Renée | apuzzledbooklover's Reviews > The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing

“Reading was my first addiction. When I tell people this today, they nod and laugh as if they understand, as if they too are part of a secret book-addict society, whose greatest crime is staying up late, a flashlight under the covers, compulsively reading page after page.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect in reading this book, I only knew it was highly recommended and that Lara was the ghost writer for Anthony Ray Hinton’s book, The Sun Does Shine, which I read years ago and loved.

This is the story of how addiction nearly took away her life, and the journey to take it back. It’s raw and real, and she shares her struggles with drugs, and a life of lying and stealing. Losing everything she holds dear. Going to jail.

‘Drugs give me what I’m looking for, what I need and crave. The truth is simple, getting high feels better than not getting high. And until that changes, no addict will change.’

I loved how she grew. In her own personal life, in her writing. In helping others, countless letters she wrote for other inmates.
And for herself.

I found myself cheering her on. Wanting and hoping for her to succeed and to overcome her addiction. To find true happiness.

She has such a valuable story to share. Don’t we all deserve a chance for redemption? I think so. We all can learn to be less judgmental and remember that we may never know a person’s whole story. We can learn to forgive, others, and ourselves. I highly recommend this book!

CW: Strong language throughout. Some descriptions of drug use.