Pages

Lisa Vaughn - The Gifted Ones




Publisher: CreateSpace

ISBN: 978-1456506230

My rating: 4/5

Lisa was conservatively raised in a Catholic family in no-where middle America, where excitement is scarce and dreams are for sleeping. Little did she know, at age thirteen, she would suddenly find herself on a totally different path. Through an unlikely chance meeting of a fellow classmate, she's surprisingly mesmerized, almost consumed, to befriend a girl who is obviously from the other side of the tracks...the cool side. Lisa does whatever she has to just to be accepted into this small club of coolness. Little did she realize, she was signing up for a lot more than social status. The two best friends find themselves innocently taking their relationship to a foreign level neither had experienced or saw coming. A rollercoaster ride littered with choices and challenges Lisa never fathomed facing, especially in no-where middle America. She will find out what she is made of as she faces the consequences and struggles that come along with going against the grain. Throughout their six year relationship, you will witness a touching story of human nature at it's best...and at it's worst. Showing just how far the human spirit can be challenged and pushed to a point where your “fight or flight” instincts naturally kick in. Struggling just to survive in a world where you are not like everyone else, but at the same time you really are. The daily struggles- both internal and external- are exhausting, yet necessary in their quest for one simple human need....love. Finally breaking through all constraints that hold them back, reaching levels of one-ness that few actually obtain in a lifetime with their partner...only to find once they've reached that special place, it's not quite the right fit...for one of them, at least. This contemporary story will lead the reader through highs and lows, giving insight to the every day challenges of the socially unaccepted, which will no doubt leave them rooting for the underdog. A true story of human resilience and the power of love...plain and simple. (www.amazon.com)


My thoughts

Lisa Vaughn sent me a copy of her story for an honest opinion. I first of all, though, would like to apologies to Lisa for taking so long to read it. Life has just been busy and it had nothing to do with the content of this book!

It wasn't the first memoir I've read, but admittedly the first memoir by a person I don't know and had never heard of. So I was a bit hesitant to accept the book. For me my private life is just that, private - okay, as much as you can keep things private when you're trying to sell books. So my sincere admiration goes out to Lisa for telling the story of her first love, a gay relationship, in such raw and open emotions. A true story of a young woman not only trying to find herself in the 1970s, but also fighting for what she believes in.

We start reading about Lisa's journey at a tender age of thirteen, growing up somewhere in Indiana with under the strict eyes of her parents, especially her mother, to whom she often refers to as "The Warden". This is also the time when she meets Selina, the girl she falls in love with, the girl she fights for and the girl she feels more than love for, she feels connected to.

It was a page turner for me. Once I got started I couldn't stop reading. Lisa wrote the story interestingly that I felt every pain and every happy moment with her. I felt like I conquered every milestone with her as well as laughed with her.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone to read. It's honest, fast paced and interesting and doesn't fall at all into the category to push any "gay" issues.

(Click here to read a great interview with Lisa Vaughn re the book)

No comments:

Post a Comment