Review: A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson (Audio)

Whenever I pick up a Jashilyn Jackson novel I know without a doubt that I am delving into a story that is going to grab my heart and not let go. But I also know there's going to be some laughs along the way. In A GROWN-UP KIND OF PRETTY, that couldn't be more true.

This heartwarming story of three Southern women from three generations in the Slocumb family is centered around Mosey, Liza's daughter. Liza hasn't had it easy since becoming a mother at a very young age, but there is no mistaking her love for her daughter. Liza's mother, Jenny, who was also young when she had Liza, has one rule: You always put family first. That's why when Liza showed up on her doorstep after being gone for almost two years with her baby girl on her hip, Liza didn't hesitate to take her and the toddler in. Since Jenny hadn't seen them since Mosey was just itty-bitty, she was thrilled to be a part of her grand-daughter's life and feel into the role as matriarch swiftly and smoothly. It was obvious to Jenny that Liza had some issues but she didn't press it - she was just happy they were finally back home where they belonged.

When Mosey is fifteen, the Slocumb's world is turned upside down when while removing a tree from the back yard to make room for a swimming pool, a small grave is unearthed. This shakes the Slocumb women to the core. Jenny is shocked, Liza, who has suffered a stroke and cannot communicate well is visibly shaken and Mosey is determined to find out who the grave belongs to and why it was in their back yard. Each of these women, in their own way, are looking for answers but in the process discover even more secrets about their family. It is Jenny who is bound and determined to do whatever she must do to keep their small family in tact, hopefully before the police figure it out first.

My Thoughts:

This story has everything I'd expected it to have: love, friendship, loyalty, humor and a little small-town drama.  The characters were rich in so many ways. I instantly loved Jenny, the too-young-to-be-a-grandmother, grandmother, who loves her family unconditionally and will do anything to protect it. Liza, even though held captive in her own body due to a stroke, fought for her family as best she could, and Mosey was simply a terrific character with no fear and a sense of adventure that she didn't back down from. The supporting characters rounded out the story, giving it a believable small-town feel.

Ms. Jackson reveals the secrets of the Slocumb women beautifully through the voices of each character as they share in telling the story. I chose to listen to this on audio after I sampled it on Audible.com and heard Joshilyn Jackson's own voice as the narrator. It was pure perfection! It didn't feel like I was listening to a book, it was more like I was sitting with a fellow southerner who was telling me the story of her family. She did an amazing job of channeling each character all the while leaving me totally entertained and satisfied.

A GROWN-UP KIND OF PRETTY is one of those books that after you finish it, you miss the people in the story and feel the hole they've left in your heart when they're gone. This is one of my favorite Joshilyn Jackson novels and I recommend it highly!

A GROWN-UP KIND OF PRETTY
Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Audible.com publish Date: January 2012
Length: 12 hrs 25 min / 352 Printed Pages
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 Stars out of 5