REVIEW- Wishing for Someday Soon by Tiffany King

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION

Seventeen year old Katelyn Richards is a stronger person than anyone will ever know, and that is just the way she wants it. Behind her normal facade lies the reality of a broken home life. Thanks to her abusive mother, a string of deadbeat stepfathers, and an unsympathetic system, Katelyn has learned that the only one she can count on is herself. Her life’s mission has become to shield her nine year old brother, Kevin, and to give him the future that they both wish for. A life with no more abuse, no worries about where their next meal will come from, and no more wondering if they will have a roof over their heads.

When her mother moves them again, this time to a small town in Montana, Katelyn’s resolve is shaken when she meets Max, a cute boy from her new school, who gets a glimpse into her real world. Max slowly manages to break through Katelyn’s wall of distrust, stirring up feelings she never saw coming. Now with her world more complicated than she ever intended, Katelyn struggles with the decision to follow her heart into the arms of the first boy she has ever loved. A decision that could risk the promise she made to protect Kevin, and to give them the ‘someday soon’ that is so close within their grasp

“When I was younger, I always thought of life like chapters in a book. I never knew what each turn of the page would bring, but always hoped for something better and happier.”-Katelyn

That is how Wishing for Someday Soon opens. It only took two sentences for me to know I would love this book.  I feel like I need to give a little background info about myself in order to write this review how I want to.

Growing up in my house was not pleasant. My childhood was no where near as severe as Katelyn and Kevin’s. Where they dealt with physical abuse, and a mother who was obviously sick in the head; we dealt more with verbal abuse and neglect, with parents who put their booze, drugs, and partying first. Guys, I talk about it sometimes. I mention various stories in comments on blogs. I feel a little shaky actually discussing it here on my book blog honestly. Joking around and telling funny drunken stories are one thing, but none of what I mention in this review will be funny. I still have a distant relationship with my parents and so does my younger brother. It’s a strained one though. It’s like a cracked sheet of hovering glass between us, one wrong move and it shatters all over again. It’s a relationship I maintain, for the simple purpose that it’s less drama than the alternative. I know, this is supposed to be a review of a book, not a life dumping confession. I just wanted you all to get a feel of exactly why this book touched me so much.

“The only thing she and I have in common, except for the obvious mother-daughter thing, was a deep love of reading”- Katelyn <---- THIS. I want to bottle this up, I have never in my life come across a quote that describes my mother-daughter relationship so well. We will never see eye to eye on, well anything really, but my love of reading stems from her.

Katelyn’s mother makes mine look like a saint. She has some serious issues. Her verbal abuse of Katelyn was painful to read. The physical was too, but the verbal is what brought up the worst for me. Some of the things she said... I have had heard the same words thrown my way for no apparent reason. Unlike Katelyn’s mother, mine was always drunk when this happened, but at the end of the day, there is never a good excuse. So when Katelyn says she prefers the verbal abuse, that it’s not all bad... wow, I burst into tears. Because I know how bad that is… so I can’t imagine welcoming that over something else. I seriously hurt's my heart to think about it.

So many things, little things, reminded me of growing up. Katelyn has to wait hand and foot on her mother. Clean, cook, take care of her brother, empty the ashtray. *sigh* Did I mention how hard this book was for me to read? I wanted to put it down at points, I could barely see the words, but I couldn’t. I had to keep reading.

Semi settled into a trailer park, Katelyn continues on, taking care of her brother, trying not to get attached to anyone knowing it’s only a matter of time before they up and leave again.  It doesn’t work out for her though, because in steps Max. Gosh I loved Max and his family. Hell, practically the whole town. The support system Katelyn and Kevin have needed all their lives. Some would say it’s unrealistic how everyone steps up and is so kind to help, but guys, I’ve witnessed this first hand. Don’t be grossed out now, but my mother would only buy me feminine supplies when she was feeling generous. I was told to roll up paper towels. My friend’s mom across the street would buy me a box every month and have it waiting for me. Its little things like this I’m forever grateful for. It doesn’t seem like much, but it meant the world to me. So watching everyone step up to lend a helping hand to these two kids, * more tears and funny looks from my husband*

This story is so beautiful yet so sad. Regardless of what your background is, Wishing for Someday Soon will break your heart and then put it back together. Of all the books I’ve read, none have ever hit me as personally as this one. So perfectly written and authentic. Katelyn’s thoughts = my thoughts. Her struggle with her mother. “I hate her, I hate her, I hate her… but she’s my mother”  I still to this day struggle. I look at my own daughter and I feel my love well up, and know that how I feel, was never how she felt. It’s hard, so very hard. You’re in between what you do feel and what you should and shouldn’t feel. Katelyn was so real to me, because at times, she was me. The only difference now is that I’m not wishing anymore. I already have my someday. I hope that others will find theirs as well. 

I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book. My cheeks are wet with tears just writing this.  I’m going to leave you with a few quotes. I don’t usually drop quotes at the bottom of my reviews, but I highlighted so many that I wanted to share.

“Each book I read opened up a whole new world for me. It didn’t matter that we were poor, had no food or no place to sleep. If the story was good enough, I could completely submerge myself into the pages, letting the outside world fade away.”-Katelyn

“I made sure to scoop up a dozen packages of Top O’ Ramen soup for Kevin and me. At twenty cents a package, it was a cheap staple item for us”-Katelyn

“I think it’s ironic how people that want children so badly are denied, but those that should have never been able to reproduce have no problem doing it”-Katelyn


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