A Few Minor Adjustments, by Cherie Kephart

Just a bit of a preface before I continue on with the review: hopefully I’m back for good and able to get back on track for the reviews. A divorce is on the horizon and so the past little while I just haven’t been able to commit myself emotionally or mentally to much of anything. I apologize wholeheartedly; I know there’s many authors still waiting for news of their books, and I promise you I am getting to them. I’m just working through some personal stuff in the meantime. Each and every one of you have been absolutely amazing with your patience–something I can’t thank everyone enough for. Life has a funny way of turning out, and hopefully it’s finally on the rise for me.

Now, without further ado, what everyone came here to actually see:

Memoir writing is a tricky thing. Oftentimes they have strange tones, which make them sound less sincere. They don’t always evoke the emotions that the author intends.

Cherie Kephart’s writing style was very much geared towards emotion. It didn’t feel like a memoir. The first person tone was well-done, and it was immersive for a reader. The pacing was excellently done. The story itself felt whole and complete—the reader got plenty of background information at the right times without a total info dump. Jumps in time we’re documented clearly and in a way that made sense; I never really felt jarred from the story or confused about where I was at.

As far as the emotion went, I liked the level it was conveyed on. The tone wasn’t asking the readers for pity—rather it was broadcasting a show of strength. It felt more like the author was saying: “hey, I’ve had a lot of stuff happen to me, but even in my darkest moments, I never gave up.” I think one advantage that the author had that many dont was a wonderful support system in the way of family and friends. Oftentimes when people take ill, those are the first to abandon them; they can’t ‘handle’ it; the ill person is making them miserable—I’ve seen and heard many examples. Surrounding yourself with good people is sometimes difficult, but something to certainly strive for.

Another thing this novel did was raise awareness for such a tricky illness. Especially one that never really seems to be such a big deal. Sure, everyone’s heard of it, but the disease itself is such a far cry from what people think it is. I was shocked myself when the root of the problem showed.

The book ended very well. It didn’t tarry on or drag out. I think the author got her point across and let it be. Endings are tricky, and something that can make or break a novel, but the author managed a very logical stopping point, both narratively and emotionally.