Notown

by Tess Collins, Theresa Collins

Randi Jo Gaylor's family is poorer than dirt. Yet the little girl survives with an optimistic attitude despite imagining a Fear Angel haunts her. Through four decades, she covers up murder and betrayal by others until a threat against her daughter forces her to take an action she never thought herself capable of... killing a man she'd once loved.

428 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 2013

About the author

A coal miner’s granddaughter, Tess Collins was born and raised in a crater. Yes, really—a crater formed by the impact of an asteroid millions of years ago, where her hometown of Middlesboro, Kentucky was eventually built. Tess spent her younger years in a one-room Carnegie Library, reading around the room. She started with Blueberries for Sal and ended with War and Peace, at which point she thought, I want to do that.
That ambition took her to the University of Kentucky, where she majored in journalism and creative writing, and eventually to a Ph.D. from The Union Institute and University, with a focus on theatre management and producing. She is the author of eight novels and a non-fiction book on theater management. She now lives in San Francisco, where on a clear day she can see the Golden Gate Bridge, a long way from the crater, but exactly where she was always headed.
Visit her website at TessCollins.com/

BOOKS BY TESS COLLINS

FICTION

The Appalachian Trilogy:
The Law of Revenge
The Law of the Dead
The Law of Betrayal

The Midnight Valley Quartet:
Notown
The Hunter of Hertha

Shadow Mountain Saga:
Shadow Mountain

Other Fiction:
Helen of Troy
A Wave of Breath

Non-Fiction:
How Theater Managers Manage

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tess Collins is an awesome author. This was one of the best books. I know I have been very lucky to have read a lot of the best books this year and this one is right up there with the best of them.

The setting is in Kentucky's coal mines and Randi Jo is born in this dirt poor town called Notown. From a very early age she learns to get what she wants by any means, even stealing at times.

Her parents are very much in love and her dad works in the coal mines. A very dangerous job but it helps them get by. Randi Jo's grandfather, her mother's dad, is a black man and back in those days you could not let anyone know that. He saved her life a couple of times though and she loved him even though she didn't really know him all that well. He gave her a gift to take to her mother and that is when her mother told her a story of how things in the past were done and why this gift was so long in coming to her.

Randi Jo fell in love with Connor when she was just a young girl. Her older sister Kim left home to marry her boyfriend after she got pregnant and they never heard from her again. Randi Jo and Connor end up married thanks to Connor's dad who thought Randi was the sweetest, strongest girl he ever met. His wife and daughter though never thought she was good enough for any of them. When Randi makes a terrible mistake she ends up losing her husband and daughter. That is the beginning of the end for her.

But she still has a determination to do something with her life. She gets a job as a waitress and things look like they will finally work out until her mother in law causes trouble and causes her to lose the job. She is very depressed and runs into Simon. She ends up marrying him and living a life filled with lots of beatings and bad luck. He is a terrible man and had promised to help her get her daughter back.

Throughout the book you will read about someone that Randi Jo has tied up and plans on killing. You won't find out until near the end who it is and I'm not going to tell. But believe me she gets her revenge.

Randi Jo was gone from Notown for a very long time and came back when she found out that her daughter, who was grown by then, was in the hospital dying. She went to see her and told her a story that her dad had told her when she was a little girl. After that her daughter did get better and as Randi Jo left town for the last time she got to see her daughter in her wedding gown on the day of her marriage.

She had lost everyone that meant anything to her and knew it was time to move on with her life and I have to believe that she did something good finally. She went through so much that you can't help but feel for her. She will worm her way into your heart and hold you there through everything.

I loved this story so much and can't wait until the next book is ready. There is an excerpt from it at the end of Notown and it sounds so good. It will be out in 2015. Way to long to wait but you can bet I'll be reading it.

This is another 5 star book that should be given more stars if possible. I loved it from the first to the very last page, including the excerpt of the next book in this series. I'm betting you will love it too. Just a wonderful, heartfelt, sad yet does have some laughter in it also. One you don't want to pass up.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens on Randi Jo pacing in front of a man she has tied up in a chair. His mouth has duct tape over it. There is a gasoline can nearby. Hmm makes me want to know why does she want to burn this man up? We are taken to her childhood where she was one of many children (in later years there were a total of 13 children) Her daddy was a coal miner and there was barely enough to feed the family. Shoplifting is a way of life to get things she wants like candy and such but she needs to hide to eat it or one of the other kids will take it from her. Her dresses are made from flour sacks. No indoor bathroom, its an outhouse only.
This book totally drew me in and I could not wait to see what happened next. I loved it!

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Notown by Tess Collins we meet Randi Jo Gaylor. Randi Jo, or RJ, grew up in Notown, a backwater poverty-stricken Appalachian neighborhood in Kentucky. This destitute area is known for it's indigent residents, pilfering ways, and coal miners. Everyone who lives in Notown knows they are at the bottom of society and everyone who lives in the areas surrounding Notown won't let them forget that they are white trash.

Notown begins at the end, in 1987 when all we know is that Randi Jo has a former husband tied up and is about to torch him. This startling tableaux stands in sharp contrast to the Randi Jo we then meet, at 9 years old. She is a small girl from Notown who shoplifts what she wants, if the occasion arises, but she also loves her family. We know she has a guiding angel, fear, who will surface throughout the novel. Even while she is protective of her family and determined to make her way out of Notown, she's a small female child in an impossible situation where abuse can take many forms. At 9 is when she first meets Connor Herne, who eventually becomes her husband. The novel follows RJ for forty years of her life.

Collins does an excellent job developing her characters and the setting for the novel. It was very easy to feel like you are there, in that time, going through everything with Randi Jo. Even while you are following along in her life, you know she is going to end up having a man she loved tied to a chair. You know she is pouring out gasoline and is planning to burn him alive. As you follow her life you have the quandary of trying to reconcile the RJ you are seeing with the one you know is coming. You'll be trying to catch the clues, guess the pieces to the puzzle that will lead her to this ending.

While I really liked Notown, I also had a hard time readily accepting a few of the choices Randi Jo makes. They were simple incomprehensible choices to me. I understand that people make these kinds of rash, bad decisions every day, but that doesn't make them understandable. All actions have consequences. It did leave me thinking less of her as a character. On the other hand, Collins held my interest to the end, even while I was muttering.

This is the first installment in a planned Midnight Valley Quartet of novels. Including a list of resources for victims of domestic abuse and violence at the end of the novel was an extremely good addition.
Highly Recommended - and I am likely to consider reading book two in the quartet, The Hunter of Hertha.


Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of via Netgalley for review purposes.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notown, Book one of the Midnight Valley Quartet by Tess Collins

***** Rating 5/5

A beautifully written, emotional novel set in Notown, Crimson County, Kentucky; an extremely poor town where the struggle to survive was common place. Notown is the story of Randi Jo Gaylor who is driven to murder and the events that lead her to commit this crime. On reading about the Fear Angel, mentioned in the synopsis, I was not sure if the novel was one I wanted to read. However, it is not a big part of the novel and blended into the story well, so don’t let this put you off reading this splendid book.

Randi Jo Gaylor was born into an underprivileged family: at the age of nine she had eight siblings with more to come. Poverty was strife and, although her Father worked exceedingly hard in the coal mines, there was just not enough money to feed the large family; they lived on a staple diet of pinto beans supplemented by meat on a Friday; in the good times.

I won’t give any spoilers as I think Notown is a gem of a novel to be read, enjoyed and agonized over. Life was not easy for Randi Jo or indeed anyone from Notown, life’s expectations were not high and people, in general, from the surrounding more affluent areas looked down on the Notowners. Trying to break the mold Randi Jo uses the only asset she has, her beauty; her intelligence is not recognized. Following her Mother’s ill-conceived advice she makes the wrong decision and so begins a series of events, which will tug at the heart strings of the reader as you become gripped with the utter despair Randi Jo endures. I don’t believe in murder but this novel had me siding with her actions.

Trish Collins obviously had a lot of research material and knowledge of life of those living in these impoverished times and she used it brilliantly. Her skill was apparent in her writing style; characters were well rounded and believable; from the snobbery and bullying to the despair and sacrifices made by many of the individuals. The plot interspersed with secrets gives depth to the novel and leaves you reflecting on the lives shaped by incidents and flawed decisions.

Every now and again you come across an author whose superbly written novels leave you reminiscing about the characters, the history and the emotions; Trish Collins is such an author. I was delighted to find out that the next novel, The Hunter of Hertha will be published soon.

ARC courtesy of IBPA, Bearcat Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notown by Tess Collins



If ever a book were written from the heart, it seemed to me that Notown> is it. Randi Jo is one of the saddest people to narrate a story for me. She begins her story at the age of 9 and progresses to adulthood, cataloging so many events along the way that shaped her into the strong woman she became, but also needed to be. Experiencing her loss of innocence as little by little it is chipped away by her own family was sometimes funny and other times tragic. She learned at too early an age to do what she needed to do to survive. The area from which she came was full of people so dirt poor, they often did not know where their next meal was coming from. Fathers killed themselves working the mines, and there were not many, if any, alternatives for men other than a job which would probably give them Black Lung Disease. Randi Jo loved her daddy with all her heart, but she knew he was killing himself in the mine so she and her family could eat. That's a harsh reality for a child so young to absorb, but Randi Jo couldn't and didn't take much of anything for granted.



Because this book is to be part of a trilogy, many characters are introduced with the idea that we learn more about them in subsequent books. I will be standing in line for the next installment. Every character that played a part in Randi Jo's life was interesting to me, enough so that I want to read more about them and Notown. For me, Tess Collins is an author to follow, and my hunch is that others who read her book will feel the same.

[Wanda Hartzenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy for review via Netgalley.
I chose to read this book based on its name and the fact that it is not part of my usual reading regime.
I am so glad I did this.
This life, the life of Randi Jo Gaylor is colored by the politics of the day although she herself is so involved in survival that she hardly ever notices its effect directly or indirectly. The author does an amazing job in making the passage of time and changing of the political scenery another character in the book. One which speaks by saying very little and anchoring the reader not only in place but also in time.
The struggles of this woman, the choices she makes to survive and never even questioning why she is not in a position to thrive is moving, addictive and moving.
I found myself cheering for Randi Jo. Wishing some characters dead and hoping some awful fate will befall some others. Never did I grow tired or feel as if her life story is contrived. Living with her through trials and tribulations I often sat wondering if I would have made a choice other than that of Randi? As this kept on I realized that the choices were dictated long before Randi was even born.
A brilliant story of life lived in some pretty horrible situations. Character driven the reader is bound not to become bored since one event follows the next in quick succession and the reader needs to take a break to get one. The author does not really allow many breathers in a story where nobody's next breath is guaranteed.
WaAr
A seven star read. Truly a must read.

[Cheryl, The Book Contessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for my copy of this 5 star book! A very poignant, not-for-the-faint-of-heart novel, set in the backwoods of Kentucky. Randi Jo Gaylor, the spit-fire protagonist, who dreams of a life of no worries, makes the best of her upbringing. She loves her daddy, who works in the coal mines. Her momma keeps havin' babies; with more mouths to feed than food in the house. Randi Jo also dreams of Connor, who she believes may just sweep her off her feet, and give her this better life. Reality for Randi Jo begins as a wild ride, just getting wilder, into dangerous waters with relationships, the law, wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong folk situations. I mean as wrong as wrong gets. Without giving things away in the story, suffice it to say, things get brutal. Every page gripped me with Randi's story. Through her perserverence and pain; the good getting dwarfed by the bad and the ugly around her, Randi clings to love for her family to save her sanity and give her purpose. Tess Collins brought the characters of Notown to life for me. Some are meddling; some are angels; some have souls as black as the coal coming from the mines. Some are made of the stuff that Randi Jo is made of, earthy, grass-roots girl, wanting better things, bringing forth daffodils from black soil.

[Patricia Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author left us with very compelling characters who will
haunt our thoughts just like her Fear angel. Families held
many secrets. Domestic violence was a norm for some.
Members of the family did have warm memories of a
Daydream portal and of their make believe friend Jack
the Giant killer and defender of the devil.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story though the 'Fear angel' mentioned in the synopsis doesn't appear very often and when it does, it's not as I thought it would be. I feel the reader seems distant to the story, I felt I never really got close to R.J.

I received this copy from netgalley.com

[Payal Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notown is an intense story of a woman's life. Randi Jo grows up in a large family in the notorious Notown. She is poor and used to stealing stuff to fill her belly and perk up her taste buds. There she forms an unusual friendship with a boy belonging to a little higher up in the social ladder. This friendship turns to love until they both go into a hasty marriage. The story is all about the ups and downs of Randi Jo's life and just when she thinks that something good would happen, she is slapped by bad luck on her face. Jo has never been to any church and fears the fear angel, until one day she witnesses the statue of an actual angel which has her awed and she kneels down in wonder. Slowly she understands that fear angel and the good one are the one and the same and she only has to outrun it to be free of it.

Notown has so many developments, so much twists and turns that I found myself totally hooked to it. I always wanted to see how the protagonist would come out of that patch of bad luck when she was thrown into something worse. Finally Jo takes hold of her life and decides to find justice for her daughter. The book is good and filled with realities of life. It is educative and tells us how to grasp on to relationships and to make the right choices at the right time.

[Charlie Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gripping, fantastically written novel. The way the author writes literally sends you to the place that’s been described and makes you feel right like you’re there.

From the first chapter I was hooked. *Spoiler alert* The book starts with the main character Randy Jo about to murder a man she evidently previously was in love with. You can feel the room she’s stood in and smell the gasoline she pours over his body. Immediately I was fully engaged with what was happening, you don’t yet know quite why she’s doing this but you can feel that within her she knows she has no choice.

You’re then thrown back to when she was nine years old. Again the transition between these two times is done wonderfully with the chapters ending and beginning with similar imagery.

The rest of the book is just as engaging and riveting as the beginning. You follow Randi Jo’s life, see the troubles and hardships she went through and find out what makes her who she is.

I won’t say much more as I don’t want to spoil any surprises but what a great read following the life of a likeable and optimistic women.

[Julius Blitzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to tell how many hours pass by when you are reading a compelling book that keeps you out of the world; this was one of those times.
Books like these, which felt so real and harsh like real life but also possess a little touch that defies the dark realism, these are what dreams are made of, life doesn’t own us a thing, it doesn’t matter how good you are, no one own you nothing, but despite that, you can still be good, you can still live your day with a big smile on your face and keep moving forward, that is one of the lessons I learned after I finished this book.
What are your real limits? Where do you draw the line and say to yourself: ‘you need to stop’? A threat can make you make things you never thought you really were capable of, but still you manage to move on and thrive, our protagonist fought so many battles, but this is a masterpiece you should definitely not miss by any chance, it’s hard to explain how can you connect and learn from the hardships of others but I tell you this, read this book.

[Renee Spicuzza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tess Collins has written “Notown (Book One: The Midnight Valley Quartet 1),” a book that makes me question my ability to read and comprehend a book. This plot had me questioning humanity in the stylistic approach that Collins had taken with the various characters and their experiences. It literally is all about how far humanity can be pushed before it may no longer exist and this book is a great depiction of that struggle that many individuals suffer from. The realness that is felt through Randi Jo is tangible and relatable, which is what I think makes the book so enthralling. Randi Jo is pushed to the extremes because of her past experiences being a great influence on her future decisions. It is so interesting to look at her personality at how strong and empathetic she is, while also being screwed up and making the wrong decisions. This was such a fantastic book to read and I look forward to future creations by Collins.

[Sanjin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books are not short, light or breezy, but they can be definitely worth the little extra “work” when reading. Notown is just like that for me. The story is at places really tough and you really feel for Randy Jo and what is happening to her, all the struggles, emotions and difficult situations she goes through. And there are a lot of them in more than 450 pages, but the plot mostly moves at pretty fast pace so it doesn’t feel dragged. I must say that some parts of the story were more compelling than the others, but it all evens out in the end. Main character is the real focus here and the author did a splendid job in creating someone real, believable and human as possible, fantastic job. The other characters too, they add real flavor to the whole experience. This is a really good novel with some tiny flaws, but very worthy of investing some time in it. Maybe not for everybody, but it is best to give it a try.

[Shanell Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense and real.

Notown (Book One: The Midnight Valley Quartet 1) by Tess Collins had me hooked from the moment I read the first page. It follows Randi Jo Gaylor from when she was 9 years old sand follows her as she grows into an adult. Collins uses real life historical events to mark the stages of Randi Jos life. The story has some triggering moments and addresses abuse, sexual as well as domestic violence, death and murder. All of Collins characters are complex and intense. The story itself is well written and full of twists and turns. It does bounce back and forth between 2 story’s which can be confusing until they come together. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. Collins really drug me in and it was impossible to put down. I’ll be looking for other books by Tess Collins, she really has a gift for creating characters and a storyline.

[Chelseyam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book seemed to make the hours fly by as I didn’t want to put it down. The author does an amazing job to create the dynamic that so many small town people grow up in. It’s not even the small town aspect that stands out, but the divides that create such powerful rifts in so many lives. All in all, this novel was very well thought out. The plot runs smoothly, the characters, especially the main, are three dimensional and feel like someone you could have met back in high school. Best of all, the main character doesn’t stand out as a perfect example in an imperfect world, which so many novels seem to do. The thing that I loved most is how the author portrays realism while still adding a touch of fantasy that is hard to distinguish from reality. This novel is so brilliantly written that you won’t be disappointed.

[Kate Brackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notown was an incredible story that really surprised me! I don't care much for the cover and that swayed my opinion at first but you know the old saying... Notown is about a girl named Randi Jo who has a rough time throughout her life. Her story is one of determination, sadness, and revenge and I enjoyed every minute of it. The book had a lot of good reviews and I am adding to that collection. The writing itself was well done and after awhile I was so immersed in the story that little grammatical errors stopped appearing to me. There are hints that Randi will get her revenge on someone but it doesn't say who until the end which really built the suspense and drive of the story. Overall a great read. I was fascinated by Randi Jo's life and events and it turned out to be a great plot and read.

[Rachel Kester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is the first book in The Midnight Valley Quartet series by Tess Collins. You’ll read about Randi Jo Gaylor and her family as they struggle through various hardships, including murder. As Gaylor grows older, she must work to cover up this murder and keep it a secret. This is, however, until her daughter suddenly receives a threat. Gaylor soon finds herself in a tricky situation which leads to her pondering whether she should murder a man who was once a very important part of her life.
Collins’ novel is a great story that’s perfect for suspense lovers to check out. While not a quick read, it’s about 428 pages, it’s definitely a book everyone should consider reading due to Collins’ unique writing style and diverse blend of characters that will make you feel as if you’re experiencing the story firsthand. If you’re looking for a new read to try, definitely consider this one.

[Jimmy Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reality of being poor in the Kentucky hills

Notown is a story about a young girl growing up poor in the Kentucky hills. Randi Jo is from notown and this story is her journey to adulthood. There are no dilussions of grandeur for this young woman. She knows where she is from and the author pulls no punches as we follow her journey through the events that bring her to the edge. With Connor strapped to a chair and Randi waiting for dark to set fire to this part of her life, you will be unable to put this book down until you find out what happens. The characters are developed and the journey is heart wrenching. I loved this story and can't wait for the follow up. I would recommend this one to everyone. A story filled with emotion and life.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notown by Tess Collins is an intense novel that takes you on the journey that is Randi Jo. She has a life that is difficult for many of us to identify with, but we feel for her and continue to cheer her on throughout the story. Despite our hopes her luck never seems to turn, until things peak and she has to make a decision that will forever determine her life and character.

It is such a unique story with its setting, characters, and development. With the dramatic climax like this one, I would have half expected it to be some glamorous novel with money and greed involved. Making this one a refreshing story combining elements that gives the reader a truly unique experience.

[Archie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Touching story!
A touching story that describes the two sides of a woman or shall I say “Mother,” one is imperfect, weak, hides secrets, accepts the circumstances, she lives in BUT other is strong, acts, fighter and is ready to protect her child from any danger. A great storyline, developed characters shown from multiple angles. It’s a bit longer book, but because the storyline is engaging it will hold the reader’s interest and attention.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notown? YES!

This is a book to read slowly in order to wring every last bit of wordsmithing out of it. Notown is solidly packed with powerful human drama that resonates with truth. It almost seems like actual history. Strong characters you can believe in and survivors you can root for. I HIGHLY recommend adding this to your to end list.

[Growls and Grimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have found Notown to be an interesting look into another life. We have Randi Jo who seems to be trying to just survive life and live part of the dreams she has laid out for herself. Growing up in a mining town and watching her mother have child after child, her older sister and best friend lost to her in a time when young girls need their older siblings the most and trying to find her place in the world. All this and then meeting the boy she is sure she is going to marry. She finds herself in the position, as time goes on, that she may lose him to his new life. Taking her mother’s advice she finds that while it may have gotten her what she wanted, in the end it is not really what she dreamed it would be. After everything falls apart believing she has found what she needs in her second husband, her world falls apart again. Spending her life filled with secrets, loss and sadness she is left with one more thing she has to do. Leaving her with another deep secret to carry with her through the rest of her life.Each of the characters is very strongly written. Usually that is reserved for the main character but with this story there is more to it. While they are mainly supporting characters, the way they are written you can not only picture them but see how they influence Randi Jo’s life. Each interaction pushes her in another direction, steering her, at times in ways she doesn’t really want to go. Regardless of which character she is interacting with you can see how they make their mark with her. Each character imprints something deeply on her soul, regardless of the circumstances, good or bad or where the road may lead them.There wasn’t too much in this book that I didn’t like. It was a very interesting story and a page turner. I liked the writing and the way the author was able to truly paint a picture with her words.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as a Goodreads First Reads and I was pretty excited to receive it. Let me start off by saying (admitting?) that I, like the author and the characters in this book, was born and raised in Kentucky. Although I'm from the northwestern part near Illinois, and this takes place in the southeastern portion near Tennessee, I could still relate to a lot in this book.

Thankfully I didn't grow up as poor as Randi Jo Gaylor, but my grandparents probably did. Things like flour sack dresses, chamber pots/outhouses, wringing a chicken's neck, and sharing a house and even bed with several siblings remind me of stories my grandmother would tell me about her childhood.

I'm not sure if someone who is not from Kentucky or nearby areas would find as much appreciation for the dialogue as I did, but I found my inner voice slipping into a Kentucky accent as I read phrases or pronunciations of words that I grew up hearing but don't encounter so much in Los Angeles. I felt that the characters were very authentic in both their dialogue and their actions.

As far as the plot goes, I'll keep my review simple. I thought of it as Randi Jo's story of survival. Randi Jo went through some rough times, to put it mildly. Some were her doing, but most were not. Despite everything, she always managed to make it through.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Amber Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a new author to me but I can guarantee I will no longer be a stranger to her work! Notown was an amazing read that kept me up way into the morning, which isn't a bad thing since I don't sleep anyway. But this book was a great reason to be up.

Notown is a town in the mountains of Kentucky and will totally transport you there, to a time that seemed simpler to most but was incredibly hard, 13 kids raised in a one room shack. and many skeletons hidden in almost every closet. It takes you from a time when segregation rained supreme to the late 80's when change was all around us. But our Heroine, Randi Jo, just wants to survive and get out of all that. Little does she know you can't always go home again no matter how many people tell you, can. Sometimes skeletons and fear keep you away just too long to really change anything.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

With R.J., Randi Jo, as the first person narrator, the story slips back and forth through her life, attempting to show how and why she’s standing in her old family home with a guy tied to a chair and a gas can. The matter-of-fact way the story is told only emphasizes the grinding poverty and horrific circumstances of her life. Her constant companion is the Fear Angel. At one of her lowest points, she finds a balance to the Fear Angel and finds the courage to do something about it. The end makes perfect sense. Will definitely look for more by this author. Received free copy for review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a librarian at a juvenile detention facility, and received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.

Good plot hooks, fairly interesting characters, and a bleak tone throughout helped pull me in to the story. There were some typos, and the descriptions/backstories of characters weren't as helpful as seeing them in action. My students have been checking this book out though, and I've heard positive feedback.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a compelling story with good characters. It was very well written and I really felt for Randi Jo and all that she went through. I'll be looking for more by the author. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Susie Fiorito · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Tess Collins and have read several of her books.
I wanted to love this book but the the main character just drove
me crazy. She was such an ungrateful, needy little bee-otch. It was always was about her. Was glad when it was finished.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bleak trip to a dirt-poor town in the coalfields of SE Kentucky. The jacket says it's the first book of a quartet. One trip there was more than enough.