This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite
In Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship, Julie Ryan McGue records her experiences as an adoptee during the Baby Scoop Era. After a breast biopsy, questions about her health history prompted her to embark on a journey to find her birth parents. The information she and her twin sister discovered was beneficial, but she still lacked a true bond with her biological family. She speaks about the emotional difficulties and points to the adoption process during the middle of the twentieth century as a deterrent to healthy mental and emotional growth for adoptees. Additionally, McGue brings to light the stressors in beginning the search for biological relatives and the disappointment adoptees can face, even if biological families respond to their requests.
Julie Ryan McGue's story relates to millions of people in America, and her work is sure to start many conversations. Adoptees who enter a loving home are left with a multitude of questions and feel an array of emotions about their biological family and their reasons for choosing adoption. McGue's writings provide a link to other adoptees, giving them a sense of belonging, as her story reflects the circumstances of many adults who have been adopted. The author's book is heartbreaking and outlines many social constructs most people take for granted, like feelings of connection at family reunions and holidays. Her views result from serious introspection and observation and are worthy of conscious evaluation. Belonging Matters is a great selection for an adoptee or a family member of an adoptee.
