Just Shelly

“Just Shelly: A Survivor's Story” is a poignant memoir about abuse, childhood trauma, and the ability to heal. Michelle Smith was born into a life of violence. After her mother endured physical abuse at the hands of Michelle's father, her mother finally took a stand when Michelle became his next potential victim, saving her from experiencing the abuse herself. This security would not last, however, as Michelle's mother eventually married another man whose forms of abuse were much more covert and sinister. Thus, began years of sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of her stepfather, culminating in her mother's discovery of the abuse when Michelle was a teenager. Relieved her mother knows the truth and is once again saving her from an abuser, Michelle is quickly shocked and confused to find that her mother blames her for the abuse, and a wall has now formed between the once close pair. “Just Shelly: A Survivor's Story” provides a candid account of the fear, anger, shame, and confusion that abuse brings, but it also shows that self-love, hope, and inner healing can reign victorious.