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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

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33 / 30 bookish books. 110% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

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My Progress:


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2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

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50 / 50 books. 100% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

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52 / 52 books. 100% done!

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50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

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36 / 40 books. 90% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

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26 / 25 cozies. 104% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

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Mount TBR Reading Challenge

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42 / 100 books. 42% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

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97 / 109 books. 89% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

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52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

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136 / 165 books. 82% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

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83 / 100 names. 83% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

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14 / 80 skills. 18% done!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Blood Wounds Not My Favorite, But My SBP Love Persists Anyway

(Image from Indiebound)

Not all blended families work as well as Willa Coffey's. She's lucky and she knows it. Her stepfather Jack is a kind, involved parent who treats Willa like his own daughter. His girls, 17-year-old Brooke and 14-year-old Alyssa, might wear designer clothes and fly off to Europe whenever they feel like it (all courtesy of their mother), but they're down-to-Earth enough to be likable. Willa's mom runs the household, making sure things stay organized, calm. And it does. Most of the time.

Although Willa harbors her own secrets, she's content with the life she lives in quiet, rural Pennsylvania. Until a violent crime rocks her peaceful world. After murdering his family in Texas, the father Willa never knew is coming for her. As Willa watches her safe little life crumble all around her, she grapples for understanding, for answers. Digging through the rubble of her mother's lies, Willa uncovers some shocking truths - about her mother, her father, and her perfect blended family, who, as it turns out, isn't so perfect after all.

It's no secret that I love Susan Beth Pfeffer - just take a gander at my left sidebar and you'll see she's one of my favorites. I adore her dystopian "Moon" series, her blog, her silly cats, and just ... her. Still, I'm not sure how I feel about Blood Wounds, her newest YA novel (available September 13). The structure of the book surprised me since it took the story in a completely different direction than what I was expecting. Because of what happens to Willa's father after he leaves Texas, what should be the most exciting part of the novel becomes rather anticlimatic. In fact, the first third feels too rushed. I would have liked a more intense, detailed setup before Willa starts searching for all her family secrets. That being said, I did enjoy Blood Wounds. It's an honest, thought-provoking novel full of interesting characters, skilled prose, and mostly realistic plot turns (I still think Willa should have run off to Texas without telling anyone - I don't get why her parents let her go with so little protest). So, I didn't like the book as much as I wanted to, but that's okay. I won't be taking Susan Beth Pfeffer off my favorites list anytime soon, especially seeing as how she just finished writing a new Moon book. Squee!

(Readalikes: Um, I can't really think of anything. Can you?)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs) and violence

To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Blood Wounds from my wonderful book blogging friend, Amanda, who presumably received it from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Thanks!

1 comment:

  1. I just started following. I really like your blog.
    http://bugnroosmom.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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