READER REVIEWS

You should take Samantha’s journey (from the Forward to the revised edition)

…This is the story of a life on that harder road – hard even by the unusual and exacting standards of Samantha’s family. It begins with the false promise of a privileged Park Avenue childhood that becomes a Dickensian nightmare and includes a hair-raising sojourn in the Mexican jungle with a charismatic yet out-of-control father that even Joseph Conrad never imagined. It’s beauties – such as Samantha’s years as a wife and mother in the slums of Mexico City – are rare and unexpected interludes in a life whose contours are often troubling and terrifying. A child is lost – and ultimately an adult with motherly wisdom found. 

You should take Samantha’s journey.

— Fred Goodman, author of WHY LHASA DE SELA MATTERS

Captivating and Empowering!

The author begins her story sharing her life through the lens of a young child. I was immediately captivated by the visual detail and the way she openly shares about her pain and confusion that she experienced and internalized as a young girl.

She shares a vivid account of growing up in a tiny one bedroom apartment in NYC with her mother, a struggling actress, and her sister, Gaby. After Samantha falls out of the window of the apartment, her mother eventually loses custody of her daughters and is committed to a mental hospital. The girls are welcomed to live with a family friend.

At first it seems safe, but before long the darkness would weigh heavily upon Sam. When Sam is taken to live with her narcissistic Grandma without Gaby, her heart breaks and Sam is left with an emptiness in her soul.

Sam was never rescued and had to figure it all out by herself. The author takes the reader through a harrowing journey compounded by substance abuse disorder that ultimately leads to self-redemption.

If you grew up in a household with addiction, violence, poverty, wealth, or felt like you didn't have a voice while growing up; this book will speak to you.

– Brooke

Unique and Captivating Story

A great read, I couldn’t put the book down for very long. The author takes us on a fascinating odyssey through her quite different and captivating past. From New York money, through dangerous poverty in Mexico and places in between, this fast-paced narrative will draw you in and hold you.
For those of you who think being raised near wealth is always a desirable or enviable situation, think again. Samantha’s story will make your heart break a little.

In a moment of careless distraction, which led to a near fatal event, her mother lost custody of her two daughters, and set the author on a childhood journey consisting of being shuttled and tossed around like a broken rag doll, living with dysfunctional family members, going to different schools, but mostly looked after by servants of emotionally unavailable and wealthy grandparents. Samantha gives a very honest account of an upbringing that left her ill prepared to deal with life, and her subsequent struggles. This “little princess” was never rescued and had to figure it all out by herself. The author takes the reader through a harrowing journey compounded by substance abuse disorder that ultimately leads to self-redemption, but not without cost.

If you grew up in unique, nonconformist, or unusual circumstances and have always had difficulty relating to others as a result, this book is for you.

– George Filonowicz

Amazing story of resiliance

I flew through this book in just a few days. It was hard to read at times, often surreal and I cried... But did I enjoy it? Yes! I couldn't put it down.

Anyone who has been through or loved someone who has been through sexual abuse, addiction, abandonment, loss... Will find an ally in this book.

– Laura Inkel

Powerful memoir about recovery over addiction

I finished Samantha de la Vega’s book a few weeks ago and it’s still lumbering around in my head. I found it hard to put down once I started reading. She tells a fascinating tale of heartache, love, drama, addiction, redemption, recovery and hope. As a person in long-term recovery, I find her story so different than most memoirs you read - her’s tells a truth without rancor, love with hope and a reality rarely disclosed in literature today.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone needing a little lift through a hard life. Recovery really is the answer, and Samantha brings us the honest truth of her experience without fanfare, with love and most importantly, hope for a better life out of the prison of addiction.

– Babzlarue

An inspiration to always keep going and fight to never disappear into the woodwork

I broke my own record of reading a book in less than 24 hours. I didn’t want to stop reading. Samantha’s writing style and simply the context of an extraordinary life kept me reading chapter after chapter. I drew so much inspiration from the perseverance to survive through the most difficult, and unique, of circumstances. I’m so glad that Samantha never followed her grandmother’s advice to “disappear into the woodwork” but instead fought to be seen and to inspire.

I continue to draw inspiration from Samantha’s feats in life. They are even more extraordinary now knowing the dangers that life served to her. I am so grateful for this book and for Samantha’s existence.

– Sharon

Great stuff

This was a great story. It seems like Samantha has led 20 lives in one. It touches on so many important issues, broken family systems, addiction, redemption and much much more. Great stuff!

– Scott W. Kummer, host of TEN JUNK MILES Podcast