Blood Wounds - review

Blood Wounds

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's

Publication date: September 12, 2011

Source: Around the World ARC Tours

It is rare for me to finish a book the day I receive it. Blood Wounds is one of these books.

Pfeffer does a great job setting up the background in the first two chapters. Willa and her family sit down at supper; her stepfather makes a comment about happy families and unhappy families. We learn more about Willa's step-sisters. At the end of chapter two, we learn a secret that Willa has. Uh-oh.

The next day, Willa's Mother's best friend leaves a series of frantic phone messages that make absolutely no sense to Willa. "There's an Amber Alert for one of the twins."   Twins? Next phone message, "Sounds like Budge is in a lot of trouble."  Who is Budge?

Then the doorbell rang. Uh oh.

I was hooked! I liked the way Pfeffer goes on to explain why Willa's personality is the way it is,  ramifications from a simple little fight between Willa and step-sister when they were preschoolers.    The family members finally tell each other how they feel about the others.

Highly recommended.