Kissing Asphalt: The Courageous True Story of One Child's Unbreakable Spirit from Kidnapping and Abuse to Self-Love by Delicia Niami is a heart-wrenching memoir that reads with the intensity of a gripping novel. It’s a powerful, unfiltered, and deeply moving account of resilience and the journey from unimaginable trauma to self-acceptance. Delicia Niami bravely leads us through her distressing childhood experiences and the long-lasting impact they had on her life. Kidnapped from her home at the tender age of four and taken to a foreign country, Delicia’s odyssey of pain, trauma, and adversity is both compelling and soul-stirring. As the story unfolds, Niami's remarkable determination to overcome the brutality of her past and craft a new identity shines through the pages.

The author's storytelling is emotionally charged, inviting readers into the depths of her struggles. Her ability to paint vivid, heart-wrenching scenes with striking authenticity is a testament to her extraordinary strength and the human spirit’s capacity to endure. The narrative is rich with raw emotion, exploring the full spectrum of the author’s human experience from darkness to light. Niami doesn’t shy away from the haunting reality of her past but reflects on it with vulnerability and compassion. Her journey from trauma to self-love is an inspiring tale of hope, courage, and personal transformation.

One of the most captivating elements of the memoir is the realism that permeates the narrative, the locales are captured in descriptive prose and in imagery that grips the imagination of the reader, from the stark contrast between her life in Los Angeles and her abduction to Iraq. Niami brings these places to life with details that evoke powerful imagery. Kissing Asphalt is a remarkable, haunting, and soul-stirring memoir that exposes the impact of childhood trauma while celebrating the indomitable spirit to heal and grow. Niami's courage in sharing her story is a guiding light for those who have suffered in silence, empowering them to confront their own struggles and embrace self-love despite the darkest of adversities.