I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Jenell M. Jones, M.ED. shares with readers the painful journey of fighting to get the proper care for her adoptive daughter in the book “Shattered: Inspired by True Events”.
The Synopsis
With the trajectory of today’s society, we can all agree that parenting is difficult. Choosing to foster and adopt proves to not be an easy feat. Parents are in constant competition with societal influences and sometimes feel it’s an uphill battle. These same parents are often told they will be supported in the rearing of their children and that adequate resources would be made available. But what happens when you discover the system that promised to help you, would betray you? What happens when you decide to enter into another realm of difficulty – fostering and adopting children who come with mental and physical baggage? Meet Jenell Jones, an adoptive mother who is still trying to find the answers to these questions. In these pages, you will see through a mother’s eyes as she shares her deepest pain for her daughter, “Mercy.” In the end, justice is necessary and peace is questionable.
The Review
This is such a heartbreaking and compelling read. The author finds the balance between telling her story, her daughter’s story, and how hospitals and the adoption system work as a whole. The detail and personal experience the author brought to the book allowed the reader to feel the stress and anxiety that this situation created and the shocking process that many parents have to struggle through trying to get their child, adopted or not, the help they need.
The true heart of this story is the emotional connection between the author and her daughter. Mercy’s tragic background and the struggles that the trauma she endured gave the reader a profound insight into the events that contributed to the young woman’s hardships. The heartbreak comes in the author’s personal story, as she does everything she can to get her child the help they need, even in the face of scrutiny from others, and her journey exposes so much of the lack of care and attention that many institutions give to parents who adopt children.
The Verdict
Author Jenell M. Jones, M.ED.’s “Shattered” is a must-read. It is heartbreaking, engaging, and thought-provoking. The love and care this family has to give to their children, and the tragic circumstances surrounding mental health care and help for adoptive parents and children will keep readers invested in the author’s story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Jenell Jones is an education entrepreneur, currently operating 2 childcare and early learning centers, which specialize in providing high-quality learning experiences to children who experience trauma in low-income areas. Her education background includes earning a bachelor’s degree from Ottawa University, and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on autism. Being a Phoenician, Mrs. Jones has provided her expertise to adopting families for the last decade and currently hosts private discussions with other foster and adoptive parents on current issues affecting the non-traditional home.
In her spare time, Mrs. Jones prides herself on staying active in her church community in Peoria Arizona. Mrs. Jones enjoys sharing her time, talent, and treasure with all those in need and thoroughly enjoys sharing her experiences as a natural, foster, and adoptive mother through the lens of Christianity.
Jenell is committed to her family; she adores her 7 children. Her children are the loves of her life. Jenell is grateful that God allowed her to be the mother of each of them. She resides in Laveen, Arizona a suburb of Phoenix with her dogs, chickens, and fish. Jenell loves to be outside in nature and the garden. She takes pleasure in watching things grow. She is an avid traveler, sparing no adventure, and desires to experience the goodness of God in all she does.
Through her life experiences, passion is the source by which she governs herself to make a difference. The goal is not to be perfect but to assist others in rising through difficulties. Life does not always go as it is planned, but she believes God will work all things out for the good she knows she just has to stay in God’s purpose. Mrs. Jones’ blueprint of success can be summed up in a few statements: Be tenacious, be kind, be loving, but most of all….be forgiving.
