The Shooter's Sister

by Paige Dearth

Raven's twin brother killed twenty-one people at Allegheny High School.

Raven Ledger was born two minutes before her twin brother Matthew. The newborns shared the same blood, the same womb, and the same parents. But everything about the siblings was different . . . one was darkness and one was light.

Raven was born into poverty to a mother who couldn’t care for her, and a father who would do anything to see his twins thrive. Eventually, Raven becomes a pawn between her parents.

Ripped from the world she knows, Raven and Matthew are placed in her mother’s care. Raven’s only friend is a prostitute who works the street in front of the child’s run-down apartment. Then after school one day, her brother goes missing and Raven can’t remain silent about their horrendous living conditions.

After the police find the boy, the children are removed from their mother, and Raven is separated from her brother. She is sent to a foster home to live with five other girls, while Matthew is placed in a home for troubled boys.

While the twins still attend the same school, they grow apart. Raven loves her brother, but she notices he’s become more detached. Then in their senior year of high school, Matthew is befriended by a mysterious man who teaches the teenager how to deal with his hatred.

On a warm spring day, a few months before the twins graduate, Raven’s brother enters Allegheny High School armed with guns. Fourteen minutes later, Raven Ledger became known as The Shooter’s Sister.

**WARNING** 18+ Readers Only. Graphic content and subject matter.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Horror, Crime, Mystery, Horror Thriller

437 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2024

About the author

Website: https://paigedearth.com/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3e86gp7
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2JS5M1D
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2v1sWgK

#1 Amazon bestselling author Paige Dearth is a survivor of child abuse. Through grit and pure determination she set out to provide a look inside the pain and suffering caused by childhood trauma through her novels.

Paige writes real-life horror and refers to her work as Fiction With Meaning. She hopes that her fictional stories will create awareness for prevention and intervention. Paige writes stories about young children who need to overcome adversity and then take you on their life’s journey. You will shed tears of joy, grief, rage, and horror. She wants her readers to be thinking about the story long after they have turned the last page.

Paige believes that society should not look the other way because a subject seems too difficult to handle and to remember that people live through these real-life horrors.

Paige lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband Mike, and dog, Benny. Her debut novel, Believe Like A Child, was the catalyst for her writing platform. The beginning of Believe Like A Child is based on events from Paige’s childhood. Paige’s novels present a fine balance between what lives on in her imagination and the evil that lurks in the real world.

Paige’s favorite motto is:

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”

~Benjamin Franklin

PAIGE'S STANDALONE NOVELS IN ORDER OF PUBLICATION:

Believe Like A Child

When Smiles Fade

One Among Us

Mean Little People

Never Be Alone

My Final Breath

RAINEY PAXTON SERIES:

A Little Pinprick (Book One)

A Little High (Book Two)

Girls Missing (Book Three)

Girls Found (Book Four)

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, once again Paige Dearth knocks it out of the park with this story, The Shooter’s Sister.

When you read Paige’s stories you feel so much of what you are reading. She writes from her heart and experience which draws you in and has you suffering right along with her characters. It’s so rare for an author to have this strong hold on her readers by allowing us to feel the pain of what is actually going on in our world. Her stories will open your mind and truly make you feel and see what sickness is in the world we live in, a world where most of us have never had to see.

I have read all of Paige’s book and I know a lot of reviews have been critical of her stories. I have been a supporter from the first book and I will always support her in her journey as an abused child as well as an author.

If you read her books and think how can someone write this stuff……..maybe you need to read her bio. She can write it because she’s lived it. So please, be kind or just don’t write a review. And remember……Paige is a human being first and an author second.

Paige, once again you had me in tears with Raven’s story. I am waiting for the second book and will review that as well.
Keep writing and know you are making a difference for some people in this chaotic world.

[Lisa Carby · Rating 1 out of 5]

A definite no for me. I thought I was getting a story about a school shooting from the family’s perspective. It touched on that for maybe one or two chapters, even then it focused more on the violence and carnage than what it was like to a family member of the shooter. It was page after page and chapter after chapter of extreme child abuse. About halfway through the book I couldn’t take it anymore and started flipping pages on my kindle to get through the brutal and graphic abuse scenes and make it to end. I don’t recommend this book.

[Riley Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book!

This isn’t my typical style of book but it was good! I cannot wait to read the second book. I wish there was a little more about Matthew’s life in this book.

[Deeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely PHENOMENAL story☺️

This story was soooo moving, sad,exciting,entertaining and just plain Awesome. Sadly this story is in my Opinion, a reflection on what is going on in our world today!!!. There is soooo much violence and gun violence going on now!! I know that this story is not true, but it very EASILY could be. I am so glad to see Paige writing again and am so excited to be reading her stories!!!. She is a PHENOMENAL storyteller and writer🤗☺️.

[Dede loves books · Rating 4 out of 5]

exceptional, raw, painful.

[Samantha Roatsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not exactly sure how to word the way I felt about this story, so I apologize if it doesn’t make any sense.

I read the reviews beforehand and noticed how some were commenting about how the author has ‘grown’ when talking about the writing style. I was confused by this, but it makes sense to me now after reading it. It was a bit hard to follow with the way the characters points of view jumped around right after one another. I found myself rereading the same lines over again because of this, trying my hardest to follow the conversations between characters.

Characters dialogues were a bit off. I understand Raven had to grow up quickly, but a five year old doesn’t use words like ‘prerogative’ (just an example), and then later in the book when she’s 16, talks the same exact way she did at 5 years old. It’s not realistic.

As someone who is all too familiar with group homes, being fostered, and living in a poverty stricken area, I did feel the author nailed it with some of the events, and it hits home. The areas in the story that are uplifting is what really brought the story together, and is exactly why I gave it two stars.

I hope to come back and read future books from this author! But honestly, I’m not planning to read the second part to this, especially if it’s written how this one was. Even though the author may have ‘grown’ from her earlier writing, I still think there’s much to be done to hit even 3 stars.

Please keep at it! The storyline was amazing and does hook the audience! Once you nail the dialogues, I feel you will be unstoppable!

[Jay Bay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pinpricked all over again?

I love Paige's writing, and seeing it grow but I'm gonna admit I don't think I liked this one. While I admit I can see the growth, it's still true the more things change the more they stay the same. We're always in Kensington, and I get it write what you know, but there's always a pretty white girl that has her trauma and the folks that save her are BIPOC 😂 I mean we're cool. I'll never hate that part cause, I mean facts.

I just feel like Raven was a lot and I mean a LOT like uh Rainey. Rainey was the character in all Paige's books I liked the least. Raven was just shy of Raineys nosiness. She asked just enough questions to not be nosey but then not enough questions to do anything useful.

I get her wanting to believe her brother wasn't as bad as everyone thought and he might not have been had he not dealt the situations he was dealt but it wasn't even a thought in her head how badly he was going down the hole not even when he stopped accepting her attention.

Also the title of thr book makes it a bit less enjoyable for ME. No mystery on who the shooter could have possibly been in that first chapter, you already know.l and that was a nuisance to me.

I was super excited about a new PD book and it just feels like Rainey Paxton all over again and I wasn't a fan. Dunno if I'm gonna just wait for thr next series or pick up the next book when it comes out. Bummer.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Paige Dearth book. This was such a hard read, but in a good way. Reading about abuse is never easy, especially when children are involved. Unfortunately, this is a reality in so many children's lives and turning a blind eye to it helps no one. This book reawakened items on my bucket list and also reminded me of how well some people can hide not only who they truly are but also what they are going through silently.

[Amanda Carrizales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavy heavy book. I couldn’t put this one down but it truly broke my heart from the beginning until the end.

[Morgan Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 rounded up.
This is a terrific story, but it is not for the faint of heart. If you are the type of reader that requires trigger warnings, this book may not be for you. The Shooter's Sister is a tale about a pair of sibling children with beautiful spirits that are forcefully separated in early life and exposed to an extremely cruel world. Each child, all alone and vulnerable, bears the brunt of the most inhumane, abusive and vilest of upbringings. No way out. No one to trust. No hope for improvement or rescue. No hope at all..
The book is well written, a real page turner. The characters are interesting, well developed and believable. I loved everything about this book.
The only reason that it didn't get a perfect 5 stars is because the book is divided into two, which means the reader has to make two purchases to read a terrific story that should have been one solid book.

I look forward to reading part 2.

[AJ Maiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book a didn’t want to stop reading. Although I did listen to much of it, that is how invested I was! It was my first book by this author. I know the title is The Shooter’s Sister, but I wanted more about the shooter. This is a great book that gives the background to their life before the shooting. The second book will give me more of her life after. Starting that immediately.

[buzy_reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Raven and Matthew were born by a mother with postpartum depression. Ellen hated Matthew since the day he was born only showing interest in her daughter Raven. Both Raven and his father advocated for Matthew claiming him shy and quiet. The only love they were shown by was there father. There mother introduced them to an abusive household. Raven had to pick up the broken pieces of her life trying to build a happy life for herself.
…
I’m not sure what I was expecting but this wasn’t it, a backstory into Matthew’s upbringing and how his mother failed him as a parent and how he was born with darkness inside of him. Ellen neglecting her children and allowing her boyfriend to abuse them. Raven’s life is taking one step forward and two steps back. This poor girl can’t get a break. Matthew only ever portrayed anger, never happiness or gratitude. The system failed Raven.
…
This is my first time reading Paige Dearth and I must admit I was drawn in by the title of this book. I had some preconceived ideas about what I might be reading yet I hadn’t expected the backstory into the twins. I had no idea so much of the story was about their upbringing. I expected a story regarding a school shooting and the aftermath of it.
…
The Shooter’s Sister is a coming-of-age, poor family, abusive boyfriend, postpartum depression mother, fraternal twins, and the foster system all comprised into one. Everything leads up to the moment where Raven’s life dangles in the balance between the unexpected decision of her brother Matthew. Readers watch Matthew grow into a dangerous teenager whose life circumstances molded his anger into something unstable and unpredictable. Everything balances on whether that connection Raven created for her and Matthew would be enough to protect her from his wrath.
…
This was an extensively long story going on and on about Ravens abusive childhood and how it never affected her positive attitude towards a better life. Despite all the abuse, Raven remained confident she could overcome this trauma. Man alive this was a slow, tedious, and exhausting read. Year after year of abuse. It never ended.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t. It was just a depressing messy novel to me.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige Dearth

This writer gets into your head. Get ready to start fighting the world because the world is not fighting for justice. I've read all of Page's books except two. There are too many children, babies and women being preyed on by monsters. This story is sad. Who looks after children when their parents die, or can't take care of them. Awe yes, social services in the state they live in. The younger ones are overlooked by the people who should be taking care of them. In this book, nothing in the lives of Matthew and Raven is easy. A little far fetched sometimes, stressing from birth that Matthew is evil. Yes, he could have been guided by good people if he had been given the chance. Even the biological father could have kept Matthew and Raven from the monsters. Matthew went in the dark direction while Raven had almost the same type of terrible people raising her but she somehow tried to stay positive, didn't help her at the end of this book. I now need to read book 2, The Twin Sister. At the end of this book, Raven just turned eighteen but high school graduation isn't going to happen. It could have an HEA, maybe. MAYBE.

[Kristen Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content Warning ‼️

This book was honestly good, but incredibly difficult to digest. Paige Dearth does an extraordinary job weaving the tale of two twins, Matthew and Raven, who have the odds stacked against them since birth. Born to teen parents that met in the foster care system, Raven and Matthew are born into poverty, an unstable home life, and eventually, following their father’s untimely death and their mother abandons them for drugs and men, become wards of the state.

Matthew is sent to a home for boys and Raven is sent to live with a cruel foster mother who tortures her charges not just physically, but psychologically as well. Matthew and Raven are only able to see each other at school for the next seven years. As the years pass, Raven notices that her brother becomes more and more withdrawn as he faces bullying at school and beatings in his group home as well.

During the Spring of their senior year, Matthew decides to take his life into his own hands and shoots his classmates and the adults that he felt played a part in failing and torturing him. Raven, his twin sister is left to deal with the repercussions after she shoots Matthew to prevent any more deaths.

With a name like The Shooter’s Sister, I knew this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. I just don’t think, however, I was ready for just how dark this story would be. Most times I felt for Raven and the tragedies and abuse she suffered. Other times, I was frustrated that Dearth never seemed to give her protagonist a break. While I know not all foster care is peachy, and not all case workers are great, and that there are long lasting effects of childhood trauma and neglect, I was bummed that every second Raven was given even the slightest glimmer of hope, it was ripped away. I feel like after building Raven as such a loving and optimistic character , Dearth should have given her some kind of break and at least left the character with one person on her side by the end of the novel.

[Teri L. Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried with this book. I really tried. I wanted to love it and tell people how striking and poignant and painfully accurate this book was. But it just isn’t.
I give it two stars because the author has a gift for gab. She can obviously tell a story, but she takes way too many detours to get to the point. Five pages describing the same thing, same emotion, over and over again.
There is a saying about the definition of insanity and unfortunately all of the characters in this book do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Not just the protagonists but the antagonists too.
This story takes the absolute worst actions a person can possibly do and not only takes them farther, but repeats them. It’s like the author is trying to one up herself in horrible experiences.
I read her bio and Paige Dearth makes it a point to share that she was raised in an abusive environment and experienced a lot of childhood trauma. This is evident when she describes the emotions and different aspects of the abuse her characters suffer.
However, I find that her main character, while apparently rather self-aware, is completely naive. I can tell the author intended for her to have this charming, golden heart, chooses love no matter how hard life is quality. Instead the girl comes off as immature not only in thought but in speech. For being so eloquent when describing abuse, the author loses the ability to articulate when the characters are conversing. She uses the word “mean” so many times that if it was a drinking game, I’d have passed out by chapter three. It’s as if not only does she not have children to model her characters after, but like she was never a kid either to even relate to them.
I read review after review about how thrilling, gut-wrenching and eye-opening this book is. I found it to be juvenile and melodramatic. Too bad, as I had high hopes.

[Janet Halsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fraternal twins Raven and Matthew Ledger were born into poverty from their teenage parents. Dealing with severe postpartum depression, their mother abandons them, leaving their father to struggle to carry the burden.

When the twins are eight, their father is killed in a car accident and the kids are sent to live with their ill-fit mother and her abusive drug dealer boyfriend. The two children have virtually identical up ringings, but where Raven sees hope where she can, her brother Matthew only sees darkness.

Their story takes us through their lives in the foster system and the horrible living situations they find themselves in.

This was one of the hardest books I've ever read. There is very little hope in Raven and Matthew's story. Just when you think they've escaped the horrors, something even worse happens. I really hope this is not a true representation of the foster care system, because it is downright deplorable the things the foster parents do to these children. We know from the title of the book and the first chapter that Raven's school is subject to a masked shooter and that the shooter is most likely her brother. Its heartbreaking to read Matthews decline into feeling his only choice is to shoot up his school. While this book kept me reading, im not sure i have the heart to jump back into this world with it's sequel The Twin Sister, at least not right away.

Thank you Goodreads for gifting me this ebook in your Giveaway.

[Merissa Hardee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book of Paige’s book before, but I saw ads for this on Facebook. It sounded interesting, so I looked it up. Once I did, I couldn’t stop reading. I haven’t read a book that fast in years.

Some parts were hard to read because of the emotions, but it all felt realistic. I sobbed when Joe died. I knew something terrible had to happen for them to end up in foster care, but having the one parent who loved them, protected them, took care of them, die, was heartbreaking. At some points, you really do hope for some kind of karma, and luckily, some characters do receive their karma. Raven was such a strong girl, dealing with everything that was thrown at her, and she still continued to protect and love people, like Dixie.

Living in Kensington really put it in perspective, too.

It shows how different Raven and Matthew were. Both went through similar experiences, some worse at times, but both had different ideas. Despite the abuse Raven suffered, she still saw the good and wanted to help and love others, whereas Matthew gave into the dark side that might have always been there. He hurt so he wanted to hurt others.

I can’t wait to read the sequel.

[Shan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uffda, this book is super heavy but worth the weight. If you have ANY (and I seriously mean any) triggers, steer very clear of this book, it's not for you.
First-the title: Total misnomer as it is only addressed at the beginning and end of book.
The writing seemed more like a YA-type writing style rather than a beefy thriller/mystery. There really wasn't a mystery; I knew what was going to happen. Horror genre? Maybe, cuz the abuse written about in this book is horrific. But not "classical" horror.
I am a novice when it comes to the whole foster homes/group homes for children. That whole system is tragic. Not every family is crap but I think the vetting is lacking.
The writing is viseral and I was cheering for Raven and Matthew the whole book. I did have to read it in stages due to the graphic abuse scenes and the stellar writing.
The story was fairly believeable except for Mark Floyd...when he decided to confront Sable and stand up for the kids it seemed hard to believe and a might bit forced. Mrs. Fisher (the teacher) stepping in was a more believeable warrior for Raven.

[K Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

PERMANENTLY SHELVED

Since I 'shelved' this book - I don't feel comfortable giving it a full review.

I will say why, I shelved it.

I read A Little Pinprick and was horrified and mortified and all the -ides by Rainey Paxton's miserable existence.

I was excited by the premise of this book but once I got rolling, I felt a disturbing sense of déjà vu. No, the stories weren't identical but they were close.

Mistreated, neglected children - Check.
Little girl whose friend is a Lady of the Night - Check.
Misery at EVERY turn - Check.

I know that often authors write the same type of book, the same trope... see F. McFadden (who I love but have gotten kind of... disenfranchised with, though she still keeps me hooked).

I love brutal books: thrillers, horror, supernatural, fantasy, and even romance, but this one made me feel dirty inside. It made me feel like crawling into a warm bath with a razor blade.

I reached a point where I just snapped the little Audible screen shut and gave up.

Paige Dearth fans, do your worst! Bring it.

[Savannah Lee Sailors · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shooter’s Sister by Paige Dearth. 4⭐️. this book broke me. not only was it a school shooting it was a book about countless scenes of horrible child abuse. i know this book was not based on a true story , but it still hurts nonetheless… i felt so bad for raven. i even felt bad for her brother. i know you shouldn’t feel sorry for a shooter , but his life was horrible. he didn’t deserve how he was treated even if he was a little different from his sister. i honestly feel like if he wasn’t treated the way he was none of the shooting would’ve happened.
i was hoping there was going to be more about the shooting. who the victims were , but ill take what i can get. i also wished the dialogue was better. half of the time i couldn’t tell he was talking , but i read this in one setting and i cannot wait to see what happens to raven in the second book. if you have triggers i would be very careful reading this book.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a hard-knock life with this one… and it’s a tough read.

The story begins with a school shooting, then rewinds to the birth of the main characters—twins who grow up in the harsh, often cruel world of the childcare system. What follows is a heartbreaking and emotionally intense journey through trauma, neglect, and the lasting impact of abuse.

I’ll be honest—this book was a lot to take in. I had to download a light-hearted read just to decompress before bed. The scenes of child abuse were deeply disturbing and incredibly hard to process.

I don’t recommend this one if you’re triggered by child abuse. It’s a powerful story, but it’s emotionally heavy and often difficult to sit with.

That said, the author’s writing is undeniably strong. The prose is raw and emotional, the characters are vividly drawn, and the author doesn’t shy away from the darkest corners of this story. Even when it was hard to keep going, the writing pulled me through.

Thank you to Goodreads for the copy!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this story a higher score, but I felt somehow ripped off. What I thought I was getting was a story about a school shooting and the aftermath. What I got was 411 pages of Raven's life story, from the minute she and her twin, Matthew were born. Years and years of poverty, neglect and child abuse , what the social services where like in their case, etc. This book has pages of trigger warnings for people who may have had trauma in their lives. Yes, the book opened with a shooting, but then promptly turned into this story and only when I had read 90% on my kindle did we get back to the shooting, and even then it was just for a few pages. It was an interesting story, and a quick read. While it doesn't exactly become a cliff hanger, it does make you want to read the second book to see what other horrors occur in Raven's life. Will I read it? I haven't decided. Not if I have to pay for it, only to have it turn out like this one did.

[Laura Wangen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a teacher, this made me really think about the students who enter my classroom on a daily basis and the "baggage" they bring with them. Growing up, I was fortunate to belong to a very supportive family where I was able to always be provided with my needs and my wants. Like Raven and Matthew (main characters who are twins), some children are not so lucky. Unfortunately, they were put into foster care homes where they were not treated very well. As a result, Matthew has some severe anger and he deals with it by shooting and killing peers and teachers at his high school that he stated "never helped him and only made the problems worse.". With this book discussing a heavy topic (school shooting), a mature audience should read this book and not students who are still in school. I am curious about what book #2 will discuss...

[zasou.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, so, this is not at all what I was expecting. First of all, check your trigger warnings. This is very dark (but that's not what bothered me, I knew the warnings before going into it, although now I really hate the world we live in...) The thing is, with the title, I was expecting that we would follow the sister in the aftermath of what happened. Instead, 90% of the book is going back to the twins, birth, and how they were brought up, and what led to the event. I probably would have enjoyed it much more if I knew going in that this was what it was gonna be about. I'm saying all that because maybe if your expectations are different going into the book, you will enjoy it more than I did. Another thing that bugged me is that the dialogues felt a bit off. How can a 5-year old speak the exact same way a 16-year old does? Anyway, I probably will not read the second book.

[Sarah Zajic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige Dearth continues to impress with each new work. Dearth possesses a remarkable talent for forging deep connections between her characters and her readers, leading to an emotional journey that resonates long after the final page is turned. Her narratives confront tough themes of poverty, addiction, and abuse, yet they serve as a powerful voice for those navigating these challenges.

Her upcoming second book is eagerly anticipated. Dearth's ability to evoke such anticipation speaks volumes about her storytelling and her knack for weaving narratives that leave a mark on her audience.

In sum, Paige Dearth's latest work not only maintains but surpasses her established standard of excellence.

[LINDA MCCAULEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

A living hell…..

Life was against Raven and Mathew from the beginning. Mathew rejected by his mother and both of them lost their father in a car accident when they were five. Sent to live with their mother and her drug dealer abuser boyfriend, both kids were abused and neglected, but Mathew got the worst of it! When Mathew is reported missing, the mother and boyfriend end up in prison for neglect and the drugs. Then foster care became a different kind of hell! No one should be subjected to the type of treatment these two dealt with. Raven loved her brother and couldn’t understand why he was doing what he was doing. Why shoot up the school? The end of this story doesn’t come at the end of this book……

[Carole Yost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raven and Matthew are fraternal twins, and they are complete opposites. Matthew is severely abused mentally, physically, and emotionally by his mother and her drug dealer boyfriend but also, he is abused by his peers. Raven is abused but not as severely and she does end up with one really good friend. Then it gets worse, the twins are taken into state custody. Sadly, the abuse for Matthew does not get any better and Raven it gets worse. Matthew has never had an outlet for his rage, he just keeps it bottled up until he goes after the ones who have hurt him.
These scenarios are a reality for a lot of children. Not all children who had been subjected to severe abuses will become a shooter, but some will carry on the cycle of abuse.

[Summer Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrenching story about extreme child abuse. It is horrible what happens to kids in the system. Some may see this as fiction but my Grandparents were foster parents to more than 50 kids. They had to witness kids going back to families who should never have had kids. They dealt with kids who had past trauma from other homes they had been in. They fortunately loved and treated all their foster kids like their own but the reality is most of the time kids in the system were just seen as free money. My father was a ward of the state and was fortunate in his placement but others are not so lucky. This book made me cry and cringe with page after page of sheer trauma. My heart just breaks in knowing this stuff all actually happens.

[Wendy Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never read this author, but reading the reviews, seems this is her norm. It was a hard read. Kept plodding because of what I thought it was about. That was THE VERY END.
I’m not sure if I’ll read part 2. I have an extremely hard time feeling that it was believable. I do not think children could possibly meet up with so many bad adults who had absolutely no care or concern for them. Especially working in a school, I cannot fathom that no teachers except one noticed this poor girl’s plight. She would have signs of abuse, which teachers are obligated mandatory reporters. I guarantee teachers watch, notice, and talk among themselves.
Don’t think this author will be on my list as a favorite.