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Nineteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery
The Sequel is coming. Fans of Fourteen, A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing and Survival will love this follow-up title, in which Nack details first her spiral into addiction following a childhood full of trauma and grief in 1980s Southern California—ending with her decision to embrace sobriety and happiness.
In the mid-1970s, Leslie Nack’s family returned from sailing to French Polynesia and began the integration process into American life again, which included being tossed back and forth between an alcoholic, mentally ill mother and an abusive, overbearing father.
To find love and acceptance, Leslie chases a myth that throws her into the path of nefarious older men, where she eventually falls into drug and alcohol addiction. Her father dies in his plane in the jungles of Mexico when Leslie is nineteen, but his abuse lingers in her psyche. She spirals, her only solace her next fix—until, somehow, she finds the grace, despite her abjectly dysfunctional family background, to believe in her worth. This newfound self-love changes everything for her, and finally she is able to find her way to sobriety and recovery.
Raw and intense but ultimately hopeful, this sequel to the popular memoir Fourteen tells the rest of Nack’s turbulent—and incredible—story.
In the mid-1970s, Leslie Nack’s family returned from sailing to French Polynesia and began the integration process into American life again, which included being tossed back and forth between an alcoholic, mentally ill mother and an abusive, overbearing father.
To find love and acceptance, Leslie chases a myth that throws her into the path of nefarious older men, where she eventually falls into drug and alcohol addiction. Her father dies in his plane in the jungles of Mexico when Leslie is nineteen, but his abuse lingers in her psyche. She spirals, her only solace her next fix—until, somehow, she finds the grace, despite her abjectly dysfunctional family background, to believe in her worth. This newfound self-love changes everything for her, and finally she is able to find her way to sobriety and recovery.
Raw and intense but ultimately hopeful, this sequel to the popular memoir Fourteen tells the rest of Nack’s turbulent—and incredible—story.
- GenresMemoir
368 pages, Paperback
Published October 14, 2025
3 people are currently reading
4091 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Johansen Nack
3 books146 followersLeslie Johansen Nack is the author of two award-winning books: her debut memoir, Fourteen, and her historical novel, The Blue Butterfly. Her forthcoming sequel, Nineteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery, concludes her raw and deeply personal story, chronicling her path to sobriety and a renewed sense of hope. Nack graduated from UCLA with a degree in English literature and overcame past traumas to raise two children in a healthy, loving home. She is a member of NAMW, the Historical Novel Society, and the PNWA. She lives outside Seattle with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 14, 2025
”The primal need for parental love is a basic yearning. Wading through the minefield I grew up in has taken my entire life. I have found peace and acceptance, and for that, I’m grateful” — Leslie Johansen Nack
If this quote resonates with you, I urge you to pick up Nineteen today. This is an amazing memoir full of tragedy, grief, addiction, hopelessness, despair and heartache. It also brings the hope of healing and recovery. This is a book I didn’t know I needed to read until I did, and it is one I am thankful was put in my path.
I admire and respect Leslie for her courage to pour her heart out to readers in this memoir. It’s is real and raw and there were many times while reading my heart physically ached. This book is a reminder of the lengths that we will ALL go to when searching for love, belonging/acceptance. When you are denied these basic psychological needs as a child, the intensity of your search for them as a young adult into adulthood, can end up being detrimental to your health and well being.
This memoir hit hard for me because there are so many things I can personally relate to within the pages. Reading this was an emotional rollercoaster yet it also felt like I was sitting beside a best friend whose pain and fear I completely understood. Leslie tells her story from a time when mental health and mental, sexual & physical abuse were not acknowledged like they should have been. Not to say that our society is anywhere where it needs to be, but I do feel like we’re in a better place than we were in the 70’s & 80’s. In addition to being a story of healing and hope, this is also a story of survival when all the odds have been stacked against you; when you’ve been dealt an unfair hand that makes you want to throw in the towel but somehow you find the strength and confidence to push through and the story that will remind you that no matter what you’ve been told in the past, you ARE capable of great things!
If a rating could be higher than 5 stars, this one would have it! Thank you so much to BookSparks and Leslie Johansen Nack for this gifted copy of Nineteen 💙 All opinions are my own.
If this quote resonates with you, I urge you to pick up Nineteen today. This is an amazing memoir full of tragedy, grief, addiction, hopelessness, despair and heartache. It also brings the hope of healing and recovery. This is a book I didn’t know I needed to read until I did, and it is one I am thankful was put in my path.
I admire and respect Leslie for her courage to pour her heart out to readers in this memoir. It’s is real and raw and there were many times while reading my heart physically ached. This book is a reminder of the lengths that we will ALL go to when searching for love, belonging/acceptance. When you are denied these basic psychological needs as a child, the intensity of your search for them as a young adult into adulthood, can end up being detrimental to your health and well being.
This memoir hit hard for me because there are so many things I can personally relate to within the pages. Reading this was an emotional rollercoaster yet it also felt like I was sitting beside a best friend whose pain and fear I completely understood. Leslie tells her story from a time when mental health and mental, sexual & physical abuse were not acknowledged like they should have been. Not to say that our society is anywhere where it needs to be, but I do feel like we’re in a better place than we were in the 70’s & 80’s. In addition to being a story of healing and hope, this is also a story of survival when all the odds have been stacked against you; when you’ve been dealt an unfair hand that makes you want to throw in the towel but somehow you find the strength and confidence to push through and the story that will remind you that no matter what you’ve been told in the past, you ARE capable of great things!
If a rating could be higher than 5 stars, this one would have it! Thank you so much to BookSparks and Leslie Johansen Nack for this gifted copy of Nineteen 💙 All opinions are my own.
October 17, 2025
Memoirs: Love them or skip them? ⛵️✨
Happy release week @leslie.johansen.nack 🫶🏼
This is easily one of my favorite memoirs I’ve read. I’m a huge fan of them so have read quite a few! 😅
Leslie told her story so well I had to remind myself this was HER LIFE. This wasn’t fiction. She lived through all of this.
This was a raw, emotional, coming of age story of her most formative years. It was absolutely heartbreaking to read at times but her resilience, perseverance, and growth showed through the pages.
The book is written in short chapters that had me saying one more chapter every time I picked it up, before I knew it I would be 100 pages in for that sitting.
@leslie.johansen.nack THANK YOU for sharing your story. Your words have the potential to reach hearts that need it the most. We are all cheering for you.
Thank you to @shewritespress & @booksparks for the gifted copy of this one. 🤍
#booksparks #fallpopup #NineteenMemoir #memoir #nonfiction #review #bookreview #arcreview #bookrecs #bookrecommendation #bookish #booksta #bookgirly #reader
Happy release week @leslie.johansen.nack 🫶🏼
This is easily one of my favorite memoirs I’ve read. I’m a huge fan of them so have read quite a few! 😅
Leslie told her story so well I had to remind myself this was HER LIFE. This wasn’t fiction. She lived through all of this.
This was a raw, emotional, coming of age story of her most formative years. It was absolutely heartbreaking to read at times but her resilience, perseverance, and growth showed through the pages.
The book is written in short chapters that had me saying one more chapter every time I picked it up, before I knew it I would be 100 pages in for that sitting.
@leslie.johansen.nack THANK YOU for sharing your story. Your words have the potential to reach hearts that need it the most. We are all cheering for you.
Thank you to @shewritespress & @booksparks for the gifted copy of this one. 🤍
#booksparks #fallpopup #NineteenMemoir #memoir #nonfiction #review #bookreview #arcreview #bookrecs #bookrecommendation #bookish #booksta #bookgirly #reader
January 3, 2026
Leslie Johansen Nack has written a haunting memoir that will stay with you long after the final page. Beautifully written, Nineteen recounts a year of self-discovery, trauma, resilience, and survival. This memoir is for readers who seek to understand how anyone can survive dysfunctional parents and emerge on the other side as strong, powerful, and inspirational role models. Leslie Johansen Nack writes with honesty and grace, transforming heartbreak into hope—in other words, it does exactly what an unforgettable memoir is supposed to do. A powerful memoir that reminds us that healing is possible, even after the darkest chapters. Bravo!
September 23, 2025
A powerful and moving story of a woman's growth from her childhood into her adulthood trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world. This book will take you on a raw emotional journey unlike others that you may have read. I liked that the author was not afraid to go there and tell her us about all the sorrows and difficult decisions she would have to face to get to where she is today. I applaud her for being so brave to share her journey with us not in just one, but two books. I will have to pick up the prequel fourteen!
October 14, 2025
Nineteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery is the sequel to Nack's first memoir, Fourteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, which is the foundation of her story. After reading Fourteen, much like many other readers, I was desperate to know what happened next. Not only was her story well-written and compelling, but it also left readers with quite a cliffhanger.
My heart was in pieces after the first book, and when I nearly cried while reading the Author's Note (you know, the bit you read before the story even starts, like, before page one), I knew her struggles were far from over. Allowing the world to know the most vulnerable parts of your intimate experiences takes courage, and I applaud Nack for her authenticity and transparency in sharing all the hardships she faced and eventually overcame.
After spending her early years living her father's dream of traveling the world on a sailboat with her and her two sisters, they return to American soil and attempt to lead a more traditional life. But years of trying to protect herself from her father's inappropriate behavior and dealing with her mostly absent, mentally ill mother have left her with few coping skills to manage the chaos going on within and around her. She soon finds herself in the arms of older men, constantly engaging in risky behavior, and eventually discovers the euphoric magic drugs and alcohol provide.
Despite the hardships and heartache Leslie faced, this powerful memoir is full of hope. Her story proves that no matter what trauma you've faced, it's not too late to change the direction of your life. I highly recommend reading Fourteen first, but this isn't a memoir to overlook. These books will stick with me for a long time.
My heart was in pieces after the first book, and when I nearly cried while reading the Author's Note (you know, the bit you read before the story even starts, like, before page one), I knew her struggles were far from over. Allowing the world to know the most vulnerable parts of your intimate experiences takes courage, and I applaud Nack for her authenticity and transparency in sharing all the hardships she faced and eventually overcame.
After spending her early years living her father's dream of traveling the world on a sailboat with her and her two sisters, they return to American soil and attempt to lead a more traditional life. But years of trying to protect herself from her father's inappropriate behavior and dealing with her mostly absent, mentally ill mother have left her with few coping skills to manage the chaos going on within and around her. She soon finds herself in the arms of older men, constantly engaging in risky behavior, and eventually discovers the euphoric magic drugs and alcohol provide.
Despite the hardships and heartache Leslie faced, this powerful memoir is full of hope. Her story proves that no matter what trauma you've faced, it's not too late to change the direction of your life. I highly recommend reading Fourteen first, but this isn't a memoir to overlook. These books will stick with me for a long time.
October 27, 2025
💙𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 // 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘤𝘬
It takes a very strong and talented person to take such tragedy and trauma in their life and turn it into such beauty and hope on the page.
Full transparency, I usually do not seek out memoirs. However, when one wanders into my life with depth, rawness, and some heavy, dark topics, my curiosity is typically piqued. And my curiosity definitely paid off this time!
Leslie’s story of growing up with two very troubling parents- an abusive father and a tuned out, mentally ill mother- certainly didn’t set her up with the behaviors and skills she’d need to thrive and just deal with life. With chaos abound, she turned to what was easy, what numbed…drugs, alcohol, and destructive behaviors. Leslie held back zero punches and laid her life bare through the words she wrote. Sometimes the story almost seemed like just that…a story. Like how could someone endure this life and somehow emerge like a butterfly, transformed in the chrysalis surrounded by mayhem and trauma?
This story truly proves that healing is hard work- it takes strength and courage every day just to keep going and moving towards the light- to continue to keep the darkness at bay. I think we could all learn a bit from Leslie’s endurance and determination in not letting her suffering define her.
I’ll admit, I didn’t read the prequel to this book, Fourteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, so I went into this one without the background context provided within. (It’s on my list now though!) However, I think Nineteen can certainly be read as a stand alone and still deliver quite an impact.
🖤🖤🖤🖤💕/5
*Thank you @booksparks and @leslie.johansen.nack for this #gifted copy!
It takes a very strong and talented person to take such tragedy and trauma in their life and turn it into such beauty and hope on the page.
Full transparency, I usually do not seek out memoirs. However, when one wanders into my life with depth, rawness, and some heavy, dark topics, my curiosity is typically piqued. And my curiosity definitely paid off this time!
Leslie’s story of growing up with two very troubling parents- an abusive father and a tuned out, mentally ill mother- certainly didn’t set her up with the behaviors and skills she’d need to thrive and just deal with life. With chaos abound, she turned to what was easy, what numbed…drugs, alcohol, and destructive behaviors. Leslie held back zero punches and laid her life bare through the words she wrote. Sometimes the story almost seemed like just that…a story. Like how could someone endure this life and somehow emerge like a butterfly, transformed in the chrysalis surrounded by mayhem and trauma?
This story truly proves that healing is hard work- it takes strength and courage every day just to keep going and moving towards the light- to continue to keep the darkness at bay. I think we could all learn a bit from Leslie’s endurance and determination in not letting her suffering define her.
I’ll admit, I didn’t read the prequel to this book, Fourteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, so I went into this one without the background context provided within. (It’s on my list now though!) However, I think Nineteen can certainly be read as a stand alone and still deliver quite an impact.
🖤🖤🖤🖤💕/5
*Thank you @booksparks and @leslie.johansen.nack for this #gifted copy!
December 5, 2025
Nineteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery begins not long after the end of the previous book, still in Southern California, where we’re thrown into a truly dysfunctional situation, with her mom back in the mix part-time and her bright and ambitious dad wrangling everyone into working in his various marine businesses, sometimes to an abusive degree.
Her mom’s struggles with mental illness continue, in SoCal and in her hometown of Toronto, Canada; her daughters are uprooted, taken along for brief stints, and some collateral damage in done. Torn between countries and parents, teenaged Leslie seeks comfort with an older man who shows an interest in her and soon they are lovers. Her life keeps her unrooted and unsure of herself, and she finds solace in men’s adoration of her beautiful face and body, both in Toronto and when she is back in California.
As soon as she is able, this young woman is out on her own, but not exactly, as each step is taken with or toward a different, debatably helpful man who believes he knows what is best for her. But those men are not her dad, and being with someone who is not her father is all that Leslie requires at that point. The security and love she lacks and is desperately looking for eludes her and, perhaps predictably, the men turn her on to alcohol, and then drugs, which seem like the perfect way to cope with the emptiness of her fruitless search for self—at least, at first.
Her mom’s struggles with mental illness continue, in SoCal and in her hometown of Toronto, Canada; her daughters are uprooted, taken along for brief stints, and some collateral damage in done. Torn between countries and parents, teenaged Leslie seeks comfort with an older man who shows an interest in her and soon they are lovers. Her life keeps her unrooted and unsure of herself, and she finds solace in men’s adoration of her beautiful face and body, both in Toronto and when she is back in California.
As soon as she is able, this young woman is out on her own, but not exactly, as each step is taken with or toward a different, debatably helpful man who believes he knows what is best for her. But those men are not her dad, and being with someone who is not her father is all that Leslie requires at that point. The security and love she lacks and is desperately looking for eludes her and, perhaps predictably, the men turn her on to alcohol, and then drugs, which seem like the perfect way to cope with the emptiness of her fruitless search for self—at least, at first.
October 26, 2025
This memoir shattered my heart into pieces and then slowly pieced it back together again. In Nineteen, Leslie Johansen Nack shares her heartbreaking journey through tragedy, grief, and addiction. What starts as a story of pain and loss turns into one of strength, resilience, and hope. I didn’t realize there’s a prequel called Fourteen, but this reads beautifully on its own and I never felt confused or lost.
I have so much admiration for the author’s bravery and honesty in telling such a deeply personal account. Her writing is so raw and vivid that I had to remind myself it wasn’t fiction. The short chapters and beautiful flow completely pulled me in, and the sleep deprivation from staying up reading was absolutely worth it. It’s one of those memoirs that sticks with you long after you finish, the kind that quietly rearranges something inside you.
Every reader will take something different from this book, but I think we can all find a piece of ourselves somewhere within its pages. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t simple, that survival takes courage, and that even in the darkest moments, light still finds a way through.
Big thanks to the author and BookSparks for the gifted copy!
I have so much admiration for the author’s bravery and honesty in telling such a deeply personal account. Her writing is so raw and vivid that I had to remind myself it wasn’t fiction. The short chapters and beautiful flow completely pulled me in, and the sleep deprivation from staying up reading was absolutely worth it. It’s one of those memoirs that sticks with you long after you finish, the kind that quietly rearranges something inside you.
Every reader will take something different from this book, but I think we can all find a piece of ourselves somewhere within its pages. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t simple, that survival takes courage, and that even in the darkest moments, light still finds a way through.
Big thanks to the author and BookSparks for the gifted copy!
October 17, 2025
“God knows I’d wished him dead for years. It had become a mantra, a rut in my brain where hatred for him grew like a weed… And still, who would I be in this world if he never came back? My whole life had existed to fight against him. I could already feel the vacuum of where he used to be beginning to suck me in.”
That’s deep. I have not read the authors first book Fourteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, but it appears that this is a much asked for follow up to that one.
I applaud the author’s grit and ability to dig deep and tell her very tragic and traumatic story. Her father sexually abused her and her mother was mentally ill and, in essence, absent for a lot of her formative years. This book is an emotional ride and a peek into her trauma, subsequent rock bottom, and then her path to healing. So powerful!
Thank you to @BookSparks and @Leslie.Johansen.Nack for the tour spot and the #gifted book.
That’s deep. I have not read the authors first book Fourteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, but it appears that this is a much asked for follow up to that one.
I applaud the author’s grit and ability to dig deep and tell her very tragic and traumatic story. Her father sexually abused her and her mother was mentally ill and, in essence, absent for a lot of her formative years. This book is an emotional ride and a peek into her trauma, subsequent rock bottom, and then her path to healing. So powerful!
Thank you to @BookSparks and @Leslie.Johansen.Nack for the tour spot and the #gifted book.
November 23, 2025
Nineteen is the follow up to the author's previous book Fourteen. I was drawn to the first book as the author lived aboard and sailed at the same time I did during the seventies and I really enjoyed the book, though she had far more adventure then I did.
Nineteen is what happens after that time when she comes back to the states. Her father is as crazy as ever and I understood the love/hate dynamic she had with him. Her mother was a mentally unbalanced alcoholic that was often in psych wards and could not care for or nurture her children. In Leslie's case this was the perfect storm for her to spiral down into unimaginable and harrowing depths which few have ever been able to get themselves out of.
Leslie is alive, lived to tell the cautionary tale and is doing well. What a wild ride!
Nineteen is what happens after that time when she comes back to the states. Her father is as crazy as ever and I understood the love/hate dynamic she had with him. Her mother was a mentally unbalanced alcoholic that was often in psych wards and could not care for or nurture her children. In Leslie's case this was the perfect storm for her to spiral down into unimaginable and harrowing depths which few have ever been able to get themselves out of.
Leslie is alive, lived to tell the cautionary tale and is doing well. What a wild ride!
October 14, 2025
I hate to say I enjoyed a book about someone’s turmoil. But the raw intensity and ultimate healing punctuate the word hope. Her journey from childhood trauma to her messy adulthood leaves no leaf unturned. It’s one of those books that punches you in the gut and then gently stitches you back together. Nack doesn’t sugarcoat anything—she puts it all out there: the good, the bad, and the downright heartbreaking. Her honesty is refreshing, her courage inspiring, and her story may feel familiar to anyone who’s ever tried to carve out their own place in the world while battling addiction. Whether you’ve read Fourteen or not (I’m definitely going back for it now), this powerful memoir is one you’ll carry with you long after you close the last page. Kudos to the author for slaying the dragons!
October 14, 2025
Nineteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery is a stunning continuation of Leslie Johansen Nack’s story a fearless, unflinching memoir that dives deep into the chaos of trauma, addiction, and the quiet triumph of self-forgiveness.
Following Fourteen, Nack brings readers back into the aftermath of her turbulent youth where grief, abuse, and addiction threaten to drown her before she learns how to rise above it all. Her prose is raw yet graceful, painting pain without sentimentality and hope without illusion. Every page pulses with honesty, compassion, and the hard-won beauty of survival.
Nineteen isn’t just a memoir, it’s a testament to the power of healing, and proof that even in the wreckage, we can find redemption.
Following Fourteen, Nack brings readers back into the aftermath of her turbulent youth where grief, abuse, and addiction threaten to drown her before she learns how to rise above it all. Her prose is raw yet graceful, painting pain without sentimentality and hope without illusion. Every page pulses with honesty, compassion, and the hard-won beauty of survival.
Nineteen isn’t just a memoir, it’s a testament to the power of healing, and proof that even in the wreckage, we can find redemption.
November 17, 2025
I read Leslie Johansen Nack's first memoir "Fourteen" years ago and was so looking forward to this 2nd memoir. "Nineteen" did not disappoint. Nack doesn't hold back on her incredible story of her as a troubled teen living through unbelievable abuse and one tumultuous event after another. This book is raw, honest, and powerful. I found myself unable to put it down. I cried along with this young woman, and I found myself cheering her along the entire read, page after page. This is an addiction story, a coming-of-age story, a story about strength and survival, and a story that speaks of the love a child has for family and parents, regardless of awful circumstances. I loved this book! Laura L.Engel
October 15, 2025
NINETEEN is a riveting read -- a true story that is so much bigger than life, you could mistake it for fiction. But it's not. Lesley Johansen Nack starts the narrative in her teen years (sailing across the ocean at fourteen, her family moving constantly, and dealing with two dysfunctional parents). One crisis after another hits, and she and her two sisters are ill-equipped to deal with it all. As she eloquently writes, "The primal need for parental love is a basic yearning." When that love and support is withheld, it can have devastating longterm effects. You'll need to read the book to learn the ending.
November 14, 2025
Nineteen is a tribute to Leslie Johansen Nack's resilience and bravery in the face of abuse and hardship. This memoir is a stand alone although follows her first memoir, Fourteen, with more harrowing tales of sailing with her abusive father and rebelling against his tyranny. The section about going "undercover" for her dad in order to retrieve an insurance fraud boat particularly had me on the edge of my seat. I appreciated reading the arc of this author's trauma-filled story as she, in the end, comes to navigate her own 'ship' in a different direction. I highly recommend reading this courageous memoir.
November 24, 2025
Parts of this 5-star worthy book hit very close to home. “Nineteen” is a true story about growing up in a toxic environment because of Leslie’s parents’ choice of lifestyle, for lack of a better word. That traumatizing environment shaped who Leslie became. One thing I related to was that I also threw myself at men, hoping to feel loved, but that wasn’t the answer. Leslie eventually found her worth, and so did I. If you enjoy reading books about addiction and recovery with happy endings, I highly recommend “Nineteen”. It was also full of many travel adventures; my favorite was hiking/camping in the Rocky Mountains.
November 29, 2025
Riveting memoir that reads like a novel. Nack has done it again with this follow up sequel to her earlier memoir about being 14. This time around she grows up even more in coming to terms with her father, the man she reveres and hates at the same time. When she loses him her world falls apart as she no longer has a foil that provided structure to her life. Nack's attempt to grow up provides challenges that many never had the misfortune to experience. She comes through it all having changed and understands she can live life on her own terms.
#alcohol & drug addiction #recovery #mental illness #dysfunctional families
#alcohol & drug addiction #recovery #mental illness #dysfunctional families
October 17, 2025
I haven’t read the first two books by this author but I plan to go back and do so. I thought the authors writing style was peaceful but yet so very loud….heavy and yet the words felt like they danced lightly off the page…does that even make sense? It makes so much sense to me when I think of my time while reading this book. I was shattered by certain moments in this memoir and equally so encouraged. The way people treat others is just wild to me. I could relate to some of the snarky remarks out of her dad’s mouth and it just made my heart sad. Words can hurt so much and are extremely powerful. Actions as well. Cannot be taken back either.
Here is to being who you need in a world that doesn’t always deal the finest cards. The effects of having parents who are unwell during your childhood absolutely follows you into adulthood while you’re trying to be the best person you can be. Just hard. And from there it’s the journey of finding your own happiness and success and joy! To me it’s the reward after ALL of that and realizing what you made it through- that’s when the real strength of a person shines through.
I want to thank the author for sharing her story. I can imagine it was hard to do and also very freeing.
Here is to being who you need in a world that doesn’t always deal the finest cards. The effects of having parents who are unwell during your childhood absolutely follows you into adulthood while you’re trying to be the best person you can be. Just hard. And from there it’s the journey of finding your own happiness and success and joy! To me it’s the reward after ALL of that and realizing what you made it through- that’s when the real strength of a person shines through.
I want to thank the author for sharing her story. I can imagine it was hard to do and also very freeing.
October 28, 2025
The author's coming-of-age struggles with her domineering and demeaning father and alcoholic mother leaves her yearning for parental love at nineteen when her father dies in a plane crash. The long-term effects dog her through many years of looking for love from all the wrong men as she battles drug and alcohol addictions. Her honest writing, perseverance, and strength make this powerful memoir truly inspiring when she finds her way to hope and wholeness at last. Strong writing and a rewarding read.
December 19, 2025
A deeply moving memoir about coming of age in a dysfunctional, abusive family. Nack’s writing is spell-binding, honest, and raw. This sequel to Fourteen picks up the story of the authors life through adolescence and takes us on a powerful journey of loneliness, addiction, and ultimately recovery. This story has you rooting for the young girl found in these pages while seeing parts of our younger selves in her journey. A beautiful read!
October 30, 2025
Nineteen was such an emotional and powerful read. This follow-up to Fourteen continues Leslie Nack’s story, following her struggle to navigate trauma, unstable family life, and addiction as she searches for love, self-worth, and ultimately, sobriety. I found this memoir incredibly raw and deeply relatable. While it tackles heavy, painful topics, the journey toward healing and self-acceptance makes it absolutely worth the read. A heartbreaking yet hopeful story of survival and resilience.
October 19, 2025
Thank you to the author and BookSparks for this read! As someone with mental health struggles I found this to be raw and thought provoking, touching on inner thoughts so real and strong that they become so painful. I enjoyed this story and am incredibly inspired.
November 7, 2025
Nineteen is a riveting look at the life of a true survivor. I am astonished by this book and by the fact that the author lived to tell her story. I recommend this book to anyone—I couldn’t put it down. It is beautifully told and puts hard knocks in perspective.
November 26, 2025
Purchased at her Third Place Books launch in Seattle. I didn’t read Nineteen… I inhaled it. Nack writes with the courage of someone who’s lived it and the grace of someone who’s finally free. A gorgeous collision of vulnerability and grit. The perfect punctuation point to Fourteen.
December 1, 2025
After reading Fourteen , I was looking forward to reading Nineteen. I was not disappointed. I also enjoyed meeting Leslie at her book release and hearing how and why she wrote her memoirs. I will continue to recommend Leslie Johansen Nack’s writings.
September 21, 2025
Reading this was both heartbreaking and almost healing.
I could relate to some of the things that Leslie wrote about in her Memoir, so some of the parts made me emotional.
I could relate to some of the things that Leslie wrote about in her Memoir, so some of the parts made me emotional.
October 2, 2025
Review
December 5, 2025
I read the author’s first memoir, Fourteen, which I very much enjoyed, but the sequel blew me away. The writing is so engrossing, so propulsive, it was hard to put this one down. That doesn't mean that I *enjoyed* reading about all the abuse she suffered. Johansen Nack just wrote about her turbulent early life so beautifully and in such a moving way that her memoir was unputdownable.
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