Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery & Transformation

This is a pretty short book, I read it in around 5 hours. However, the horrors that it contains will definitely stay with you long after reading this book. Unfortunately this is not fiction. It is a memoir of a 13 year old little girl running away and living life wherever and however she can. The author isn't preaching or asking for "woe is me" pity. She is simply just telling the story of her life. I applaud her bravery and the fact she came out and is doing all that she can to help others.

EVERY teenage child needs to read this book. There are bad people out there everywhere, some even in your own living room.

I would like to think Animal Media Group and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so intriguing I pretty much read it in two days! The book reads like a classic New Adult book – quick and easy. The story itself is a sad yet empowering tale of Barbara’s childhood trauma and how she later raised to the challenge and decided to help in the fight against human trafficking! Barbara describes the dark world of sex trafficked victims without being too explicit (if that’s possible). And at the end of the memoir there is some resources for how people can help these victims. Also there’s advice on how you could spot a sex trafficked victim and some things you should/could do to help them. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wish to learn more about human sex trafficking and how young children get pulled into this dark world. This is a powerful read.

I gave it a 5/5

My rating: 4.5/5

Sexual child abuse, teenage runaways, human trafficking, drug abuse, heroin addiction, imprisonment - the list is long and disturbing. I wish it was just a novel, but it's very real.

This courageous well-written autobiography isn't trying to shock by graphic descriptions nor does is seek pitty for the poor author who had to suffer all these really despicable things. It's written as a wake-up call, to bring to awareness what's going on around us, to make the reader understand how these things can happen.

It is an appeal to help the victims of human trafficking and to prevent it however and wherever possible. The appendix gives helpful advice and for US-readers a list of addresses.

I want to thank Netgalley and the publishers for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book that all school librarians should have on the shelves of their libraries. If just one teen, abused and ignored by the adults around them, could be saved, it would be priceless.

by Barbara Amaya

Genre: Biography and Memoirs

Excerpt from the book:

"Above all, I hope this book gives an understanding of what happens to young victims of human trafficking. What I went through years ago is exactly what victims are experiencing today. Nothing has changed in terms of recruitment methods, exploitation, abuse and manipulation. The most vulnerable are often the most preyed upon, something that makes human trafficking so very evil."

The authors sexual abuse began at age eight at the hands of her uncle. At age ten she was molested by both her father and older brother. She told her mother, more than once, but received no help, support or protection. The abuse continued on the unloved little girl. When she realized the whole family would deny, deny, deny - she ran away several times in search of love and acceptance. At age 13, she was on the streets when a couple invited her into their home. Instead of finding love and security, she was sold into the evil world of sex trafficking. A violent predator controlled her for ten years. By age 16 she was addicted to heroin. She escaped at age 23.

This amazing story gives a detailed accounting of the insidious grooming process employed by pimps when they exploit children. The shocking and true story of the evil she was subjected to will stay with you long after you have finished the last page of the book. The narrative moves the story along quickly. Barbara does not ask for pity, nor does she seem to hate or resent her family or the social system that let her down.

The story is also one of courageous hope and redemption. It is compelling to see her rise above the abuse and captivity and blossom into the advocate she is today.

The book has brought her acclaim as the winner of the 2014 James B. Hunter Rights Advocacy Award. Her remarkable story has inspired the Safe Harbor legislation. Several states are also drafting anti-human trafficking bills.

The book also has resource material and educational tools to assist law enforcement officers, first responders, medical personnel, counselors and teachers in identifying human trafficking victims. Tactics for intervention must begin first with recognizing vulnerable children. She points out our young men must also be educated, for as long as there is a market, there will be sex trafficking.

I highly recommend this book to every teenager who considers running away from home.

ARC courtesy of the author and publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

This book is the story of Barbara Amaya based on her recollections. The horrors that she dealt with in her life will make you cry. The fact that she was able to save herself and use what she lived through to help save others is heroic.

Barbara left home at the age of twelve after being sexually abused by her father and older brother. She did not think anyone would believe her and that she was not loved or wanted. After heading off to Washington DC and getting involved in drugs, she was returned to her parents. After repeatedly running away, her parents were convinced to give up their parental rights to the state. That started in motion the sex trafficking that became the life for the next 3 to 4 years. Being beaten by her pimp, becoming hooked on heroin, being arrested and eventually sent to Riker's Prison finally resulted in her telling them her real name and age. This still did not get her to return home. She continued to use drugs off and on for years and eventually got mixed up with an alcoholic that almost killed her. It was not until her daughter ran away from home and she saw a news report of local teens being caught up in human trafficking that she realized she had to tell the truth to her daughter and get some help for herself so that she could help others.

Barbara Amaya is an award winning advocate and survivor of human trafficking helps vulnerable populations, potential victims and those who work with them learn how to avoid falling prey to human traffickers. The back of the book contains resources and suggestions for Parents, counsellors, teachers, Medical Personnel, Law Enforcement and Young Women and Men.

This is a great book to be used in highschool health classes, college and universities training any number of professionals. The average person could gain insight into the problem as well as to see how easily a young person can get caught up in "the life".

This is a true story of a young girl who was forced into prostitution and her journey of escaping it. Overall I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. Barbara Amaya's story started out like any other typical American child. However, her world started to fall apart as she was sexually abused by her father and had an alcoholic mother. To escape the abuse she endured she often ran away. During one of her attempts she met some strangers, who preyed upon her weakness, vulnerability, age, sex, and innocence. From there she was sold and trafficked into the world of sex slaves. It is her story of survival, how she escaped from the world she was trapped in. Her journey to freedom. This book is about Barbara's coming to age, in finding her true self, and the courage, bravery, and tenacity that it took to be herself, and survive. This book delves deep into Barbara's inner thoughts and emotions. This book was very difficult to read, as I have a hard time discussing and reading about this topic.
This book points out the stereotypes and judgements we make as a whole. And how they can disrupt and destroy a person's life. Things don't always appear or look as they seem. Safety is not guaranteed in appearances. We can't assume things from a persons character or the way they appear to be living their lives. The judgements and assumptions that people made on Barbara Amaya's life caused her abuse to continue, as well as lots of emotional suffering.
There were a lot of time gaps in this book, that I felt didn't flow seamlessly. It made the story to have a sort of choppy, disconnected tone to it. I respected and understood the gaps in time but felt that it wasn't presented smoothly. Overall, this was a very powerful book of human survival. I have the utmost respect for Barbara Amaya with the strength it took to overcome and survive the horrible events that she endured. And as well as the strength it took to write and tell her story. Not only does Barbara Amaya continue to tell her story, but she is an advocate against sex trafficking. She has fought the prevalence of trafficking by helping to change the laws and educating people.
Lastly I would like to thank Netgalley, Animal Media Group (the publisher), and Barbara Amaya for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. For those of you who are interested in purchasing a copy CLICK HERE.

This book talks about runaways, human trafficking, sexual child abuse, drugs - and the list goes on. I wish it wasn't a real story but it is.

I think it is written as a wake-up call and to bring awareness of what is going on around us, to make us readers understand that this is still a reality!

The worst part for me was that so many people could have helped her along the way but instead decided to throw her in jail. It is so sad that no one decided to help a child.

The author has written a graphic autobiography of human trafficking and a young girl's life on the streets. It describes Barbara's journey in finding her true self and surviving horrors of her past. I find it sad that no one could help a child who needed help and the family who were in denial of the abuse. The book is short but very powerful and gives a good insight into sexual abuse and teenage runaways as well as drug abuse and addiction. Thank you to Animal Media and Net Galley for my copy. I have reviewed on Goodreads.

Amazing memoir. Was gripped from the first page. Excellent writing style, with a story that almost seems like it couldn't be real, due to everything the author was forced to deal with from very early on in her life. Barbara's story could've easily taken a turn for the worst, and people wouldn't be surprised. The fact that she's an advocate for victims of abuse makes the story that much sweeter in the end.

So well written-couldn't put it down. A indepth story of a subject not much talked about. Important knowledge about human trafficking. This happens much more than we are all aware of. Excellent!

A book about survivial.

Great read. Great writing x

I got caught up and read the whole thing in an afternoon. By the end I was incredibly moved and near tears. I've read a lot of awful things, like everyone, considering all the bad news the world has to offer. But there's something about her frankness and straightforward tackling of uncomfortable, downright awful topics coupled with her childhood vulnerability and naivety, even as she writes about the past from a much more secure future. It's utterly heartbreaking. But not hopeless - Amaya is incredibly strong and self-aware despite decades of abuse in her family and at the hands of strangers, and of course the flood of side effects accompanying these misfortunes.

The light at the end of the tunnel is that she's an advocate for others who were voiceless as she once was, and by sharing her painful experiences she's spreading awareness and giving an all too clear picture of what goes on. You read with a lump in your throat at times and that dread sensation of something worse to come as the story rounds another bend. And yet it's so deeply important to know these things, because it's true and it happened and it's happening to someone else who feels like there's no way out, or stays for the wrong reasons, or thinks they'll never be whole again after what's happened to them. Here's the living proof that we're all more than what we do or what's been done to us. I can't think of a more important message, especially for young women suffering with self-esteem or familial/childhood issues that lead them into the hands of predators like the ones here.

In her author's statement, Amaya admits that writing the book was difficult, and she struggled at first with only a sixth grade education. She's selling herself short, since she also made it through her GED and a college degree, but seriously. Bravo, lady. What I found interesting about her writing style was that it matured as the narrative progressed: describing her childhood and family abuse, the language and tone are simplistic and childlike; as she grows up her writing about those periods naturally evolves along with her, until by the memoir's end her voice is polished, reflective and mature. She analyzes these events and why she made her choices with such clarity. Despite the gut wrenching story there's something peaceful in reading about her eventual personal triumphs.

I received a reviewer's copy courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author for putting all this into words and making something meaningful out of something terrible, and dedicating herself to helping others caught in the same hideous situations. A crucially important story and an impressive woman.

A hard, sad but ultimately uplifting read, this is Barbara Amaya’s tale of how the ‘choices’ she made have affected her life. I say choices, but in reality no one chooses to leave home and end up on the streets, and when the streets seem like a better option than your own family then what does that say about the situation they are leaving behind. So at the age of 13, after enduring many years of sexual abuse at the hands of family members, she runs away straight into the hands of another abuser, who continues to abuse, control and exploit her for the next 10 years, until Barbara finally found the means to escape.
People may say that this is a story that has been told many times before, and that may be true, but when reading this memoir, you realise just how easily young vulnerable people are manipulated and exploited, and how closely intertwined trafficking, prostitution and addiction are.

The end of the book includes a list of organisations and addresses of groups that help vulnerable and trafficked people in the US.

Barbara Amaya had an abusive father, an abusive brother and an alcoholic mother who turned a blind eye to everything. Barbara ran away from home became a prostitute under a pimp when she was only 13 years old and was under his rule for many many years until she finally decided enough was enough. When she was finally able to escape she hid her past life from everyone. This story was about triumph over tragedy. I do wish that there was more feeling in the book and some more on her daughter and if they ever became close. This was a good book, just kinda felt a little detached.

Amaya has been through so much yet her story isn't over. She was sold as a commodity into a world of prostitution. This book shines a light into the world of darkness. Children are being trafficked and abused. This book made me feel emotions, my eyes burned from the pain I felt for her. I connected with her and wanted her to find peace and happiness. Today she is spreading the word about this and helping many who have gone through what she has. This proves that no matter what life throws at you, you get to choose what happens next. I want to read more books by this author.

Thank You to Animal Media Group for providing me with an advanced copy of Barbara Amaya's memoir, Nobody's Girl, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- In her memoir, Nobody's Girl, Barbara Amaya recounts sexual abuse at the hands of family members, leading her to become a runaway at twelve years old, and soon after, falling into the hands of sex traffickers, ultimately developing a heroin addiction to cope.

LIKE- Amaya is very brave for sharing her story. Hers is a tragic life and through most of the book, I did not think it would end well. It's a relief to know that her life has turned out positive, and that she is able to help so many other victims of sex trafficking as a speaker and advocate. Nobody's Girl was shocking, horrific, and very depressing. It made me aware of the dire need for police and social workers to help other kids and adults on the streets. I was most amazed at how Amaya, with her many arrests as a teenager, was just filtered through the justice system, able to skate by with multiple aliases. The sheer shock value of Amaya's story made her book a page-turner. I read it in a single afternoon.

DISLIKE- I feel like I shouldn't admit this, but I'm committed to giving honest feedback: I had a difficult time connecting with Amaya. It isn't simply that her life is the polar opposite of mine, but I gave it a lot of thought, and I think the reason for the disconnect is that her story is told very matter-of-fact, lacking emotion. It's not that she doesn't express emotion, but in her writing it's stated bluntly " I was angry", rather than written in a way that is lyrical or impactful. If that element had been in writing, I likely would have been blown away, but as it is, I read it from a distance.

The reason that I feel guilty for admitting this is Amaya has put herself out there by sharing her story. Although she did return to college as adult, as a child, she only received a formal education up until six grade, and was certainly not encouraged to read or write while on the streets. In fact, in one vivid scene, her pimp rips a book from her hand, and degrades her desire to learn. She did not use a ghostwriter for this book either.

RECOMMEND - Yes, Nobody's Girl highlights an important social issue and Amaya's story is one that deserves to be heard.

Barbara Amaya was, literally, nobody's girl. Raised in the 1960s in Fairfax, Virginia by a father who worked at the Pentagon, and a stay-at-home, alcoholic mother, Amaya ran away to D.C. at 12 to escape her father's sexual abuse. After finding "refuge" with a hippy couple, she was soon selling her body on the streets of D.C. At 13, she was "sold" to a New York City pimp named Moses.

For the next five or so years, Amaya's life was a horror show of filthy needles, arrests, disgusting johns, and vicious beatings from her pimp. Heroin was her only source of solace. After several failed attempts to detox and to reunite with her dysfunctional family, Amaya finally pulled herself out of the nightmare.

During a short-lived marriage, Amaya had a baby girl. Although she succeeded in getting a good job with the federal government, it didn't last. When her many juvenile arrests for prostitution and drugs under different names came to light in a routine background check, she lost her job. Burdened by the shame she felt about her past, Amaya became increasingly agoraphobic, and, eventually, extremely ill. Only after she realized she had been a victim of human trafficking, did she recover and find even more of her amazing strength.

Barbara Amaya's story of survival and escape from sexual slavery is extraordinary. She not only survived the horrors of human trafficking, the unfairness of victim-blaming, and the outrage of having her juvenile arrest record used against her, she also survived a childhood where she was abandoned by those that should have protected her. She has now become one of the leading voices warning against the growing danger of human trafficking.

Although the U.S. and other western industrialized nations are cracking down on it, there is no sign that human trafficking is stopping, or even ebbing, in the near future. Young men and women, including children, from both the developed and the developing world are being snared by traffickers. Sexual slavery exists as much today as it did 40 years ago, when Amaya became one of its victims. Today, however, Amaya is no longer "nobody's girl." She is, instead, the voice of everyone's girl and boy. Her book must become required reading for parents, lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, and schools everywhere

Barbara tells her story throughout the book. Her story is simply Amazing. She was abused by family members. She told her mother, but her mother didn't believe her. She ran away at a young age and soon was working the streets. She became addicted to drugs and felt helpless.
The Amazing part is that she was able to escape and can now share her story to warn others of what can happen. She doesn't need to use gory details. The story is scary enough without them. She is now an advocate for others, a mother, and a wonderful writer.

As a reader, some books are read for pleasure while others are read to learn facts and still others are read to understand. This is probably one of the most influential books I have ever read. This book is about as raw as they come and I rarely see such examples of true courage in the real world. Barbara's life is a series of terrible occurrences and she tells this book with such honesty that it is both refreshing to be told the truth and terrifying to know that this is the truth.

I'm not even sure how to write a review for this expect to say that the is a book that should be read by everyone, although I will say that read discretion is advised. As I said, this book is raw with emotion and it is exhausting to go through Barbara's life. But she is giving a voice to those who have been brought up believing that they don't have one and that is something that should be treasured and something that no one can deny. I cried and that doesn't happen a lot, but this is not a book looking for pity, but instead one that explains an internal war in both a country and a person and from a point of view that we hardly ever see.

There's no way I could give this book anything other than full marks. Growing up in the US, I know next to nothing about human trafficking and I think that this book is a start to an important aspect of our world that needs to be taught to everyone. Just because we deny that there is this sort of terror out there, it doesn't erase the fact that it is.

Barbara tells her story of how after being abused at home, she ran away repeatedly and wound up becoming a victim of human trafficking at age 13. She tells how she became addicted to heroin, but managed to eventually get clean from drugs, get out of prostitution, get an education, and help others who are also in the same trouble. I think this is an important story and I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Nobody's Girl is an autobiography of Barbara Amaya's struggles, her courage in overcoming everything she endured and ultimately becoming a voice against human trafficking.

In the first half of her story, she takes us through her first memories of sexual abuse at the hands of her father and older brother, how her mother turned a blind eye and didn't believe her when she went to her for help and how she eventually ran away from home for the first time at the age of 12. She describes how this led her to the world of human trafficking, prostitution, abuse and drug addiction. She would eventually grow up on the streets and fall victim to the tactics of a pimp who manipulated her into believing he was the only one who really cared about her.

In the second half of her story, we journey with her through the struggles to free herself of drug addiction, break away from the mental, emotional & physical hold of her pimp and how she fought to gain control of her life. This wasn't an easy task at all. It was a very slow process but through perseverance and a desire to help others, she was able to overcome. Barbara is now an anti-human trafficking advocate and activist.

At the end of the book, she has included valuable resources for everyone - from law enforcement, to medical personnel, teachers, parents and even young men and women. In this section you will find things such as what to look for if you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking as well as phone numbers to organizations that can help.

This story brings awareness about a subject matter many don't feel comfortable talking about but its something that must be addressed in order to save more lives.I don't feel in any way the author was seeking pity or being accusing. She is simply telling her story in hopes that other stories like hers may be prevented. This memoir will encourage others to overcome just as she did. Barbara tells her story in an almost disconnected or detached tone. This helps me to identify with how she was feeling while she was going through those times in her life. She describes it like this: "My heart would beat faster and faster, and I would float out of my body until I found myself watching everything from a corner up on the ceiling. Later, when it was over and I had come back to my body, I would float away again each time I tried to remember what had happened."

I highly recommend this book, especially to young people and to their parents.

Sex Trafficking is a horrible reality--but if you are even looking at this book and the following reviews of it you probably already know that. Reading this book will remind you of that, place the realities right in your face and give voice to the many men, women and children that are being passed around the world by their traffickers.

Barbara Amaya is brave, not only has she broken through the conditioning of her trafficker to speak out for an end but because she has continued to learn what it looks like to walk in freedom from slavery.

This book will break your heart. Through portions of reading it I wanted to stop because everything felt hopeless. I remember talking with one of my friends last night about how she just didn't seem to be getting freedom from "the life"--that it felt like it was going to haunt her through the rest of her life--affecting her ability to have relationships with other people. her ability to hold employment and her ability to see herself as more than something that needed to work "the track".

I'm glad that I didn't stop, because Barbara does move forward, there is hope. And she is working to end sexual slavery by bringing the realities to the light and advocating for change.

This was a super hard book to read, the kind you have to read in chunks because the tears in your eyes won't let you read it all at once. I found a strength in Amaya that I haven't found in myself yet--it's one thing to heal after something, but quite another to find the strength to help others heal. All I can really say, even knowing that my words don't do justice to my feelings, is that I am so very proud of Barbara.

Courageous and heartbreaking . Beautiful story which left me full of empowerment.

A revealing, terrifying narrative about how a young girl's abuse at home leads her into the dark world of human trafficking, prostitution and drug addiction. Barbara Amaya's honest chronicling of her life is accomplished so artfully, that despite the book's gratuitous nature, none of her powerful story is stifled. Bravery is not a strong enough word for what this woman lived and survived. The amazing turn around to what her life is now and the strength and wisdom she shares with others suffering similarly is unbelievable. One of the most powerful books I've read this year.

Nobody's Girl by Barbara Amaya

This is the story of how child abuse by family members led to a 12 year old runaway being indoctrinated into the world of trafficking and drugs. The story is not a new one, it is something that can happen to any child male or female in any country on any day of the week. So many missed opportunities by the author and authorities that could have prevented the horrific events that were suffered. The book seems to jump through the years leaving gaps which seem to hurt the storyline. I saw many reviews saying that this book should be required reading. To me the most beneficial part of the the book is the acknowledgment at the end. It pares down the facts and methods of preventions that are what should be known by every parent, teacher, law enforcement and social service agency in the world to help prevent the spread of this destructive abuse. Those facts should be make into a handout that is given to all teachers from grade school on, so they know what to look for and how to help. This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

This was a very hard book to read. The book is very clear on what some of what lies within. The back cover did not warn of child sexual abuse through the form on incest or a suicide attempt through pills. One of those is a trigger for me. I have already been incredibly emotional the past few days. It really hit me hard. I wanted to give that warning to other readers, not to warn them away but so they can prepare themselves. This is a very important story that needs to be told and read. Barbara Amaya is incredible strong and resilient. She is, for lack of a better word and despite my hatred of being called this, an inspiration. She is changing lives. She refers to herself as a victim, but I disagree. She is not a victim, she is a survivor and a thriver. This distinction is very powerful to me. She was able to overcome her abuse and has made a life for herself that is very successful. She is helping others the way she needed to be helped. She is important and badass.

The book reads very simply. There aren't details that are shocking for shock sake. The book feels raw and bare-boned. There is no other way I would want this book to be. Amaya tells her story the way she wanted to, not for an audience. The story is so deeply personal and horrifying that anything more would have read as flowery and fake, it would have read less powerfully.

I work in the legal world. I worked prosecution, then the jail, and now defense. I have worked towards putting felons behind bars, detaining defendants while they went through the legal process, and I now work in defending clients. I saw a human trafficking case from all three sides. I saw every little detail of the case. This book still hit me in a way that was impressive and important. I have already sent an email out to my coworkers asking them to read this book. This book will help shape the way they help defend other victims of sex trafficking who are being charged either with prostitution or with human trafficking because of the role they were forced to play. 

If you work with women in any capacity, you need to read this book. If you live in the mid-west (Kansas is the human trafficking capital of the US), then you need to read this book. If you are experiencing human trafficking or you are afraid that you are, you are not alone. Reach out if you can. Find the local public defender's office. They can help you find resources, find the local homeless shelter, find the local battered women shelter, there are places where you can go that will help. If you already have an active case, tell your attorney.

A note to the author: Thank you. You have helped people already and I can only hope that you can help more. You are not alone in this fight. You are someone I look up to now. Your strength, your courage, your resilience, your desire to help others even when it is painful. I can't thank you enough for what you have done.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it very much!

If you ever wondered how someone becomes a victim of sex trafficking, this book gives an honest, gut-wrenching account of how easily it can happen. Raw, heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting, this memoir is a must read.

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Net Gallery/Animal Media Group.]

There was very little in this book that surprised me.  To be sure, the story is a heartrending one, but it is also one that has a clear genre and familiar path.  I've heard this story before, and likely many people who read this story have as well [1].  The fact that this story sounds very familiar though, does not mean it is not a worthwhile story, because the author wishes to relate to people who like her were abused as children, caught up in sex trafficking by people who told them lies while seeking to manipulate and control them, and then isolated from the rest of "square" society to the point where they used drugs to cope with the horrors and trauma of their lives.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, the author used her own past as encouragement in helping to reach out to others who suffer as she has suffered, realizing that the purpose and meaning of her experiences is into helping others avoid and overcome the same sort of problems that she did, a not uncommon but also positive realization.

In terms of its organization, this book is written in a straightforward and chronological fashion.  With short numbered chapters, the author discusses her abuse by her father and brother, her increasing anxiety about going to school, her resorting to running away over and over again, and being caught up in a world of prostitution and drug use and numerous scrapes with the law as a result of her attachment to her pimp Moses.  A long effort at sobriety follows where the author still finds herself drawn to precisely the wrong type of man.  She ends up hospitalized after a relationship with one abusive man and has a daughter in a marriage with an alcoholic who she leaves, becoming a single mother with a lot of health struggles.  It is not until she is middle aged, it would appear, that the author realizes that her child experiences had a name in sex trafficking and that the problem was still a pervasive one, and she is motivated by her experience to become a crusader on behalf of the well-being of vulnerable and exploited children.  By the story's end her own record and conscience are clear, and the reader is left with resources as well as a lot to ponder about the processes that lead to trafficking and the way that children are exploited.

Ultimately, as a reader, I am left with a lot of puzzling thoughts and reflections after this book.  Was the author ever able to find a loving relationship as an adult, or was her experience simply too difficult for her to overcome when it comes to building intimacy?  Did the author ever come to terms with God and develop a personal relationship with Him?  Was her daughter able to break the generational cycles of divorce and alcoholism/drug abuse and abuse that the author faced herself in her own life and in her family background?  What makes this book particularly worthwhile, despite these unanswered questions, is that it helps to reveal a pathway to abuse.  A great deal of the societal evils we face with regards to drug abuse and prostitution and the like can be traced back to trouble in youth.  Broken societies and broken families produce broken people.  It is hard to fix broken systems, but it is a lot easier to fix them than it is to fix broken people whose brokenness extends generation after generation.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018/01/02/book-review-not-my-story-to-tell/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017/05/15/book-review-the-lies-that-bind/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016/12/29/book-review-the-lost-children-of-wilder/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016/12/13/book-review-agapes-children/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016/08/20/book-review-the-glass-castle/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016/07/11/book-review-like-family/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015/10/07/book-review-struggle-for-intimacy/

A book on a very important topic. Barbara Amaya tells the reader her experiences as a girl that was sexually abused and later on trafficked. She now sees herself as a victim and advocates to help others in the same situation. An inspiring and important book!

This book was so sad. Barbara relives a time when she was sexually abused by her father. It
started at a young age and she was unsure why or what to do about it. She attempted to tell
her mother the only way she knew how but her mother misunderstood took action in the wrong way
getting her teacher fired. As the book continues it finds Barbara's life turning upside down.
I enjoyed the way that the author didn't try to sugar coat the things that she went through,
but at the same time you could tell that she wasn't over selling her experiences as well. It
was just her telling things as they happened. She had a hard life and at times it was very
hard to read just because I can't imagine someone going through what she did. When she
can't take it anymore she runs away and gets forced into prostitution. As a memoir goes
this was really good it takes the reader into her story without going overboard on things
that aren't important. It showed how quickly she got stuck into the ring and how difficult
it was for her. When the one person she trusted most betrayed her more so than anyone else
ever had. It also moved along quickly and I didn't feel that it was overly repetitive. The first
half of the book was all about her experiences while the second half talks about her long
road back. I enjoyed this book it showed both sides of what happened and it showed how she
survived after she got back it wasn't just a simple she's home and she's alright. It showed
what happened and didn't just stop there like most novels of this kind do. I really enjoyed
this book a lot more than I expected and that says a lot because I had high hopes. If you are
into memoirs then this is one that needs to be read.

Given to me by @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It's a true story, a memoir about a difficult childhood spent on the streets of NY , prostituting . A sad story of an exploited child, a thirteen year old Barbara Amaya, who seeks redemption as a grown up. After all she's been through ... this woman is a survivor! A brave , courageous, woman! Her decision to help others, in the battle against human trafficking ... leaves us a very powerful message: "NEVER GIVE UP AND FIGHT TILL THE END!".

Fabulous read. Her story is unbelievable yet we know it happens every day, every where. From teenage prostitution to receiving awards and many achievements. This book makes you want to help, want to change laws and stop the torture of victims everywhere

Hard to describe your feelings for a book like this, you can't really say you enjoyed the book as the circumstances of it isn't really relative. However, the book was very well written and kept me turning the pages to find out what happens next.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Sexual abuse, human trafficking, drug addiction, rape, prison, and domestic violence—Barbara Amaya experienced it all on first on the streets of Washington DC and then New York City, most of it before her sixteenth birthday. In Nobody’s Girl she shares her journey from trafficking victim to human rights advocate, weaving together a story of loss, pain, courage, and transformation.

That was a difficult book to read. So much emotion, so many feelings for this young girl (now woman) who lived a terrible life with abusive and alcoholic family members and was forced to runaway at 12 years of age and became a prostitute and got hooked on drugs from the age of 13.

Even the second part of the book, Barbara's recovery from addiction after getting away from that life on the streets, was just as harrowing. The pain of recovery and all those things that she never had to learn to do - simple household tasks like ironing and cleaning - or even the fact that she didn't celebrate special occasions like birthdays or Christmas.

As a parent of two kids, this book broke my heart numerous times over. I applaud the author for telling her story in such a matter-of-fact way, not sugar-coating the tough stuff, and for being such an advocate now for anti-human trafficking. The book also provides valuable resources for those in the US.


Paul
ARH

This book was opening and shows in some ways how our world has changed, and has not changed in some ways. This book discusses an important topic, like so many in our world that need to be addressed or changed and how to go about achieving change as well as looking after people who may not have any one they can turn to for help.

This is one of those gripping stories that immediately pulls you in on the very first page. Barbara's story is such an important one to share. It is a story a child runaway who suffers at the hands of multiple people. A nightmare filled with sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and human trafficking. It is a story about how all those things lead to self doubt, poor self esteem, and drug abuse. Amaya tells the story of her past with such blunt honesty, that it's kind of a breath of fresh air. Such serious topics should not be smoothed over. I truly feel like it needs to be read by every mother, and every teenager out there.

I have received a much appreciated digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book must have been very hard to write but very very necessary. This is a very difficult subject but the more we talk about it and get it in the open the more healing can start. Very well written

Amaya's story is a truly inspiring one. She suffered abuse at home and then turned to prostitution once she ran away. It's remarkable that she survived everything that happened to her, and she's very brave for writing about her experiences. I did wish that there was a little more to this book. I finished it in just a few hours. I would have loved for Amaya to explore some of the events a tad more just to add some depth to the story, but overall, I'm still amazed and in awe of her life.

really good book but it brings about the reality of abuse/prostitution,sex trafficking these days, its upsetting to read, its something we hear about most days in news, it reiterates just what the people go thru, this story is hard hitting but not for the faint hearted

Although this book was short and a quick read, it covers a wide range of topics including family abuse, runaways, drug addiction, forced prostitution, and arrests/jail time. Barbara Amaya's memoir is an eye-opener if you are not familiar with these topics. The author recalls why she ran away from home and the continued cycle of abuse she received on the streets at the hands of pimps; and her desperate attempts to break free from that cycle. I applaud her strength in not giving up on herself, and ending up helping people just like herself. I think adding the information at the end of the book was a great idea - information very useful and appropriate.

Thank you to Animal Media Group LLC and Net Galley for this book.

I absolutely loved this and finished it about two days. Barbara’s story is brutal and enticing, but so heartfelt. Her story captivated me and taught me a lot about prostitution, as opposed to vague details. Her strength is inspiring. If you’re looking for a touching memoir, with a dark past, this is it.

This was a beautiful story of the reclamation of oneself. It hit close to home but felt amazing to read. I absolutely loved it.

A few weeks ago I announced that I had been approved to review two books on Netgalley. This past weekend I sat down and read one titled Nobody's Girl by Barbara Amaya.

The memoir is about Barbara enduring sexual abuse at the hands of several of her relatives, running away, and being sold into sex trafficking. She ultimately overcomes and becomes an advocate for runaway youths. Even though this story took place in the 70's and 80's, it's unfortunately still a current problem today and will resonate with modern readers. This story was heart breaking; especially when her cries for help were repeatedly ignored. However, in the end, it becomes an inspiring tale of resilience and a triumph over evil. The story was written well and I connected with her as a character. I gave this 5 stars. Trigger warnings for sexual abuse, violence, drug abuse and attempted suicide.


This is available now and I'd highly recommend the audiobook.

Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery &Transformation, is a book I would definitely recommend for every young lady and man to read.
Barbara Amaya, shares,in this non-fictional autobiography, how her early childhood abuse, by the hand of her father and older brother, pushed her life into a alternate direction. After running away from home and juvenile detention centers, a very young Barbara ends up in the hands of traffickers who later sale her to her long term enslaved, a pimp by the name of Moses.
Barbara takes us into a world of drugs, prostitution, abuse, and manipulation. She gives us the ugly realities of an entire underground world that functions right up under our noses.
This book exposes and teaches at the same time. It is almost like a manual of sorts on what a victim looks like, what the predator looks like, and what redemption looks like.
Why 4 stars? There were a few parts in this book that could have benefited from a bit more detail and explanation. Some parts were a bit confusing because it seemed as if there was information missing.
Overall, this was a very informative and enlightening read.

I finished this book feeling immense admiration for what Barbara Amaya has overcome and having the strength and willingness to help herself and others despite rightfully losing faith in the human race at one point. Her story, while short and pretty to the point, didn't portray the emotions I would have anticipated. Instead, while she does communicate anger and hurt, her story more so communicates forgiveness and strength to move forward. Her retelling was a bit stiff, but she does say in the beginning that she is remembering the best she can. What happened to her was absolutely tragic, and society at large failed her in many instances. The most unfulfilling part of her entire ordeal, in my opinion, was the ambiguous answer her own father gave her about WHY, WHY HER. I just wanted to take that young 12 year old and give her a warm meal, a safe bed and a hug. There are so many broken people out there, whether they are the prostitutes or the traffickers, and I applaud Amaya not only shining light on the issue, but providing real advice on how to get involved and make a positive difference.

Thank you NetGalley and Animal Media Group for the ARC of this book! This is my honest review.

"Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery & Transformation" by Barbara Amaya.

5 stars!

WOW, just WOW!!! A wonderful book! I couldn't put it down! So heartbreaking!
Everything that poor child went through, so unfair! I couldn't stop the tears!
From being sexually abused by 2 family members to running away several times, being sent to a mental hospital, jail, becoming a prostitute, a drug addict, more and more people abusing her everyway possible, totally lost and confused...

The kind of story, a real story, that stays with you forever!

You have to read it! It will change you! And make you realize that when you complain about a headache some people have real issues!

Barbara Amaya, you are so brave! I'm glad I could read your story! You are so talented!

Thank you for giving me a chance to read this wonderful, powerful, meaningful book!

Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter...

I wish I hadn't of waited so long to read this book. It has everything I am always looking for in a book. The story is told very well. lots of details, you feel like you are in the story itself. I hate it when I am reading and the author goes on and on about things that do not pertain to the book. Not here, Barbra Amaya surely has a hit with this one.
A child is more or less ignored throughout her child hood, she finally runs away only to get involved with a pimp in New York City. Typical story she gets hooked on drugs, gets clean, gets hooked again. The pimp beats her up, she gets thrown in jail. This book really outlines how normal everyday people can and get hooked up in this lifestyle. I hope everyone who reads this sees how easy it would be to fall into this trap.
Without spoiling the ending I will tell you there are some decent people in this book that try and help her.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

heavy themes for sure. child abuse, rape, sex trafficking. this isn't for the faint of heart.

it was VERY difficult to read at times. it certianly made my heart hurt for the author.

What a fast read. I am not going to forget this book for a very long time. It was full of strength, heartache, sadness, intensity, and transformation. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this eye opening book.