Peeking Between the Pages

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Book Review: What we Have by Amy Boesky & GIVEAWAY

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I think we all live on borrowed time in this life but for some it’s even more borrowed. Such is the case for Amy Boesky, author of What We Have: One Family’s Inspiring Story About Love, Loss, and Survival. For as long as Amy can remember her family has always lived with the threat of the big C word – cancer – hanging over their heads and hearts. What we Have is Amy Boesky’s memoir – a haunting look at what cancer can take from you yet keeping the faith that you will move on and survive.

At thirty-two, Amy feels that she has everything to live for – she’s finally met the man of her dreams, married him and made a home. She’s also landed her dream job yet always on the sidelines is the knowledge that she must have children soon if she’s going to have them or it will be too late. You see for Amy and all the women in their family, it is important that they have surgery to remove their ovaries by thirty-five years old to prevent the ovarian cancer that runs rampant in their family and kills all of the women (yes, all of them). One quote that struck me from Amy was…

‘That’s how it is for me, thinking about the future. Two different shapes. One holding time; the other escaping it. One suggesting fragility, confinement; the other, something transcendent. Turn it one way, you see an hourglass. Turn it the other way, and you see wings.’ (pg 3)

The women in Amy’s family have died young – most before the age of forty-five from cancer. This overshadows every decision and thought she has. She has planned from a girl just how her life would go – meet someone, have kids as soon as possible and have the surgery recommended by her doctor just as her sisters have done as well. All of this in the hopes of changing the course of tragedy that has gone before in their family.

Amy goes on though and has two girls, makes a home and continues to move on the best way she can but this fear of death has Amy cringing at everything. Is that a lump – what is that pain? Will I be there for my girls as they grow up? She and her sisters talk back and forth -their oldest sister Sara, already having had her ovaries out but Amy and Julie haven’t. This has always been a constant in their lives – this knowledge that surgery is the only way to prevent death. Then the hammer falls – their mother gets breast cancer – now what? Now they learn that breast and ovarian cancer are often related and that they don’t just carry the gene for one, but for both.

As times goes on the family learns that they are carriers of a breast/ovarian cancer gene. This changes things quite a bit for the girls. What will they decide now – how far will you go to prevent cancer? Where do you draw the line and just live your life? These are all issues that Amy has had to face and make decisions on. She handles her life with a grace and determination – she’s going to see her girls grow up, she’s going to be happy, and most of all she’s going to enjoy her life.

This memoir reads like a novel and definitely kept my interest although some parts did drag a bit for me. I didn’t really connect with anyone in the novel although my heart went out to all of them. My connection is more to this story as my family carries this gene as well. Some of the women in my family have gone forward with the surgeries they feel will keep them alive longer and others of us haven’t but it is always something that is never far from your thoughts.

At times this memoir is very difficult to read and more than once I was reaching for my tissue box but at the same time there are many hopeful moments like in the birth of new children and the hope of another tomorrow. What we Have is beautifully written in a very real way that takes you right into Amy’s life and has you feeling as though you are right there helping them deal with all that is happening to them. I think this book is well suited for those who may deal with having this gene run in their family and live with this fear as well as for anyone who just enjoys a heartfelt memoir that will tug at their heartstrings. This novel makes us sit back, realize what all our blessings are and to remember to live each and every day to the fullest.

I read What we Have by Amy Boesky for her book tour with TLC Book Tours. Be sure to check out all the other tour stops listed here for more thoughts on this wonderful memoir. You can also check out Amy Boesky’s website for more info on the book and Amy. What we Have can be purchased here in the US and here in Canada.


Disclosure: My copy of What we Have by Amy Boesky provided to me for review by TLC Book Tours and the publisher.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

If you just can’t wait though I have 1 copy of What we Have by Amy Boesky up for grabs courtesy of the publisher. To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries follow my blog. If you already do just let me know and I’ll pass the extra entry on to you.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Sunday, September 26/10. Good luck everyone!

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This one calls out to me since several loved ones have been lost to cancer. Please enter me…thanks Dar

    bibliophilebythese AT gmail DOT com

  2. Wow, what a cloud to live under. If I found out today I had those genes in my family, I would not hesitate to have them remove everything. No hesitation at all. One of my biggest fears is to not be around to see my kids grow up. Who needs those damn ovaries anyway?

  3. My sister-in-law just found out that she is a carrier, which means my two teenage nieces may also have the gene so this hits close to home.

    Please enter me.
    +2 Follower

  4. I am not sure if I could read this, as it sounds like it would inspire a lot of anxiety in me. It also sounds like it's a tremendously sad book. You did write a really lovely review on it though!

  5. My mom and sister both passed away at a young age so I think I would really like to read this one.
    joannelong74 AT gmail DOT com

  7. Wow, that sounds like a pretty heavy book. I cannot imagine what it would be like to live with that knowledge. I subscribe in Google Reader. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

  8. I also read this touching book, so no need to enter me in this great giveaway. I will post this in my blog's sidebar.

  13. I'd like a chance to read this book as sad as it would be and I couldn't even imagine being in amy's shoes. Thanks.

    unforgetable_dreamer_always(at)hotmail(dot)com

  15. This sounds lovely–all of that pain but clearly there is always hope since they women continue to have children.

    litandlifeATgmailDOTcom

  16. I would love to read this one, it sounds really good.

    I follow on gfc

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

  23. Great review, Darlene! My review of What We Have will go up this coming Tuesday. The book made a big impression on me–in part because I could relate to so much of what the author wrote about.

  24. I've got a lump in my throat just from reading your excellent review! After having just buried my mom last week, I don't think I could deal with a book like this right now. But, in a while I might pick it up from the library.

  25. Oh this sounds good! I would love to read this

    journey through books @ gmail.com

    and I am a follower +2

  31. I would love to read this, the story sounds very close to my family history as well.

    alongtheway at telus dot net

  33. I would like to be entered in the giveaway. Thank you.

    I'm an old follower.

    headlessfowl at jteers dot net

  36. Please enter me. Sounds so very good and informative.

    I'm already a follower.

    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

  43. This is a intense, heart-wrenching and amazing memoir I very much want to read. Please enter me in your giveaway.

    Thank you!
    ~ Amy
    Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

  46. I am very interested in this books, all the reviews I have read so far are very positive. Plus, in my family there are several people with breast cancer, one is surviving and the other has passed away.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  48. I lost both parents to cancer, so I know this book will hit deeply.
    Please enter me.
    I also follow your blog.
    pippirose59 at gmail dot com