A product of the foster care system, Sara Butler spends her early thirties hiding from her past while striving for a normal life with her small group of quirky friends in Arizona. Seeking treatment for an invisible rash and abnormal dreams, her therapist helps her unlock a heinous past that she is unsure she wants to open. To patch her life back together, she realizes she must travel across country to Maine to confront that past in order to plan for a future.
Start reading Patchwork Of Me on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
Try it free |
Read books on your computer or other mobile devices with our FREE Kindle Reading Apps.
|
| Digital List Price: |
$2.99
What's this?
|
| Print List Price: | $13.99 |
| Kindle Price: | $2.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet |
| You Save: | $11.00 (79%) |
|
| |||||||||||||||
Browse the best books of summer including blockbusters, beach reads, and editors' picks in our Summer Reading Store. |
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"It's Allen's wisdom and insight - the hopeful message that it is up to us to shape our life and our future - that truly makes this book special. With Patchwork of Me, Greg Allen has made my short list of favorite authors!" - Terri Giuliano Long Author of In Leah's Wake
From the Author
I love to tell stories and believe it should allow characters into different places and genres. I've always said my platform was sharing stories of adversity & diversity that cause a reader to stop and think about their own lives. Hopefully Sara Butler's journey can help to point out something from your own 'road trip' in life.
Product Details
Would you like to give feedback on images? |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I believe it was Richard Bach who said "The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change."
And so it goes for Sara too. This book is about Sara's journey as she discovers her past and tries to deal with her present but more importantly this book focuses of the patches of emotions we each sometimes feel and how it all weaves together in the end.
There is the sentiment of love which Sara craves for, the strength she must have to survive mentally and physically and then there is the most important attribute of all, trust. But whom, what and where?
When I first got this book, I was a bit doubtful that a male writer would be able to understand emotions. Well, I was wrong. This was a touching, heartfelt read that I would definitely recommend.
Overall assessment:
Content: 5/5
Editing: 4.5/5
Formatting: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Offensive content?: I would rate it PG13.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author through Orangeberry Book Tours. I did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one.
And so it goes for Sara too. This book is about Sara's journey as she discovers her past and tries to deal with her present but more importantly this book focuses of the patches of emotions we each sometimes feel and how it all weaves together in the end.
There is the sentiment of love which Sara craves for, the strength she must have to survive mentally and physically and then there is the most important attribute of all, trust. But whom, what and where?
When I first got this book, I was a bit doubtful that a male writer would be able to understand emotions. Well, I was wrong. This was a touching, heartfelt read that I would definitely recommend.
Overall assessment:
Content: 5/5
Editing: 4.5/5
Formatting: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Offensive content?: I would rate it PG13.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author through Orangeberry Book Tours. I did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At some point in our lives, we all confront the need to find ourselves and the journey we take will define us from that point forward. Novelist Gregory G. Allen, author of the acclaimed "Well With My Soul" and "Proud Pants," has returned with a new story that is just as heart wrenching, touching, and ultimately timeless as his previous works.
"Patchwork of Me" is the tale of Sara Butler. Raised by child services, she faces adulthood with no solid foundation in her past. Working with a therapist, Sara tries to rid herself of maladies thrust upon her by the tortured life she lived in foster care. Finding herself among the devastation of her youth, Sara will travel cross country to Maine to confront the components of the existence she left behind; but she discovers that her departure was only physical. Deep inside she is still a prisoner of her own memories, hurts, and unhealed wounds.
"Patchwork of Me" gives the reader a story which he can lose himself within as Sara's journey wends its way toward an emotional conclusion. Powerfully human, told with a deftly skilled hand, this is a book that will resonate with readers for years to come.
"Patchwork of Me" is the tale of Sara Butler. Raised by child services, she faces adulthood with no solid foundation in her past. Working with a therapist, Sara tries to rid herself of maladies thrust upon her by the tortured life she lived in foster care. Finding herself among the devastation of her youth, Sara will travel cross country to Maine to confront the components of the existence she left behind; but she discovers that her departure was only physical. Deep inside she is still a prisoner of her own memories, hurts, and unhealed wounds.
"Patchwork of Me" gives the reader a story which he can lose himself within as Sara's journey wends its way toward an emotional conclusion. Powerfully human, told with a deftly skilled hand, this is a book that will resonate with readers for years to come.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A memorable read telling an equally memorable lesson of self-discovery
April 3, 2012
By A. Oswald
Format:Paperback
Patchwork of Me brought to mind Dolly Parton's "A Coat of Many Colors," a song which tells a story from Parton's childhood about her mother patching together a coat from different rags, explaining the biblical significance of the coat--wearing it helps the daughter discover who she really is and what is important in her life.
The heroine in Gregory G. Allen's new novel also has the chance to discover what's important in her life and, with that, her full identity. Proving, once more, that he's a writer of many talents, Allen flawlessly patches together his main character's life and, with that, the lives of a diverse range of characters whose journeys of self-discovery invite us, the audience, to tag along. In return, we get a lifetime opportunity to peer into our own life experiences and the patchwork defining them. As a result, we earn the chance to come to terms with our own truths and accept who we are, as individuals.
Allen's Patchwork of Me is a daring story not only of self-discovery, but also of survival, a tale of love and trust, of friendship, mystery, and also hope. As we've learned to expect from this author, we also anticipate a hint of darkness, of unconventional and maybe even taboo elements. And Allen does not disappoint. He's once again fearless in choosing his characters and their stories in order to tackle unsafe topics and territories. In that sense Patchwork of Me tells the entangled and controversial story of Sara Butler as she tries to patch together the complex, multilayered structure defining her life, with a little help from her devoted friends, straight and gay.
Allen's new novel offers yet another outstanding read from a favorite author. Patchwork of Me is a personal, intimate story, capturing a reflection of its characters' reality and, with it, a possible peek into our own.
The heroine in Gregory G. Allen's new novel also has the chance to discover what's important in her life and, with that, her full identity. Proving, once more, that he's a writer of many talents, Allen flawlessly patches together his main character's life and, with that, the lives of a diverse range of characters whose journeys of self-discovery invite us, the audience, to tag along. In return, we get a lifetime opportunity to peer into our own life experiences and the patchwork defining them. As a result, we earn the chance to come to terms with our own truths and accept who we are, as individuals.
Allen's Patchwork of Me is a daring story not only of self-discovery, but also of survival, a tale of love and trust, of friendship, mystery, and also hope. As we've learned to expect from this author, we also anticipate a hint of darkness, of unconventional and maybe even taboo elements. And Allen does not disappoint. He's once again fearless in choosing his characters and their stories in order to tackle unsafe topics and territories. In that sense Patchwork of Me tells the entangled and controversial story of Sara Butler as she tries to patch together the complex, multilayered structure defining her life, with a little help from her devoted friends, straight and gay.
Allen's new novel offers yet another outstanding read from a favorite author. Patchwork of Me is a personal, intimate story, capturing a reflection of its characters' reality and, with it, a possible peek into our own.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Could have delved deeper...
Sara Butler is 30 something and suffering from psychosomatic symptoms. A severe itch/rash on her arm that doesn't appear to others, accompanied by dreams where she is a man with a... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Dr. Babus Ahmed
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engaging story of remembrance and enlightenment.
A touching saga of a young woman who grew up in foster care homes. As the story opens, Sara Butler is seeing a psychiatrist for a mysterious rash, but lies to him about her foster... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Ann Hammons
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Finding All the Missing Pieces in One's Life"
I am so thrilled I chose this book to read. It had everything -- suspense, mystery, craziness, dreams, visions, tenderness and a marvelous revealing journey. Read more
Published 7 months ago by NancyofUtah
4.0 out of 5 stars
what a journey . . .
what a journey . . .
sara embarks on a journey of self discovery and takes you on the trip with her.
what i liked . . . Read more
sara embarks on a journey of self discovery and takes you on the trip with her.
what i liked . . . Read more
Published 7 months ago by deirdre
4.0 out of 5 stars
Women's Fiction Club Reviews Patchwork of Me
If the road to finding yourself requires you to face a horrific truth, would you be willing to take that journey? That's the decision that Sara Butler has to make in Gregory G. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Nina Guilbeau
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant read
I couldn't put this book down. It is very well written - fresh and original - and emotional without being slushy. It was a privilege to be on Sara's road trip with her. Read more
Published 9 months ago by JudyH
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Incredibly Touching Read
Patchwork Of Me
Gregory Allen's `Patchwork of Me' (Winner of the 2012 International Book Awards in Women's Lit and 2012 New York Book Festival in General Fiction), is... Read more
Gregory Allen's `Patchwork of Me' (Winner of the 2012 International Book Awards in Women's Lit and 2012 New York Book Festival in General Fiction), is... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Jodi Hanson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Compelling Journey
Being bounced between foster homes would've been traumatic for anyone, but for Sara Butler, the experience has enshrouded her youth in a haze, with the lingering question of "where... Read more
Published 10 months ago by K. Edwards-Stout
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting characters and storyline
The characters in Patchwork of Me caught my interest early in the book and sustained it throughtout. Read more
Published 11 months ago by tevalover
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read
Loved this book. Devoured it in 2 days. It works on so many levels...buddy story, self discovery, mystery, and road trip. I can just see the film version. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Bruce McCandless
More About the Author
Gregory G. Allen is the award-winning author of PATCHWORK OF ME, COOL SIDE OF THE PILLOW, WELL WITH MY SOUL, PROUD PANTS: AN UNCONVENTIONAL MEMOIR, and CHICKEN BOY: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF A SUPER HERO WITH AUTISM. He has had short stories and poetry published in: New Town Writers' anthology Off The Rocks 14, Loch Raven Review, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, The Oddville Press, Word Catalyst Magazine, Rancor'd Type, Home & Holidays and is a contributor of articles and blogs to several online sites. Allen has been in the entertainment business for over twenty years as an actor, director, writer, and producer and is an award-winning musical theater writer with over ten original musicals produced. Allen currently manages an arts center on the campus of a college in northern New Jersey.
www.gregory-g-allen.com
www.facebook.com/author.gregory.g.allen
www.gregory-g-allen.com
www.facebook.com/author.gregory.g.allen
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
