All For You
All for You was such a good book. I really loved it. It was also a difficult book to read because of the subject matter. Alcoholism and suicide never make for light reading material. The story centers around Reza and Emily. Reza, who we met back in Until There was You, is an alcoholic who is trying to stay sober on his own. The stress of his job and learning how to be back home is making it difficult. Emily is relatively new to the Army and has never seen combat. She is trying to really reach out to the soldiers who need her help. She looks to Reza to try to help her understand what the soldiers are going through. I loved these two together. For me, Reza is the most changed out of all of the men in this series. Events in the book make him take a hard look at his life and his attitude. I was really rooting for him to make the right choice in the end. The story is a realistic look at what is happening to our military when they come back. War changes people. Addiction is a reality that really can't be ignored. I was appalled at the attitudes of the higher ranking officers and NCOs toward those who sought treatment and help with their problems. While this is fiction, I'm sure that it carries over into real life. The book really made me think about what we are asking our young men and women to do for our freedom. Doesn't freedom always come at a price? If anything, I know I am starting to have a better appreciation for what they sacrifice so that I can be safe and free. I applaud the author for not sugarcoating the issues and for giving it to us straight!
