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Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite
Wow! Just, wow! That is what I thought as I finished reading the last words of author Michele Anstead's incredibly moving, difficult and heart-wrenching personal true story, Fear Is Not An Option. Bravely recounting Michele's real life experiences that start with her as a young child, the horrific stories of abuse, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect, and a life on the streets and incarceration as she grew older, will keep readers engaged and reading from the very first words all the way through the very last page. Fear Is Not An Option is not a story for the faint of heart, but it is a story that is important in its message of the ability of humankind to overcome the harshest of backgrounds and to ultimately triumph in life.
I so, so enjoyed Fear Is Not An Option. Author Michele Anstead has done a beautiful job in sharing some of the most horrific and heartbreaking experiences that a person can have in this life, but never in such a way that it appears as if she is looking for pity. She recounts her story as a way to share the message that change is possible and brighter futures can be had for any person with the ability to work for it and not give up on themselves. I highly recommend this book to any reader who is looking for a simply wonderful memoir, one that showcases the power of the human spirit and of redemption. I hope that author Michele Anstead is already at work writing her continuing story, and that she will be willing to share that with the world as well. If it is anything like Fear Is Not An Option, it will absolutely be worth reading.