Mini Reviews: Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman and Only Child by Rhiannon Navin
4.5*****
Something in the Water was such a page turner! It started off a little slow, but then something happens and the pace picks up and never slows. I won't give away any plot details, because there are lots of twists and turns, but it was definitely an engaging story with multi-dimensional characters. I zipped through this book over the weekend and absolutely recommend it as a gripping, clever and entertaining summer read!
4.5*****
Only Child is a book I was hesitant to read, because it is told from the perspective of a young child, however, any concerns I had on this front were for nothing. The book has something of Room by Emma Donoghue, which is also narrated by a child, and both offer an interesting perspective in looking at a situation that, when described by an adult, might be just too awful to contemplate. In Only Child, a family is forced to deal with the aftermath of a school shooting and the way Zach, the young boy who lived through it, described everything that follows is both fascinating and so, so sad. The author captures this young boys voice very capably and I never felt it veered into a territory of thought that would have been unrealistic for a six year old. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it is a relevant and deeply moving story by a talented new author. I can't believe this is a debut! Recommended!