Spilled Milk

Based on a True Story

By: K. L. Randis

Narrated by: K. L. Randis

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brooke Nolan is a battered child who makes an anonymous phone call about the escalating brutality in her home.

When social services jeopardize her safety, condemning her to keep her father's secret, it's a glass of spilled milk at the dinner table that forces her to speak about the cruelty she's been hiding. In her pursuit of safety and justice, Brooke battles a broken system that pushes to keep her father in the home.

When jury members and a love interest congregate to inspire her to fight, she risks losing the support of family and comes to the realization that some people simply do not want to be saved.

Spilled Milk is a novel of shocking narrative, triumph, and resiliency.

©2013 K. L. Randis (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Randis later would testify at a criminal trial against her father, who was sentenced to prison for his crimes. He was sentenced to up to 16 years in 2004. Her painful - and ultimately triumphant - story is recounted in Randis' first novel, Spilled Milk." (Stacy Brown, interview with the Pocono Record)

"Spilled Milk is a story about resilience. The strength of the human mind and will power to live a better life." (The Weekly Sparkle)

"Beautifully written, hauntingly real, Spilled Milk is a must read for any young adult today." (F. P. Lione)

Publisher's description is misleading

There is no disputing that physical and sexual abuse of a parent is abhorrent; this review instead focuses on the book itself - the way the story is written and narrated. As another reviewer notes, there are gaps in the storyline that confuse; time periods are compressed with little to no clues for the reader as we struggle to keep up and put events in perspective.

I also agree with another reviewer that the author was probably not the best choice as narrator. While the argument has been made that hearing it in her own voice makes it more immediate ... in my opinion, the flatness of affect did nothing to hold the listener. My mind wandered - it tended to become background "noise".

Finally - the publisher's description is markedly misleading. It leads one to understand that a desperate young child makes a secretive phone call to authorities that ignites an exposé that rocks a community. Mmm... not quite. It crawled along - again, with some confusion for the reader as to timeline until the high school-aged victim reluctantly reveals - and withdraws - and finally admits to the abuse.

In any case, that she did bring her father to justice was a brave and difficult thing to do ... to effectively convey this "journey" is also very difficult - perhaps a good editor would have helped.

Wow!

I'm so glad I bought more credits to purchase this book as soon as it was released. The story is heartbreaking, captivating, and brave. The narration is excellent. I hope this book helps people to understand why victims remain silent for so long and how much courage it takes to speak out. Being victimized is far more complex than just being hurt and calling the police to "fix" it.

Amazing, better than the read .

Unbelievable courage in reading your story to the audience. I absolutely cried several times ... I hope the world will listen to your story and it helps many get the help the deserve !
KL Randis you are an inspiring young woman and I wish you nothing but the best
Top notch audio book as well as read !

unbelievable story as child abuse and survival

I always appreciate a story more when the author reads it. I can't begin to imagine how hard it was for KL to write her own autobiography with so much pain attached to it. It appears as if she has taken that pain and turned it into something good, no, something great! This is a great story for those struggling to share their stories, understand children of domestic and sexual abuse, and to simply know that every child deals with their pain in a different way. If you are a Survivor or someone who works in the field of Social Services or any capacity that helps victims, this is a great read.

powerful

heartbreaking, I wish the prison time was longer for him!! He doesn't deserve to EVER be free

Thank you Brooke

What an awesome book for everyone who works with children in the system for any reason. This book will give you insight from so many aspects that you may not have ever heard. Thank you to the author for being so brave and for sharing such intimate details to help those of us who are trying to help others. Our goals need to be preventing these children from growing up to become Earl's and only repeating what they know is the norm.

Good but not for the faint of heart.

I've read many of these memoirs, and this was hard to take in places but not the author's fault. Had it been fiction, I'd of been asking a lot of "why?" questions, like "Why did the mother do that?" but assuming it's true, there often isn't a sensible answer to questions like that. I didn't always understand her motivations but it sounded like she didn't always, either. While I wasn't sexually abused as a child, I endured mild physical but intense verbal and emotional abuse, as well as adult domestic abuse and violent crime victimization, so I get the author's dilemma. SPOILER ALERT The part that sickened me but that I do get was the mother's obvious knowledge or at least suspicion of the abuse but her desire for the money to keep coming in, so essentially putting her children in situations to be abused for her own selfish monetary gain. Addicts of all sorts are selfish creatures who don't really care how badly they hurt those around them as long as they can keep their addiction going, and I could really see that in this mother. I say that as a recovering addict, BTW. Kudos to the author or whoever went through this. It's amazing you turned out as well as you did.

Awful story... great retelling

I don't know what made me choose to listen to this book, maybe the sweet girl on the cover? Maybe the story? Idk. My heart goes out to 'brooke' and her family and she did an amazing job of capturing her life.

Monsters are out there

Where does Spilled Milk rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Spilled Milk is not the best audiobook by far, but K. L. Randis' story is captivating and important.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gina was my favorite character because she was so kind and perceptive. She was almost like Brooke's guardian angel.

If you could rename Spilled Milk, what would you call it?

First of all, I wouldn't rename it because the name is perfect, but if I had to, maybe I would change it to be something about listening to what children say and don't say.

Any additional comments?

Spilled Milk is an important read because it makes you think about how you would treat someone who is in need of help or a survivor of abuse. The book highlights how the system failed this poor girl and her family, and makes you think about what you could do to help someone stuck in this horrible situation.

Very Real

This book is very real. The theme is heart wrenching but the story is told in a very pragmatic way by the author herself which is what tempted me to read such a disturbing story. She must be an incredibly brave, no nonsense, strong woman and I am sure inspires all the lives she touches.

Inspirational

Anyone who has suffered any kind of childhood abuse should listen to this title. If you are still suffering from your past experience hopefully it will give the the courage to speak up, not only for yourself but also against your abuser or abusers.

Heartbreaking

Too much of this abuse goes on and too many of the perpetrators get away with it. Bravo to this young lady for testifying against her father and then going on to create a good life for herself against the odds.

not what I expected

the story itself was a brave story to tell, what a horrible struggle to have to face I am sure it wasn't an easy decision to tell people. I myself have been raped but not by a family member so I can empathize in parts. Unfortunately the narrative let it down.

Hard listen

The author is so brave recounting her story like this. It’s hard to listen to and highlights some huge failings in the services supposed to protect children.

I did cringe quite a bit towards the end of the book when she talks about her relationships - once again, where were the adults protecting her? Adults painted as the ‘good guys’ encouraging her to settle down and have children of her own as a teenager… all this fairytale ending stuff, when in reality she’s still so young and the way she talks about both men raises so many red flags! I really hope things have worked out ok for her since, she deserved better from everyone.

Heartbreaking, eye opening and inspirational

This book absolutely broke my heart to think what the author went through as a child. K. L. Randis is soo unbelievably inspirational with so much strength to overcome all of this.

True courage

Heartbreaking tale of abuse & phoenix like recovery. Truly inspiring, never give up. Turned great pain into lessons.

Amazing young lady

It was the hardest book I've had to listen to, sad, happy very intelligent girl.
To find a love and help others to speak out, such a strong young person

Heartbreaking but triumphant

I listened to this with such sadness. It was so moving yet dreadful at the same time.
The author reads her own true life story, which adds to the poignancy.
Such a brave, strong girl to protect her siblings & pursue justice for herself.

so gripping.

what an amazing woman. this book could help so many people. such an isiptlration

Enlightening

This was an eye opening, sometimes really disturbing account of what so many people go through. I bet so many of my acquaintances have gone through something similar, but never talk about it. it has surely opened my awareness & pointed to what signs there may be as a cry for help. Do yourself and those around you a favour & listen to this audiobook! Who knows when someone may reach out for help.