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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
At first I hated the voice and the fact that there are three narrators, however, I'm loving Mosey and Big and the fact the story is both tragic and funny.
I really wish Mosey could star in her own book.
I really wish Mosey could star in her own book.
A fun read, I really enjoyed the southern voice and improperness and quirkiness of the three main characters. Ginny, a 45 year old grandmother trying her best to avoid another "trouble year" with her 30 year old daughter, Liza, who is recovering from a dibilitating stroke and her 15 year old granddaughter, Mosey.
Always enjoy JJ. Having trouble finding my reading mojo lately, hence why it took me a month to read. But the story kept my interest and even considering I was only reading a few pages at a time it had twists and turns without being overly complicated.
**SPOILER ALERT**
I couldn't quite buy into the happy ending aspect. Big goes from her hell is coming in this 15th year attitude to *poof* 'I have hope'?! Yes I wanted the happy ending but that felt too flip of the coin.
And did I miss the part where she explained who Liza hung out with in the woods? I thought it said some of the improvements were obviously made since Liza's stroke. Did I miss who made them?
**SPOILER ALERT**
I couldn't quite buy into the happy ending aspect. Big goes from her hell is coming in this 15th year attitude to *poof* 'I have hope'?! Yes I wanted the happy ending but that felt too flip of the coin.
And did I miss the part where she explained who Liza hung out with in the woods? I thought it said some of the improvements were obviously made since Liza's stroke. Did I miss who made them?
I love Joshilyn Jackson. I love her writing style, quirky characters, and story lines.
In this book Jackson explores past and present and what that could mean for the future with Big (Ginny), Little (Liza), and Mosey. Big gave birth to Little when she was 15 and Little gave birth to Mosey when she was 15. Mosey is 15 and Big and Little are bound and determined to keep Mosey from becoming a mother at 15. What they don't seem to realize is that Mosey has zero interest in keeping that kind of family history alive and to keep herself assured of her commitment to stay away from boys and babies Mosey pees on pregnancy tests and watches them turn negative to keep calm. Not that it would ever be positive, Mosey hasn't even kissed a boy. Big swears that every 15 years trouble comes and so she's holding her breath because it has been 15 years since Mosey was born and she knows they are due. Unfortunately her premonitions come true - in short order Liza has a life threatening stroke and a secret is literally unearthed in the backyard. This secret rocks Mosey's world and sends the worlds of several families into a tailspin. Along with her best friend, Roger, Mosey sets out to find out the truth before Big can. Except what she doesn't know is Big is setting out to find the truth before Mosey can. In the end the truth comes out in its time and in its way and the freedom that it brings to the Slocumb girls is immediate.
I love the little things Jackson weaves into her books. Little profound thoughts and truths about life and relationships. She is so easy to read, she is so compelling in her writing. Reading a story of hers is pure pleasure.
In this book Jackson explores past and present and what that could mean for the future with Big (Ginny), Little (Liza), and Mosey. Big gave birth to Little when she was 15 and Little gave birth to Mosey when she was 15. Mosey is 15 and Big and Little are bound and determined to keep Mosey from becoming a mother at 15. What they don't seem to realize is that Mosey has zero interest in keeping that kind of family history alive and to keep herself assured of her commitment to stay away from boys and babies Mosey pees on pregnancy tests and watches them turn negative to keep calm. Not that it would ever be positive, Mosey hasn't even kissed a boy. Big swears that every 15 years trouble comes and so she's holding her breath because it has been 15 years since Mosey was born and she knows they are due. Unfortunately her premonitions come true - in short order Liza has a life threatening stroke and a secret is literally unearthed in the backyard. This secret rocks Mosey's world and sends the worlds of several families into a tailspin. Along with her best friend, Roger, Mosey sets out to find out the truth before Big can. Except what she doesn't know is Big is setting out to find the truth before Mosey can. In the end the truth comes out in its time and in its way and the freedom that it brings to the Slocumb girls is immediate.
I love the little things Jackson weaves into her books. Little profound thoughts and truths about life and relationships. She is so easy to read, she is so compelling in her writing. Reading a story of hers is pure pleasure.
As in past Jackson novels, I could not put this down. She has the ability to immediately draw readers to the characters of the story. Centred around three generations--daughter, mother and grandmother--themes of family and the female identity are featured here. Jackson has created an intriguing mystery that plays out as a drama. Felled by a stroke at the age of 30, Liza is cared for by her mother, Ginny. Liza's daughter, Mosey, is 15 years old and is both dealing with her mother's recovery and the fact that her family has a reputation in her deeply religious Alabama town. When Ginny decides to cut down the giant willow tree in their yard, bones of a baby are discovered and a journey to reveal true identities is set in motion. I love Joshilyn Jackson!
Big had a baby when she was fifteen; her daughter, Liza, had a baby when she was fifteen. When Liza's daughter, Mosey, turns fifteen, both her mother and grandmother are on edge. They're expecting the worst, but what happens is nothing they were prepared for. A mystery unravels when bones are found under Liza's favorite willow tree. The book is told from the points of view of Big, Liza, and Mosey, and each character has a distinct voice.
By the end of the book it becomes a real page turner, despite taking a little bit to get going in the beginning. I enjoyed the strong female characters that were portrayed in this novel. I also thought the author did a good job of capturing different characters despite their differing ages.
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, is my first Joshilyn Jackson book, but it won't be my last. The story is set in rural Mississippi and contains several known tropes. Southern vibes and characters one can recognize from their own past-- a satisfying read. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was excellent.
I enjoyed this book in a teen guilty pleasure kind of way. It was pretty much fluff, but it wasn't unintelligent. It was actually well thought out and tricky to figure out. But it was also geared more toward a younger audience or a quick beach read.