Freedom Road [Kindle Edition]

T.M. Souders (Author)

Book Description

**FINALIST, USA Book Awards, Young Adult Fiction, 2012**

A father’s selfish demands, broken booze bottles, and unconscious mothers are everyday fixtures in eighteen-year-old Samantha Becker’s life. Armed with her guitar and music to keep her comfort in a volatile world, Sam’s one dream to study classical guitar at Juilliard may very well be her salvation. But when her father’s careless actions lead to an “accident,” Sam’s ability to play the guitar dies along with her dreams of attending the renowned school. Losing all confidence in her future, Sam hides behind the emotional barriers that have protected her for years.

Just when Sam has given up, a budding friendship and an unexpected romance give her the hope she needs, forcing her to reevaluate all she’s ever known. With fresh conviction, Sam battles her father’s plans for her future, band mates using her for personal gain, and a permanent injury. But will it be enough? Julliard auditions are almost here. Time’s running out, and Sam must re-learn to play the guitar or give up her dreams forever.

Product Details

• File Size: 467 KB
• Print Length: 275 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1479283231
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B009AFQ7N0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #302,405 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Souders does it again! I loved this book. Don't miss it. September 14, 2012

By Gloria Antypowich

Format:Kindle Edition

I read Waiting On Hope by T.M. Souders and I was totally captivated by it, so I looked forward to reading her new book, Freedom Road. Souders is a wonderful story teller and I was hooked from the first paragraph. What kind of a father lops his child's finger off?

From that first paragraph I was drawn into the world of eighteen year old Sam (Samantha) Becker. Her dysfunctional family (an alcoholic mother and a tyrannical father) has left deep scars and Sam has built a wall around herself, keeping everybody at a distance emotionally. The one thing she has held dear; the one thing that has comforted her through grief, loneliness, confusion and anger is her guitar. Playing it has given her solace, carried her away from her tumultuous world and fostered a dream of a new future.

She carry's that dream deep in heart, until there is an incident in which her father lops her finger off--her fret finger. She is angry and disconsolate as she contemplates what this loss means to her.

Sam learns who her friends are, she learns how calculating her father is, she reconnects with her mother, she finds support from Tad Mitchell, a twelve year old boy who hero-worships her and Laird Brian, who is interested in connecting with the person who hides behind the wall. Both these new friends encourage her to take control of her life and support her as she struggles.

Sam is a courageous, determined young woman who learns many things about herself, her life and her dysfunctional family as she fights to find her place in life.

This is a story that tugged at my heart. I felt for Sam, laughed with her, cried with her, felt her anger, her uncertainty, her determination and the stirrings of love for both Tad and Laird. The characters were well rounded, the plot had enough twists and turns to hold my attention and there was a sense of realism about the entire book.

This is a wonderful story for anyone from 14 to 95. I highly recommend it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving YA crossover that all readers will enjoy September 17, 2012

By Nancy Wood

Format:Kindle Edition

The first paragraph of FREEDOM ROAD will hook you. It will draw you right in and you'll want to keep reading to see what happens. The main character, Samantha Becker is eighteen and an astonishing guitar player. Her alcoholic mother is determined to drink herself to death, and her father, a domineering and controlling man, has Samantha's future all figured out, even though it's not a future Sam wants. As a form of self-protection, Sam has always kept herself aloof from others, sealed behind a wall. Her music, her guitar, is the only comfort she has; it's the one thing has pulled her through her family nightmare.

So when Sam's father inadvertently causes an accident that makes fretting the strings next to impossible, Sam despairs, finding only hate and anger where she used to find comfort. Healing and forgiveness come eventually, helped along by her neighbor's grandson Tad, and a college student, Laird, who's always been intrigued by what's behind Sam's tough façade.

I read T.M. Souders' two other books, WAITING ON HOPE and DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW, and I feel that her writing has matured with this book. The characters are complex and believable. Sam's journey, from despair to hope to triumph, is moving and emotional. Souders' descriptions of the guitar and the music were exquisite and I felt like I could almost hear Sam playing her guitar. I urge T.M. Souders to consider a sequel, as I grew attached to these characters and am eager to see what the future holds.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great concept, ok book November 8, 2012

By Jennifer Howell

Format:Paperback

When I decided to read this book I was very encouraged by the good reviews I'd heard about it, the basic story sounded interesting and like many of the reviews had said, the opening line really gets your attention. However, it kind of went down hill from there for me.

My biggest issue was that none of the characters or situations seemed to be very complex or well-defined. Everything was pretty one dimensional. I kept wanting to empathize with Samantha, the main character, but her emotions didn't come across as real for me. Her band mates, her parents, even her new love interest were flat characters. The one person I did enjoy reading about was Tad, Sam's neighbor's grandson. He had a spark, and was the most realistically written in my opinion.

As for the plot, I found it to be predictable, I had figured out the big "surprise twist" just a few chapters into the story and the ending felt very cliched.

Ultimately, I was most disappointed by this book because I think there was so much potential that was lost. The author is a good writer, there were none of the usual editing issues you find with independent publishing, and as I mentioned, I think the story line was compelling.

More About the Author

T.M. Souders was born in Johnstown, PA and grew up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh. She graduated in 2004, from Youngstown State University, with a degree in Psychology and minor in Women's Studies. She is the author of bestselling women's fiction novel, Waiting on Hope, the USA Book Award-winning Finalist, Freedom Road, and the novelette Dashing Through The Snow. She is the founder of The Serious Reader, a site dedicated to connecting with readers one book at a time. She currently lives in rural Ohio with her husband and children.