{"product_id":"becoming-maria-kim-the-versions-i-had-to-bury-9781965951415","title":"Becoming Maria Kim: The Versions I Had To Bury","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn into poverty and raised in a world that tried to define her before she could define herself, Maria Kim (formerly Kenneth Bongabong) grew up fighting battles most people never see-inside her home, inside her heart, and inside her identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a difficult childhood marked by hardship and discipline, to academic excellence that became her escape, Maria Kim's life unfolds as a journey of relentless resilience. As she navigates adolescence, first loves, silent heartbreaks, and the pressure to succeed, she learns that survival often demands sacrifice. Teaching becomes her calling-first in the Philippines, then in the United States-yet even success cannot shield her from betrayal, financial ruin, and emotional devastation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the lowest point of her life-homeless, broken, and stripped of dignity-Maria Kim rebuilds from nothing. What follows is a powerful transformation: a rediscovery of purpose, a rebirth of identity, and the courage to finally live as her authentic self. As she transitions into womanhood and into Maria Kim, she faces love again-first through painful illusions, then through a love that finally chooses her back.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis memoir traces her real-life journey through: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003epoverty and achievement\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ediscipline and rebellion\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewrong love and true love\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eshame and self-acceptance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003einvisibility and visibility\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esurvival and becoming\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt its core, this is not only a story about being transgender-it is a story about becoming human without apology.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten with raw honesty, emotional depth, and cinematic storytelling, this book is a testament to the truth that no matter how many times you are broken, you can still rise whole.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not just a story of falling in love with another person.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the story of falling in love with yourself-after the world tried to teach you not to.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Seraphim Global Media LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51861560099090,"sku":"9781965951415","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_2b681253-d90b-4e3d-a942-4f619ba42100.jpg?v=1767783791","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/becoming-maria-kim-the-versions-i-had-to-bury-9781965951415","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}