The Girl in the Cardboard Box


Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novela
32 Pages
Reviewed on 10/03/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

I love writing about life, love and everything in between. My stories are based on my real life experiences, usually challenging ones and I share them to bring a little hope to readers, to shine a light in their own darkness.

Everything that has been thrown at me has made me stronger. I know that sounds like such a cliche but in my case it's true. I'm a firm believer that events in our lives happen for us, not to us. Of course this hasn't always been the case, I've learnt it with experience. Looking back at the most difficult times in my life, I've learnt something from it, either about myself, other people or life, or an aspect of it.

The girl in the cardboard box is based on my experiences at work and trying to find my life purpose. I'm currently working on a second book and this centres around my family, friends and how I was motivated to make certain changes in my life.

Know that no matter what you are experiencing at the moment, however bad it seems, you WILL get through it. You are stronger than you think and more powerful than you ever thought possible.

I hope you enjoy my story and maybe it will inspire you to change your own!

    Book Review

Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

The Girl in the Cardboard Box is a non-fiction short story written by Sarah Callus. After working for so long in a high-paying job which bores her to tears, Sarah starts looking for something more challenging. When she sees an advertisement for student accommodation opening soon in Manchester, Sarah applies for a job and is successful. Her commute to and from work isn’t a problem, as the job comes with a rent-free penthouse apartment, but when the establishment finally opens its doors, Sarah quickly stops seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Being on call every single day and chasing up maintenance staff for the many repairs and faults, Sarah is relieved to finally receive a promotion. False rumors and gossip start circulating through Sarah’s new work office, all of which find their way to the ears of her boss, resulting in a scathing email filled with demands and criticism. It is the last straw for Sarah, who walks out the door and never looks back.

I can most definitely empathize with Sarah Callus and applaud her short story, The Girl in the Cardboard Box, taking the reader through a difficult and harrowing journey which beats her down before giving her strength and building her back up. One of my biggest mottoes in life has always been that you need to find your destiny and become the person that you want to be. Sarah has done just that, while exploring her spiritual side and finding inner peace by helping others.

The poem at the end of the story, carrying the same title as the book, is the crowning glory of this whole tale as it fully exposes the raw emotion of the difficulties life had thrown at her. While this story certainly doesn’t mirror my own life in any way, I did find inspiration in it and recommend it to all those who like to see the world through another person’s eyes, giving them a much welcome break from their own. With luck, the universe will be as kind to you as it was to Sarah, when you find a way to take control of your future and find your happy ending.