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Hope Trilogy #1
When Hope Calls
One phone call.
One kidnapped girl.
One impossible rescue mission.
When the staff of a human rights NGO receive a call from a distraught girl, Mya, claiming she had been kidnapped, they are thrown on a gut-wrenching quest. They don't know who she is. They don't know where she is or her destination. All they have is a phone connection. Every clue draws them closer to her rescue...or pushes them to frustration. Within the next twelve hours, they must each make daring sacrifices and be tested to their limit.
The clock is ticking, the odds are against them...will they be able find Mya?
NOTE: All proceeds from this book will go to an anti-human trafficking NGO based in Hong Kong.
One kidnapped girl.
One impossible rescue mission.
When the staff of a human rights NGO receive a call from a distraught girl, Mya, claiming she had been kidnapped, they are thrown on a gut-wrenching quest. They don't know who she is. They don't know where she is or her destination. All they have is a phone connection. Every clue draws them closer to her rescue...or pushes them to frustration. Within the next twelve hours, they must each make daring sacrifices and be tested to their limit.
The clock is ticking, the odds are against them...will they be able find Mya?
NOTE: All proceeds from this book will go to an anti-human trafficking NGO based in Hong Kong.
100 pages, ebook
Published August 19, 2017
253 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 29, 2022
This book has a tough theme, human trafficking. It is about the people that work at the hot line trying to save people. It's not really my thing, but important.
July 30, 2019
Heartbreaking as it should be!
May we find every lost child in this next year. Do something! Write letters, walk your streets and look and see.
May we find every lost child in this next year. Do something! Write letters, walk your streets and look and see.
August 19, 2017
[slight, vague spoilers about general direction of novel but nothing too damaging, so I leave this disclaimer instead of selecting the spoiler option!]
"When Hope Calls" is a lot of things. At first glance, the beautiful title and serene cover are likely to create the impression that the story within is just as sweet, with a generous helping of miracles and happy turns. The actual tale, however, is much more gritty and down to earth, and I closed the book with mixed feelings, among which were shock and concern, but more importantly, the compulsion to act.
The story opens grippingly, with Mya's call about her kidnapping immediately shattering the mellow atmosphere of the humanitarian office and hurling the reader on a thrilling 49 page journey. While breathtaking and maddening are both words I would use to describe the team's desperate search for Mya, an overarching word I personally believe pinpoints this novel would be "realistic". Of course, I am not trying to suggest that the novel lacks drama - in fact, it is fraught with both plot-related and physiological conflicts from the onset. What I mean by "realistic" is that the author is fiercely resilient to the temptations of creating lucky breaks and tidy resolutions for the sake of the reader's comfort. During the read, I was immersed in the breakdowns and dead-ends and helplessness and dashed hopes that humanitarians face every day in their rewarding but also relentless job. Sometimes, there is no easy way out. Sometimes, an earnest search proves fruitless, and sometimes, giving your all is not enough. We cannot will miracles into happening, but what we CAN do is to keep ourselves from being overwhelmed and then numbed by the many injustices in the world. As exemplified by some parts of the novel, it really hurts to care, and it may seem easier to just give up when the odds appear to be - and often /are/- often stacked against you. But this novel has reminded me that it is only when one refuses to believe they are insignificant and continues to reach out a helping hand - no matter how small or helpless - that real change can be effected.
The ending, combined with the sincere and impassioned author's note, really struck a chord with the willfully ignorant attitude that I admit I have held towards issues such as human trafficking. Extremely well-written and a good introduction into the gritty, non-romanticized process in human trafficking prevention, I would recommend this to anyone who is interested/ would like to become more aware in global issues! Definitely a worthwhile read!
"When Hope Calls" is a lot of things. At first glance, the beautiful title and serene cover are likely to create the impression that the story within is just as sweet, with a generous helping of miracles and happy turns. The actual tale, however, is much more gritty and down to earth, and I closed the book with mixed feelings, among which were shock and concern, but more importantly, the compulsion to act.
The story opens grippingly, with Mya's call about her kidnapping immediately shattering the mellow atmosphere of the humanitarian office and hurling the reader on a thrilling 49 page journey. While breathtaking and maddening are both words I would use to describe the team's desperate search for Mya, an overarching word I personally believe pinpoints this novel would be "realistic". Of course, I am not trying to suggest that the novel lacks drama - in fact, it is fraught with both plot-related and physiological conflicts from the onset. What I mean by "realistic" is that the author is fiercely resilient to the temptations of creating lucky breaks and tidy resolutions for the sake of the reader's comfort. During the read, I was immersed in the breakdowns and dead-ends and helplessness and dashed hopes that humanitarians face every day in their rewarding but also relentless job. Sometimes, there is no easy way out. Sometimes, an earnest search proves fruitless, and sometimes, giving your all is not enough. We cannot will miracles into happening, but what we CAN do is to keep ourselves from being overwhelmed and then numbed by the many injustices in the world. As exemplified by some parts of the novel, it really hurts to care, and it may seem easier to just give up when the odds appear to be - and often /are/- often stacked against you. But this novel has reminded me that it is only when one refuses to believe they are insignificant and continues to reach out a helping hand - no matter how small or helpless - that real change can be effected.
The ending, combined with the sincere and impassioned author's note, really struck a chord with the willfully ignorant attitude that I admit I have held towards issues such as human trafficking. Extremely well-written and a good introduction into the gritty, non-romanticized process in human trafficking prevention, I would recommend this to anyone who is interested/ would like to become more aware in global issues! Definitely a worthwhile read!
August 21, 2017
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review!
This short novella, based on a true story, tells the story of a group of humanitarian workers, Morris, Jeremy, and Margaret, who get a call one day from a girl named Mya. She says she is in trouble, doesn't know where she is, and needs help. Morris is particularly distressed when he receives this call. He is unsure how he can help Mya with such little information. His only hope is that she'll call again. Thus begins the story of how these three workers, along with three local recruits, sat by the phone all day, receiving calls throughout the day from Mya, getting snippets of information from her as she is stuck in the back of a van.
As I read through this book, I genuinely felt everything the characters were feeling - their hope when Mya called, their disappointment when the phone cut off, their frustration at not being able to do more than sit by the phone and wait. David Lui truly encapsulated the hardships of working in humanitarian rights in this short piece.
Spoiler alert: this is not a happy, go-lucky, everything-will-work-out-in-the-end book. The book is based on a true story about human trafficking. Unfortunately, human trafficking happens way more often than we think, and all over the world. I believe Lui wants the reader to understand that there are things that we can do to help. Just reading this book and sharing the message is helping in some way.
This was a quick read for me. I recommend it to anyone with half an hour to spare and who cares about human rights issues.
This short novella, based on a true story, tells the story of a group of humanitarian workers, Morris, Jeremy, and Margaret, who get a call one day from a girl named Mya. She says she is in trouble, doesn't know where she is, and needs help. Morris is particularly distressed when he receives this call. He is unsure how he can help Mya with such little information. His only hope is that she'll call again. Thus begins the story of how these three workers, along with three local recruits, sat by the phone all day, receiving calls throughout the day from Mya, getting snippets of information from her as she is stuck in the back of a van.
As I read through this book, I genuinely felt everything the characters were feeling - their hope when Mya called, their disappointment when the phone cut off, their frustration at not being able to do more than sit by the phone and wait. David Lui truly encapsulated the hardships of working in humanitarian rights in this short piece.
Spoiler alert: this is not a happy, go-lucky, everything-will-work-out-in-the-end book. The book is based on a true story about human trafficking. Unfortunately, human trafficking happens way more often than we think, and all over the world. I believe Lui wants the reader to understand that there are things that we can do to help. Just reading this book and sharing the message is helping in some way.
This was a quick read for me. I recommend it to anyone with half an hour to spare and who cares about human rights issues.
August 31, 2017
I started becoming more aware of human trafficking when I went to the Passion Conference in Atlanta, GA while I was still studying in university. From this point on, I have wanted to learn more about what I can do to help those who have been abducted and sold into modern day slavery.
"When Hope Calls: A Human Trafficking Story" tragically informs us that 45.8 MILLION girls, boys, women and men have been taken from their homes and loved ones to become slaves. It can almost feel like there's nothing we can do to make a real impact. However, while the stories like Mya are gripping and dismal, there is always hope.
The author gives us a beautiful illustration of this hope near the end of his book by sharing an anecdote about a father and son who were out roaming along the beach after a storm had hit and swept thousands of starfish onto the sands.
As the two were walking, the father began to throw starfish back into the ocean. Puzzled, the boy asks, "Dad, why do you do that? You know you can't save all these starfish!"
Knowing that the starfish would die if they weren't thrown back into the sea, the man threw another starfish and said, "It made all the difference to that one."
Similarly, we might feel like there's nothing we can do as individuals to help end human trafficking. However, if one life can be rescued, it would make all the difference in this one person's life. Thus, if each of us begin to put our hearts into it as the author describes, we can work together to stop modern slavery.
I highly recommend anyone who wants to put on the lenses of a humanitarian fighting to end human trafficking to read this book. I also recommend those who might not even be aware of modern slavery to read this book. In addition, even those who are already dedicated to ending human trafficking can probably appreciate reading this book.
The epilogue is a call to action, and my hope is that for most of us readers, the call will not fall on deaf ears.
"When Hope Calls: A Human Trafficking Story" tragically informs us that 45.8 MILLION girls, boys, women and men have been taken from their homes and loved ones to become slaves. It can almost feel like there's nothing we can do to make a real impact. However, while the stories like Mya are gripping and dismal, there is always hope.
The author gives us a beautiful illustration of this hope near the end of his book by sharing an anecdote about a father and son who were out roaming along the beach after a storm had hit and swept thousands of starfish onto the sands.
As the two were walking, the father began to throw starfish back into the ocean. Puzzled, the boy asks, "Dad, why do you do that? You know you can't save all these starfish!"
Knowing that the starfish would die if they weren't thrown back into the sea, the man threw another starfish and said, "It made all the difference to that one."
Similarly, we might feel like there's nothing we can do as individuals to help end human trafficking. However, if one life can be rescued, it would make all the difference in this one person's life. Thus, if each of us begin to put our hearts into it as the author describes, we can work together to stop modern slavery.
I highly recommend anyone who wants to put on the lenses of a humanitarian fighting to end human trafficking to read this book. I also recommend those who might not even be aware of modern slavery to read this book. In addition, even those who are already dedicated to ending human trafficking can probably appreciate reading this book.
The epilogue is a call to action, and my hope is that for most of us readers, the call will not fall on deaf ears.
October 12, 2017
When Hope Calls is based on a true story about human trafficking.
A girl, Mya, has been kidnapped, finds herself in the back of a van and has no idea where they're taking her. When she calls for help, humanitarian workers try to gather as many clues as possible to locate her.
This novella gives insight in their work. Lui's way of writing allows us to hop on the rollercoaster Morris and his team are on. And Mya's. Every possible emotion from hope over frustration to despair.
Not only am I more aware of what still happens every day, but I also take another valuable lesson with me : "Waiting is not a weakness, nor is action bravery."
A girl, Mya, has been kidnapped, finds herself in the back of a van and has no idea where they're taking her. When she calls for help, humanitarian workers try to gather as many clues as possible to locate her.
This novella gives insight in their work. Lui's way of writing allows us to hop on the rollercoaster Morris and his team are on. And Mya's. Every possible emotion from hope over frustration to despair.
Not only am I more aware of what still happens every day, but I also take another valuable lesson with me : "Waiting is not a weakness, nor is action bravery."
September 1, 2020
This book is not a happy ending; however, it’s eye opening to what goes on in our world that we may not know. I want to help the victims of these awful crimes.
September 10, 2017
My Reviews can also be found on my blog The Great Book Escape
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank David Lui for this novella, although I already had my September book list set, I added this quick read in a heart beat. Less than an hour later, I had so many feels, I needed to digest everything before putting together this review.
When Hope Calls is a short novella, based on a true story about human trafficking. The book follows Morris, Jeremy, and Margaret (along with a couple more helpful aids), who are humanitarian workers. Morris receives a phone call from a young girl named Mya who says that she has been kidnapped. From that point on, the reader is taken through the events that Morris and co. go through to try to rescue Mya.
Lui shared facts within the book that shed light of the harsh reality of human trafficking. One particular statistic stuck with me and I am sure that was the point.
"45.8 MILLION girls, boys, women and men have been taken from their homes and loved ones to become slaves". This is not an isolated problem, human trafficking happens worldwide. It is scary and heartbreaking to know that so many people in the world have to survive these conditions. Whats worse is that so many families affected and there aren't enough ways for law enforcement to track traffickers and apprehend them.
This novella is a small insight on the realities of many who are unfortunately taken how the people who try to help cope with what they are capable of doing to aid in the recovery. I had so many feels whilst reading this book, I think in large part to knowing this was based on a true story and that this is a daily reality for people around the world it effected me more than it would have, had it been a fiction book. I was sad, angry, anxious, and flabbergasted.
Coming to the end of the book, Lui sets a scene that stuck with me. A father and son walk along a beach after a storm has passed, and the beach is littered with thousands of washed up star fish.
As the two were walking, the father began to throw starfish back into the ocean. Puzzled, the boy asks, "Dad, why do you do that? You know you can't save all these starfish!"
Knowing that the starfish would die if they weren't thrown back into the sea, the man threw another starfish and said, "It made all the difference to that one."
This bit is everything. There is little, and yet so much that a single person can do to help someone else in need. Even if not directly affected by this worldwide issue, sharing this review, or choosing an article online and sharing it via social media brings awareness to something many turn a blind eye to. Finding a local NGO and donating is also a way to help.
If you are looking for a happy-ending book, this novella is not for you. The reality is, there and many unsolved kidnappings around the world and happy-endings are far and few apart. The message Lui has expressed, other than bringing awareness is that of HOPE. It just takes a little bit of hope to hold on at times.
This is a very short read, I highly recommend giving it an hour of your time (less if you're a fast reader). PLEASE support this author, help him bring awareness. All proceeds of his book goes to an anti-human trafficking NGO based in Hong Kong.
Click the link to buy this book on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/When-Hope-Call...
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank David Lui for this novella, although I already had my September book list set, I added this quick read in a heart beat. Less than an hour later, I had so many feels, I needed to digest everything before putting together this review.
When Hope Calls is a short novella, based on a true story about human trafficking. The book follows Morris, Jeremy, and Margaret (along with a couple more helpful aids), who are humanitarian workers. Morris receives a phone call from a young girl named Mya who says that she has been kidnapped. From that point on, the reader is taken through the events that Morris and co. go through to try to rescue Mya.
Lui shared facts within the book that shed light of the harsh reality of human trafficking. One particular statistic stuck with me and I am sure that was the point.
"45.8 MILLION girls, boys, women and men have been taken from their homes and loved ones to become slaves". This is not an isolated problem, human trafficking happens worldwide. It is scary and heartbreaking to know that so many people in the world have to survive these conditions. Whats worse is that so many families affected and there aren't enough ways for law enforcement to track traffickers and apprehend them.
This novella is a small insight on the realities of many who are unfortunately taken how the people who try to help cope with what they are capable of doing to aid in the recovery. I had so many feels whilst reading this book, I think in large part to knowing this was based on a true story and that this is a daily reality for people around the world it effected me more than it would have, had it been a fiction book. I was sad, angry, anxious, and flabbergasted.
Coming to the end of the book, Lui sets a scene that stuck with me. A father and son walk along a beach after a storm has passed, and the beach is littered with thousands of washed up star fish.
As the two were walking, the father began to throw starfish back into the ocean. Puzzled, the boy asks, "Dad, why do you do that? You know you can't save all these starfish!"
Knowing that the starfish would die if they weren't thrown back into the sea, the man threw another starfish and said, "It made all the difference to that one."
This bit is everything. There is little, and yet so much that a single person can do to help someone else in need. Even if not directly affected by this worldwide issue, sharing this review, or choosing an article online and sharing it via social media brings awareness to something many turn a blind eye to. Finding a local NGO and donating is also a way to help.
If you are looking for a happy-ending book, this novella is not for you. The reality is, there and many unsolved kidnappings around the world and happy-endings are far and few apart. The message Lui has expressed, other than bringing awareness is that of HOPE. It just takes a little bit of hope to hold on at times.
This is a very short read, I highly recommend giving it an hour of your time (less if you're a fast reader). PLEASE support this author, help him bring awareness. All proceeds of his book goes to an anti-human trafficking NGO based in Hong Kong.
Click the link to buy this book on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/When-Hope-Call...
September 10, 2017
This novella aims for the heart and does a decent job in making its mark. While only fifty pages or so, it is by no means an exaggeration to say this little novella packs one hell of a punch.
Not so much a surprise when you take into account that this story is one of human trafficking. The novella follows a team of NGOs after their office receives a call from a mysterious girl named Mya, who tells them she has been kidnapped and begs Morris and his colleagues to save her.
The three-turned-six man team finds themselves anxiously trying to piece together breadcrumbs as they wait for Mya to risk calling back so they can stop her captors before she is lost forever. They face impossible odds with too little time, not enough information, and no help to be found.
Heartbreaking no matter what, but heart-wrenching when you realize this story is based on true events.
The novella does an excellent job in building suspense, placing the reader right there next to Morris and Jeremy and Margaret as they wait for the phone to ring. Moreover, I enjoyed how this story was told in the perspective of these would-be-heroes. While it is a commonly held opinion that human trafficking is both tragic and horrific, in having just one of these victims’ stories told from the other side of the phone, so to speak, was eye-opening. Not only did I get a better understanding of just how daunting and futile task it can be to try to save these victims, I also had a better appreciation for how few individuals are willing to take on such a challenge.
What was most impactful for me was seeing how little help was offered to these handful of people trying to save a life because there was not enough information or concrete evidence. It was as if this issue, this one life wasn’t treated as a priority, and that is where the story gets its power.
The novella reads as a call to compassion. Lui expertly decides to emphasize this little team’s empathy and kindness over necessarily their intelligence or expertise, triggering, at least in this case, my own. In reading their reaction to this one experience, I was reminded tragedies not only affect their victims but all involved. Yet, there is a warning as well hidden in these words, reminding me that even all of an individual’s compassion cannot make failure an impossibility.
It takes a lot of people, a lot of people who care, to make a difference. And, in the end, I think that was the purpose of this book. When the story is done, it is asking you to go out and care.
**I was provided a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**
If you liked this review, please check out speakingacrosscenturies.com for more recommendations and all around bookish fun
Not so much a surprise when you take into account that this story is one of human trafficking. The novella follows a team of NGOs after their office receives a call from a mysterious girl named Mya, who tells them she has been kidnapped and begs Morris and his colleagues to save her.
The three-turned-six man team finds themselves anxiously trying to piece together breadcrumbs as they wait for Mya to risk calling back so they can stop her captors before she is lost forever. They face impossible odds with too little time, not enough information, and no help to be found.
Heartbreaking no matter what, but heart-wrenching when you realize this story is based on true events.
The novella does an excellent job in building suspense, placing the reader right there next to Morris and Jeremy and Margaret as they wait for the phone to ring. Moreover, I enjoyed how this story was told in the perspective of these would-be-heroes. While it is a commonly held opinion that human trafficking is both tragic and horrific, in having just one of these victims’ stories told from the other side of the phone, so to speak, was eye-opening. Not only did I get a better understanding of just how daunting and futile task it can be to try to save these victims, I also had a better appreciation for how few individuals are willing to take on such a challenge.
What was most impactful for me was seeing how little help was offered to these handful of people trying to save a life because there was not enough information or concrete evidence. It was as if this issue, this one life wasn’t treated as a priority, and that is where the story gets its power.
The novella reads as a call to compassion. Lui expertly decides to emphasize this little team’s empathy and kindness over necessarily their intelligence or expertise, triggering, at least in this case, my own. In reading their reaction to this one experience, I was reminded tragedies not only affect their victims but all involved. Yet, there is a warning as well hidden in these words, reminding me that even all of an individual’s compassion cannot make failure an impossibility.
It takes a lot of people, a lot of people who care, to make a difference. And, in the end, I think that was the purpose of this book. When the story is done, it is asking you to go out and care.
**I was provided a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**
If you liked this review, please check out speakingacrosscenturies.com for more recommendations and all around bookish fun
May 11, 2018
David Lui asked me to read his novella "When Hope Calls". It's about a humanitarian office that tries to save a girl from slave traders. It's based on a true story, and given this fact, my grading system of "plot" and "characters" and "polish" feels....inappropriate. So this will be more free-style than usual.
The premise is that Mya, the girl who was kidnapped by slave traders, miraculously (this is the word used in the story itself) has a cell phone on her. The cast tried to pinpoint her location through clues she provides and eavesdropping on her captors. It is a high-emotion, touch-and-go situation with low periods that feel like emotional burnout.
During the periods of rapid activity and tense waiting that occur between calls from Mya, the cast ponders what sort of person kidnaps a child to sell to into a harsh and abusive life, and controls them with fear and violence. The answer they come up with is a person motivated by greed and envy.
When reading reviews from books, I've noticed that it is common to call them "page-turners". In fact, it is so common that I bet someone has said "lots of books are called page-turners, but this one really is!" Maybe it is because the thriller and suspense genres aren't my personally preferred ones, but I don't generally read books that are mean to be finished quickly. This one has the rare distinction from me of being called a page-turner. It is a quick read, with high suspense and tension throughout.
There is a tad of Leaning On the Fourth Wall when one character accuses another of being part of the human trafficking problem because they're not doing anything about it at the moment.
It has a good ending. Regardless of whether or not Mya is rescued, The Adventure Continues.
When the story is over and Mr.Lui returns us to real life, he lists steps the reader can take to combat human trafficking. They are all practical things that the reader can do personally, and not appeals for donations, which I think is nice. It's about spreading awareness of the problem.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "When Hope Calls" a +
This has been a free review request. David Lu asked for an honest review so I provided one.
The premise is that Mya, the girl who was kidnapped by slave traders, miraculously (this is the word used in the story itself) has a cell phone on her. The cast tried to pinpoint her location through clues she provides and eavesdropping on her captors. It is a high-emotion, touch-and-go situation with low periods that feel like emotional burnout.
During the periods of rapid activity and tense waiting that occur between calls from Mya, the cast ponders what sort of person kidnaps a child to sell to into a harsh and abusive life, and controls them with fear and violence. The answer they come up with is a person motivated by greed and envy.
When reading reviews from books, I've noticed that it is common to call them "page-turners". In fact, it is so common that I bet someone has said "lots of books are called page-turners, but this one really is!" Maybe it is because the thriller and suspense genres aren't my personally preferred ones, but I don't generally read books that are mean to be finished quickly. This one has the rare distinction from me of being called a page-turner. It is a quick read, with high suspense and tension throughout.
There is a tad of Leaning On the Fourth Wall when one character accuses another of being part of the human trafficking problem because they're not doing anything about it at the moment.
It has a good ending. Regardless of whether or not Mya is rescued, The Adventure Continues.
When the story is over and Mr.Lui returns us to real life, he lists steps the reader can take to combat human trafficking. They are all practical things that the reader can do personally, and not appeals for donations, which I think is nice. It's about spreading awareness of the problem.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "When Hope Calls" a +
This has been a free review request. David Lu asked for an honest review so I provided one.
January 24, 2018
After reading this book, I found myself with a challenge: review it.
I've always questioned myself: how do we create an opinion about a real story?
It's not like I can point things like "it wasn't well explored" or "I felt a lack of creativity in the premise". No. I can't do it because sometimes we don't get to choose how life goes. So, how do we change the succession of the events in order to create a good plot?
Nevertheless, all I can say about this book is well written and carries a heartbreaking story with a terrible ending. I hate the ending.
When Hope Calls made me see the terrible reality of human trafficking. The struggle to help the victims and the despair of Mya made me think of the many times I was living my comfortable life, not thinking about people like her and complaining about the smallest things.
We claim to be a civilized society but we aren't one unless we start to pay more attention to the others around us and put an effort to be more human and actually looking after human rights.
I want to congratulate David Lui for writing such a small but meaningful book. May his words be read by as many people as possible and may his message be spread.
Also, I want to thank for the work of many people who give their lives and time to the humanitarian cause. Thank you very much for trying to make this world a better place!
To all the readers, I highly recommend this book. Mya's story doesn't deserve to be forgotten, neither the story of those 20.9 million victims of human trafficking. Please, help to spread the word.
Thank you, David Lui, for telling me this story and opening my eyes.
I've always questioned myself: how do we create an opinion about a real story?
It's not like I can point things like "it wasn't well explored" or "I felt a lack of creativity in the premise". No. I can't do it because sometimes we don't get to choose how life goes. So, how do we change the succession of the events in order to create a good plot?
Nevertheless, all I can say about this book is well written and carries a heartbreaking story with a terrible ending. I hate the ending.
When Hope Calls made me see the terrible reality of human trafficking. The struggle to help the victims and the despair of Mya made me think of the many times I was living my comfortable life, not thinking about people like her and complaining about the smallest things.
We claim to be a civilized society but we aren't one unless we start to pay more attention to the others around us and put an effort to be more human and actually looking after human rights.
I want to congratulate David Lui for writing such a small but meaningful book. May his words be read by as many people as possible and may his message be spread.
Also, I want to thank for the work of many people who give their lives and time to the humanitarian cause. Thank you very much for trying to make this world a better place!
To all the readers, I highly recommend this book. Mya's story doesn't deserve to be forgotten, neither the story of those 20.9 million victims of human trafficking. Please, help to spread the word.
Thank you, David Lui, for telling me this story and opening my eyes.
March 5, 2018
Allegedely a true story, this is the story of Morris who works at a help line in Thailand, and one day he gets a call from a girl who says she's kidnapped. Morris and his colleagues Jeremy and Margaret tries their best to find her.
To this, they try to keep her on the line, to make her describe things she's seen that can give them a clue where she is. They get lots of locals involved, as well as the police. After a while they try to listen more to what the kidnappers are saying than the girl, and they ask her to keep the call going as long as they can. The last time they speak to her they fuck it up by making too much noise and the kidnappers notice.
They obviously never find her, and she becomes one of the ones they've lost but always will remember.
I liked the book. It's short and sweet, and definitely worth a read - but it didn't really leave me emotionally drained or fulfilled or with any type of feelings towards it what so ever, it's too short for that.
The kicker is that it's supposed to be a true story. I'm not saying it isn't, but whether it is or not, I felt it didn't really matter. (But I do always question books and films that claim to be true stories).
It's not less or more sad for me if I know it's real, because none of this shocked me. If anyone in 2018 didn't know human trafficking existed you must have been living under a rock at the bottom of an ocean.
It's a good read, and I'd recommend it, but I'm not promising that it's going to leave you wanting more.
To this, they try to keep her on the line, to make her describe things she's seen that can give them a clue where she is. They get lots of locals involved, as well as the police. After a while they try to listen more to what the kidnappers are saying than the girl, and they ask her to keep the call going as long as they can. The last time they speak to her they fuck it up by making too much noise and the kidnappers notice.
They obviously never find her, and she becomes one of the ones they've lost but always will remember.
I liked the book. It's short and sweet, and definitely worth a read - but it didn't really leave me emotionally drained or fulfilled or with any type of feelings towards it what so ever, it's too short for that.
The kicker is that it's supposed to be a true story. I'm not saying it isn't, but whether it is or not, I felt it didn't really matter. (But I do always question books and films that claim to be true stories).
It's not less or more sad for me if I know it's real, because none of this shocked me. If anyone in 2018 didn't know human trafficking existed you must have been living under a rock at the bottom of an ocean.
It's a good read, and I'd recommend it, but I'm not promising that it's going to leave you wanting more.
October 28, 2017
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
David Lui's When Hope Calls is a short story that follows the frenzied phone calls related from a kidnapped girl named Mya to a small team of frontline anti-human trafficking workers. It is not a happy ending, but a wake-up call to the mass violation of human rights.
The depressing truth of the matter is that human trafficking is the reality for 45.8 million people in the world today. Humanitarian teams are often underfunded and underappreciated, such as the small team at the Thailand office with the best intentions yet scarce resources to save Mya.
At the end of WHC, Lui calls his audience to action and gives a number of ways we can help resolve the human trafficking issue. I hope to share Lui's When Hope Calls with my friends and start the discussion. Circulating Lui's story and the human trafficking reality plaguing the twenty-first century may help pave the way to making a true difference by creating more attention to the issue. Through a shift in societal attitudes to connect more empathetically to humanitarian objectives, the mass organizing of volunteers (i.e. rescue teams, translators), and the provision of greater financial assistance to anti-trafficking groups, we may begin to answer the hope of 45.8 million modern slaves.
David Lui's When Hope Calls is a short story that follows the frenzied phone calls related from a kidnapped girl named Mya to a small team of frontline anti-human trafficking workers. It is not a happy ending, but a wake-up call to the mass violation of human rights.
The depressing truth of the matter is that human trafficking is the reality for 45.8 million people in the world today. Humanitarian teams are often underfunded and underappreciated, such as the small team at the Thailand office with the best intentions yet scarce resources to save Mya.
At the end of WHC, Lui calls his audience to action and gives a number of ways we can help resolve the human trafficking issue. I hope to share Lui's When Hope Calls with my friends and start the discussion. Circulating Lui's story and the human trafficking reality plaguing the twenty-first century may help pave the way to making a true difference by creating more attention to the issue. Through a shift in societal attitudes to connect more empathetically to humanitarian objectives, the mass organizing of volunteers (i.e. rescue teams, translators), and the provision of greater financial assistance to anti-trafficking groups, we may begin to answer the hope of 45.8 million modern slaves.
February 5, 2020
Morris, a humanitarian worker, and the staff of a human rights organization receive a desperate phone call from a girl named Mya, saying she's been kidnapped. She doesn't know where she is, but Morris and his team are determined to find and rescue Mya as part of their fight against human trafficking in When Hope Calls by author David Lui.
Although I found this novella (based on a true story) categorized as a kidnapping thriller, the subject didn't have me expecting thrills, and all things considered, I indeed wouldn't call this a thrilling read.
It's suspenseful, but for much of the time, the characters are waiting in dismal silence. Fiction-wise, the plot development suffers from emotional lows that are overwritten and redundant, with the characters sitting in abject despair for hours and spending a good amount of time feeling sorry for themselves and this place in their careers or lives. On a more technical note, there are some missing words and recurring errors in punctuation.
However, sometimes a story's message and purpose are bigger than the story, and that's okay. This quick and relevant read serves to raise awareness of a widespread, urgent real-life issue, without sugarcoating it but also without resorting to unnecessary vulgarity. It's a call to remind humanity that we have to fight against modern-day slavery.
Although I found this novella (based on a true story) categorized as a kidnapping thriller, the subject didn't have me expecting thrills, and all things considered, I indeed wouldn't call this a thrilling read.
It's suspenseful, but for much of the time, the characters are waiting in dismal silence. Fiction-wise, the plot development suffers from emotional lows that are overwritten and redundant, with the characters sitting in abject despair for hours and spending a good amount of time feeling sorry for themselves and this place in their careers or lives. On a more technical note, there are some missing words and recurring errors in punctuation.
However, sometimes a story's message and purpose are bigger than the story, and that's okay. This quick and relevant read serves to raise awareness of a widespread, urgent real-life issue, without sugarcoating it but also without resorting to unnecessary vulgarity. It's a call to remind humanity that we have to fight against modern-day slavery.
November 30, 2017
This book centers on a human rights helpline that receives a call from a young girl that had been kidnapped and was assumed to be on her way to be sold into sex slavery. Written by David Lui to promote awareness to human trafficking, I picked up this book because of my location in Iowa.
Girls and boys continue to be sold into sex slavery and smuggled into the United States. We are not a perfect nation, but we cannot continue to turn a blind eye on the horrific things happening so close to home. I completed my MBA at an institution that was Catholic in denomination, the sisters of Mercy that represented this institution made it their mission to fight human trafficking. Thus I was quickly brought aware of the issues happening along our interstates. In fact, as recently as last month, a local trucking company was shut down for negative press relating to a trucker and human trafficking.
I hope this book, or even just this post, will create further awareness of an ongoing problem: Human Trafficking.
For the full review, please visit: https://fortheloveofthepageblog.wordp...
*Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.
Girls and boys continue to be sold into sex slavery and smuggled into the United States. We are not a perfect nation, but we cannot continue to turn a blind eye on the horrific things happening so close to home. I completed my MBA at an institution that was Catholic in denomination, the sisters of Mercy that represented this institution made it their mission to fight human trafficking. Thus I was quickly brought aware of the issues happening along our interstates. In fact, as recently as last month, a local trucking company was shut down for negative press relating to a trucker and human trafficking.
I hope this book, or even just this post, will create further awareness of an ongoing problem: Human Trafficking.
For the full review, please visit: https://fortheloveofthepageblog.wordp...
*Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.
Read
May 18, 2021This book was written well in the aspect that you felt every emotion and feeling the characters in the story were feeling. You felt heartache, excitement, sadness, frustration, and hopeless. This story tells you the reality of what humanitarian workers deal with when trying to help victims of trafficking. You understand that this is a true and real thing and that we as a society need to do better. My life long goal has always been to help victims of human and sex trafficking. It is where I have always felt pulled to, more than likely due to the fact that I know someone who was trafficked (thankfully she is safe and back at home, but this can literally happen to anyone!) This story furthered that goal and only makes me want to continue my way towards that everyday so that one today, there will be no more human or sex trafficking. This was a very short story so if you aren’t familiar with humanitarian workers deal with or how someone is trafficked, I would recommend this book for you. If this is too much for you to handle, then please don’t read this. It is an emotionally hard book even though it is less than 100 pages.
September 28, 2020
Short simple fast-faced thriller...
I came across this book via LibraryThing and received this copy for review. The author has sent me an ebook to review this book. The book is very short and as per the book information it is based on the real-life story.
This book centers on a human rights helpline that receives a call from a young girl that had been kidnapped and was assumed to be on her way to be sold into sex slavery. As it is was a short read I was able to finish this in 1 day. But during reading in the middle of the book, I felt that the plot was getting dragged. The ending of the book keeps you thinking about human trafficking and ask us society to get awaken and do something about it.
Rest author writing style is good and I enjoyed the book. I am going to read the 2nd book in this series soon and post the review.
I will recommend everyone to read this book as it talks about a very serious issue in our society...
I came across this book via LibraryThing and received this copy for review. The author has sent me an ebook to review this book. The book is very short and as per the book information it is based on the real-life story.
This book centers on a human rights helpline that receives a call from a young girl that had been kidnapped and was assumed to be on her way to be sold into sex slavery. As it is was a short read I was able to finish this in 1 day. But during reading in the middle of the book, I felt that the plot was getting dragged. The ending of the book keeps you thinking about human trafficking and ask us society to get awaken and do something about it.
Rest author writing style is good and I enjoyed the book. I am going to read the 2nd book in this series soon and post the review.
I will recommend everyone to read this book as it talks about a very serious issue in our society...
November 19, 2017
On a day that started just like any other, Morris is answering calls at a trafficking helpline when he receives a call from a young girl. “I have been kidnapped, I need help!” pleads the voice on the other line. Morris doesn’t get many details from the girl before they are disconnected, but he learns enough to jump into action. He and his team at the helpline must work together and with others to rescue the girl before she is taken out of the city and disappears forever.
The anticipation in this book starts building on page one, and continues to climb until the very end. This book will ignite readers’ passions and inspire them to action to help stop the atrocity of human trafficking.
Read When Hope Calls and be inspired!
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
The anticipation in this book starts building on page one, and continues to climb until the very end. This book will ignite readers’ passions and inspire them to action to help stop the atrocity of human trafficking.
Read When Hope Calls and be inspired!
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
September 19, 2017
Riveting novella, exciting and heartbreaking as well, spotlighting the important work done daily by huge-hearted people on helplines of all kinds. This one throws light on human trafficking in particular. Wonderfully descriptive writing on a difficult subject that really showed the anguish of both the helpline workers and the girl kidnapped in the car. Did great justice in highlighting both the good and bad in the situation, the hope and the dashing of it respectively. Ending on a note of hope to continue the work even though you cant save each and every one of the millions caught/trafficked and sold, to save even some is worth it
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2020
I've received this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
I must start with the fact that despite I knew that the end might not be a happy one it still took me by surprise. I love everything about the story. I could envision little Mya and her fight for not giving up hope, the stress and frustration of Jeremy, Morris, Margaret and their supporters. What melted my heart and almost made me cry was the last words I've read that even by reading and sharing the book can lead to some changes in our world.
I encourage everyone to make our world a better place. If you don't do it for others than do it for your children!
I must start with the fact that despite I knew that the end might not be a happy one it still took me by surprise. I love everything about the story. I could envision little Mya and her fight for not giving up hope, the stress and frustration of Jeremy, Morris, Margaret and their supporters. What melted my heart and almost made me cry was the last words I've read that even by reading and sharing the book can lead to some changes in our world.
I encourage everyone to make our world a better place. If you don't do it for others than do it for your children!
September 26, 2020
So real, raw, and eye opening
Wow... i don't do many reviews but this book is a must! Its very eye opening and raw. This true story is so real! Children go missing every so often and you see and read about it.... BUT what do you DO about it.... this book gives you a tiny look into what the heroes go through for just 1 child..... and they can't do this alone!!!! Who is going to help? Who is going to #SaveOurChildren and help #EndHumanTraffic. This book is FREE on Kindle and I reccomend to everyone to read this girls story....
Wow... i don't do many reviews but this book is a must! Its very eye opening and raw. This true story is so real! Children go missing every so often and you see and read about it.... BUT what do you DO about it.... this book gives you a tiny look into what the heroes go through for just 1 child..... and they can't do this alone!!!! Who is going to help? Who is going to #SaveOurChildren and help #EndHumanTraffic. This book is FREE on Kindle and I reccomend to everyone to read this girls story....
June 14, 2021
Heartbreaking
This was a story of the front line workers working for the victims of sex trafficking. Yes there are organizations with men and women fighting the good fight probably not winning everyday but enough to stay with the task in case the next time there's a break they need to get some of the scum off the streets and victims back to safe houses. I Applaud these people. Let's bring our troops home from the .middle East and turn them loose on the sex and slave traffickers. So sad this monstrous business is going on right under our noses. God help the victims.
This was a story of the front line workers working for the victims of sex trafficking. Yes there are organizations with men and women fighting the good fight probably not winning everyday but enough to stay with the task in case the next time there's a break they need to get some of the scum off the streets and victims back to safe houses. I Applaud these people. Let's bring our troops home from the .middle East and turn them loose on the sex and slave traffickers. So sad this monstrous business is going on right under our noses. God help the victims.
September 16, 2022
A quick yet powerful read. Anyone who isn’t aware of human trafficking and how far-reaching it is, should read this book for just a small glimpse into one girl’s story and the people behind the scenes who have committed themselves to finding the taken people.
David Lui has two other books in the series that I’m also planning to read, but the most important piece is taking action. My first action is encouraging people to read this short book to begin to understand the atrocities going on right under our noses in the communities who most need our help.
David Lui has two other books in the series that I’m also planning to read, but the most important piece is taking action. My first action is encouraging people to read this short book to begin to understand the atrocities going on right under our noses in the communities who most need our help.
December 3, 2017
What a sad story, made even more sad for being true. Mya's story is horrendous but the fact she wasn't found brings home just how important the work of the NGO's who specialize in human trafficking is. Mostly we go through our days giving no thought to people who are worse off than ourselves, not realizing how lucky we are to live a normal life. Well done David Lui for bringing this to our attention.
August 29, 2018
When Hope Calls is powerful because of the story it tells, and because of the call to action that it leads the reader into. The true fact that thousands upon thousands of lives are being affected by human trafficking should not be overlooked. Unfortunately it is in many cases but this book steps out and speaks up about modern slavery, and what we can do today to help.
I would highly recommend this book.
I would highly recommend this book.
January 12, 2019
I could not put this book down. I live in Atlanta, GA-a city known for sex trafficking. I honestly had not given it much thought until I read this book. It is horrifying that children can be snatched right off the street or tricked into going with these predators. Something MUST be done to stop this, and it all starts with US-
Read this book and then follow the suggestions the author makes at the end. WE need to make a difference.
Read this book and then follow the suggestions the author makes at the end. WE need to make a difference.
February 26, 2020
Gripping Story
SPOILER ALERT
I read quickly. Awaiting the happy ending. But, in the world of sex trafficking, there rarely is. Because even those that survive and gain freedom, there are experiences, nightmares, that haunt for a lifetime.
A brilliantly written book that eloquently captured the emotions of the victim and the workers trying to find and rescue her.
I won't soon forget this tragic story of Mya. Or knowing that there are 45,000,00 like her.
SPOILER ALERT
I read quickly. Awaiting the happy ending. But, in the world of sex trafficking, there rarely is. Because even those that survive and gain freedom, there are experiences, nightmares, that haunt for a lifetime.
A brilliantly written book that eloquently captured the emotions of the victim and the workers trying to find and rescue her.
I won't soon forget this tragic story of Mya. Or knowing that there are 45,000,00 like her.
February 29, 2020
Wonderful and horrible
This is a powerful story based on truth. It is sad, frustrating, perplexing, poignant, an uncomfortable read. I worked with battered women, and that was frustrating because they often took husbands back. They were able to make decisions, albeit wrong ones but the trafficking victim has no choice. The heartbreak and despair by the workers is almost palpable . A necessary book.
This is a powerful story based on truth. It is sad, frustrating, perplexing, poignant, an uncomfortable read. I worked with battered women, and that was frustrating because they often took husbands back. They were able to make decisions, albeit wrong ones but the trafficking victim has no choice. The heartbreak and despair by the workers is almost palpable . A necessary book.
December 13, 2020
A Read For Those who Need to Know The Frustrating Truth of Human Trafficking
This novella isn't a literary masterpiece, but after reading the massage to reassess at the end, I think this1-hour read really strikes to the heart of why human trafficking awareness needs to be talked about more. It's more of a dedication to those front line workers of those who are making a difference in what seems like such a hopeless situation worldwide.
This novella isn't a literary masterpiece, but after reading the massage to reassess at the end, I think this1-hour read really strikes to the heart of why human trafficking awareness needs to be talked about more. It's more of a dedication to those front line workers of those who are making a difference in what seems like such a hopeless situation worldwide.
November 1, 2022
it’s up to us all
A book that definitely goes to the heart hearing the experiences of those that receive the call for help from a abducted child & the frustration of not being able to rescue each one. The amount of missing children, teens even adults are astronomical, and knowing there are those on the frontlines many may feel is enough… it’s not, we all have to keep our eyes & ears open to try and put an end to this madness.
A book that definitely goes to the heart hearing the experiences of those that receive the call for help from a abducted child & the frustration of not being able to rescue each one. The amount of missing children, teens even adults are astronomical, and knowing there are those on the frontlines many may feel is enough… it’s not, we all have to keep our eyes & ears open to try and put an end to this madness.
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