What does redemption look like?
Sometimes it looks like a guy who’s hit rock bottom.
Sometimes it looks like a broken system, a bruised spirit, and a bottle of pills.
And sometimes—miraculously—it looks like a dog.
In My Life with Karma, Travis Sackett doesn’t just tell his story. He offers it up. Raw, real, and stripped down to the soul, this memoir took me on a ride from childhood innocence to a hellscape of addiction, a run-in with the criminal justice system, and ultimately, a path paved—bit by bit—by empathy, second chances, and the four-legged love of a rescue dog named Karma.
I read a lot of recovery stories. It’s kind of my thing. But Travis’s voice is different. It’s unfiltered but purposeful. Brutally honest but not hopeless. Each chapter reads like a confessional with a pulse. And as someone who’s walked my own twisted path to sobriety, I found myself nodding along, flinching at the hard parts, and gripping my metaphorical flashlight when the darkness came (and wow, that flashlight scene… if you know, you know).
This book didn’t just tug at my heartstrings—it gave them a full-body workout. And the scenes that involve that painting? Let’s just say I had to pause and catch my breath. Travis doesn’t gloss over the ugly parts. He doesn’t wrap his story up in a bow. Instead, he shows us what it means to earn back your humanity in a world that would rather write you off. And he does it with a vulnerability that feels less like oversharing and more like sacred testimony.
And yes, Karma dies. (Not a spoiler, just a warning for my fellow pet lovers.) I lost my own sweet Roxie Roo Downey about six months ago, and reading about Karma’s final days hit me in the deepest part of my grief. Grieving a pet is unlike any other loss—it’s like losing your shadow, your secret-keeper, your soul mirror. Travis gets that. And he honors it.
This isn’t a “dog saves man” story in the Hallmark sense. It’s a memoir about finding hope in the most unlikely places and learning to stay when everything inside you wants to run. It’s about accountability, trauma, and the quiet power of being responsible for something—or someone—other than yourself.
Travis Sackett has earned his redemption. And through this book, he reminds us that maybe, just maybe, we can earn ours too.
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Want to feel something real? Read this book.
Just keep a box of tissues (and maybe your dog) nearby. You can follow Travis Sackett on IG @travissackettauthor
????????????????????️ (4 Sobees and a candle for Karma)
#QUITLIT Sobees Score: 4 out of 5
Hard Knox Talks: Your Addiction Podcast – An Interview with Travis Sackett
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