A Grown Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

A Grown Up Kind of Pretty is a powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family. Fifteen-year-old Mosey Slocumb-spirited, sassy, and on the cusp of womanhood-is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard, and determined to figure out why it's there. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. But it is Ginny, Mosey's strong and big-hearted grandmother, whose maternal love braids together the strands of the women's shared past--and who will stop at nothing to defend their future.

Initial Thoughts:

I really didn't have many expectations of this book, other than it's consistent 5 star ratings on every review site imaginable. I figured it had to be at least decent.

The Pros:

This was an incredibly powerful story. I definitely cried. Not going to lie.

Ginny. Oh Ginny. She is probably the strongest literary character I have ever come across. She is the glue that holds the Slocumb family together when it seems like the world is trying it's hardest to rip them apart.

This book is part chick lit and part mystery with plenty of drama thrown in. It kept me guessing. I thought I had it all figured out (I usually do figure out mysteries way before they are revealed) but I had it completely wrong in this book. Way, way off. Which was an awesome change for me.

I was rooting for all three generations of women to get their happy ending. I was so invested in all three's lives, not one more than another.

The use of southern dialect was enriching, not detracting from the story line.

The Cons:

I didn't really like how the author called Liza's stroke a "brain event". 

The fact that they didn't take proper care of Liza until the very end of the book was kind of unsettling.

The Wrap Up: 4.5/5

I really loved this book. I have recommended it to so many people who have loved it just as much as I did. It's the kind of book that you can't put down and can't stop talking about it after you're done.

Favorite Quote:

"Before my mom had her brain event, I never even saw him have a conversation with her face. He talked lower, like her thought her boobs had microphones in them and if he aimed right he could order up a chili-dog combo."

Click here to get your copy of A Grown Up Kind of Pretty NOW. Trust me. You will love it.