BOOK REVIEW: THE ROANOKE GIRLS BY AMY ENGEL

The Roanoke Girls

by Amy Engel

Published: March 7th, 2017

Hardcover, 279 pages

MY GOODREADS RATING 3/5 STARS

(Thanks to Bloggingforbooks.com, I received a copy of this book to review)

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS

Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.

After her mother's suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Lane knew little of her mother's mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran fast and far away.

Eleven years later, Lane is adrift in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing. Did she run too? Or something worse? Unable to resist his pleas, Lane returns to help search, and to ease her guilt at having left Allegra behind. Her homecoming may mean a second chance with the boyfriend whose heart she broke that long ago summer. But it also means facing the devastating secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again.

As it weaves between Lane's first Roanoke summer and her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.

MY THOUGHTS:

     I really liked that the book was set up in then and now chapters. I felt like it up the intrigue level because when you got to the end of a cliff hanger type chapter you were pulled away to another time. I thought the writing style flowed easily which made it a very quick read, plus I was questioning things so much I had a hard time putting the book down. I almost had a need to finish the book as quickly as I could so I could know how everything played out.

I found myself questioning the motives of each character throughout the whole book. I also found that I hated each character at different parts of the story. I did really enjoy Lane's character though. She was so blunt and almost had no filter. Sometimes she would say things and I would just gasp at her blunt delivery.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I was slightly uncomfortable with some of the topics brought up, which is the main reason I didn't rate it up one more star. I thought it was a great portrayal of how things that happen in people's childhood affects certain aspects of their adulthood. If you are in the mood for a quick read that may make you slightly or more than slightly uncomfortable, I say go for this book.