Second Chances Girl - a Miami family and lifestyle blog!: Book Review: The Invisible Girls: A Memoir

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Book Review: The Invisible Girls: A Memoir


I love to read! As a child, I learned to read at a young age (around 3) and never stopped. I would read anything I could: books, magazines, cookbooks, toy instructions, road signs, billboards, etc. I truly enjoy reading and that little time that I have to sit back and get lost in a story is definitely my "me time!"

My latest read:

The Invisible Girls: A Memoir
A Girl Scarred By Her Past
A Refugee Mother Uncertain of Her Future
Five Little Girls Who Brought Them Together

Everything happens for a reason. We have all heard this many times on our lives. When I finished this book, that was the first thing that came to my mind. I believe that everything that happened to Sarah Thebarge happened so that she could meet "The Invisible Girls."  

This is the story of Sarah Thebarge, a woman who has decided that after fighting a grueling battle with breast cancer, is going to move across the country and start over in Portland, OR. Here she meets Hadhi, a Somali refugee abandoned by her husband and left to raise five young daughters on her own in a culture she does not understand. Sarah decides to help this family acclimate to the culture as best she can, while trying to heal from the life she left behind. 

To me, the most touching part of the book is when she realizes that they are all "Invisible Girls." Girls society left behind. Girls that you walk by in the street and you have no idea that they are struggling. It really opened my eyes. How many people have been left behind? What exactly is going on in the life of the woman standing next to me? For Sarah, a chance meeting with a child on a train, led to healing and a family. 

I read this book in two sittings. No matter how heartbreaking I thought the story was, I just couldn't stop reading. Sarah Thebarge is so honest about her struggles and feelings. Reading about her struggles with Hadhi and her daughters inspired me to help those less fortunate. To really open my eyes and see what is going on around me. 

To read more about Sarah Thebarge, feel free to check out her personal website:

To purchase the book or ebook, click here.


  1. I'm always looking for a new book. I'm going to check to see if my library has it!

  2. It sounds like an interesting book! I read early also and read a ton now :) It's my escape in the evenings from the craziness of the rest of the day!

  3. I'm intrigued... gonna see if my library has it on digital download or I may just get it from Amazon! :-) ~Amber~



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