Blackbird: A Look Inside

This week I want to share a book by North West Author Jennifer Lauck. I started reading Blackbird on my flight to Missouri and was overcome with emotion from the very first page. Lauck split her childhood years between California and Nevada, before finally residing in Portland, Oregon. In her bestselling Novel Blackbird, Lauck portrays her childhood through the eyes of a five year old girl, in this tragic memoir that focuses on the relationship between a mother and daughter. The way Lauck writes is simple, succinct and honest, as she tells her story through the eyes of a child who is looking for love, belonging and the things she has lost. It is refreshingly honest in a way that only someone who has lived through such tragedy can convey, and even though my upbringing was very different from that of the characters, I was able to relate to the feelings that are portrayed so beautifully. I was touched by the relationship between the mother and daughter in this book, which stirred up feelings of fondness and reflection on my own childhood. If you are looking for a deeply moving and dramatic story about love and loss, this is a great summer read that will leave you with feelings of nostalgia. I don't want to give the plot away, but I should say that Blackbird is considered a memoir of events from Laucks' own childhood. Lauck has written three other novels and travels around the country speaking and bringing awareness on various topics including: motherhood, women's empowerment, adoption, foster care, abandonment, loss, writing and meditation among others. Her sequel to Blackbird is called Still Waters which focuses on her adult years and I am currently adding it to my reading list. What are you currently reading and what's on your list for the rest of the summer? Share in the comments below!