Official Review: When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Ho...

[Okafor Prosper]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2" by Tom Wick.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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In his second book, When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2, Tom Wick details his life experiences serving in the United States Navy working as a "Hull Maintenance Technician Fireman" (HMTF). We get a detailed look into what his life was like, as he traveled to different places around the world on missions on the USS Gridley (CG-21), one of the ships of the United States Navy named after Captain Charles Gridley. We also get to see how Tom Wick deals with the abuse he suffered in the previous book, which involved rape and getting beat up.

I really enjoyed following this part of Tom Wick's life. There was quite a lot to learn from his story, from what it entailed to work on a ship and the negative effects of abuse to winemaking. Readers will notice the author's use of pot and alcohol as ways to escape. His distrust of everyone around him due to his post-traumatic stress disorder, especially aboard the ship, meant that he couldn't get along with most people and was usually afraid and emotional. Fortunately, Tom Wick had a great way of including humor to lighten the mood in any situation, so it was easy to read through a lot of sad parts and areas where he went into detail about the functions of different departments on a U.S. Navy ship, which could be boring for some readers.

My favorite parts of the book revolved around Tom Wick's free time when they visited places like Hawaii, the Philippines, Singapore, and Acapulco. I enjoyed those parts because the author spared no detail in helping readers to get vivid images of his experiences in those cities. Each time he visited a location, he did well to commence by giving a brief history of the place, its culture, information about the weather throughout the year, and different landmarks and tourist attractions, including information on "The Queen Liliuokalani Statue" in Hawaii and the islands in Acapulco, just to name a couple. The book started to feel like a travel guide at some points, and it was heavy on pictures of all these locations, which brought life to what the author narrated.

Readers should also take note of the inclusion of numerous descriptive and nondescriptive sex scenes in the author's story. In this regard, I could not agree with some questionable life choices Tom Wick made, but I could see how he also used this as a coping mechanism and how it was important on his self-development journey, which he mentions will be explored in his next book. However, this means that this book will only be suitable for a mature audience.

While I enjoyed reading When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2 for the most part, the book could do with extra rounds of professional editing. I found over ten errors while reading, and most of them revolved around the incorrect spacing of words. Also, the book could have been shorter in length if the author was not overly repetitive in some areas.

Overall, the author's story was easy to relate to, and his experiences were enlightening and exciting to follow. Even though this book can be read as a standalone, I feel that it would be best to read the first volume before this one to get a perfect understanding of the author's journey. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I rate When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2 3 out of 4 stars. I did not give the maximum rating because of the errors I found in the book. Mature readers that enjoy autobiographies will love this book.

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When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2
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[duskdawn09]

I certainly feel that this is a very dark yet heartwarming book at the same time based on the reviews on the last book and this book. I might have to give it a try!

[Fabulous mind]

It seems like a good book to enjoy, as the author exposes the readers to several cultures of places he traveled to. It's sad I don't usually enjoy reading memoirs, so I will pass this one. Great review.

[Jennifer Aldo]

I would love to read about his experiences, as he's been through so much. I would also like to know if his pot and alcohol inclination was addressed. Nice review by the way.

[Yvonne Monique]

This gentleman certainly had an interesting life, worth sharing in the form of a memoir. As I haven't read the first instalment yet, I will not read this book first.

[Etienneza]

A maritime memoir. Thank you for an interesting and very entertaining read. A life lived well has a fortified spirit as a lasting reward.Well done with BOTD!

[Wayne Njoroge]

This book is very detailed. The author breaks it down for readers; thereby making it simple but interesting for readers as well. Congrats BOTD.

[Edfy]

My love for romance will have me pass on this one, although the review is very compelling

[AntonelaMaria]

I found book one repetitive as well. Maybe more editing wouldn't be such a bad idea. A great and informative review, thank you.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

This is an inspirational non-fiction autobiography highlighting the US NAVY and the experiences the author faced while traveling on missions around the world. The book has a free sample on Amazon Kindle and has a well-written OnlineBookClub review. Congrats on the BOTD selection.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your review. As the second part of the memoir, this book follows Tom's life after his childhood abuse. It seems he relied on drugs and alcohol to escape his PTSD. Joining the Navy and travelling are also his ways to start over.

[Bertha Jackson]

The first book did not grab my interest but this one does a little bit. The number of errors in the sample alone concerns me. I found them to be distracting. Thank you for your review.

[Aan Granados]

I would like to read about Tom Wick's life working in the Navy. But it would be best to read the first Volume first. Thanks for your review.

[Deval Sodha]

It seems that the book is a heartwarming story.
The author's life can be an example for many on how to deal with abuse in life.
I will definitely read this book.
The review is descriptive.
Congratulations on Botd

[MarveeAman]

The author’s personal growth and enduring legacy, with a touch of humor, make this memoir worth reading. Great review