Life After Darkness by Michelle Knight

Life After Darkness by Michelle Knight, 221 pages

This is Michelle Knight's second book about surviving the ordeal of being one of the Cleveland kidnapping victims.  It is amazing how far she has come and now leads a "normal" life.  It took her many years of therapy and finding true love to help her reclaim her life.  I have a lot of respect for her.

Hope: A Memoir Of Survival In Cleveland by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus

Hope: A Memoir Of Survival In Cleveland by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan, 336 pages

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus write about their horrific and brutal kidnapping at the hands of Ariel Castro.  Along with Michelle Knight, the three girls were subjected to unthinkable acts.  This book was extremely well written with details never revealed before.  The book details Ariel Castro's childhood, upbringing, his marriage, and his children. The book also details the birth of Amanda Berry's daughter, Jocelyn.  What these women endured was unimaginable.  They are true survivors. I am sure May 6, 2013 will be a date these brave young women never forget.

Finding Me: A Decade Of Darkness, A Life Reclaimed by Michelle Knight with Michelle Buford

Finding Me: A Decade Of Darkness, A Life Reclaimed by Michelle Knight with Michelle Buford, 252 pages

Finding Me is a very detailed book about Michelle Knight's time in captivity as one of the three Cleveland kidnapping victims at the hands of Ariel Castro.  This is a very well written, but yet, definitely disturbing and depressing account of Michelle Knight's childhood, teen years, and time in captivity.  Michelle was kidnapped in 2002 from a store, after Ariel offered her a ride and lured her into his home.  He did not kidnap his next victim until almost two years later.

Michelle was held in heavy chains and locked in an upstairs room and the basement over her eleven years in captivity.  Ariel beat her severely, starved her, raped her, and threatened to shoot her if she tried to escape.   Michelle was often chained to one of the other victims, Gina.  Michelle miscarried five babies at the hands of Ariel.  To survive what Michelle endured is unbelievable.  Thoughts of her son, who was in foster care at the time of her disappearance, motivated her will to live.  Michelle is definitely a survivor!