Do you ever pick up a book that just sucks you in and won’t let you go?  The kind of book where your inner monologue says, “I should really put this down and go eat something,” but then you say “just ten more pages”.  And an hour later you are still consuming word after word.  This is one of those books and one you should definitely add to your must-read pile.

Ally comes from a completely believable town.  And the author is spot on with everything that happens in this small Wisconsin town.  It felt like I was literally watching my kids and their friends.  Yes, I could taste the fried cheese curds.  I think that’s part of what makes this book so fantastic is that it isn’t outlandish.  The setting is in every way, average and it makes you feel like you are right there experiencing every minute.

Ally is a completely believable character.  She’s tired of completing scholarship essays.  She’s a good student but feels a lot of pressure.  She has a close group of friends that are her second family.  She is by definition an average character.  That’s what makes her so great.  She is so incredibly relatable that young readers will see themselves and their best buds in every page.

But Ally doesn’t have your average history.  I won’t give away the story, but when Ally’s past is revealed it leaves her world in tatters.  Who is she?  Where does she belong?  Does she have a right to these feelings?  And why can’t she stop apologizing?  The author weaves together an amazing blend of emotional and gripping scenes that highlight the essence of what we all struggle with: Where do I belong?

This book is a definite page-turner.  The first chapter will pull you in and give you just enough intrigue that you’ll keep turning pages to find out the secret.  The language is easy to read and even younger adult readers will be able to relate to the storyline.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking to wile away an afternoon with a story that you won’t soon forget.

Review of an Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  34 religious exclamations; 14 mild obscenities; 1 religious profanity; 3 derogatory names; 12 scatological words; 7 anatomical terms; 3 f-word derivatives.

Violence/Gore:  Playful kick under table; recall of kidnapping; figurines smashed against wall; report of death from cancer, fall with minor injuries.

Sex/Nudity:  4 kisses; arm around shoulders; hand-holding.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of family member; abandonment; kidnapping; divorce; ethics.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Adults drink beer.