Running From Solace by Nakia Laushaul

About the Book

“She passed a hard candy over her shoulder as though whatever was in the tiny wrapper was supposed to make it all better. I clutched the peppermint in my hand and buried my face in the hard leather seat while she explained what was going to happen to me. She promised that I’d be safe from then on.”


And so begins the journey of Naomi, whose amazing story picks up where the past and future intersect. As Naomi struggles to hide the ugly physical and emotional reminders that insist on haunting her dreams, she crosses paths with a young boy, Xavier and his bad-tempered mother, Mona, who both share an interesting story much like her own.
Running from Solace is an emotional tale that will send you catapulting on a breathless journey beyond breaking points and will lead you to believe in the power of accepting what is to be.

UNIQUE BOOK REVIEW

At first glance, the title of this expertly written novel, catches the readers attention. Not just because of the intriguing photo on the cover but because it compels the reader to ask the question, how can one actually run from solace. 

To say that Running from Solace took me on an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement. It was more of the journey of an earthquake with several aftershocks. From the first chapter, I was drawn in by the horrid childhood of a sweet little girl named Naomi. Naomi had seen far too much in her young years. Her mother, an alcoholic and junkie, never knew the damage that the caused someone who loved her with every fiber of their being.

As Naomi's mother faced her drug laden demons, she often took her anger and frustrations out on Naomi. The verbal abuse, the constant beatings, the days without food and the array of men who paraded in and out of her home were too much for a child of Naomi's age to endure. Naomi's saving grace came in the form of Social Services taking her away from her abusive lifestyle.

Some may say that the tragic way that Naomi grew up forced her to enter a profession where she could protect children and keep them from growing up the way that she did. Ironically, her job causes her to evaluate her life and her past. It is when she receives the case of young Xavier that Naomi finds that her job has hit too close to home. She finds that looking into Xavier's is like looking into a mirror of her past.


Nakia Laushaul has masterfully penned a novel whose scenes were so vividly described that the reader is thrust right into the middle of the action. This novel made me face some harsh realities that are present in the lives of children all across the world on a daily basis. Thought provoking, gripping and emotionally charged, I will definitely recommend this novel.

The unique xperience in this novel came about when Naomi met Xavier.

Unique Rating: 5 Chocolate Stars

About the Author

Nakia was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and now resides in Houston, Texas with her lovable teenage son. She is employed as a Finance Administrator for a large furniture retailer. Nakia is an inspirational poet, novelist, blogger, and entrepreneur. She has always loved to read and early on in life guessed that writing would play a major role in her future after discovering the writings of Dr. Maya Angelou when she was only nine years old.

Nakia is determined to present the truth as she sees it in all facets of her writing, and hopes that her work will inspire and serve a meaningful purpose for others. She is committed to challenging everyone in her reach to find compassion and empathy in the differences that exist among us all.


Inspired and fueled by attempts to be molded into the norm, she wrote and published her first collection of poetry and essays titled, The Truth As I See It: In Poetry & Prose which was released in early 2010 by Serendipity Bound Books. Running from Solace, her debut fiction novel was released in April 2011. She is currently working on her second novel, Do You Know Daisy McCloud?