Out of the Easy

As an avid lover of all things Big Easy, this reviewer thought it would be difficult to sympathize with a protagonist whose fondest wish is to get “Out of the Easy.” But life isn’t all good food and better music for a seventeen-year-old girl living in the French Quarter in 1950 – especially

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if your mother is an abusive prostitute in the Quarter’s most notorious brothel. But make no mistake – Josie Moraine is no pushover with a sob story; with a work ethic and moral compass 180 degrees removed from her mother’s, Josie has earned friends from all walks of life in the city, from an author and bookstore owner who takes her in and gives her a job; to the no-nonsense madam of her mother’s brothel who has become Josie’s de facto guardian.

With the support of this hodge-podge family, Josie has big plans to go to college -- far away from the hard-scrabble existence of life in New Orleans. But after a rich tourist ends up dead in the Quarter on New Year’s Day, Josie finds herself embroiled in the mystery of the stranger’s murder and caught up in dangerous lies that threaten her very life and the lives of those dearest to her. Will she ever be free of the Easy?

Josie is smart and well-read, with a life richly textured by characters as big and bold as New Orleans herself. Ruta Sepetys, author of bestseller Between Shades of Gray, has written another compulsively readable – though very different – account of a young woman’s fight to break free of the danger and violence of her past.

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Ruta Sepetys is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes characters who are easy to love and hate, settings you can lose yourself in, and histories that feel contemporary. In "Out of the Easy" we meet Josie Moraine, daughter of a prostitute with big dreams of going to college and

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making something of herself. Josie's life is filled with colorful characters; the madam who is more of a mother to her than her own, the driver who loves her like a father, the other women who live in the brothel, and the boys who are both friend and more than friend.

The story moves along at a fast pace. The reader is immediately pulled into a mystery, but underneath that plot are a dozen smaller ones that are compelling and wonderful. Readers will empathize with Josie and root for her along the way. While this book is not as emotionally devastating as "Between Shades of Gray" it will still break your heart. Sepetys is a talented author who writes richly layered stories and I can't wait to see where she takes her readers next!

Pick this one up, you won't regret it.

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One thing I love about books is when they take me to a new place, a new time, and introduce me to new characters. Another thing I love is when the character loves books. More points when the books help the character out of a bad position and help her attain a dream. This book wins in all these

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ways.

Josie's mother is a prostitute in a house of ill repute in the French Quarter of New Orleans. To get out of the house during working hours, Josie started hiding in a book store and staying there overnight. The owner of the store cleaned up a little apartment upstairs from the store and let her stay there. We meet Josie just as she is finishing high school, cleaning up the house in the morning and working in the store during the day. Her friends include the owner's son, the madam, and the house's driver, Cokie, and a local greaser, Jesse. Her mother gives her no love and no guidance and has no problem stealing from her daughter. Some role model!

Josie's dream is to attend college, preferably far from New Orleans, and an encounter with a student from Smith College gives her a focus and a dream. Unfortunately, her mother is suspected of being involved in the death of a tourist and this brings her the attention of the police and a mobster. How will she be able to extricate herself from her mother's tentacles and get to Smith?

I came to love many of the interesting characters I was introduced to in this book and became invested in their success.

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Josie Moraine is sharp, independent, and well-read. She's also the daughter of a French Quarter prostitute, and she feels that, as long as she lives in New Orleans, that's all that people will see. Josie's fondest wish is to go to college, preferably somewhere far away from the Big Easy, but it's

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not so easy to leave. Josie is saving every penny she can while working two jobs, but it will take years to earn enough to pay tuition to Smith, her dream school. And she can't ask her mother for help, considering that her mother is more likely to steal Josie's savings than to chip in money for college. Josie doesn't know who her father was, but she likes to imagine that he was someone good and kind, someone like Forrest Hearne, a gentleman from out of state who stops by the bookstore on New Years Eve, 1949, and speaks kindly to Josie about Dickens and Keats. Even in a brief exchange, Hearne makes Josie feel interesting, as if he sees her as someone with potential. But a few hours later, Hearne is dead -- and the next morning, while cleaning the brothel where her mother works, Josie discovers Forrest Hearne's watch under her mother's bed. Josie finds herself caught up in the murder investigation, first through her own curiosity, and later through her mother's involvement. She's also caught up in the drama of applying to Smith, fighting for a space among a crowd of applicants with more extracurricular activities and better references. To top it off, she's caught between two potential suitors, one who holds the comfort of long friendship, while the other is exciting and charming. Will she choose the former, the latter, or neither? After all, what she wants most isn't a man, but a ticket out of the Easy.

This is one of those books I can't believe I waited this long to read. The characters are layered and complex, and Josie is likeable, but also believable -- sharp, salty, and strong. She's the sort of character that you root for, but she's also a little unpredictable, so you never quite know how the story will turn out. The secondary characters are likewise well-written. I wanted a bit more from the mystery aspect of the plot, and the New Orleans atmosphere was a little diluted, but those are small criticisms when stacked against all of the goodness of the characters and writing. I definitely recommend this one.

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Josie works hard and dreams big, longing to go to school far away from New Orleans where she has grown up working as a cleaner and errand girl in the brothel where her mom has worked. Building her own support system due to her negligent and morally questionable parent, a chance encounter with a

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kind tourist who is later killed brings Josie into some danger and propels her to act on her dreams.
Strong characters and solid story telling drive this interesting read.

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Out of the Easy takes place in 1950s New Orleans, a city filled with brothels, mobsters, and secrets. Josie Moraine works for a bookstore and lives above it since she was 12. Her mother is a brothel prostitute who does not have a mothering instinct or any empathy. Josie has always dreamed of

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leaving behind her sordid family history but a murder in the French quarters draws her back to the seedy underworld of her life and more entrenched in New Orleans.

The book was good but the themes are very mature. I would not recommend this for teens 14 and under.

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Characters can make or break a novel. It is my opinion that unlikable characters can completely ruin a book no matter how well-written the plot is, but wonderful characters can make a book mesmerizing even if the story is mediocre. Not that the story is mediocre in Out of the Easy because it's not.

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But it doesn't have a very linear plot. It's not all that mysterious and/or riveting as I expected it to be. But the characters? Well, they make this novel.

I felt very similar about this novel as I did about Sharon Cameron's The Dark Unwinding. That book didn't have the most exciting plot either. But I fell in love with the characters just like I did with the ones in this novel. There's something about endearing senior citizens in books that always manages to warm my heart. In this book, the name of the character is Willie. It's funny because from the way Willie is introduced in the book you would never know it. But she grows on you. I never thought I would say that I grew a huge heart for a brothel madam, but I did.

The two love interests (sort of) in the book were similarly well-developed and incredibly likable. I wouldn't say there was a love triangle though, and despite the fact there are two boys vying for the protagonist's affections, romance is not the main focus in this book at all.

Instead, there is a mystery to solve. But this is kind of where I ran into problems with the book. Because the plot wasn't all that riveting and neither was the mystery. It was interesting enough, but there are really no surprises here. I figured out who committed the murder pretty much from the very beginning and it's not all that shocking.

But the main reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me was because I felt the book lacked a focus. What WAS the main point here? Was it the mystery? Was it the relationships? Was it the crappy mother-daughter relationship? Not sure. Everything about the book lacked focus.

What you need to know is that Josie hates New Orleans. She has a very unstable and dysfunctional relationship with her mother. Her mom is a prostitute at a brothel on Conti Street run by a madam named Willie who ends up being quite the character. Josie works at a used bookshop in the city and she wants to go to college more than anything, but with the way her mother is, any dreams Josie has she has to make come true on her own.

A man comes into the bookshop and then that very same evening, something very bad happens. And that's where our story truly begins. But it doesn't because it's not all that much of a mystery. Meh. I don't know what else to say.

The writing was interesting and I liked the way it was styled, but I almost felt it was too simple, and for a setting like New Orleans, I certainly expected it to be more atmospheric than it was. I can say that I really loved the voice of Josie and felt her character was brilliantly rendered.

So in the end, I was left feeling a bit confused. I expected to be blown away by this book and I was highly anticipating it, but I was let down a little bit. I liked it enough and I do think it will find an audience, but alas it was not what I expected it to be.

I think it is important to mention that this book made me sob my freaking eyes out at the end. There is something that comes up that I found incredibly shocking and didn't see it coming though I suppose I should have now in hindsight. Still, in the moment it caught me by surprise.

Do I recommend it? I guess. With reservations. If you like really strong characters, I think you will enjoy the novel. But if you are looking for a plot that keeps you turning pages late into the night, I'd give this one a pass.

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I received Out of the Easy as an Early Reviewer ARC, so I am basically obligated to say something about it. But I am having a difficult time articulating what, exactly, makes it such a great read that I felt compelled to stay up until the wee hours to read it in one go.

The back-of-the-book synopsis

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does the story a disservice, I felt, by making the novel seem like every other YA/romance novel - chock full of cliché and the trope of the small town girl with the heart of the big city (or vice versa), looking to escape whatever is tying her down while meanwhile torn between two love interests. But then I realized, while trying to describe the book to my friends and explain why they totally need to read it as soon as it comes out in February (because there's no way I'm risking my copy getting lost), well, I realized that the synopsis is entirely accurate. It's just lacking in heart, or something.

Yet for all the risks of cliché promised by the synopsis (and how could you expect otherwise?), I don't think Sepetys falls into them. Or, at least, the most obvious of them. Yes, it's a story about a brothel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, but I can't say that any of the women living there are "prostitutes with a heart of gold". They're just ordinary women with their own needs and wants who happen to work in the sex trade, some better people than others. Yes, there is a love triangle, but it isn't really a competition between the bad boy and the trustworthy friend. Both of the love interests fall are long-time friends, neither are the dangerous bad boy compared to the other, and the question of romance for Josie is only one smaller aspect of the plot.

So maybe I've just figured out what makes Out of the Easy so good. Sepetys takes what could be a completely mundane, terrible, trope-ridden story and turns it into a compelling story about how Josie ends up leaving her life in New Orleans. Rather like she did with her first novel, Between Shades of Gray, Sepetys doesn't completely leave behind the tropes, and some of the story does follow what you might expect to happen, especially as it is being marketed as a YA novel - but, for me at least, that only makes the instances where she doesn't go the safe route all the more surprising and emotional. I could guess how the book would end, for example, but by the time I got to the last 30 or 40 pages, I could no longer say with certainty that the expected ending would, in fact, happen.

If there are weaknesses in Out of the Easy, I think it might be that some plot threads are tied off a bit too tidily. I like the ways it ends a lot, with hopefulness for Josie but no "ten years later..." sort of epilogue or postscript, but I can see how it wouldn't work for other people. It's not necessarily a happy ending, but I find it very fitting.

I enjoyed Out of the Easy a whole lot, and I think it's definitely worth reading. I'll be surprised if it doesn't eventually become popular with awards the way Between Shades of Gray did.

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Both named after and the daughter of a prostitute, it's hard for Josie to imagine she will escape the seamier side of the Big Easy in post war New Orleans. But plan she does, but soon Josie's dream of attending an Ivy League college becomes stymied by a murder in the French Quarter. Josie's stayed

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on her own, in an apartment over a bookstore since she was eleven, working for famed New Orleans madam, Willie Woodley. Always treated like one of the family, Willie doesn't want to have much more to do with Josie's mom than she does. When her mom Louise hooks up with bad guy Cinncinati, things are pretty much over for her relationship with Josie. Sepetys introduces a world I haven't read much about, one with kind madams, even kinder drivers and the hope of a smart young woman.

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Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

Out of the Easy was absolutely fantastic in every way. It had enough romance to keep a girl entertained, and a dash of danger, with a smidgen of humor. Morbid humor. But everyone knows that it's the best kind! There's no doubt about it, this book had

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me hooked from the very beginning. I'm struggling to put my thoughts into words.

Josie was absolutely amazing! Being named after a famous madam can't be all that horrifying (especially because it's Josie, which is like, the cutest name ever), but when you really think about it, it kind of is-- because she knows it. Maybe nobody else does, but she knows, and it weighs on her. One of the things that I liked the most about Josie was that she was gritty. Not that she was mean or dirty, but that she saw things as they were; and she wasn't afraid to call anyone out on it. She was AWESOME. I also love the idea that she lives (and works!) in a bookstore, because seriously. Is that not your dream?

The character interactions were superb. The way that Patrick, Willie, Jesse, Josie and Cokie all interacted was awesome. I didn't ever find myself doubting their exchanges, or doubting that they all really care for each other. It was as it is-- perfect. The pacing was good too-- I never found myself wishing that the story would move along, neither did I find myself wondering how I'd gotten from one point to another. It was the perfect blend of fast-paced and slower going. Fast enough to keep you interested, but slow enough as not to confuse you.

Because I'm a sucker for characters, I loved every bit of this book. You know what else I'm a sucker for? Good storylines. And this book has a totally amazing one: Josie's mother really is a prostitute. And a crook, but we won't go there. The coolest part is that Josie gets to interact with all the prostitutes-- she cleans house for Willie, so she talks to the girls. And they have their own little train of pretty awesome going on.

All in all, Out of the Easy was FANTASTIC. I loved the characters and the storyline, and I never wanted it to end. It was the epitome of amazing. I'm only stopping here because I'm absolutely sure that I could go on FOREVER about this epic book.

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Set in 1950 New Orleans, Out of the Easy is not typically the type of book I would read. Though I'd characterize it as a young adult historical novel, which I generally enjoy, the setting and the basic premise itself wouldn't have caught my attention. It's only because I had the opportunity to

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review this book that I even considered picking it up. And guess what? I read it in just one day.



Josie came to New Orleans' famous French Quarter at a young age with her mother, a known (and seemingly proud) prostitute. As Josie grows up, she wishes for more out of her life than what her assumed future in New Orleans has to offer: nothing more than the same profession as her mother, a job as a humble clerk or a cleaning lady. As she fights to make a better future for herself, Josie becomes caught up in the New Orleans underground that could threaten to derail her plans for good.

What really pulled me in was the characters, especially Josie, and her struggles. She leapt off every page and drew me into her very realistic and honest struggles, and even though I haven't been through many of them myself, I felt that I could sympathize with her. That I understand her, and I was always cheering for Josie to find a better life for herself and to break the cycle. Josie has a tenacious and inspiring personality that readers will fall in love with. With every twist, every unexpected turn, and every joy and sorrow, I just couldn't stop wanting something more for Josie.

At its core, Out of the Easy is a very basic story about a girl's struggle to find more meaning in her life with few complexities. While I tend to prefer more stories with a little more going on, this book still offers a very relatable and honest heroine that draws readers in, set against a unique backdrop.

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This is not a book I would usually read. But I'm a huge fan of Ruta and Between Shades of Gray.

Josie is the daughter of a whore and that has followed her around her entire life. At 17, she's done pretty well for herself. She's graduated high school and works at a bookstore in exchange for a place

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to live. But she wants out. She wants to escape the Quarter and start again. But with every step she takes forward, the city seems to pull her back.

Like Between Shades of Gray, Ruta excels at describing Josie's world and her friends so that you feel you are there with her but the pages aren't clogged with unnecessary explanations.

Out of The Easy grabs you from page one and keeps you entertained throughout.

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I've read that this novel differs quite a bit from Sepetys' previous novel, "Between Shades of Gray", which garnered critical acclaim. I have that one on Mt. TBR, but received this as an early reviewer via LibraryThing, so this one gets the first read from me. The plot is somewhat unique, or at

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least refreshing. The opening line of the novel grabs your attention: "My mother's a prostitute." Josie, age 17, lives in New Orleans. She's grown up not knowing who her father is and is as different from her mother as is possible. But she's tough, and smart, works in a bookstore, and wants to get out of New Orleans in order to further her education. She and her mother are not necessarily estranged, but it's an awkward relationship. But growing up in a brothel, she's seen her share of odd experiences & is wiser than a typical 17-year-old would be. When a handsome businessman from out of town, whom she met briefly in the bookstore, is murdered, and appears to have some sort of connection with her mother, she becomes involved.

This is a young adult read, and despite a few references here & there to more adult-type subject matter, is written as such. It's an easy read, but an enjoyable one. More than anything I enjoyed the variety of characters in this story, which were all very unique and well-written. There were a few minor plot twists that were unexpected, and that added to my enjoyment. Overall, I recommend this one and will be pushing Sepetys' previous novel up higher in my TBR stack.

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Seventeen-year-old Josie can’t wait to get out of New Orleans, aka The Big Easy. It’s not easy growing up the daughter of a prostitute — especially when everyone in town knows who you are. Maybe it wouldn’t be THAT bad if her mother even pretended to care about her instead of the money she

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makes and her dreams of becoming a big star. Josie’s only solace comes from the bookstore she works and sleeps in and the few friends that she has. The money she makes at the bookstore is her ticket far away from here. But when someone is murdered in the French Corner, Josie finds her dreams of escape threatened. Turns out her mother was involved with a crime boss and he’s come for them, looking for repayment on an old debt. Loyalties are questioned, and personal limits tested as Josie does everything she can to get out of the easy.

I love New Orleans, and Ms. Sepetys does a wonderful job of conveying it. Even though the story is set in the 1950′s, it still had the flair that I love and that little hint of danger that threatens to spring out at you from every corner.

All of the characters are very rich. I really liked Josie’s strength and determination. She never had much of a life — always at the mercy of an uncaring mother. Heck, she was mixing drinks at the age of seven — umm, yeah! I really wanted her to finally get away and find happiness.

The supporting characters (and there are quite a few) are all just as well-rounded. I loved Cokie, the cab driver with a heart of gold, and Patrick, one of Josie’s friends from the bookstore. I also liked Jesse, Josie’s potential love interest, though I did want a little more from him. On the flip side of that, we have Josie’s mother who is a hot mess, and Evangeline, one of the other “girls” at the brothel who was a total hag.

I think the most intriguing secondary character had to have been Willie, the madame of the brothel. Willie is sugar and spice all rolled into one. She’s the only real mother figure Josie has and she actually takes care of Josie as best she can, even if she does say in the beginning of the book that she doesn’t care for kids.

Ms. Sepetys has a way with words, and this book flowed very well. The imagery is great, and the pace fits the tone of the book. This book is very character driven and not exactly fast-paced, but it’s not meant to be. It’s not a thriller or a mystery (though there is a bit of a mystery involved and several “bad guys”), it’s a historical novel about a young girl trying to find her way. There’s a lot of depth and emotion between the pages which totally pulled me in.

I haven’t read Between Shades of Grey, though I’d heard wonderful things about it. People raved about the author’s writing, and I have to say, they were right. This book made me a fan of hers. This one is heartbreaking, hopeful and fully captivating. I highly recommend it. Even if you’re not into historical fiction, I would say you should give it a try. It reads more like a contemporary book. The characters are rich, the story captivating and the writing top-notch.

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At the turn of the second half of the twentieth century, Josie Moraine hides a farfetched dream that she shouldn’t have as the daughter of a prostitute and cleaner at Willie Woodley’s brothel establishment: she wants to go to New England and get a college education. But the path there is not

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straightforward: not only does she have to grapple with the difference in education and experience between herself and other Smith applicants, she also has to deal with her mother’s selfishness and ignorance. But with the support of some good friends, Josie just might be able to find a way…even as her mother gets them caught up in an unsolved murder crime and a dangerous mobster’s path.

What an immersive read! This is the first book by Ruta Sepetys that I’ve read, and she has an effortless way with characterization and words. Despite a few hiccups in the form of head-scratching plot twists and too-convenient revelations, I was easily caught up in Josie’s world and plights.

Josie is eminently likable. Literary, self-possessed, and determined, she is a gem among the New Orleans brothel community that comprises of most of her social circle, only she has no unattractive pretensions to get over. Sure, there is some romantic turmoil, but because Josie doesn’t place that at the forefront of her concerns (thank goodness!), we get a fuller and more enjoyable picture of who she is and who she can be.

Supporting characters, especially the tough madam Willie Woodley and her “posse,” are a delight. Willie Woodley is the mother that Josie never had, only she doesn’t need to unconditionally love her genetic offspring, and so the love between Willie and Josie is much more relaxed and something that Josie—and we—never take for granted.

OUT OF THE EASY does sympathetic characters so well, but it hiccups a little when attempting to tie together so many plot strings. The book is ostensibly driven by the mysterious death of a well-to-do out-of-towner, but that plotline quickly becomes tangled in a plethora of other subplots: Josie’s mother’s sinister gang connection, the romance, police busts, money issues, etc. In the end I didn’t feel like they were all given the time and space needed for a comfortably full story. The book could’ve been a hundred pages longer and I would’ve really appreciated the extra space for the story to stretch.

All in all, a delightful one-time read for me, not for the richness of its historical setting or the cohesiveness of its many plotlines, but for the good hearts of its characters.

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Absolutely brilliant and addicting. Out of Easy is a read that draws the reader in the get-go and I promise, will not let you go until the last page. Every character is well defined and plays its role beautifully no matter how small of a role.

Out of Easy is powerful in the actions it portrays. The

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characters can be larger than life, which only adds to the appeal; while at times they seem almost inhuman which correctly projects a true community of good and evil.

Even with its very heavy message and gloom, there are moments where Out of Easy is quite funny and lighthearted. Don't be fooled, these moment do not last long.

In all, definitely, positively, pinkie-promise to pick up this book. Borrow it from friends, from the library, from relatives!

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It’s 1950 in The Big Easy, New Orleans and Josie is struggling to make ends meet with a mother who’s a prostitute. Josie’s 17 and has finished high school but her future looks bleak. Mom is the antithesis of a role model and has never really provided for her daughter. Even the madam of the

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house of ill repute is more of a mother to Josie. The bright spots in Josie’s life are her job at a bookstore working alongside a handsome, well-read, educated boss and the friendship of a cool motorcycle hottie who could have his pick of girlfriends. But between her two jobs at the bookstore and cleaning the house of prostitution, there’s little time for romance, or anything else.
One day a businessman comes to the bookstore and shares a few moments talking to her. He’s kind, intelligent and thoughtful. Why couldn’t Josie’s father have been like this man? Unfortunately she’ll never know, since no one knows who her father was. But Josie begins to fantasize about this man and then suddenly he’s dead and there might be a connection between him and her mother. (At least the police think so.)
Another chance meeting, this time with a girl from Smith College, opens up another fantasy. Josie becomes obsessed with getting into Smith. This is seemingly impossible, especially since she has never had time to participate in those coveted extracurriculars that college admissions demand.
Anxious to make her dream of attending Smith a reality, Josie puts herself in danger. This is in addition to the physical danger she’s in due to her mother’s actions. Things become more complicated with mounting threats and danger. The story moves swiftly as the reader is drawn into this life in the underbelly of New Orleans.
Sepetys writes with ease and her characters are interesting. Though the target audience may be teens, the book may have more appeal with adults.

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Set in 1950 New Orleans, Sepetys presents a visual about how a neglected teen deals with the social issues presented her: the social stigmas of the time. Josie Moraine, a 17 year old, must choose between family and herself. Is she selfish for wanting an education or is it simply unattainable for a

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prostitute's daughter? The ties that bind: family is clearly redefined as those are linked by genetics and also those who care for you. Josie's family surround her with support, as best they can, throughout the ordeals of an ongoing investigation of a murder, that involves her mother and now her, and choosing to leave New Orleans. She is a hardworker: works and lives at a bookstore and her other time spent at a brothal as a maid. But is that enough to get her her ticket to leave?

Romance ensnares Josie's heart along the way, helping her choose between a life like her mother's and a new path. Love for family and self drive Josie to make her choices that lead to.....her ultimate decision.

Definitely a high school book. No questions asked. Great read for those studying 1950s American History.
Rec'd from LibraryThing giveaway.

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Out of the Easy is a young adult novel that tells the story of Josie Moraine in 1950s New Orleans. The book immediately opens up with Josie telling us she is the daughter of a prostitute. We quickly see that Josie is a headstrong, driven character who is not bitter about her circumstances, but

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desperately wants to change them. She meets Charlotte, a young student at Smith College in Massachusetts who encourages her to attend Smith. This makes Josie is even more determined to leave New Orleans and go to school. But a series of incidents, may trap Josie in New Orleans forever.
Her mother is a real evil character who has no motherly instincts. The brothel madam is a cranky woman named Willie. She is a sort of surrogate mother to Josie. Although she is abrasive and snappy, the readers are aware that she loves Josie.
I really enjoyed this book quite a bit. I thought that the setting of New Orleans in 1950s was fantastic. Josie was a likeable character. The books is also not very predictable. Lots of things occur that surprised me and made for an even better read. The girls in the brothel also play a small part in the book and it all worked to create a terrific read! I am definitely going to check out this authors other book. Great writing and definitely recommended!

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The strength in Sepetys language is in her character development and that her characters are for the most part extremely likable. The French Quarter in the a950,s and a story based on an actual madame, in fact the house she actually lived in is part of this book. Liked the atmosphere of this story

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and really like the fact that she has such strong young females in unusual circumstances as thge main focus in both her books. This one is part mystery, part love story, part quest and the struggle in suceeding despite the cards one is dealt in life. Also a big part of this book is that family are those who care about you, not necessarily those who are realted to one by blood. Wonder what this author will tackle next.

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This was a darn good book. It sat on my shelf for months before I picked it up, and then I just couldn't put it down. There is really something about Sepetys' writing that hooks you. All of the characters were really well thought out and well-rounded. The plot was good and kept you reading. There

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were a couple of places where I was wondering if something was meant to be a surprise, such as Patrick's secret, which were all really easy to see coming, but that was a small complaint. This was a great glimpse into 1950s New Orleans and I enjoyed all the details and name-dropping that came with it. I'm really going to have to pick up Between Shades of Grey now!

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Josie's mother is a prostitute in New Orleans. Josie wants to get away from her and out of New Orleans

1950's in New Orleans. Josie is the daughter of a prostitute and has lived on her own since she was 11. All she wants is a normal life and to go to Smith College where no one will know what she came from. It's not an easy task to achieve and when Josie becomes involved in a murder investigation

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things get a lot harder. Geered toward YA's this book will capture you and doesn't let go. If you haven't read the author's first novel Between Shades of Gray I highly recommend it too.

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Sepetys takes a fascinating look at 1950s New Orleans from an atypical point of view, that of a prostitute's daughter trying to break free from her family's stigma. I loved the story itself and found the characters and their interactions rang true. However, I was disappointed in the writing: I felt

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that the writing/editing process must have been sloppy due to some inconsistencies, and compared to 2011's Between Shades of Gray, I didn't feel that Sepetys was at her best. I would recommend this to anyone interested in historical fiction.

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