About The Book
Five stories – Five Lives
Have you ever felt confused or at a loss for words in front of a spouse, colleague or parent, to the extent that you have felt inadequate or, worse, a failure? Do you ever wonder why someone close to you seems to endure humiliation without resistance.
Manipulators are everywhere. At first these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty, disarming, even charming in public – tricks to snare their prey – but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy for their victim.
In this collection of short novellas, you meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a manipulative individual. First you meet Tess, whose past is haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well balanced Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a better life for herself, followed by a manipulator himself, trying to make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Lastly, there is Lisa, who has to face a parent’s biggest regret. All stories highlight to what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our very feeling of self-worth.
My Review:
Manipulated Lives consists of five novellas than can each be read as a standalone. This was a well-written collection and it was something different than what I typically read. My favorites were The Spell and Tess And Tattoos which I reviewed separately in an earlier blog post. The author does a great job with character development even though these are novellas. The overall theme as the title suggests is manipulation. Each story contains a manipulator and their victims of the manipulation...but it is not always as it seems. Sometimes there is a twist at the end. Makes for an interesting and thought-provoking read.
I would recommend this to those who enjoy short stories with a little twist. I would definitely read more by author H.A. Leuschel.
About the Author:
Helene grew up in Belgium where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She now lives with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. When she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches Yoga.
Author's Links
Website
Goodreads
If you would like to see what others are saying about Manipulated Lives then check out the other bloggers on the tour
Giveaway – Win a signed copy of Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel (Open Internationally)
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