Review: Familiar from life...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 21, 2014
Pashen and Valentina, two best friends who were more sisters than those bound by blood.  Coming up in different parts of the country to different situations only to be united and share that kindred bond called survival. They grew up in my era and went through things I saw with my very own eyes or experienced myself so I truly felt them.Pashen is exactly how her name sounds, passionate.  An old soul in a young body with more common sense than ten adults combined. If only her Mother who was as smart and as beautiful as she was had that kind of sense.Valentina had to face some hard truths and deal with things mostly internally because she was basically made to be grown before her time caring for a grieving father and her neices and nephews, not understanding why her sister didn't like her, and trying to being conflicted by her Mother leaving, all the while having to do what she had to do just so that they could all survive.Both girls were teased, picked on, and emotionally abused even by those who didn't know they were abusing them, and of course by those who wanted to cause them pain. BUT Pashen and Valentina were no punks, they gave what they got no matter how they felt on the inside, they didn't let being kicked keep them down, they kicked back, their inner embers continued to glow in the face of adversity, hardship and having to make hard decisions at a young age so that they could make it no matter what.They were each others back bones that helped one another stand tall and proud, encouraged, hugged, loved, cried, but kept each other going, like true soul sisters. This true to life full length story of love, sacrifice, loss, adversity, pain, heartache, betrayal, forgiveness and survival will make you laugh, shed a few tears and smile at how these young girls serve as role models even to adults by never giving up, never falling victim to circumstance, and surviving against all odds. I absolutely loved this story.I'm not going to tell it, but I am telling you to read it.Great Job yet again Mrs. Menchan and Mrs. Gabrielle, I'm looking forward to more about these two later in life.