The Forgotten Ones

The Forgotten Ones by Steena Holmes

You know that big ball of yarn all rolled up from odds and ends but you don’t know its odds and ends until the ball starts to unwind? This story reminds me a bit of that big ball of yarn. Some bits are longer or shorter, softer or rougher, shimmery or dull, barely holding together needing support, colorful or flat, tangled or smooth…the list could go on awhile.

An old man is dying and tries one more time to get through to his daughter and granddaughter by sending a letter. Little does he realize that the person he is dictating his words to actually knows his granddaughter. And, little does the granddaughter know that visiting with and listening to the stories her grandfather tells will shake not show more only her perceptions but perhaps those of her mother and the woman that is as close to or closer to her than her biological mother.

This is a story of family, love, mental illness, choices, survival, life, death and truth… Truth is not necessarily the same for all who experience an event or a period of time but with the threads that unwind a greater truth is revealed that impacts many in the story. This was not an easy read just as it was not an easy life to be lived for more than one character in this book. I do not think I would have made the choices more than one character made BUT it did make a fascinating read for me today.

When I finished the story I wondered how Elle, Grace and Marie would move forward with the new information they had…would their lives be better knowing what they learned or would it remain much the same… It is a book that made me think and feel and also made me glad I am me and not any of the characters in this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars show less

Steena Holmes has once again given her readers an unforgettable story that will keep them turning pages until the end. Warning - don't make any plans for the day that you start reading this book because you won't put it down until the last page is read.

Elle is a nurse and grew up in a dysfunctional family. Her mother has mental illness and Elle has worried about taking care of her mom for her whole life. Elle has been told that she has no other family - that her grandparents died before she was born. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that her grandfather is dying at the same hospital she works at. As she tries to get her family secrets answered, it is very upsetting for her mom and very confusing for Elle who doesn't know who to show more believe - someone is lying - it is her grandfather or her Mom?

This is a complex family drama with characters that are so well written that you feel like you know them. The family secrets are revealed slowly and we don't know the total family story until the end which makes it an even more intriguing. This is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. show less

The Forgotten Ones is the first book I have read by Steena Holmes and I can't say that this was an enjoyable experience.

It's a hard thing writing a review without spoiling the story, especially since the things that frustrated me the most are events that I can't write about. I will say this, I felt really, really sorry for Elle's mother. She's definitely the victim in this story and I was furious that her father didn't do more for her. Speaking of her father. David should be ashamed of what he did or rather did not do. His action or lack of action gave Marie scars for life.

I struggled with the story quite badly because like Elle did I get fed up with questions not being answered. I mean come one, I would have been furious if I had been show more Elle and found out that everyone has been lying around me. Also, the story is pretty predictable, right up until the end when the author did a u-turn and abruptly ended the book.

I listened to the audio version and that was a blessing because I'm not sure I would have finished the book if I had read it. But, I liked the narrators. I gave the book 2 stars at first, but the more I think about the story the more ludicrous it becomes.

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less

The Forgotten Ones is a heart-breaking novel that will break your heart many times over. It explores mental illness and how it affects families, love and loss.

Elle is a nurse who works in pediatrics at the local hospital with her best friend Brennley. Bren works in the cancer ward and tells Elle about one of her patients. David is a cranky old man who has no one to spend time with him. He is estranged from his daughter and his granddaughter does not even know he exists. When Bren helps him write one last letter to his daughter, she realizes that her patient is actually her best friend Elle's grandfather. Elle has never met this grandfather and was always told by her mother Marie that her grandparents were both dead. Elle is curious and show more wants to meet her grandfather. She wants to find out about her mother's past and get to know this man. Elle starts meet with David on a regular basis and he starts telling her stories about her mother Marie's past as well as his and Gertie's relationship with her. Marie is not happy that Elle is seeing her grandfather. Grace, her mother's caregiver continually tells Elle that his stories are not true. Will Elle ever find out the truth about her mother's past? Is David telling the truth?

Elle is a very strong young woman. She has cared for her mother for years, but is trying to have a life of her own. Family ties are strong and so is loyalty. David is a sad character. He has dealt with woman all his life that have mental illness in varying degrees, but his love for his wife, Gertie, leads him to make some bad decisions that not only affect his life, but his daughter's and granddaughter's as well. The emotions that this book evokes are strong and have left me thinking about what I would do in the same situation. What will you do for the person you love? If you enjoy an emotive read, pick this one up. show less

This was an exceptional book! It was filled with tension, drama, secrets and lots of twists that really kept you guessing. I loved the premise of the book and felt that Holmes really did well to build it into something very brilliant.

The characters are absolutely perfect for this book. Holmes gave us a selection of characters, all with flaws, personality and real characteristics that make the story mould together really well. There are a variety of people, and even some that were previously thought dead, that make a very important appearance. It also deals with a lot of issues and problems that people have in life and in families, making it very realistic and easy to connect with.

The pace really matches the plot well, and helps to show more increase the tension of the story, which I loved. It builds really well, throughout the read, creating a real ‘edge of your seat’ feeling.

Overall, this is a brilliant book and one I believe loads of readers will absolutely adore. show less

This was a really good read. It was also sad, eerie and mysterious. A story that dealt heavily with mental health issues and what it can do to a family. The circumstances this family went through because of some of those issues is very sad and intriguing.

My eyes bulged and my jaw dropped at times, it was just so crazy unbelievable, yet you know it could happen. The author did a great job with this.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Be prepared for this book to keep you up late reading, for once you begin it is very hard to put down. A meeting with her grandfather who she believed to be dead for year, leads to Elle trying to decipher family secrets that have filled her with a sense of dread for many years. Character development is excellent and you will be rushing through the book to discover where does the truth really lie.
Another successful novel from author Steena Holmes. Put this one on your to be read list as it is definitely a 5 star read.