A heartbreaking childhood filled with numerous traumas the author illustrates how her resolve lifted her out of the abyss. She takes the reader from the present and then back through her childhood. It is surprising she rose above all of the obstacles. Her story is told with exquisite detail allowing the reader to imagine each moment.

As someone who also went through a similar discovery, I was enthralled with how her paternal heritage played out. She handled it all with grace and dignity. As a memoir reader, I highly recommend this book.

It is difficult not to like a memoir because it is someone's life but this one was not good. What happened was awful and tragic but the writing was so poor, it didn't do it justice. I had a hard time keeping reading this not because of the content but because the writing was plodding and awkward. I wish she had a better editor or ghost writer.

This book was great from the start! If you enjoy books about very strong women this one is for you! Stephanie is a survivor! She dealt with so much in her life and came out on top. She did not blame those in her life and roll over and give up. In a way Stephanie reconnected with her mother and in the end it was for a very good reason. This book was very moving. Highly recommended!

I have read so many memoirs like this over the years, but with each one I keep reading, endlessly fascinated and equally appalled at the hardships and abuse the author endured. Stephanie's story is one of the most heartbreaking and I give her kudos for sticking with her mother despite all the hell she went through. I read this book in one sitting, even all the difficult parts that will leave one al of physically ill. I found her family history fascinating and was intrigued at her sleuthing techniques. It is stressful to read memoirs like this because of all the bad stuff, but it's worth it to see people prevail against extreme adversity. As she revealed her mother's full back history it explained a lot and no wonder she was broken.

This one is definitely not for the faint of heart. This book is devastating but also redemptive. The author endured unimaginable trauma and to relive it on these pages must have been extremely difficult. The writing was engaging, but I did feel that the story’s organization was a bit scattered. I would recommend this book for fans of The Glass Castle and Educated, but with the caveat that there are many trigger warnings for sexual abuse. Thank you to HarperOne and NetGalley for granting access to this book in exchange for an honest review. I will be posting this review today to my Bookstagram and companion Facebook page @thatreadingrealtor.

This memoir is outstanding. I didn’t realize it was a memoir until the very end. This is the story of mental illness, physical, sexual and mental abuse, loving relationships, perseverance, homelessness, and determination. Stephanie is a successful businesswoman, artist (interior design), and educator who has experienced all of the above yet has risen above all the damage. The book is eloquently written. Stephanie narrates the story in the present time with looks back at her and eventually her mother’s history. I can’t praise this memoir enough, best one I have ever read and I read a lot.

I found this to be a very gripping book once I got fully into it, with its delving into the author and her dying mother’s background, and their painful interactions. It eased into becoming one of those page turners that I stayed up all night reading to the finish, despite no plans to do so. It’s very moving and painful, amazing at times, quite a read. If you have an interest in this type of read, you might want to give it a look also. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Stephanie Thornton Plymale & Elissa Wald, and the publisher.

This memoir is definitely difficult to read at times, and the abuse and trauma that Stephanie suffered at the hands of the adults in her life is shattering. Even with a surprising revelation from her Mother near the end, this book illustrates the unforgivable actions of parents who never should have had children.

I received an ARC from HarperOne through NetGalley for an honest review. This was a difficult book to read but it was also a book I couldn't stop reading. It is written by Stephanie Thornton Plymale, Elissa Wald, and is Stephanie's story. It is about the relationship she had with her mother who was mentally ill. The abuse, and neglect, homelessness, and foster care. Her mother was in and out of jail or hospitals. Many people asked Stephanie about all she had endured how was she able to become the person she was. At age 50 Stephanie got a call from her mother who told her she had stage 4 cancer and not much time to live. Stephanie made the decision to go see her mother and try to find out her roots. Her mother told her some stories and Stephanie thought she was delusional and really didn't believe her. When she told her husband they decided to see if the story was real or not. The story was so horrendous and shocking and her mother was only a little girl at the time but to find out it was real was hard to read but I had to read it.
There is a lot of mental illness and a lot of time it isn't talked about, thought about., and people just don't know what to do. This book opened my eyes to mental illness, what a child goes through, how one survives the things Stephanie and her mother endured, and how a child can rise above it all and create a better life for herself.
I am glad the book was written and even though there were times I found it difficult, I knew I had to read the book. I learned a lot, I have a better understanding of mental illness and what it does to the family.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy.

Engrossing, this book grabs you from the first page. And what a wild ride it is. Writing a little too descriptive, even for me!

This book was really unique and I enjoyed her honesty. It was was a breath of fresh air and well-written. I think this is a story that many people share with the author but have never spoken about. I think this might be a book that helps people share their own journey's without having to go into detail. Bravo.

This book was very well written. To go through what the author went through and end up where she is now is amazing and to share her story is very brave. This just goes to show how much we don't know what goes on in the world or even across the street into the next neighborhood. I hope her story will help others who may have gone through similar experiences and show how you can grow and become someone.

"American Daughter' by Stephanie Thornton Plymale is a memoir about the author's relationship with and trauma caused by her mother. This is one of the best non-fiction books I read all year. Parts of the book are definitely nausea-inducing, but it is necessary that Plymale relays the full extent of the trauma that she suffered during her childhood. I don't think anyone or anything can answer the question of why we continue to love, or at least be drawn toward, the people in our lives that have us caused irreversible harm, but as the books unfolds, Plymale does what she needs to do to get answers for why experienced everything she did. I highly recommend this book.

AMERICAN DAUGHTER - Stephanie Thornton Plymale

I received this free on Kindle for the purpose of review.

WOW what a sto ry. The history of a young girl who had basically no chance at becoming anything but another statistic in the numbers of criminals, prostitutes, failure and ultimately death.

Stephanie was as a fetus who survived what was supposed to be an abortion. She was raised by a mother who herself had been abused and trafficked. The result was one angry lady who couldn't make her life come together, had hurt and offended virtually everyone in her family circle.

Stephanie married young and was happy yet suffered many emotional set backs and real hurt not of her own doing.

Follow this child from birth to current day and you will not be able to put it down.

Such a warning to parents to love and care for children. Teachers and others in direct company of small children to pay attention. Listen to these children rather than categorize them.

It is one you cannot put down but you also realize that there are lots of Stephanie's that need love, listening ear and compassion.

Wake up, look around and respond where you are in this fight against child abuse, human trafficking and abortion.

I received an advanced copy of, American Daughter by, Stephanie Thornton Plymate, Elissa Wald. This is a hard book to read, Stephanie had a horrible childhood, full of abuse, and a mentally ill mom. Stephanie has not told a lot of people about her life, until now. What people go through, is amazing. Stephanie's mom tells her things she never knew, will this change their relationship? Wow, this book makes you think about a lot of things.