Signal Grace

by T.M. Yates

Awarded the Kirkus Star for exceptional merit.

The inspiring story of a divorced soldier, his daughter, and love beyond death.

Tiffany was always saying good-bye to her father, a U.S. Army soldier separated from her mother long ago. She struggled to love him from a distance, but her efforts sputtered amid a growing sense of disappointment. He couldn't possibly love her. Why run and never see a finish line when it came to him? He clearly didn't need her-and she didn't need a father. The road away from him led down a path of depression, abuse, and spiritual searching. Just when she thought she had overcome her past, an unexpected phone call yanked her back to face the man she'd tried so hard to forget, and their surprising journey together finally revealed the real magic in life and love.

Anyone who has experienced the upheaval of divorce or prolonged separation from loved ones will find powerful meaning and tender consolation in this true story. It reminds everyone, amid the crush of life's concerns, to keep watch for the signs that can affirm and guide us. Serving as a testament to the power of simple things, even down to a minor coincidence in the middle of a morning, it honors the magical moments in life that encourage us to keep going, prompt us to love, and point to a greater meaning than we can understand right now.

Signal Grace is a touching reminder that even though no family is perfect and life is full of difficulties, there is true power in faith.

216 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

T. M. Yates lives near Washington, DC. She enjoys traveling, writing, and painting in her spare time, and can often be found hiking through Shenandoah National Park with her favorite Marine and a black Labrador named Jack.

Reviews

[Kelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I’m a little biased and I’m definitely still letting everything I just read sink in. . . again. That I have fully read this book twice is a testament to its quality, and I’m sure I’ll read it a few more times.

“Real magic doesn’t work that way. Magic reveals itself to those who are humble enough and wise enough to look for it in the simple things. It is everywhere, but it is also well hidden.”

There was so much in this book that I absolutely loved. Authors tend to brush over flaws like a teenage girl plastering concealer over an unruly zit. Signal Grace was like a breath of fresh air after all of that. It is so raw and filled with such real emotion; it feels so human.

I won’t lie and say I’ve been through anything like what the author has. But I can understand- on a more fundamental level- the emotions and I could relate. The book takes you on this journey of faith and love and struggling with both. And aren’t those two things so foundational to the lives of all?

I think what I loved most about this book is, simply put, how real it is. The dialogue isn’t made into flowery prose, vocabulary isn’t flaunted to the point that it’s unreadable, it’s just so beautiful and natural. I also appreciated how it didn’t turn into a 1,000-page disaster, like some books. Sometimes detail is super helpful, but it’s really easy to get bogged down in. The author doesn’t try to recount things she can’t recall, making up nonsense to fill in blanks. She just fits all of her important memories, the ones that mattered to her, together like a puzzle and offers it to the reader to gain from it what they will.

What did I gain? Insight on the importance of family and an appreciation for the little things in life. This book serves as a reminder that life has its ups and downs, but it is never impossible to climb from the bottom. Through simple paragraphs and ink printed onto crisp pages, I got a glimpse of the author’s experiences and how she has come to view the world.

For these reasons and more, I think Signal Grace most definitely deserves five solid stars. Or perhaps shamrocks, if you feel so inclined. ☘☘☘☘☘

[Dee Toomey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. I received this book as a gift, and reading it enriched my life. I love when that happens!

[Joshua Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt this book to be lacking in emotional realism. I believe it to be a nice high school report that provided little to bring the pain and hardship of a parent or loved one deploying. I have had a parent deploy and my parents were divorced. So I was given this book as a means to cope. However, the book tends to gloss over the emotional landscape that most military children go through. It's a nice idea and not to take away from the writers own struggles. I just wish it was more robust. It seems like the writer tried to cram all of these feelings in a few hundred papers. I am not suggesting that a novel be written on the subject. However, I was not impressed.

[Jackelin Sevilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much.

[Lysa Aguilar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book about family reconciliation

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this signed by the author(and also a wonderful thank you card :)) Memoir Signal Grace, for free through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway, and I am sooooooo grateful I did! I loved this book so very much! A big thank you to the author T.M. Yates for sharing her story with myself and everyone else. This book was very well written, and I was emotionally connected to it. I was smiling at times and crying my eyes out at other times. I feel as though I know the author personally now, and I can relate to a lot of things she felt and went through. This book definitely does remind you to keep watch for the signs( I will never look at another Shamrock the same way again :)). It also reminds us to treasure the moments we have with loved ones and to forgive because you can never get back time lost. Thank you again Tiffany for sharing your personal story and helping me to look for the signs and to also look at the world with love, forgiveness, and gratitude.

Yours truly,
Kelly xo