Official Review: Life Is Just A Bowl Of Choices

Supergirl1 · Post by **Supergirl1** » 23 Aug 2018, 10:20

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Life Is Just A Bowl Of Choices" by Robyn Russell.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The direction our life takes is most times determined by choices; ours or those of others. Realizing this confronts us with the stark reality of responsibility, of knowing we cannot blame others for our lot in life, real or perceived. Life is Just a Bowl of Choices tells the author’s story; the choices she has made through life and how they have shaped the life she has had so far.

Robyn got pregnant at seventeen and kept the baby; because she felt she had no choice but to do so. Her decision to have her son Ian so early and when she wasn’t prepared for motherhood limited her choices to an extent as she now had someone whose life depended on her. Through the years, she has had to make more decisions; getting married, getting a step-daughter, ending friendships, getting an abortion, changing jobs, and caring for her sick mother-in-law. She shares her experiences and how the choices she made affected the lives of both herself and her loved ones in this book.

I love the style the author has used in telling this story. Rather than follow a chronological order, she has sections that talk about the various aspects of her life; her childhood, her marriage, her relationship with her step-daughter. Occasionally, in one section of the book, she refers to other sections. For me, writing like this gave the story clarity and made it easy to piece together and understand the puzzle this book might have been.

I also loved the fact that the author was honest about her mistakes and regrets what she has decided are the wrong choices she made in life. Some of these wrong choices led to her losing important relationships, and she wishes she could have them back. She is also honest in stating at the beginning that her account might not accurately represent what really happened as they are her own opinion of events.

No doubt this book forces the discerning reader to take a candid look at their own lives and identify what they might be doing wrong. Years down the line, would being right have been worth losing that friend or family member over, perhaps forever? Would dating and having unplanned kids with that gorgeous guy or lady who swears they love you but never seems to find the commitment bone in his or her body be the best decision for you? As this book’s title aptly puts it, life is a bowl of choices.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. As much as I loved the writing, there were some parts where the paragraphs were written like entries in a diary, without the dates. I found it rather confusing to have several todays and nows and last nights, all referring to very different points in time. I was left trying to figure out where each time fit, and I didn’t succeed every time. Nonetheless, I recommend this book to every memoir lover. I enjoyed it and you might also do.

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Life Is Just A Bowl Of Choices
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Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 24 Aug 2018, 11:52

I agree that our personal choices can shape our lives. This sounds like an engaging memoir. Thanks for your recommendation!

AmySmiles · Post by **AmySmiles** » 24 Aug 2018, 12:44

I prefer memoirs to be written chronologically and maybe that would have helped with the confusion the dates as you mentioned from the diary pages. I like the concept of this book though, thanks for the through review.

crediblereading2 · Post by **crediblereading2** » 24 Aug 2018, 14:10

Making the right choices can really be a challenge. Sometimes the choices we make at a particular point in time seems like the correct choice but could go wrong later on in life. This book is therefore appropriate to guide us in making the right choices. I am sorry about the flaws in the book. Lovely review.

cpru68 · Post by **cpru68** » 24 Aug 2018, 17:24

Excellent job on this review. I had previously looked at reading this book, but then I bypassed it as I spend most of my time in non-fiction, and I have been trying to expand myself by looking into other genres. It sounds like it was well worth the time reading it, and your review gave me good insight. Now, I am tempted more than ever.

Singlelove73 · Post by **Singlelove73** » 24 Aug 2018, 17:39

Making the right decisions can be hard at times. And seeing what u learnt can be even harder

Kemunto lucy · Post by **Kemunto lucy** » 24 Aug 2018, 18:20

Truly, life is a bowl of choices. I love that the author has honestly written and accepted her wrong choices and she shares them. I am a great fan of memoirs so I will consider reading this book. Great review.

Marissa Michael · Post by **Marissa Michael** » 24 Aug 2018, 20:40

The title alone has attracted me. Indeed life is a bowl of choices. That is so well placed. I enjoy reading a good memoir and your review made me curious to read this myself. Thank you for your thorough review.

Sahani Nimandra · Post by **Sahani Nimandra** » 24 Aug 2018, 23:52

I'm happy that the author exaggerate the importance in making correct choices in life is important. I love the cover illustration. Thank you for your review!

liftedbooks · Post by **liftedbooks** » 25 Aug 2018, 02:44

I love the title. The book sounds great as I usually enjoy memoirs. Beautiful review. Well done!

Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha · Post by **Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha** » 25 Aug 2018, 12:03

Thanks for your insightful review of this book. I love the title as well as the book cover. Indeed life is a bowl of choices. Well done!

John-Patrick Isiaka · Post by **John-Patrick Isiaka** » 26 Aug 2018, 14:31

I love this book, its said the one of the most precious gift our creator has given to us. The greatest is the gift of choice... The author is just on point emphasising this saying.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 27 Aug 2018, 11:43

It takes a very special book for me to read a non-fiction, and I just don't think this is it. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. It does sound like the author speaks in a personable way. Thanks for the review.