What do readers think of Bloom by Kelle Hampton? Write your own review.

Imagine the shock when Kelle saw that her anticipated daughter, Nella, had Down syndrome. Kelle had not opted for tests to determine if this was a possibility. It wasn’t long before her pediatrician confirmed her fears but it was equally fast for her friends and family to gather around her and support her during her days in the hospital with Nella and their first year together. This memoir traces Kelle’s feelings and actions as she deals with the fact that her daughter will be different. She starts a blog and eventually reaches out to others who are parents of Down syndrome children. All along she has so much support from her many friends and her husband and family, including the other children in the family. However, this book is mainly about Kelle and very little about the things that Nella did during her first year. We hear about her going places with her mother, wearing glasses, facing blood tests, and meeting her therapist. This would have been a better book for parents of Down syndrome children if more of this information had been included and not quite so self centered. However, I suppose this is a purpose of a memoir.

BLOOM is a wonderful book. It is so much the story of my Niece who was born with Downs. It is a wonderful, tragic story. I loved the pictures of the two girls. Kelle told the story with such love. I laughed and then I cried. A wonderful story.

As I'm sure many people will say, this is an inspiring book. But to me what is inspiring is not how Ms. Hampton handles life as a "special needs" mother, but rather how she handles life period. This may sound hokey, but the way Ms. Hampton embraces life, chooses to create celebrations, and appears to open her heart to one and all, is -- to someone with an innately different personality -- very much like reading about a different culture. And as often happens when I read about other cultures, it leads me to reflect on my own life and choices and, in this case, to make an effort to embrace the outside world more.
Bloom is an easy and quick read. It often reads like an extended blog post, but is nonetheless enjoyable.

Finding beauty in the unexpected is exactly what Kelle Hampton did when her second daughter was born with Down's Syndrome. This memoir shows the love and support of family and friends that Kelle needed as she came to terms with the unexpected. I enjoyed reading of Kelle's passion for life and dealing with it as it shows up. The photography really enhanced the memoir.

I laughed, I cried and came away with a deeper appreciation for life. The honesty of this memoir was refreshing. In a world which is so focused on what is "normal" and "perfect", this woman discovered that these terms are defined within your own life and not by society.
It was beautiful to see this woman grow into a deeper and stronger person through the love of her two daughters. It also gave the reader perspective to appreciate the "wild and precious life" we have with all it's pain and heartache and beauty.

I am the mother of a downs syndrome child who has significant health issues so I recognize that my perspective might be a bit different than others. I was hoping for some inspiration or life lessons that I could apply to my own life. I was hoping to find a connection in this sisterhood of being a mother of a DS child. Unfortunately, I did not connect with the author or her experience really at all. The books tone felt heavy on melodrama and seemed really self-centered. I cannot believe that the full first half of this book was focused on her own disappointment with Nelle's DS. So much grief and pain. So many people had to come to her rescue. So many pages and words dedicated to her self-pity. I never felt that level of disappointment. I always felt DS was the least of my worries, we would work with that, just keep him alive and healthy! Maybe it is because I know the real threat of not having your child at all, but I can't help but feel she should be ashamed for acting so selfishly. Ultimately, it was hard for me to complete the book because I found myself not learning anything, completely lacking empathy for her, and wanting to admonish her behavior. Liked her blog...not the book.

My husband opened the book when it came in the mail and said, "Don't read it. Please, don't read it. You're going to cry for an entire week." And of course, he was correct. I had to stop reading the book several times because I was in hysterics. There were moments when I was reading this book that right next to the author; I was to feeling her heart break and her pain. Ms. Hampton writes honestly and from her heart; she doesn’t hide her emotions, rather she wears them proudly. I found her outlook on life enchanting and something that more people should follow.

With that being said, there are faults in the book. I do enjoy a memoir that makes me feel like I’m sitting in a conversation with the author. However I felt like this was a little too cozy and unpolished. To me a book is supposed to draw you in, make you feel a part of the characters’ lives, but have words that are sharp and polished. I felt that this booked lacked that finesse.

I enjoyed this book. Although I did expect to learn more about the every day experiences the family went through with Nella. I was really impressed with the support that was constantly being given .... very inspiring. I will be periodically checking the blog to see how everyone is doing.