Letty's Story: Hell to Heaven

by Leticia, Leticia Lakusiewicz

This is Leticiabloodied by war, unwanted by her mother and father, a poor child of circumstance. At the age of five, she was traded in the black market with the Japanese army to survive. Letty's story explodes as suddenly as the bombs that hit Pearl Harbor.

293 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 2014

Reviews

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Letty's Story: Hell to Heaven" by Leticia is the first time I've read anything by this author. I was given the book to write an honest review and I have to say that I absolutely loved it. It is a true story based on life events. Now, I normally read romance novels so this was a new genre for me. I am very glad that I was asked to read this.

The story opens up with Leticia as a 5 year old in Manila during the beginning part of WWII. The Japanese have bombed her home and surrounding neighbors homes. She experiences death first hand. The sights, and the smells. This young girl is given trial after trial in life, and she finds a way to overcome the sadness.

I picked up this book last night and didn't want to put it down. What Leticia endured, and where she went with her life is an amazing journey. There are many captivating parts to this book. She learns how to barter with the soldiers giving them tea leaves for coin and fresh eggs for canned goods. There were a few times she went hungry but she learned quickly how to overcome a bad situation. Her father left her in the care of her Grandmother, and her Mother left her in the country and went back to Manila. She was forced by an Aunt to do menial labour and was treated poorly by her Aunt. All the while she never gave up.

There are many, many situations that come up in Letty's life and this book was the biography of her life and what an amazing life she's had so far. I recommend this to any adult who enjoys reading about history, and loves biographies. 5 out of 5 stars.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letty’s story is the story of a memoir of a woman named Leticia, whose young life was literally spent trying to survive. The story begins with a five year old Leticia/Letty being struck with the horrors of waking up literally to her home town being attacked by the Japanese in WWII. From the moment the bombs struck Leticia’s life is forever changed. As a young girl she experiences loss, her parents both deserting her at an early age and then being bounced from one relative to the next. Some of the relative’s being abusive to the little girl. But ultimately she survives and thrives; ultimately becoming a nurse with amazing talent. Sadly this is not the end of her troubles as Letty finds herself on the wrong end of a bad marriage; her husband abusing her to the point of almost killing her before she escapes. Letty finds her way to safety in America where she meets the love of her life. Of course there is so much of the story to tell!
Letty’s story is a wonderful unique story of survival and how much one can overcome with faith in oneself as well as love. There were a few parts of the story that seemed to be missing, perhaps due to the trauma of parts of her life were simply forgotten, however they did not take away from the overall story and it was overall a great read.

[Angie Mangino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letty’s Story
By Leticia
2015
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating: 5 stars

Readers immediately meet five year old Leticia “sleeping peacefully in her bed.”

“…All seemed well on this quiet night on December 7, 1941, for an innocent little girl so unaware of the unstoppable events into which she would soon be plunged, sleeping away the last peaceful seconds of her young life.”

The bombings come and the devastation begins. Skillfully the author has readers’ full interest, propelling them into the hell this child will experience. As they look for better conditions for this young girl, knowledge of history will foreshadow more trouble to come.

Sensory descriptions bring readers to Manila that horrible day with its aftermath. Realistic dialogue lets them hear what the child hears as they tap into her thoughts at the time.

The story plunges readers into the experience, keeping them involved throughout the following years, until the satisfying conclusion of this journey from “hell to heaven.”



Angie Mangino currently works as a freelance journalist and book reviewer, additionally offering authors personalized critique service of unpublished manuscripts. http://www.angiemangino.com

[Elle Klass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a huge nonfiction reader but every so often a nonfiction book comes my way. Letty’s Story is one woman’s amazing journey of courage. She was born in the Phillippines during WW2. Awakened with a start as bombs blew her home to pieces. Soon the Japanese take over and she finds herself, at a very young age, bartering and trading in order to take of herself. As the war ensues her family falls apart and she is subjected to various forms of abuse. Somehow she manages to overcome the odds.

I found this book very difficult to put down and read every waking moment until I turned the last page. The story is heartbreaking and encouraging. There were some gaps and cryptic memories that left me curious but I assume they are memories better left forgotten or unimportant to the story. Either way Letty’s Story is a fascinating read.

An empowering novel that will leave an impression in the mind and on the soul.

[Kurt Springs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letty's Story: Hell to Heaven is the memoir of Leticia Lakusiewicz.The story opens with Letty awaking on December 7, 1941 to the opening of WW II in the Philippines. She survives the Japanese occupation but there are serious wounds that rip much of her family apart. She goes through nursing school, never afraid of hard work and marries a man who turns abusive. She escapes the Philippines and meets the love of her life, Ron Lakusiewicz, and engineer turned surgeon.

I found the biography intriguing. Though I am not a huge reader of biographies, this one was difficult to put down. The reader is immediately drawn to Letty, a lovely, intelligent young girl who endures the trials of war time occupation where her once loving family life is no a casualty. She preservers, proving to be a clever survivor and a compassionate human being.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of memoirs and truly sincere stories will adore Letty's Story which is guaranteed to tug on the heartstrings a little more than expected. The author's prose and writing talent is completely obvious within the first chapter as her somber story reels readers in almost instantaneously. This five-year old child will make you want to reach out, hug her and tell her everything will be alright in the long run, but her wondrous story forces book lovers around the world to patiently wait until the end as they keep their fingers crossed hoping for an ending which leads to a smile. Expect a few tears and lots of inspiration as we are guided through almost seven decades of this unforgotten tale which has the possibility of lingering in one's mind for a very long time.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given To Me For An Honest Review



Letty's Story by Leticia wasn't at all what I was expecting. It is about a young child who grows up during the war and what she and others go through while under enemy control. She struggles as she really has no one to care for her. Life begins to change as she gets older. She studies to become a nurse and when that happens she then meets and marries her second husband who has just become a doctor. Basically, it's her memoir. Interesting but a slow read. I look for more from Leticia Lakusiewicz.

[R.W. Lang · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the bittersweet story of a little Filipino girl who grew up to witness the ravages of WWII. Facing her demons head on, Letty was able to survive the disassociation of her family, and a brutally abusive first marriage; ultimately finding her way to the United States. Letty found solace in helping other people, and became a Registered Nurse. She met a man, who she would marry, during his training to become a doctor. Although their life together had it's ups and downs, their love for each other held true, and their dreams fulfilled.

[Jacquelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart warning and touching to your very core.
Once in a while you come across a book or story that make you say wow!!
Letty's story was it for me. I didn't read her story I lived it, the whole time I was feeling her pain, lose, and new beginning. This was a journey of pure courage that this amazing woman actually lived through. She was born during WW2 and went on to survive an abusive first marriage. Come read and get to know this incredible
woman. This is one story that you will not forget no time soon!!!
I was given this book in exchange for my honest review

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Letty's Story: Hell to Heaven" by Leticia Lakusiewicz is my first book by this author and is a true story. It is a personal account of family and survival. What one little girl goes through in her life and how she survived. Things you have to do to survive whether it's right or wrong.