Claire's story is an inspiration. While I am not an abortion survivor, I related to Claire's personality and story in other ways. I loved seeing how God stretched her out of her comfort zone and all He has done in her life.

Claire has an amazing survival story- she survived an abortion that killer her twin, was adopted by parents who poured their life into her. She was a preemie and did not realize her amazing survival story until she was 20 or so. Her birth mother was 13 when she became pregnant with Claire and her mother ran the show and made the decisions. Today, there has been reconciliation and Claire goes around speaking at pro-life events and churches and etc. It is amazing to see how she is telling her story on a large platform.

What troubles me a bit about this story is that Claire did go on to become an unwed mother statistic. Yes, she married the baby's father and took for her own his three children, but it feels like God was not as much of the equation as He should have been. In grappling with her identity, dating a divorced man was probably not what she should have been doing while figuring it out. And while the child deserved love just like anyone else, living an almost proud, triumphant life in the midst of her pregnancy just bothered me. The book almost focuses more on her speaking than on her life struggles after she found out about the attempted abortion. I was looking for more realness to the story maybe.

I received this book from Waterbrook via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The author has an incredibly unique and powerful story. I wanted to LOVE this book, because the story itself offers much to be excited about. However, the writing just isn't great. I struggled to get into the book and had to force myself to finish it. With such a powerful story, that was surprising. If I am totally honest, the author (who I know nothing about,) comes across as pretty unlikeable. If I had better been able to connect with her, I think I would have appreciated this book much more.

Again, her story is a powerful one. If you are a pro-life activist, you will likely be able to overlook the challenges with this book. If not, you might also find yourself struggling to get through it. With a few changes this could have been a book that would have been wonderful even for those who advocate for pro-choice legislation.

The publisher made a copy of this book available for review, this is my honest opinion.

*** I have received and read an E – ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

It’s always tough to make a decision on whether to read a book on such a controversial topic. Coming from the deep South, I knew that this was a book that I had to read at some point.

Overall, it’s not the best book on abortion that I’ve read but it’s not the worst book either. I think it would’ve been much more interesting to read the birth mother’s side of the story rather than the survivor, or even better, to have both sides within the same book (even just a paragraph or two).

I found Survivor: An Abortion Survivor's Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption to be an intriguing read. Five stars.

About Claire Culwell , who is an abortion survivor, and is an adoptee who had loving adoptive parents. She didn’t know she was an abortion survivor until later in her life when her birth mother, Tonya confessed it to her. It’s a great story of love, hope, and forgiveness. A book that encourages life, and love and belief in God who loves us all and is willing to forgive us if we just accept Him into our hearts. She tells us about her life, how her adoptive parents loved her and her sister, how she found her birth mother and finding out she was an abortion survivor. Very good book. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers of #Survivor for the opportunity to read and review with my honest opinion.

Loved reading this book! Claire Culwell’s personal story of adoption and the circumstances surrounding her birth drew me in and kept me reading until the end. Only God could orchestrate a story like this, full of joy and sorrow, mercy and redemption, grace and forgiveness. You won’t regret reading it!

WOW! I read Survivor aloud to my husband while we were on a trip. We LOVED the book! God's Hand on Claire’s life is so very evident and we were blown away by His providence. Claire’s gripping honesty was compelling - we wanted to finish reading in one sitting because we hated putting it down. We prayed several times while reading, thanking God for rescuing Claire in the womb and placing her with her amazing parents.

I actually have a personal connection. I knew Claire’s parents and grandparents when she was a baby. I held her before she could walk. Of course, I had no idea of what she had already survived, or the amazing ways God would use her as an adult. I lost touch with the Culwells for many years and we reconnected a few years ago, actually because of Claire and her remarkable story.

Survivor tells that story. As I read, I was moved to tears many times, and to laughter just as many! Most of all, I was compelled to pray. I prayed for Claire, for the unborn, for Tonya. I can only imagine her anguish as a young teen and during the subsequent years. There is no way she could have ever dreamed of the marvelous things God has done through what had to have felt like the end of the world to her. Beauty from Ashes, indeed! And the story isn't even over! I'm so excited to watch what God continues to do in and through Claire Culwell!

This is the most engaging book I have ever read. Knowing the real person, and what kind of person she is, makes it the most riveting book I've ever picked up. It tells the story of Claire's 'unwanted' birth' and how she discovered the details from her birthmother. From this shy and introverted little lady, she has become a bold advocate for the unwanted babies both in the US and abroad. I have watched her through all these feelings, thoughts, and experiences and she tells it really well. The combination of the Claire and Rabys efforts captivated me from the beginning. You will not put it down--and you will need kleenex.

A few months ago I saw the interview Claire had with Lila Rose and I could see the sweet spirit of this beautiful lady pour out through her words. Reading her book made me feel like I was sitting with her and hearing her story as she talked to me. This is an extremely important book for our time, full of forgiveness that Jesus offers and the truths of how Christians must deal with the reality of abortion in this day and age. Claire's story is one of God's beautiful purpose, a reminder that the unborn is precious God's eyes and has an amazing purpose in this world.

A must read, and one that touched my heart

Survivor
An Abortion Survivor's Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption
by Claire Culwell; Lois Mowday Rabey; Steve Rabey
WaterBrook & Multnomah
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
WaterBrook
Biographies & Memoirs | Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 27 Apr 2021 | Archive Date 30 Jun 2021

This is the incredible story of a survivor of abortion. Truly inspirational. This will speak to someone who feels shame about aborting or someone considering it. Thanks to NetGalley and Waterbrook/Multnomah for the ARC.
Good read.
4 star

Culwell has a unique story to tell. She was to be aborted, but was not while her twin was. She relates her upbringing as a happy, loving adopted child of two very religious parents. She met her adopted mother at 21 and learned about the failed abortion. The author has a pro life ministry. Before reading this book I had never heard of an abortion survivor. Culwell mecer expresses any negativity about her story or toward her birth mother but I had to wonder thst she had have some anger at some point. The book is very religious so that may be a turn off for some readers. I focused on her story the most and thought it was an unusual angle.

I have known Claire from the beginning of her journey after meeting her birth mother. I heard her early speeches. And then I heard her challenge our audience in October 2020 at the annual Texas Alliance for Life Banquet. It was a powerful speech and I was beyond proud of her. I have seen her grow and become the woman God intended all along. She has such a compassion for serving others. It is illustrated so well in Survivor as she is not only accepting of others but walks the talk in doing for others. It's hard to wrap my mind around how her precious parents, Warren and Barbara, so lovingly encouraged Claire to find her birth mother. They were not threatened by that step. Their love for Claire goes deep.

And I have so much admiration for Tonya. Their meeting turned her world upside down as well. Now she was exposed for something that happened long ago. She was vulnerable. I'm in tears as I write this and think of the warm relationship that is now theirs. No anger. No fear. Just REDEMPTION. That is God in action!

I am honored to get to review Claire's book. I will be buying several copies as gifts. I will be introducing Survivor to as many people as I possibly can.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this privilege.

I am in. tears. you guys! The redemption and grace and forgiveness in this story . . . our God is great, ya'll, and He can make beautiful things out of the ashes and mistakes and broken things in our lives.

This is the story of Claire, who survived an abortion, is adopted by loving parents, realizes that once-upon-a-time she was a twin, and becomes a voice for the unborn. Instead of being filled with hate and malice and bitterness, she allows her heart to be filled with forgiveness and love and empathy for the young women who find themselves in a similar situation to what her birth mother found herself.

Guys, I've been active within the pro-life movement in small ways. And I've come to the same conclusion that Claire Culwell has come to: the pro-life movement is filled with plenty of unbalanced views.
Yes, the pre-marital sex that creates a baby is sinful -- but the child itself? That child is a precious life.
Yes, both the mother and father have an obligation to fulfill, and will have to face consequences of their actions -- but that doesn't mean we need to throw them out to deal with this on their own.

See, in our public school sex-ed classrooms, it's no wonder so many are ending up pregnant outside of marriage. And if all they've been taught is that the thing inside them is a problem and there's an easy way to take care of it, it's no wonder that so many abortions happen.

There's a fine balance we must strike: condemning the sin, allowing consequences for the sin, but also showing a bit of mercy and love and understanding. We need to condemn the sin, yes. We need to allow the hardships and consequences the Bible promises to come true, absolutely. But we need to love the mother and baby, and the father, and let them know abortion isn't the ONLY answer.
Let them know the thing inside them is a child, precious, complete, with a living soul.

I've seen a 22 week old baby, when my baby sister was born prematurely, and it was that event that showed me just how evil abortion is. She was undoubtedly a fully formed baby, and I was able to watch her develop OUTSIDE of the womb, and that was a miraculous thing to see.
And so many people would tear her apart, limb from limb, and throw her away if they decided the pregnancy was a bother.

And I love how Mrs. Culwell addresses fathers in this book, 'cause all too often fathers are left out of the abortion debate. It takes two to create a life, ya'll, and it's high time we women allow -- even encourage -- them to weigh in on this issue. The child is half theirs, too. And I think we forget that.

I enjoyed reading how she reaches out to those who had abortions. So often young women find that this is the only alternative open to them, and the least shameful way to deal with this, or maybe they just didn't know the emotional trauma they'd go through, and the sympathy this author exhibits is a beautiful thing indeed.

This was a powerful story written by an abortion survivor, and working with the pro-life movement over the years, this was a GREAT read! Know I thoroughly recommend it, and am absolutely advocating for you to pre-order a copy!

I received a copy of this book through the publisher via NetGalley for my enjoyment -- I was not required to enjoy the book, merely to give an honest opinion.

Survivor is the extraordinary story of Claire Culwell, a twin invitro whose mother was forced at thirteen by Claire's maternal grandmother to abort her child, but miraculously survived - twice; once when the first abortionist missed her and only aborted her twin; and second, when another abortionist couldn't provide services due to a mysterious "rip" that is not explained. I absolutely love Claire's story of survival, that she was able to meet her birth mother, her love and compassion for women who have abortions (84% say they feel pressured by someone else to have the abortion and otherwise would have kept the baby), and that she was raised by such incredible loving, supportive Christian parents. The book, however, did leave me scratching my head in a few places, leaving me with more questions than answers. I do anticipate the opportunity to interview Claire for my program, and pray that she will be able to clarify these things for readers/listeners. May God continue to bless her ministry

I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!

I found this book to be a very interesting read! The author had an incredible story, one that I did not even realize was possible! Claire was adopted as a newborn into a loving family. She always need that she was adopted, but she had no idea that her mother had an abortion that ended the life of her twin. But, she survived! Claire not only forgives her birth mother and develops a relationship with her, but also shares her story on a large scale. She becomes a spokesperson for the pro-life movement. Claire is kind, loving, and forgiving to women who are considering or who have gone through an abortion. She also shares different ministries who help women both before and after the births of their babies, offering support that many women considering abortion need. Her message is one of forgiveness and unconditional love. I recommend this book if you want to read an uplifting story, and see God's heart for women, no matter what choices they have made in the past.

Right up front, the only reason this book lost a star is because I personally did not care for the writing style. However, the book itself is a really awesome story and I feel bad for docking it a star. (But I have to be honest).

This book is about Claire Culwell, who survived an abortion, who was then adopted into a loving family, and eventually reached out to find her birth mother as well as getting involved in the pro-life movement. It really is a miraculous story.

The ideal audience for this book is for those who have ever had an abortion, someone who is looking into getting an abortion, someone just looking for options after a pregnancy, or someone who knows someone who is thinking about abortion or had an abortion. There is even a section in the book that provides a lot of great resources for help with all aspects of abortion.

All in all, this book as okay for me, again just because of the writing style. I pulled out a lot of information about how someone in Claire's shoes, during an unplanned pregnancy, feels and is treated by others...especially others in the church. And I will be using this information to check myself when confronted with someone in similar circumstances.

How is it possible to survive an abortion? Only through a miracle! Survivor tells the story of one such miracle. I was immediately intrigued when I saw the synopsis of this book, and decided I wanted to read it.
Claire was an adult already when she met her birthmother. She had always known she was adopted, and knew that her adoptive parents loved her dearly. She basked in that love and never questioned it, but then she decided, as an adult, to find and meet her birth mother. What a shock, then, to learn that she was meant to have been aborted. What did that mean for her life now? Was anything she knew about herself actually true?
Claire soon became involved in the pro-life movement, and started working closely with Abby Johnson, who had just left Planned Parenthood. As Claire allowed God to use her more, He opened up more and more opportunities for her to work for Him, and she found herself on an amazing adventure.
Survivor is an incredible story. Claire's life puts a face on the many babies who are aborted. Any one of them could have been a beautiful person like her. This is also quite a challenging story in another way, as she shows an example of someone who is willing to follow God's leading, going way out of her comfort zone.
My favorite quote from the book? “Did God have a special purpose and plan for me, even way back when I was in my mother's womb? Yes....”
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

"Survivor" is a story of an abortion survivor, and also the the kind, who had a twin that did not survive it. Claire Culwell knew as a child, that she was given up for adoption, but all the details came out much later, when she met her birthmother. There was a great deal of emotional healing on both parts, but the wounds remained. That was one half of the book, the other half was about the author's activism in the pro-life movement. Even though I like this story and appreciate the testimony, the book did not feel complete. The author shared some safer and peachier moments in abundance, but some uncomfortable ones were scrapped into one page. Also the message of the whole book was not clear. Was it for the people who are thinking about abortion issues or a little bit of ministry advertising, or some soul searching on the activism part? It was a bit confusing.