I Will Find You: A Reporter Investigates the Life of the Man Who Raped Her | 
pickThis! Omg. Joanna Connors is so brave to tell her story in a way that is both viscerally honest and personally raw. She reveals all the emotion and PTSD of her experience in a way that is very relatable. I can‘t even explain how horrifying and yet necessary this book is for all women to read. It really is amazing.
pickVery moving, emotional book. While a horrible subject, Connors provided a lot of interesting research. I commend her for using this research as a way to finally start to heal. Highly recommend.
Started reading this book a couple nights ago, wasn't sure what to expect...now, I just want to call in sick to work so I can keep reading and reading... It's not easy to make a difficult subject readable, but Connors has done an excellent job with her story.
Oh wow. Today's #bookmail is stunning on a number of levels.
pickVery good read. I can't say enjoyable, since it's a disturbing topic, but I'm glad I read it and even found the ending a bit hopeful. Now onto my next read - I'd like to see that final number get to at least 80.
Balancing out the cozy mysteries with something serious.
pickJoanna Connors was raped in 1984 and her rapist was sent to prison. Many years later she decided to investigate his life. This book was partially about the effects of the rape on her life and partially about the investigation into her rapist's life. It was just an excellent, moving read.
pickA difficult but important read. TW: sexual assault. Connors was raped by a stranger when she was 30 & led a life of trauma recovery until she wanted to tell her children about it. She takes an unconventional but eye-opening path to come to terms with her rape by investigating her rapist's history. After discovering he died in prison, she seeks out his family. Thorough, accurate account of what it's like to be a survivor while also providing...👇🏼
pickBoth uplifting and heartbreaking. I dare any of you to read this and not be effected by it. ❤️
It's a rambunctious Friday night over here. #Bookanddinner and not even coffee! ? (Yet. ?) I've been in beast mode all day trying to finish as many of my "in progress" books as possible so I can start fresh for my October #creepathon. ??????
Still working my way through this amazing book about a woman's true story and investigation of her rape. Heartbreaking and essential. It's been a tough read but I'm very glad I'm working through it.
New pile of books from the library. Quite a few are recommendations from Litsy so looking forward to reading them #tbrtuesday
New pile of books from the library. Quite a few are recommendations from Litsy so looking forward to reading them #tbrtuesday
Done with my work for the evening, so I'm relaxing with some wine and books. 🍷📖
I'm loving both of these but for entirely different reasons. I Will Find You has been a difficult read, but not in the triggering ways I expected. Neil Gaiman is there to make me feel better when I can't keep trucking with the other book for the night. ❤️✨
Done with my work for the evening, so I'm relaxing with some wine and books. 🍷📖
I'm loving both of these but for entirely different reasons. I Will Find You has been a difficult read, but not in the triggering ways I expected. Neil Gaiman is there to make me feel better when I can't keep trucking with the other book for the night. ❤️✨
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The way the justice system often treats rape victims infuriates me. I have no words and only unabashed anger at this Ohio court system in the 80s.
She was required by law to go to an in-lockup parole hearing for her rapist & sit ACROSS THE TABLE from him to give detailed testimony of her rape. Due diligence, sure. But this is an absurd abuse of judicial power to require a victim's physical presence for this. We need more women in law.
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The way the justice system often treats rape victims infuriates me. I have no words and only unabashed anger at this Ohio court system in the 80s.
She was required by law to go to an in-lockup parole hearing for her rapist and sit ACROSS THE TABLE from him to give detailed testimony of her rape. Due diligence, sure. But this is an absurd abuse of judicial power & law to require a victim's physical presence. We need more women in law.
It was not your fault. 💔
Victims often find a way to minimize their assault to themselves and to other people. It's rare for victims of sexual assault to play victim. This stigma that women are lying, that we make stories up, that we overplay our experiences, needs to stop.
How victims of rape feel pressured into erasing or minimizing their pain and trauma, from the moment it happens until years later.
It's heartbreaking that women who are assaulted in this way often feel invalidated until they have confirmation from a man, often one in a position of authority.
My #CurrentlyReading selection for #AugustPhotoChallenge. ☕️
This is incredible so far, and I highly recommend it. I'm trying to take my time with it because it's a heavy topic but I'm finding it hard to pace myself because it's so powerful.
I've been posting some powerful quotes of this- they aren't too triggering or descriptive in my opinion, but I've hidden them behind spoilers regardless just in case. I found them therapeutic in a sense.
"I blurt out, 'I was just raped.'
It's the first time I say the words, and it sounds wrong. Too flat. Too direct. I feel like a fake, a feeling that will return again and again in the days and weeks to come. Why am I not crying or wailing like a real victim? Why do I sound so emotionless? After stating just the fact, I am unable to say anything else."
We often feel we're "faking it" bc we dissociate & bc shame is placed on victims of rape. ?
Behind a spoiler for those who might find this triggering.
I'm astounded by this woman's honesty. I found this quote to be particularly powerful and true. You never know if or when it will happen to you until it does, and it's a surreal feeling. 💔
Epigraph on the opening page. 🔥🔥🔥
#EpicEpigraphs #Epigraphs #BookQuotes
Relaxing in my happy place. 📖🍹
I'll probably have to take my time with this book because of the heavy & personal subject matter, but I'm looking forward to reading a journalistic take on this. (Major trigger warning for rape & sexual assault if you can't tell from the subtitle.) Also this will have to count as #whitespines before I get home! 🔍
Not the Saturday I had planned but not terrible either. Not pictured: giant bowl of popcorn.
pickWhat a great book! Read it in two days because it was a hard story, so wonderfully told. Thank u, Joanna Conners.
"Whatever one's journey is, one's got to accept the fact that disaster is one of the conditions u see which you will make it."
pickI've been struggling with anger after hearing about the Stanford rape case. I picked up this book in an effort to "understand" but instead found an amazing woman, similar to Emily Doe from the Stanford case, who looked into her own rape and discovered so much more than her own pain. Phenomenal.
It was not your fault, even if you were drunk, even if you were wearing a low-cut minidress, even if you were out walking alone at night, even if you were on a date with the rapist and kind of liked him but didn't want to have sex with him.
"Fear grows out of ignorance, then I needed to confront the ignorance to get at the fear."
pickRipped through this one in 3 hours. Riveting. What begins as an exploration of the author's rape and rapist becomes so much bigger. A true investigation into the origin of violence and its consequences over time, how it ripples outward like waves from a stone thrown into a pond.
This morning's library haul... Gotta have a selection ready for jury duty next week!
Listening to my favorite bookish podcast, All the books, and adding to my to-read shelf 😃
This is a harrowing, remarkable book that reveals both the depth of human pain and trauma and the height of resilience. The rare memoir thaT is actually unflinching. (Trigger warning: rape and sexual violence.)
