Tour Review and Giveaway ~ The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Suspense
Rate: 3 STARS!
Rate: 3 STARS!
Synopsis:
When Olivia's mother was killed, everyone suspected her father of murder. But his whereabouts remained a mystery. Fast forward fourteen years. New evidence now proves Olivia's father was actually murdered on the same fateful day her mother died. That means there's a killer still at large. It's up to Olivia to uncover who that may be. But can she do that before the killer tracks her down first?
April Henry has written a quickly paced, emotional mystery. One that will keep you on your toes, trying to figure out who could have done such a horrendous thing so many years ago, but still have the heart to leave a little girl alive.
It has been fourteen years since Olivia's mother was gruesomely murdered. She has been through foster homes, and adoptions, now living as an emancipated minor. Olivia has always believed that her father was the one that killed her mother and left Olivia in a Walmart, unharmed. Not having any memories of the tragedy, she has always believed this to be true. But when new evidence comes to life, the murder becomes even more of mystery. Not knowing what else to do, Olivia sets out on a journey to her old hometown, hoping to get some answers. And maybe find out who the murderer is, once and for all.
Olivia was a good character, definitely one that I felt an emotional pull towards. I can't imagine the horror of growing up, knowing that my mother had died in such a horrible way. She is determined, and strong, and I appreciated that. She wasn't reckless (except for one idiotic decision towards the end) but she stuck her neck out to discover the truth. I always understood her motivations. A lot of the characters in the book were all legitimate suspects, and I never really knew where the story was going, other than a show down, in the end. And what a show down.
If I had to make a complaint, I would say that the ending seemed awfully abrupt. From the beginning of the confrontation to the end took no time at all. And the resolution felt a little rushed. But I loved the hopeful ending.
With a sweet romance, albeit a little quick for my taste, and an epic show down at the end, April Henry's book was definitely a worthwhile read. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
Follow the The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.
I write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.
If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.
When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.
My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 13 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into six languages, been named to state reading lists, and short-listed for the Oregon Book Award.
I also review YA literature and mysteries and thrillers for the Oregonian, and have written articles for both The Writer and Writers Digest.
