Genre:
Reasons for Waking
By Karen Foster
Years after traumatic events nearly destroy two families, Philip, a reclusive professor in a small Southern university town is approached by the daughter of the man who apparently caused his family’s long-ago tragedy. Together they join forces to retrace the events that upended both their lives and eventually manage to peel away years of misunderstanding, evasion, and estrangement to discover the truth. Throughout, the steady presence of Philip’s affectionate black Lab gives his life purpose and provides distance from others—until eventually, as the truth of the long-ago events is revealed, he finds that he has other reasons for living. Reasons for Waking explores the paths the families take to recovery and reconciliation. Family secrets are exposed, and the walls that Philip built between himself and the world begin to crumble. Reasons for Waking explains a family mystery that shows how frayed our connections can become when we try to skirt the truth, and how facing the truth can heal us.
Book Details
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Winner - Readers' Favorite Book Award
Finalist - International Book Awards -
Family secrets
Trauma and healing
Truth and reconciliation
Identity and self-awareness
Relationships and trust -
"Reasons for Waking by Karen Foster is Southern fiction at its best...an intriguing story, utterly compelling as it runs the full gamut of human emotions...you will be captivated and will struggle to put this book down." -Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite (5 Star Review)
"...a truly unique family drama like nothing else I've read this year, and one which has a poignant message about openness, communication, and the danger of not speaking up when you really should...emotionally intelligent work...hardships, struggles, and tearjerking moments of pure emotion...a stellar drama...both highly recommended and not to be missed." -K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite (5 Star Review)
"...Reasons for Waking is a wonderful read, and I'm certain those who pick it up will feel the same." -Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite (5 Star Review)
"Movingly told and beautifully written, Reasons for Waking gives you a legitimate reason to stay up all night -- you will be reading this engrossing novel until dawn breaks." -Heath Hardage Lee, author of The League of Wives: The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the Government to Bring Their Husbands Home
"It is a story of tragedy, secrets, and healing. Once you open the cover of this compelling story - you won't want to put it down." -Denise Jelinski-Hall, author of From the Prairie to the Pentagon, Chief Master Sergeant, 3rd Senior Enlisted Advisor of the National Guard
"Reasons for Waking is a page-turner! With so many unsuspecting plot twists, this novel has all the elements of a masterful mystery..." -Taylor Baldwin Kiland, coauthor of Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind
"Compelling, unexpected, and unpredictable..." -Lynne Rae Perkins, author and illustrator of many books for young people, including Newbery Medal winner Criss Cross
"A compelling novel of grief and family secrets." -Kirkus Reviews