Torn Away by
Jennifer Brown
My rating:
5 of 5 stars
This was such a good read, and I put off reading it for so long. Jennifer Brown is an incredible Missouri author. The first work I read by her was
Hate List, which is extremely emotional. I read it while teaching, and it's about school violence. I loved that book, as much as you can love a story that hurts in almost every way. And somehow, that put me off reading Brown's other stories. I figured that
Hate List was a one time kind of magic, and that all of her other stories would pale in comparison.
I was so wrong, and I regret not reading this sooner, especially as it is set in Missouri (where I live). It's a story about the devastation after a tornado destroys a town. It follows teenager Jersey, through her loss, trauma, and grief, as she tries to rebuild a life after losing absolutely everything.
It's also very true to Missouri, in terms of setting and characters, both the good and the bad things.
I'm going to read the rest of her novels now, especially as I already own most of them. I'm glad I finally jumped this hurdle, so that I don't continue to miss out on a Missouri treasure.
Book 89 read in 2018
Pages: 288
Torn Away by Jennifer Brown