A spellbinding novel about an unspeakable secret that could destroy a family, from the New York Times bestselling author of Finding Emma.Elle is a survivor. She’s managed to piece together a solid life from a childhood of broken memories and fairy tales her mom told her to explain away bad dreams. But weekly visits to her mother still fill Elle with a paralyzing fear she can’t explain. It’s just … fear she can’t explain. It’s just another of so many unanswered questions she grew up with in a family estranged by silence and secrets.
Elle’s world turns upside down when she receives a deathbed request from her grandfather, a man she was told had died years ago. Racked by grief, regrets, and a haunted conscience, he has a tale of his own to tell Elle: about her mother, an imaginary friend, and two strangers who came to the house one night and never left.
As Elle’s past unfolds, so does the truth—if she can believe it. She must face the reasons for her inexplicable dread. As dark as they are, Elle must listen…before her grandfather’s death buries the family’s secrets forever.
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The Forgotten Ones by Steena Holmes
You know that big ball of yarn all rolled up from odds and ends but you don’t know its odds and ends until the ball starts to unwind? This story reminds me a bit of that big ball of yarn. Some bits are longer or shorter, softer or rougher, shimmery or dull, barely holding together needing support, colorful or flat, tangled or smooth…the list could go on awhile.
An old man is dying and tries one more time to get through to his daughter and granddaughter by sending a letter. Little does he realize that the person he is dictating his words to actually knows his granddaughter. And, little does the granddaughter know that visiting with and listening to the stories her grandfather tells will shake not only her perceptions but perhaps those of her mother and the woman that is as close to or closer to her than her biological mother.
This is a story of family, love, mental illness, choices, survival, life, death and truth… Truth is not necessarily the same for all who experience an event or a period of time but with the threads that unwind a greater truth is revealed that impacts many in the story. This was not an easy read just as it was not an easy life to be lived for more than one character in this book. I do not think I would have made the choices more than one character made BUT it did make a fascinating read for me today.
When I finished the story I wondered how Elle, Grace and Marie would move forward with the new information they had…would their lives be better knowing what they learned or would it remain much the same… It is a book that made me think and feel and also made me glad I am me and not any of the characters in this story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
This story held me so tightly in its grip, I was reeling when it ended and released me. A story of family, love, secrets, and mental illness, it unfolds via strong, well-developed characters and a wonderfully written storyline. It makes you wonder if it is possible to love too much. Elle spent so m uch of her life looking for … something. I could feel her frustration, resignation, and hope. Both she and David are such complex characters, and their lives are so strongly influenced by the ones they love, despite the hardships of living with them.
This was an amazing story, and it’s definitely one not to miss!
#NetGalley #TheForgottenOnes
“I guess in the end, you start thinking about the beginning.” ” Love isn’t always pretty or clear cut. It can’t be wrapped in a nice little box and presented with a bow. Sometimes it’s ugly and hurtful and does more damage than good.” “Family is everything.” These are a few of my favorite quotes in this book. This book is heart wrenching and I had to wait for the tears to stop so that I could write this review. This is a book about family drama, loss and mental illness. It also encapsulates so much more. This book made me cry, sob actually. You will need tissues. You will think you know answers to questions, but you will not. This book kept me turning page after page, wanting answers, no, needing answers and yet not wanting it to end. This is a well written portrayal of a dysfunctional family who does the unthinkable. The characters are deeply complex and the dialogue is moving to say the least. Your heart will break, I know that mine did on several occasions. I found this to be Steena Holmes best work to date. It is extremely well written and the flow of the story is exquisite, alternating between characters, it simply said, just works. I will not soon forget this story. My heart is still breaking and I still want to cry. I can not imagine what it must have been like for David, or for the other characters. This is a book that you simply have to read. You must savor every word, every little detail. The ending threw me for a loop, it was quite unexpected. I thought I knew the answers, I did not. I highly recommend this phenomenal book. You will not have an ounce of regret. I am grateful for the privilege to have read it. Thank you to Steena Holmes for another blockbuster of a story. You write with your heart and soul poured into every single word.
It’s difficult to find words that are powerful enough to describe The Forgotten Ones. It is gut wrenching, heartbreaking, hauntingly beautiful, and mind blowing. Unpredictable and lovely. This is by far Steena Holmes’ best novel to date.
“What is so horrible about the past that no one can talk about it?” Rooted deep in all the secrets in this book are three love stories…a husband’s love for his wife, a father”s love for his daughter and a mother’s love for her daughter. An important aspect of this story is how mental illness affects a family and how far a husband and father will go to protect his wife and daughter.
The four main characters (David, Elle, Marie and Grace) are all well-developed as is the plot in this story. I felt Elle’s frustration in wanting to know the truth about her mother’s past and it’s not until the very end that all the truth comes out and the wait is worth it!
I am completely blown away by The Forgotten Ones. I don’t want to say too much about the story so I don’t spoil it for others who MUST read this book! I read the story in one sitting, my mind racing through all different scenarios. Steena Holmes totally drew me in, spun me around and left me with a serious book hangover!
This book was so good, I read it in one day. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and she had me hooked on the story from the very beginning. A great mystery with plenty of twist and turns!
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.
I am never disappointed in a Steena Holmes novel. This one was no different except I think is my brand new favorite of hers. It was so good. I received a copy of this awesome book from Steena via NetGalley and Lake Union. To them I am forever grateful for the best books ever.
I used to believe wishes were like fairy tales: all you had to do was make one, and your happily ever after would come true. I don’t believe that anymore.
Home meant love and security and family.
I guess in the end, you start thinking about the beginning.
There is never enough time. Never.
When you were born, I made you a promise. I swore to always protect you, to put you first, to make sure you grew up surrounded by laughter and love.
Those are a few of the lines that kept me turning pages and wanting more.
Elle is a nurse, daughter and best friend. She learns that her grandfather is in the hospital where she works and dying of cancer. She had thought he died already so was very curious to know him. Her mother told her to not believe a word he said. She had always said her parents were dead. To her they were. Grace has been taking care of Anna since she was a small child. There are secrets that need to be told and Elle has to decide who is telling the truth and who is not.
This book pulled me in from the very beginning and was so hard to put down. It is so well written and the subject matter is one that will make you wonder what really happened. Should David really blame himself for everything that happened. I didn’t think so but I also felt for Gertie, Anna’s parents.
There is so much love, laughter and mental illness in this story. Told from different points and goes back and forth from now to the past. I thought I had it figured out a few times but I never got it right. Just when you think you know who is who or what is what another twist. It’s one that holds your attention all the way. I wish there would be a sequel to this one just to find out about another character, her daughter and her family. Also to see how Elle handles her life.
I just don’t have words enough to describe how much I truly loved this book. It was a bit of magic in parts and sad in parts. It will make you need a box of Kleenex for sure but so worth every tear. It was just an all around wonderful story, book, novel. Thank you Steena Holmes for the chance to read such a good book. My favorite as I said. I LOVED IT!!!
Talk about a great book hangover. This amazing novel is one of the authors’ best works and I’m already a big fan. Elle is an amazing young woman. She’s a pediatric Nurse and finds out that her grandfather, who she was told was long dead, is in the hospital where she works. This begins the twisting secrets and lies that have plagued this family for decades. Mental Illness plays a role in this complicated family and you yearn for Elle to get the answers she truly needs. She’s a very likeable heroine and someone you’d want as a friend. Someone you want to see overcome and succeed and have a good life.
I love books that are unpredictable, ones that make you think and wonder “what would I do?” The author has that way of getting you in the story, feel the emotions, gasp out loud at times and turn pages late into the night. You get to know the other characters enough to know their story which all ties into the decades long family secrets.
I loved this book. I want everyone I know to read it. I want to share Steena Holmes with the world. 5 stars and a huge hug to the author for this very special book.
Be prepared for this book to keep you up late reading, for once you begin it is very hard to put down. A meeting with her grandfather who she believed to be dead for year, leads to Elle trying to decipher family secrets that have filled her with a sense of dread for many years. Character development is excellent and you will be rushing through the book to discover where does the truth really lie.
Another successful novel from author Steena Holmes. Put this one on your to be read list as it is definitely a 5 star read.
I am a Steena Holmes super fan. I own every single book she has written on my kindle. This is her best book to date! I loved the characters and could feel every emotion right along with them.This was a heartbreaking story of lies, secrets, and ultimate love and sacrifice for ones family. Elle is a nurse who grew up with her mom Marie and her mom’s caregiver Grace. Elle’s mom suffers from mental illness. Elle did not have an easy childhood but Grace was always there for her when her mom couldn’t be. One day Elle receives a letter from her grandfather asking to meet her. As Elle meets her grandfather, she realizes she has been lied to her entire life by her mom. Elle needs to piece together what she has been told and what her grandfather is telling her to figure out the past. This story has so many layers, and just as you think you have something figured out a new twist comes. I found the characters believable, the story unforgettable, and a completely all consuming ride. I received an advanced readers copy from the author and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
There is never enough time. Never.”
An intense family secret is the theme of this moving, heartwrenching novel.
A young woman amazingly finds her grandfather in the very same hospital where she works as a nurse. She had been told he was dead from the time she was young and now on his deathbed, he has a story to tell to try to right the wrongs of years passed.
I loved and savored this book of love, mental illness, and family.
The details and writing of this story are amazing and I believe this is Steena Holmes’s best work yet!
The Forgotten Ones is an utterly compelling book, as startling family secrets are unraveled piece by piece. Elle is a nurse, and her family has always consisted of just her and her mother…until the day she discovers that her grandfather, a man she thought was dead, is a patient at her hospital. He starts telling her stories, stories her mother says are lies…but Elle doesn’t know who to believe. This story is haunting, full of unexpected revelations; a story of love, and madness, and a man who must make the most difficult choice of his life.
Steena Holmes has once again given her readers an unforgettable story that will keep them turning pages until the end. Warning – don’t make any plans for the day that you start reading this book because you won’t put it down until the last page is read.
Elle is a nurse and grew up in a dysfunctional family. Her mother has mental illness and Elle has worried about taking care of her mom for her whole life. Elle has been told that she has no other family – that her grandparents died before she was born. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that her grandfather is dying at the same hospital she works at. As she tries to get her family secrets answered, it is very upsetting for her mom and very confusing for Elle who doesn’t know who to believe – someone is lying – it is her grandfather or her Mom?
This is a complex family drama with characters that are so well written that you feel like you know them. The family secrets are revealed slowly and we don’t know the total family story until the end which makes it an even more intriguing. This is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.
Wow! This book grabbed (and held) my attention from the very beginning. Elle thinks her grandparents are dead only to discover that her grandfather is alive, but dying. She visits him in the hospital to try to piece together her mom’s past and find out why her mom, Marie, wants nothing to do with her family. I really liked how the author switched between the viewpoint of Elle and David (her grandfather) with a little bit of her mother thrown in. What Elle finds out through David’s stories is so unbelievable she tries to determine fact from fiction. This book also highlights the limited options offered in the 50s for dealing with mental illness and the stigmas that went with it. I highly recommend this book. I was provided with an ARC from the author via NetGalley.
Mixed feelings about this book. I was engrossed enough to read it all in one day, but there are inconsistencies in the plot, as well as an ending I’m skeptical of.
Specifically (with spoilers):
-it makes no sense for Grace to be vague and cautionary about David to Elle
-if Grace were always watching over Marie, then how did Elle still end up having a weird childhood where occasionally she’d have to sit in rosebushes?
-everything in the plot points to “Marie” being Bella, not Anna. saying that Marie found a journal that revealed she was in fact Anna is hard to swallow, because of plot points as well as the unreliability of that journal, considering she is mentally ill [i.e. the journal could be Bella’s, or the words in in not reflecting reality considering the age she would have been]
Elle has lived for years knowing that her Mom was facing mental illness. She didn’t know why, but chance or fate brings her grandfather into her life, and he decides to tell her a story. She thinks it is just a story, and it can’t be true or is it? What is the truth?
I did catch on about midway through the book, and my guess proved to be true…even though the author chose not to spell things out and left things a bit open-ended so that you were left wondering. But I found this story rather disturbing and perplexing to be honest, and it raised some critical questions. How far would you go to “protect” someone you loved even if it risked the health and well-being of others? When does one life over-ride the rights of another? This isn’t a feel good story. It’s heavy and burdensome, but it does make you wonder what you would do in a similar scenario…
Loved this story. Recommend !
This is a new to me author as well. It was a very good storyline that had you confused to the very end. I will be reading more..
Enjoyed her writing style!
A good WWII book