The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

Review by Mrs. O'Dell

The Girls in the Garden, after finally getting into it, ended up being a page-turning, suspenseful,  phycological thriller.  I struggled at first because there were so many characters to keep straight.  I didn't know who was trustworthy and who was the antagonist.  It took until the last page to figure those two things out, and that is why this novel is a must-read. 

Grace and Pip move to a unique neighborhood with their mother Clare.  Here they try to start over after a house fire caused by Grace and Pip's father (Clare's husband) has a schizophrenic break.  The teenage girls have to start a new school and make new friends - and in this neighborhood, there are strong alliances already formed.  Getting into the clique takes some uncharacteristic behaviors for Grace and Pip; Grace conforms quickly while Pip is more hesitant.  The sisters actually draw farther away from each other as Grace makes friends (and secures her first boyfriend) during the summer.  But the Fourth of July neighborhood party turns into a crime scene, and everyone is a suspect. 

I certainly did not see the ending turning out the way it did, and I loved that about this book. 

- 5 stars!  (Another British author: tea, pounds, etc.)

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

Review by Mrs. O'Dell

The thrilling mystery, The Death of Mrs. Westaway, contained red herring after red herring, throwing me off during most of the climax and conflict resolution.  I thought I had it all figured out until another clue was introduced.  I believe I was just as confused and on-edge as Hal, the narrator.

Hal Westaway was at rock bottom.  She was only twenty-one, living alone, in debt up to her ears.  Now, the "broken teeth...broken bones..." (Ware 222) debt collector was on her case.  Not only was she not going to be able to pay back this loan or make rent, she couldn't afford to eat.  And just when it looks like she was going to have to take drastic measures to stay afloat, she got a letter saying she was to inherit some money.  This would have been the answers to her prayers, except...well, she wasn't related to Mrs. Westaway.  Hal had to decide whether or not she was going to lie to these people and take the money or to tell the truth. 

With the help of her mother's diary, a family photo album, and some recalled facts from the help long ago, Hal is able to put the pieces together.  The antagonists are not exactly who she thought they were, nor were her allies.  All of these conflicts provide a chilling mystery and intense conclusion. 

- 5 stars!  (Note: Ruth Ware is a British author.  Beware some terminology that may be tricky.)

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Review by Mrs. O'Dell

Regretting You really contains two plots: one, the story of Morgan, a stay-at home mother, and the other, Clara, the teenage daughter.  The narration went from Morgan in one chapter, to Clara in the next.  Usually when I read novels narrated like this, I tend to enjoy one narrator better than the other, but Hoover is too good at her job for me to favor one over the other.  Both of their stories had me hooked.

Morgan and her high school sweetheart, later her husband, had their daughter Clara when they were teenagers.  Morgan stayed home with the baby while her husband went to college and began a career.  When their daughter is sixteen, there is a crazy car accident, one that leaves both her husband and her sister dead.  The circumstances of why her husband was with her sister is a mystery, and Morgan tries to solve it alone, leaving Clara in the dark.

Clara's story is that of a normal teenage girl but with the added grief of the loss of two of the most important people in her life.  She is forbidden to date the one person who may help her cope, and she begins to make mistake after mistake.  Not knowing her mother is keeping detrimental secrets from her to protect her, Clara rebels in uncharacteristic ways.

Eventually, both characters come to an understanding, but only when all the cards are on the table.  The ending is very satisfying, with a combination of acceptance, forgiveness, humor, and love.

- 5 stars!

Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul

Review by Mrs. O'Dell

This novel presents some scary topics, like mental health and suicide, but the authors create a narrator that is totally believable and universal.  Although some of the decisions Evan Hansen makes are quite questionable, he eventually makes things right.  Readers can learn many lessons from Evan's snowballing lies.

Evan is struggling, socially and emotionally.  His mom gets him some help, but the doctor that he sees requests that Evan write an optimistic letter to himself everyday.  These letters begin "Dear Evan Hansen, Today is going to be an amazing day, and here's why...".  One day he is running late, so he prints his letter at school, where it is intercepted off the printer by Connor Murphy.  Later that night, Connor commits suicide, and his parents find Evan's letter thinking it is Connor's suicide note.  Evan then makes the decision to pretend to Connor's parents that the two were best friends.  And this is where the snow-balling begins.  One lie leads to another and another, but Evan, the once anxiety-ridden loner, is now confident and popular, and the truth gets farther and farther away from him.

As a mother and teacher, this novel makes me cringe, not because it is poorly written and unbelievable.  Quite the opposite actually.  I cringe because I could see this scenario playing out in reality, and it is terrifying.  The moral of the story here is to tell the truth, always, and to be kind to everyone. 

- Four stars