Review: Pleasantly surprised
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 26, 2013
I randomly chose this out of my list of waiting books and was initially slightly ill that I had even downloaded a book about cheerleading (not a sport!). I was so happy that this wasn't a YA book about cheerleading that I would have given it a star just for that.The initial chapter is written from the perspective of a 14 year old cheerleader, but the book isn't about cheerleading at all. It is about a family suffering, grieving, experiencing guilt.The 14 year old has killed her toddler brother. As the story unfolds, it is revealed by alternating viewpoints of Jen, the mother, Ethan, the father and Ella the teenager daughter how young Riley actually dies and how each person played a role in that death.Ella tries to fix things, by being invisible, by being perfect, and by finding a way to release her pain.The least likeable character, and probably the most real one, was Jen, the mother. She is the one who sets the train in motion that leads to the demise of the family as they know it.Premise: Very Good Character Development: Good Writing/Editing: Very good.Altogether a satisfactory read.