Our book club pick for this month was Michelle's Knights book titled "Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, A Life Reclaimed." As you may recall, she is one of the three girls that were kidnapped and held by Ariel Castro. She was held for a decade and treated in unimaginable ways throughout the ordeal.

A couple of years ago I read "A Stolen Life," which is the Jaycee Dugard story. She was kidnapped at age 10 and held captive and abused for 18 years. Her book was a little challenging to read because of all she had been through. But I found the Michelle Knight book even more difficult to get through emotionally. I like to do some reading before bed each night and did that with this book. Big mistake! I ended up staying awake half the night thinking about this horrible tragedy. I could not read it at night anymore.

This was a book that I had to get through quickly, so I took the time that I could (around work and other duties) to read it over a couple of days and get it behind me. It's disturbing and sad. Michelle really pours her experiences onto the paper, sharing so much of what she went through. There were times where I just cried reading the pages and imagining the hell this woman endured for a decade. Like ripping a bandage off, I had to get through it quickly!

This book, although disturbing and sad, is well worth reading. It is not only a story of abuse and tragedy, but it is a story of what helps someone survive a decade of abuse and tragedy. There were things that kept her going, such as the thought of her son, Gina being in the same room as her and each of them providing support to one another, and her journaling. There is so much research that points to the fact that journaling can help people through difficult times, and this to me was a good example. She was given the opportunity to journal and I think it was one of the things that helped her throughout the ordeal.

Reading a range of books gives us a better understanding of the world we live in. Even if those aspects are sad and tragic. I give this book two thumbs up. I appreciate that Michelle opened herself up to share her tragic experiences with the world. That alone makes it worth reading!