Appreciating Angels: Sarah’s Story REVIEWS

I’ve never read anything like this, thank heaven for the publication of Appreciating Angels, Sarah’s Story. With brutal honesty Sally conveys the truth about Sarah’s teenage and student life.

Parts of which I’m sure many will relate to on one level or another. This is a lesson in forgiveness and letting go.

Appreciating Angels has had a profound effect on me, drawing up emotions and memories. It has simultaneously brought a lump to my throat and filled my heart to overflowing.

This book will reach many people – parents, daughters, sons, friends – listen and watch those around you who may be crying out for warmth, a hug
and understanding – we can all learn to be Angels to one another as Sarah so beautifully shows us.

I was mesmerized for six hours – pulled through a back-to-front anorex-preneurial universe, the disastrous result of an innocent under-age night-club gate-crashing outing, by the clever story loops and authentic dialogue.
The biography of Sarahs Story will make a fantastic case-study for social-workers and anthropologists studying attitudes to sex, rape and body image.
Sally, thanks for writing “Sarah’s Story”

Sally – thank you for your review. That means the world to me. I do genuinally belive that everything happens for a reason and everybody we meet as we chose to before this incarnation, and because of this in many ways bad things dont happen – just necessary things to develop our souls journey. Thank you for reading. Sx

What an amazing book Appreciating Angels is! Sarah’s often graphic description of events really made her book a page turner! Sallys book telling Sarah’s story has really inspired me to go out there and make my own dreams come true!

This morning I sat down with a cup of tea, with the plan to scan through this book, to see if it was something I could promote, through my PR and marketing and publishing experience.

Five minutes later I had moved into the living room onto the sofa, two hours later ( still not having put it down) I took the book to the garage and read more whilst I waited for a lift home, 35 minutes later I finished the book ! I just couldnt put it down!

A phrase, “a reason, season or a lifetime”, is one which I use frequently, and plays through the story … I love the way that the author completes the book with the karmic paragraphs on the other characters. I totally understood and related to the 80’s lifestyle in a way I can engage with.

I do hope your book achieves the result you require, it is a wonderful insight to a journey many of us won’t travel.

Lizzi

Thank you Lizzie and Pre for your reviews of Appreciating Angels and your kind remarks. I hope that Angels will reach people for a multitude of reasons, from exploring female relationships, understanding the role of a mother or perhaps questioning that role to an insignht into self harming, anorexia and bulimia which are often taboo topics. Life really is 1% what happens and 99% how we choose to deal with it and I hope Angels explains to the reader that, as Sarah was taught by Susanah – Anything and Everything is possible. Thanks for your comments Sx

This book was so powerful to read I had to stand up while reading it. I was on a flight to Chicago and I found it so moving, so honest, so real, and so sad that I went to the back of the aeroplane crying my eyes out. I have led a sheltered life, I have never knowingly come into contact with anyone who has experienced the challenges Sarahs has had and survived such pain. You have given me an education and the ability to me more empathetic and understanding when people appear to be destructive, yet it is them-self they are trying to destroy. Congratulations on such a compelling book.

Penny – thank you so much or your comments. I am sorry to have made you cry. One thing I hope the book does is make humans look deeper into the way we all are, and realise that everyone has a story to tell. Each and everyone of us are the centre of our own drama, but its important to remember that we are playing a part that we scripted before we incarnated, and therefore, there are no chance meeting and everything is for a reason, season or lifetime. There is also no bad experience, only necessary ones, and if we can hold onto that thought when things seemingly go wrong, we all may understand our own destiny a little better. If Appreciating Angels it makes anyone reach out to another person and give them a hug if they feel the person needs it, for whatever reason, the book has done its job. Thank you for reading Penny. I am a great fan of all your have achieved through bringing people together through social media and indeed the part you are playing in this lifetime is pivotol to many peoples lives and many people will meet you for a reason.

This book was very open and honest, I felt very emotional towards sarah.I beleive things happen for a reason and although very traumatic I am sure sarah has now become a stronger and better person. The book was very open and what I got most out of this was how we as parents are very important and influential to our children, they are here to be loved.

I believe in life that everything happens for a reason and the strength of your mind (being positive) is what gets you through all that comes to you in life. This book touched me. It was dramatic yet heart warming and every page I read edged me on to read more… it was capturing. It told of love, hate and intemacy everthing everyone feels in their lives. I dont believe in hate… hate is such a strong word and this story shows how strong Sarah was at just picking up and getting on with things and never hating anyone for what happened – this makes me admire her strength, positiveness and belief in that everything truely does happen for a reason, for we would’nt be who we are for all the things that happen to us in life, be them the hardest and sadest things to get through.

Thank you to Sandy and to Kim for your reviews. I hope the book demonstrates that whatever life throws at us (bearing in mind we preordained what would unfold in our life with our soul group before entering the incarnation here on earth) we have, everyone of us, got what it takes to learn and grow as a soul. Hate is a negative emotion. Whatever we give out comes back to us threefold so indulging in this negative emotion will only attract more negativity which in turn will only spiral downwards. By sending only love and understanding will only in turn attract this, over the course of time. We meet the people we need to meet at the right time in our lives, this happens naturally without effort as there is no such thing as a chance meeting. Remember we agreed with our soul group that other souls would come to us to help and support or to provide the experience we wanted to be provided with – and not all of these may be good experiences – only necessary ones. Love to you both, thanks for reading and making time to review.

Appearing Angels is incredibly easy to read, but this doesn’t mean that it is an easy read. The author deals with subjects that for many sheltered middle Englanders are the stuff of nightmares: a violent teenage gang rape, anorexia, difficult parent-daughter relationships, bulimia, alcoholism and drugs. That Sarah is still here to tell the tale is testament to her sheer strength of character.

From the illicit girls night out that unravelled so drastically the book moves quickly through her teenage life and despite it dealing quite explicitly with some harrowing subjects, I just couldn’t put it down. Sarah has threaded the ‘angels’ in her life beautifully through this book and it is this element which stops this feeling like misery-lit and turns it into quite something else. Twenty-four hours on from finishing the book I’m still thinking about it and the questions the book raises.

It’s a brave book. There are plenty of scenes which don’t paint Sarah in a flattering light – far from it. And yet through Sally Asling has told, what feels like, a very balanced story. I also don’t feel a sense of “poor me” which you so often get from books of this genre. And frankly, Sarah would be entitled to take more than a little tea and sympathy, she has had a tough life.

Appreciating Angels: Sarahs Story is absolutely compelling, thought provoking, harrowing and encouraging all in one. Well worth a read

Sarah is one brave lady, to tell her story as it.
Appreciating Angels is certainly an inspiration read for all.
Sarah’s story raises questions on taboo subjects which many people are too afraid to be open and frank about.
Anyone who has experienced similar situations can empathized and Sarahs story gives them courage to express themselves and not to be afraid.
Appreciating Angels, Sarahs Story is well worth the read.
People are always too quick to judge than understand, and Sarah’s Story is harrowing but also encouraging to othere

Well worth a read

Superb story.

I started reading Appreciating Angels one Saturday morning and I just couldn’t put it down. The weekend’s chores just had to wait. I can’t believe anyone can go through all of this and come out sane, not least being able to write about it so graphically, honestly and compassionately.

I’d love to get this in front of my book club and they would be thrilled to have the author turn up too.

Louise, thank you for your review – Iam sorry the chores got neglected! I would be delighted for you to share it with your book club – hopefully we are going to a big print run in the next week or so, if you let me know how many copies I can lend to your book group and I would be delighted to lend you the books and then to come and chat to your book club. At this stage all comments are critical and so is chatting to people and finding out what resignates with them about the book. e-mail me at sally@appreciatingangels.com anytime Love Sx

I loved this. I read the first few sentences quickly and then got so hooked I couldn’t stop until I had reached the end. As I was reading, I thought, wow – what a voice this person has and what beautiful sentiments are pouring out here. Angel reflections going on. I highly recommend reading this work. It jolted me to remember that we are here for a wisp of time and we are all players on a spectacular stage with all of our parts intertwined. Gorgeous work. Congratulations.

I had this review from a gentleman on Authonomy. I wanted to share this here:

Dear Sally,

I finished this story of Sarah’s life and realized that the whole journey, with all its wrong turnings and hopeless seeking, was a search for real love with the physical touch of caring. At fourteen Sarah had already realized she wasn’t going to get what she needed at home, so she set out on this perilous attempt to gain what could fill the void in her life.

First, it is amazing to me that Sarah survived the search physically, mentally, and emotionally; and this is where her angels came at just the right time to turn things a bit and give her some space to breathe and try another path.

Second, I can hardly believe the courage and big-heartedness the Sarah shows by sharing her pain and journey with others who might benefit from this life-story. As a counselor in a high school and later with adults, I have worked with young women and teens who have gone through rape, and I know some of the suffering it takes to tell just one person about this horrific experience. I honor you for telling Sarah’s Story, warts and all.

One of the saddest sentences in Sarah’s story is this ” . . .nothing to do or go home for after school. No hugs.” It tells of such a devastating lack in some of our families. And then when Sarah came home briefly at one point her mother said, ” . . . try to return to the little ’sunshine Sarah’ you once were.” There was no understanding, no attempt to find out what had been happening in her daughter’s life . . . no hugs, again. No real love.

One of the wisest thoughts in your story is this “I have always believed that we meet people for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I also believe there is no such thing as a chance meeting.” This has certainly been my experience.

Sarah’s talk with JJ at the end of her story has much wisdom. “I think our souls go on and on learning until we have learnt enough.” And then “JJ was right, there were angels walking with me.”

Everyone should be so blessed to have a Susannah in their lives. It would eliminate many psychologists and most pill-prescribing psychiatrists.

I feel your writing is clean and tight in most places and you have avoided the trap of writing drenched in emotion. The feelings are there, but they are not blotting out the action necessary to tell the story.

I believe there is a definite place for this book in the publishing world because there is an audience for this truth of yours.

I am unreservedly backing this book and wish you great success with it. It is a story that needs to get out there to our vulnerable teens.

Ancient Reader

Dear Sally,

Just finished reading your book Appreciating Angels which hits home for alot of people out there. Alot of people can relate to her story and have been suffering in silence. I am glad that through you, there is an angel to speak for those who are cannot speak out and have been suffering in silence through the many bad things that they have faced in their lives. I am one who definately needed an Angel in my life and thank God for you. I love the book and would hope for more to come soon. Much Love.x

Thanks Barbara. I hope the book will give people the confidence to know they CAN change their life around and can overcome adversity. Life is only 1% what happens to you and really is 99% how you deal with it.
Wishing you lots of luck. Sally x

A totally brave and completely courageous story.

I think there will be many people who know sarah or someone like sarah who did not realise at the time what awful experiences she had. They may have noticed a change in behaviour and not known why. They may now ‘reprimand’ themselves for not realising that she needed help and comfort. This book will help people to spot the signs of abuse in many forms and if it prompts just one reader to help a fellow human being, it is worth it. It has made me think about the ‘angels’ I have met in my own life and also provoked me to think if I may have been an ‘angel’ for anyone along the way.

Well done sally for putting this into print. I am currently sharing and promoting your book to so many people. You truly deserve recognition for what you have done.

Melinda xx

I loved this. I read the first few sentences quickly and then got so hooked I couldn t stop until I had reached the end. As I was reading, I thought, wow what a voice this person has and what beautiful sentiments are pouring out here. Angel reflections going on. I highly recommend reading this work. It jolted me to remember that we are here for a wisp of time and we are all players on a spectacular stage with all of our parts intertwined. Gorgeous work. Congratulations. –S.Pearle