it all. When the last page was turned, I sat quietly for some time just savoring the experience and joy of a great read and of the artfulness of this author.

This should be one of the year's best books - it would make a great book-club selection, and should be on everyone's To Be Read pile. Five stars from me!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher Kensington Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved the book What she left behind , so I was very happy to get my hands on this ARC! This story alternates POV' s between Lilly and Julia. Lilly is a young albino girl that is locked away in the attic of her home, by her parents in the early 1930's. She is secretly sold to a traveling circus side show and through the years, tries to build a new life there. Julia, who moves into that same home decades later, finds a secret door leading to the unknown room in the attic & searches for answers to the connections it holds to her family. Although I enjoyed the book, I did find it to be a little predictable and I was able to guess the connection well before it was revealed. Thanks again to Netgalley and the publisher.

Wow. This book was intensely sad and heartbreaking. At times it was incredibly difficult to read. I'm going to warn all animal lovers: there's one scene that was awful. Necessary, but just so painful to read. I really really loved Lilly, and was rooting for her the whole time. This is by no means a lighthearted fluffy read, but it's still worth it. Highly recommend.

THIS BOOK, OMG!

Lilly was born an albino in the early 1930s during the depression to a family that was fairly well off during that time, the family owned Blackwood Manor and horse farm. Lilly’s mother kept her locked up in the attic until Lilly was ten years old before selling her to the Circus where she became a member of the “freak show”. All the time Lilly was locked up in the attic, hidden away from the outside world, her mother told her she was a monster and an abomination. Her mother was a religious fanatic and kept Bibles in Lilly’s tiny attic room and made her pray and read scripture devoutly. It’s hard to say if her mother was always this way with religion, or if she became that way after Lily was born, it doesn’t really say in the book, i’m guessing maybe after the birth of Lily, because, after having eight miscarriages, her mother vowed to sell her soul to the devil for a baby, and after Lilly was born with her condition, her mother believed it was because of the deal she made with the devil. Through the happenings of Lilly’s tragic and sad life it would seem like Lilly was absolutely a cursed child no doubt.

In the second chapter we meet Julia an eighteen year old girl in the 1950s. She is a struggling, barely getting by waitress in a little diner, she is not sure if she is going to have a meal that night or be able to pay her rent for the apartment she and her abusive boyfriend are living in. A private investigator shows up to the diner one night with a letter, informing Julia that she has inherited her childhood home, the home that she ran away from two years prior, is now hers. Her mother has passed and left the Blackwood Manor to her. Arriving at the creepy and possibly haunted manor, she discovers a disturbing secret that she is determined to get to the bottom of. From here bombshell after bombshell is dropped, right to the very last page. A few times I actually gasped and whispered “oh my gosh.”

I enjoyed this book immensely, this story has stuck in my mind, it really had an impact on me. The author really did a wonderful job with her research of that time period, and took some actual true events from history and weaved them into this unique skin crawling story. Knowing that a lot of the story was inspired by actual events makes this story that much more gripping. I saved this book to read at the end of my day, which for me is when I save the best books to read, it is the quietest and the time when everyone is unwinding themselves or already in bed. This is my me time. Unfortunately, this is when i’m in my bed, before going to sleep. Unfortunate because this book was too good to put down and two nights in a row I stayed up all night reading. This is a must read!

Oooh, this is one good book! A little 'Flowers in the Attic' crossed with 'Water for Elephants, and let me tell you, I loved it!' I think this could be my book of the Summer! The story follows the lives of two young women; one, Lilly, has been locked away in the attic of her family home from birth, because she is different. Then her Mother wakes her one night and takes her outside for the very first time, only to sell her to the circus. Thus begins a new life for Lilly, strange, violent but also exciting and loving.
Meanwhile, several years later we meet Julia, who ran away from her strange upbringing. The story follows the lives of both young women, as Julia learns of Lilly's existence and searches to find out and understand who Lilly is to her. Fascinating writing, I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of circus life and the hardships suffered by the people employed there. An enthralling story, that ensures you don't put your book down until you reach the very end. A great read!

Let me start by saying I truly loved this book. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. It kept me glued to my kindle into the wee hours of the night because I HAD to finish reading it. This amazing book tells the story of Lilly and Julia who both lived at Blackwood Manor more than 2 decades apart. Lilly was considered a "monster" by her parents and kept in an attic hidden from the world. In 1931, when she was 9 years old, she saw the lights of the carnival through her attic window. Little did Lilly know that night would change her life forever. Julia had ran away from her unloving and strict parents when she was 15 years old. While supporting her no good boyfriend a lawyer comes into the diner she works and informs her that her mother died and she is now the owner of Blackwood Manor. Julia goes home and there she finds many family secrets that she needs to uncover the truth about. It is an amazing story of 2 strong women who after devastating childhoods become strong, independent, and extraordinary women. I loved this book and the characters are ones that will stay with you forever. Thank you so very much to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for providing me an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book drew me in from the very start. I loved the characters and the writing. I would have loved to know more about Julia. Can I be the first to request a sequel to revisit these characters?

Secrets, elephants, true love, and albinos. This book is the ultimate 1930's circus read. I absolutely loved this story.

Right off the bat you know that something is a miss. The whole book takes you on a ride as Lilly Blackwood struggles to survive the life of a freak in the traveling circus. We also follow the story of Julia Blackwood as she finds out that her parents have been keeping a dark secret from her. The two stories collide at the end of the book in a heartbreaking twist you wont see coming.

I read this book in one day. It was that good. Read it. You won't be disappointed.

The Life She Was Given was a surprising mystery read with a twist. I felt it was a bit rough but that added to the gritty feel of the story. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.

Another book I “wished” for on Net Galley – and was lucky enough to receive! – was THE LIFE SHE WAS GIVEN by Ellen Marie Wiseman. I had been hearing good things about this story of a girl who joins the circus. This was a really memorable read, interesting yet disturbing, and eventually I felt haunted by the ending. But – it was soooo good! If you like historical fiction, and can handle the disturbing child neglect/abuse, then you should check out this novel!
Some readers may find the alternating points of view confusing, but each story was moving along a tangent where you know they would eventually converge.
If I had one issue, it’s that I like a happy ending that is neat and tidy.
This one still haunts me…
Thank you for my review copy!