I'm Still Here by Kathryn R. Biel Offers the Unexpected

I wasn't sure what I was going to find within the pages of Kathryn R. Biel's I'm Still Here.  Family issues, humor, a love story, drama, mystery....There were many promises in the book's description--but, did I'm Still Here deliver the story?  What was my review of I'm Still Here by Kathryn Biel?

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook for use in my review.  All opinions are my own.  Readers may enter to win a $30 Amazon Gift Card in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Quick Summary of I'm Still Here by Kathryn R. Biel.  It started out as an ordinary day for Esther Comely-Cox, if you consider simultaneously totaling your car, smashing a Ho Ho in your face and meeting a handsome doctor ordinary. Estranged from her family over her sister's mental illness and death, Esther can't help but feel alone. And when Esther hears the voice of her twin sister who committed suicide seven years ago, she begins to question her own sanity, leading her to wonder if anything is what it seems. Searching for answers, Esther must confront her past while looking towards a new future—one in which she is finally accepted. Through humor and heartbreak, Esther learns that blood does not mean family, that absence does not make the heart grow fonder and that silence can speak volumes.

I'm Still Here by Kathryn R. Biel Offers the Unexpected.  Family can be a touchy issue for me--and, although I was drawn to the description and the book's cover art, I was a little afraid that the subject matter would be too unsettling for me.  Once I began reading; however, I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.  Biel takes difficult subject matter and creates a story of humor, hope, and love.  There are unexpected twists that take the story into new directions and keep the reader engaged and interested.  It wasn't the dark story that I expected--it was, instead, a story of hope and life.

Biel's characters do not take themselves too seriously.  The main character, Esther, approaches life's ups and downs directly--with a little sarcasm and the expectation that if it can go wrong...it will go wrong--but, her sense of humor and her ability to roll with the punches make her a very strong character to which readers may identify and develop attachments.  As Esther moves through the story, the characters who surround her (and stay) also have the ability to smile at life and laugh at themselves when warranted.

Would I recommend I'm Still Here by Kathryn R. Biel?  I wanted Esther to be happy and find resolution to her problems (which changed as the book moved along).  I found myself saying, "Well, now what?" as life continued to wreak havoc on Esther--hoping for a happy ending.  If you enjoy a life story with ups, downs, twists, turns, love interests, mystery, and both laughter and tears--this book should be on your reading list.  It's not a deep, dark, story--but, one that sheds light on life, love, and hope.  I enjoyed the book and will look forward to more from author Kathyryn R. Biel.

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About the author:

Telling stories of resilient women, Kathryn Biel hails from upstate New York and is a spouse and mother of two wonderful and energetic kids. In between being Chief Home Officer and Director of Child Development of the Biel household, she works as a school-based physical therapist. She attended Boston University and received her doctorate in Physical Therapy from The Sage Colleges. After years of writing countless letters of medical necessity for wheelchairs, finding increasingly creative ways to encourage the government and insurance companies to fund her clients' needs, and writing entertaining annual Christmas letters, she decided to take a shot at writing the kind of novel that she likes to read. Her musings and rants can be found on her personal blog, Biel Blather (kathrynbiel.blogspot.com). She is the author of Good Intentions (2013) and Hold Her Down (2014). Please feel free to follow on Twitter (@KRBiel) or on Facebook (Kathryn R. Biel: Author)

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