book review: chasing china

A young woman learns about the the roots she does not remember and what it means to who she is now in Kay Bratt's Chasing China.

Using the author's personal knowledge an insight about adoption and orphanages in China, the story is an informative and intriguing portrait of of the topic.

About the Book: Mia is beautiful, talented and has the world at her fingertips. But what makes her different than the average college student who juggles a heavy workload and a rat of a boyfriend? Many years ago she was born to an unknown family in China but soon discarded to fend for herself in a busy train station.  Fate stepped in when Mia was taken to the local orphanage and adopted at the age of four by her American family. Life has been good for her, or at least as much as she has allowed it to be while pushing her deep feelings of abandonment to the back of her mind. Finally she has decided that in order to move forward, she must confront her past. Mia takes a journey to the mysterious land of her birth and embarks on a mission to find answers. As she follows the invisible red thread back through her motherland, she is enamored by the history and culture of her heritage—strengthening her resolve to get to the truth, even as Chinese officials struggle to keep it buried. With her unwavering spirit of determination, Mia battles the forces stacked against her and faces mystery, danger, a dash of romance, and finally a conclusion that will change her life.

The main character Mia had a strong voice and made an interesting protagonist to follow. While warring with her own personal emotions and history, she also deals with the realities that face her on the journey. She was relatable, and the more I read the more I wanted to know her story and how it turned out.

The novel's greatest merit comes from the lessons it gives the reader about adoption. It brought to light important issues that are often overlooked. Though adoption is prevalent, people do not necessarily know the seriousness and difficulty involved. By no means a light read, the at times gut-wrenching story is worth reading simply to help the reader better understand a section of our world. 

Be sure to check back tomorrow when Kay Bratt makes a blog tour stop to share some insight and advice on writing.

Rating: 4 of 5

About Kay:

Kay Bratt is a child advocate and author, residing near the base of Wacau Mountain, in the rolling hills of Georgia with her husband, daughter, dog, and cat. In addition to coordinating small projects for the children of China, Kay is an active volunteer for An Orphans Wish (AOW). Kay lived in China for over four years and because of her experiences working with orphans, she strives to be the voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. Kay kicked off her career as an author with her best selling memoir titled Silent Tears; A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage. Since that time she has been writing material to entertain readers while raising awareness of world issues. Kay is the author of The Bridge, Mei Li and The Wise Laoshi, and an upcoming novel titled A Thread Unbroken.

Website: http://kaybratt.com/ 
To buy Chasing China at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-China-Daughters-Quest-ebook/dp/product-description/B00632ITY8/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&n=133140011&s=digital-text 
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kay-Bratt/112957968144 
Twitter: twitter.com/kaybratt

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