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celjla212's review against another edition
2.0
I've read several "cancer books" before, but in this book I felt like the main character's illness was not the device driving the plot...which is pretty odd because that is what the synopsis made the book seem all about. There are so many extra things going on that you actually get sidetracked when it comes to Jennifer's cancer, and this is where things start to fall apart.
It's so hard to judge books like this for me...well, hard to judge the characters, at least. Who can say what a character with cancer is feeling is right or wrong, if they haven't been there themselves? We see Jennifer, 34 years old, dying of breast cancer at the age of 34. Her husband is raising her 1 and 3 year old children while trying to hold down a law practice. Jennifer is at a facility that seems to be kind of, for lack of a better term, a waiting room for death. Yes, the patients are receiving the newest experimental drugs, but they wouldn't be there doing that if they had any other hope. Jen fluctuates between periods of accepting her impending death, and painfully lamenting the fact that she won't be there to see her children grow up. I would assume this is all normal.
What aggravated me about Jennifer is that she makes exceedingly bad choices. She chooses to keep her mouth shut when her sister hurls insults at her again and again. She chooses to put herself in situations where she is with other men. Maybe, as Jennifer herself mentioned, she needed to feel validated since she wasn't getting that kind of attention from her husband.
SPOILERS BELOW!
The end was OK, and I actually liked that it was open to interpretation. But by the time I finished the book I was way too mad at what had happened to Jennifer to say that I enjoyed the novel overall.
It's so hard to judge books like this for me...well, hard to judge the characters, at least. Who can say what a character with cancer is feeling is right or wrong, if they haven't been there themselves? We see Jennifer, 34 years old, dying of breast cancer at the age of 34. Her husband is raising her 1 and 3 year old children while trying to hold down a law practice. Jennifer is at a facility that seems to be kind of, for lack of a better term, a waiting room for death. Yes, the patients are receiving the newest experimental drugs, but they wouldn't be there doing that if they had any other hope. Jen fluctuates between periods of accepting her impending death, and painfully lamenting the fact that she won't be there to see her children grow up. I would assume this is all normal.
What aggravated me about Jennifer is that she makes exceedingly bad choices. She chooses to keep her mouth shut when her sister hurls insults at her again and again. She chooses to put herself in situations where she is with other men. Maybe, as Jennifer herself mentioned, she needed to feel validated since she wasn't getting that kind of attention from her husband.
SPOILERS BELOW!
Spoiler
What was absolutely NOT OKAY with me was the fact that Jennifer was eventually and somewhat out of nowhere assaulted by an ex boyfriend, and everyone, including her husband, hinted or said to her face that she brought it upon herself. They also did not call any authorities or take a report until like 3 days later. As a matter of fact, everyone thought she was lying. And Jennifer, who either thought she deserved what happened to her or was very out of it after suffering her assault, didn't really speak up for herself. All of this happening in the second part of the book basically ruined it for me.The end was OK, and I actually liked that it was open to interpretation. But by the time I finished the book I was way too mad at what had happened to Jennifer to say that I enjoyed the novel overall.
beyondevak's review against another edition
5.0
In the Mirror by Kaira Rouda was such an incredible book and yet it was even more than that. It was a moving read. It was hard and real and raw and honest. It was life and death and life all over again.
My Thoughts:
I cannot imagine being Jennifer. What she had to face, what she had to deal with... But her strength, her beauty, and her resolve were remarkable. In the end, she was at that affirming and necessary place of acceptance. I loved that.
Dearest Henry... My heart literally aches for this wonderful man. I understood him so well. He showed himself to be such a lovely man of worth.
Thank heavens for Ralph! He was a dose of goodness. (Insert sniffle and sigh here.) Also, his wife's words to Jennifer as she sat on her throne...well, they were absolutely perfect. Just marvelously right!
Jennifer's family and friends were quite colorful. They had their own stories to tell as well. I'm glad Rouda uncovered their issues. It made the reading experience more authentic somehow. I learned a lot from seeing them.
Summary:
There were so many facets to this beautiful story. I felt that it dealt with a difficult subject in such a graceful way. Rouda produced a well-written, well thought out book that was filled with the pretty and not-so-pretty issues that go along with a terminal diagnosis.
This book will make you think, laugh, cry, feel, and come to a personal truth about what really matters regarding life and love.
Outstanding work!
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Bookshelf Worthy: Yes
Content: Clean, Mature
Audience: YA-A
Book Club Spotlight Feature Recommended: Yes
Extras: Discussion topics and questions
Other: Dealing with cancer of any type is something that affects not just the person who has it, but it also affects their loved ones and extended circle as well. Many strange and unfamiliar emotions and feelings are visited from the time the diagnosis is given all the way forward. One can really begin to see perhaps what they should have already been able to see or rather what was already there in each life, including his or her own.
HEA: ? (Read it and you tell me.)
My Thoughts:
I cannot imagine being Jennifer. What she had to face, what she had to deal with... But her strength, her beauty, and her resolve were remarkable. In the end, she was at that affirming and necessary place of acceptance. I loved that.
Dearest Henry... My heart literally aches for this wonderful man. I understood him so well. He showed himself to be such a lovely man of worth.
Thank heavens for Ralph! He was a dose of goodness. (Insert sniffle and sigh here.) Also, his wife's words to Jennifer as she sat on her throne...well, they were absolutely perfect. Just marvelously right!
Jennifer's family and friends were quite colorful. They had their own stories to tell as well. I'm glad Rouda uncovered their issues. It made the reading experience more authentic somehow. I learned a lot from seeing them.
Summary:
There were so many facets to this beautiful story. I felt that it dealt with a difficult subject in such a graceful way. Rouda produced a well-written, well thought out book that was filled with the pretty and not-so-pretty issues that go along with a terminal diagnosis.
This book will make you think, laugh, cry, feel, and come to a personal truth about what really matters regarding life and love.
Outstanding work!
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Bookshelf Worthy: Yes
Content: Clean, Mature
Audience: YA-A
Book Club Spotlight Feature Recommended: Yes
Extras: Discussion topics and questions
Other: Dealing with cancer of any type is something that affects not just the person who has it, but it also affects their loved ones and extended circle as well. Many strange and unfamiliar emotions and feelings are visited from the time the diagnosis is given all the way forward. One can really begin to see perhaps what they should have already been able to see or rather what was already there in each life, including his or her own.
HEA: ? (Read it and you tell me.)
judithdcollins's review against another edition
Kaira Rouda does a superior job with an emotionally charged subject, handling it with delicacy and sensitivity.
A beautifully written novel of one woman's loves; both past and present. Would highly recommend IN THE MIRROR to those families experiencing cancer, or other illnesses, as would be able to relate to the treatments, struggles, turmoil, and emotions.
When you look at the front cover of IN THE MIRROR, you see a woman looking in her rear view mirror, which hints the character would be looking back. The cover is very fitting for Jennifer’s look at her past life, as she is presented with the ending of her present life.
While reading, IN THE MIRROR, my mom, age 82, very fit and young-looking, was undergoing her first chemo treatment (mixture of eight pills a day, and chemo drip every two weeks), for colon and secondary liver cancer.
While I was reading about this young mother and her daily struggles with cancer, and Ralph the other strong character in the book, I was thinking how insightful and therapeutic, to learn what is actually going on inside the cancer’s victim’s mind.
Jennifer is a young wife and mother, dying with an aggressive form of breast cancer. While in Shady Valley (hospice center) she is receiving therapy to help make her life as comfortable as possible, and develops a close strong friendship with another patient, Ralph. I loved their relationship as so endearing-- as they face their illness with a strong bond, with intense mixture of love, pain, hurt, sarcasm, and humor.
The first part of the book is preparing and planning for a life party (before the funeral) to celebrate her life with her family and friends, as she grasps for every bit of life she can.
Jennifer feels distant from her husband Henry, and her family. Her former boyfriend, Alex comes back into the picture and she gets swept away in this relationship, as it feels fresh and allows her to escape from her sad sick life. Henry does not accept this friendship, and Jennifer is torn with her feelings between her husband and her ex-boyfriend.
While she is fighting for a cure, trying to keep her business afloat, spending time with her family and kids, fighting with her sister, some other crazy family members, and maintain her sanity – her romantic relationship with Alex gets a little out of hand; however, changes the way Henry sees his sick wife.
Loved the funny quirky warnings as introduction for each chapter. The characters (Pastor Barker was full of inspiring words) were well developed, and was immediately drawn into the engaging bittersweet emotional story, as my mom was taken back to the hospital with heart issues on her third day of treatment, and is currently still in the hospital undergoing a number of tests to determine if her heart can take this strong toxic medication.
While at the hospital, reading this emotionally-packed story, found it quite comforting when dealing with intimate feelings, thought processes, and sadness with some really funny humorous lines, we need when trying to deal, or make sense of life’s curve balls.
This incredible book of hope and regret, demonstrates how patients sometimes feel more comfortable around friends or strangers, versus their family members.
As like my mom, the main character tries to appear strong so as not to worry the family and holds a lot of emotion inward. My dad also has stage one leukemia, complaining mom is spending more time alone with her thoughts in another room. We all are guilty of looking at an illness or the disease and forget the real person behind the disease.
IN THE MIRROR was an inspiring novel and realistic look at how important it is to the patient to feel good about oneself and develop independent strong relationships.
This book has helped me with the way I approach her care with perspective, allowing her to spend more time talking about her childhood, teen years, and her earlier life -- the good memories and times, versus focusing on her current treatment and the future.
Looking forward to reading more from this author--have already purchased HERE, HOME, HOPE!
JDCMustReadBooks
A special thank you to Real You Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
A beautifully written novel of one woman's loves; both past and present. Would highly recommend IN THE MIRROR to those families experiencing cancer, or other illnesses, as would be able to relate to the treatments, struggles, turmoil, and emotions.
When you look at the front cover of IN THE MIRROR, you see a woman looking in her rear view mirror, which hints the character would be looking back. The cover is very fitting for Jennifer’s look at her past life, as she is presented with the ending of her present life.
While reading, IN THE MIRROR, my mom, age 82, very fit and young-looking, was undergoing her first chemo treatment (mixture of eight pills a day, and chemo drip every two weeks), for colon and secondary liver cancer.
While I was reading about this young mother and her daily struggles with cancer, and Ralph the other strong character in the book, I was thinking how insightful and therapeutic, to learn what is actually going on inside the cancer’s victim’s mind.
Jennifer is a young wife and mother, dying with an aggressive form of breast cancer. While in Shady Valley (hospice center) she is receiving therapy to help make her life as comfortable as possible, and develops a close strong friendship with another patient, Ralph. I loved their relationship as so endearing-- as they face their illness with a strong bond, with intense mixture of love, pain, hurt, sarcasm, and humor.
The first part of the book is preparing and planning for a life party (before the funeral) to celebrate her life with her family and friends, as she grasps for every bit of life she can.
Jennifer feels distant from her husband Henry, and her family. Her former boyfriend, Alex comes back into the picture and she gets swept away in this relationship, as it feels fresh and allows her to escape from her sad sick life. Henry does not accept this friendship, and Jennifer is torn with her feelings between her husband and her ex-boyfriend.
While she is fighting for a cure, trying to keep her business afloat, spending time with her family and kids, fighting with her sister, some other crazy family members, and maintain her sanity – her romantic relationship with Alex gets a little out of hand; however, changes the way Henry sees his sick wife.
Loved the funny quirky warnings as introduction for each chapter. The characters (Pastor Barker was full of inspiring words) were well developed, and was immediately drawn into the engaging bittersweet emotional story, as my mom was taken back to the hospital with heart issues on her third day of treatment, and is currently still in the hospital undergoing a number of tests to determine if her heart can take this strong toxic medication.
While at the hospital, reading this emotionally-packed story, found it quite comforting when dealing with intimate feelings, thought processes, and sadness with some really funny humorous lines, we need when trying to deal, or make sense of life’s curve balls.
This incredible book of hope and regret, demonstrates how patients sometimes feel more comfortable around friends or strangers, versus their family members.
As like my mom, the main character tries to appear strong so as not to worry the family and holds a lot of emotion inward. My dad also has stage one leukemia, complaining mom is spending more time alone with her thoughts in another room. We all are guilty of looking at an illness or the disease and forget the real person behind the disease.
IN THE MIRROR was an inspiring novel and realistic look at how important it is to the patient to feel good about oneself and develop independent strong relationships.
This book has helped me with the way I approach her care with perspective, allowing her to spend more time talking about her childhood, teen years, and her earlier life -- the good memories and times, versus focusing on her current treatment and the future.
Looking forward to reading more from this author--have already purchased HERE, HOME, HOPE!
JDCMustReadBooks
A special thank you to Real You Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
kdurham2's review against another edition
4.0
Jennifer Benson was an easy character to fall in love with and I completely loved her story. I was concerned that with her terminal diagnosis and her living in a hospital of sorts that this book would be super sad and somewhat stagnant as the location of the story doesn't really change, but I was completely wrong. It was on the sad side, but not too much. I think the author did a great job of balancing the severity of the illness and her surroundings with the entertaining guests who visit her and bring laughter and drama into her hospital room.
Although I am not a fan of hanging endings, I kind of felt like it was right with this one. I enjoyed not knowing what happened with Jennifer and I may have changed my mind a few times as to how I would end it!
Although I am not a fan of hanging endings, I kind of felt like it was right with this one. I enjoyed not knowing what happened with Jennifer and I may have changed my mind a few times as to how I would end it!
kle105's review
3.0
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The story of Jennifer a cancer patient confined to a hospital bed undergoing experimental treatment for cancer she discovered after giving birth to her son. After 15 months of treatment there is nothing left to do but think, why me? Amidst visits from friends and families Jennifer still feels alone. When a old boyfriend returns to town she evaluates her life and what it would have been. Though the subject matter is emotional I felt somewhat detached from this story. I wanted a deeper inner struggle and not a self-centered, person looking for a little romance from someone other than her husband. Having lost people close to me to Cancer I know it can take a toll on the family but it can also bring the family closer together. I really enjoyed the husband Henry's character but again most of it was very surface level. I really wish this had gotten a little deeper and grittier so it was just ok for me.
momwithareadingproblem's review
5.0
In the Mirror by [a:Kaira Rouda|1105560|Kaira Rouda|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1299806086p2/1105560.jpg] tore my heart to pieces! This story follows Jennifer Benson, a daughter, wife, mother who at the age of 34 is dying of an aggressive form of breast cancer. It begins with Jennifer meeting with her terminal friend Ralph who lives with her at Shady Valley (a hospice center). They are discussing, rather morbidly, her need for a party. This party is like a funeral before death. Jennifer wants to meet with the people who meant something to her before she dies and give them a true memory of her, instead of them seeing her in a casket.
The characters of this story are wonderfully written. Jennifer is the main character and the story is told from her POV. I was amazed at the depth the author went into when describing everything that Jennifer goes through. She took us through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance). And just like in real life, these stages don't necessarily come in order and the author showed that really well. Her husband Henry is just amazingly heartbreaking! At the beginning of the story we see a detached husband who is struggling to keep his family together and at the end he's back to being the husband Jennifer remembers who kisses her just because.
The plot of this story is really quite simple. It's a reflection of Jennifer's life and how she is coping with her diagnosis of death. She chooses to focus on her good memories instead of the bad ones when remembering her past which leads to a little trouble with her ex Alex (nothing she and Henry can't handle). There were a few moments were I couldn't help but chuckle (gallows humor and the beginning of each chapter started with a drug warning label) It's truly a heart-wrenching story as Jennifer asks the questions no one wants to ask. Who will raise her kids with Henry? Will they remember her? Will Henry fall in love with another woman, a younger healthy version of herself?
As a young wife and mother myself reading certain parts of this book proved to be too much. I sobbed, wondering how my own family would handle this situation. If you or someone you love has dealt with cancer, then you will understand Jennifer's troubles all too well. Realistically written, I wouldn't doubt that the author herself has seen this firsthand. If you enjoy realistic, women's literature then I highly suggest you pick up this novel. It's sweet, it will make you cry, but it's so worth it!!
I received an eARC from the publishers at Real You via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
thebevinsclan's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed In The Mirror. Although the main character, Jenn. Has cancer and it is a huge part of the book, there are other aspects happening so it is not a depressing book. It had a major plot twist I was not expecting based on the synopsis of the book, and I am glad things turned out as they did. The harsh reality of someone, a young mother, having cancer and having to live in a home is just devastating because I am sure it is a horrible reality for many. I enjoyed the realness Kaira Rouda wrote about from the characters to the plot. I would recommend this book.
nickieandremus's review against another edition
3.0
This book will make you laugh and make you cry. You may even see a little bit of yourself in Jenn. Jenn is battling breast cancer and decides to plan a party to celebrate her life. In the midst of the planning, the treatments, and trying to keep some semblance of family with her husband and two children, her ex-boyfriend comes back to town and pays her a visit. It prompts the question.... if you had a chance for a do-over, would you keep the same husband or go back to a former love? This book is so gripping and emotional I wasn't able to put it down. Definitely a must-read!
alainachristinecrosby's review against another edition
4.0
Just to preface, since the synopsis could come off this way, if you’re looking for something akin to Nicholas Sparks or some fun, but poignant Chick Lit, this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. Of course, if you’re not afraid of a reality or aren’t triggered by cancer, death, manipulation, or abuse, then definitely stick around!
I just had to add in that exclamation point to lighten up that otherwise possibly wary sentence because it really is an enjoyable book. While it deals with some heavy subjects, it’s a quick read and one that keeps you thinking after you’ve put it down. In all honestly, I found myself thinking about it pretty long after I put it down: as a young mother of a two-year-old with another on the way and prominent people in my life with the same names as several of the characters, I couldn’t help but try to put myself in Jennifer’s position and think about how I’d react. I loved that the love triangle wasn’t at all what it seemed even if it played with the conventions of that trope (and that it forces you out of that comfort zone and into your own mind); that it explored the idea that cancer patients can and do go through a form of PTSD (even if it’s frustrating to the reader, as it would be to the family and friends involved); and that it’s okay to leave things, relationship wise, as a work in progress and not force the characters (or yourself) into some contrived happily-ever-after. Even when life’s not perfect (as it never is), happiness can be found within yourself and you’ll be amazed with the strength you find along the way.
I just had to add in that exclamation point to lighten up that otherwise possibly wary sentence because it really is an enjoyable book. While it deals with some heavy subjects, it’s a quick read and one that keeps you thinking after you’ve put it down. In all honestly, I found myself thinking about it pretty long after I put it down: as a young mother of a two-year-old with another on the way and prominent people in my life with the same names as several of the characters, I couldn’t help but try to put myself in Jennifer’s position and think about how I’d react. I loved that the love triangle wasn’t at all what it seemed even if it played with the conventions of that trope (and that it forces you out of that comfort zone and into your own mind); that it explored the idea that cancer patients can and do go through a form of PTSD (even if it’s frustrating to the reader, as it would be to the family and friends involved); and that it’s okay to leave things, relationship wise, as a work in progress and not force the characters (or yourself) into some contrived happily-ever-after. Even when life’s not perfect (as it never is), happiness can be found within yourself and you’ll be amazed with the strength you find along the way.
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