Our Little World: A Novel by Karen Winn

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

I was intrigued by Our Little World from the chilling first paragraph. It's a coming-of-age novel complicated by a tragic and untimely death, and it's also a novel about two sisters you will never forget. I fell in love with the confidence of the writing and the colorful nostalgia of the mid-'80s details. Our Little World will transport and transfix you.--Elin Hilderbrand

July 1985. It's a normal, sweltering New Jersey summer for soon-to-be seventh grader Bee Kocsis. Her thoughts center only on sunny days spent at Deer Chase Lake, evenings chasing fireflies around her cul-de-sac with the neighborhood kids, and Max, the boy who just moved in across the street. That and the burgeoning worry that she'll never be as special as her younger sister, Audrina, who seems to effortlessly dazzle wherever she goes.

But when Max's little sister, Sally, goes missing at the lake, Bee's long-held illusion of stability is shattered in an instant. As the families in her close-knit community turn inward, suspicious, and protective, things in Bee's own home become increasingly strained, most of all with Audrina, when a shameful secret surfaces. With everything changed, Bee and Audrina's already-fraught sisterhood is pushed to the limit as they grow up--and apart--in the wake of an innocence lost too soon.

Perfect for readers of Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You, Our Little World is a powerful and lyrical coming-of-age story that examines the complicated bond of sisterhood, the corrosive power of envy, and how the traumas of our youths can shape our identities for a lifetime.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a powerful and moving story. Our Little World is Karen Winn's debut novel and it is fierce. The writing is superb. The characters are unforgettable. The 80s vibe is tangible. And the story itself is unputdownable. This is one book that you are going to want to clear your schedule for. It is the kind of story that you want to grab a huge cuppa with and settle down for the day to read, read, read.  It has mystery, suspense, murder, summertime, growing up, family, friendship, and so much more. This book will lure you in and hold you tight. It is simply put...fantastic. What a great story!

I would happily recommend Our Little World to anyone and everyone looking for their next read - you are going to LOVE this book!! Check it out ASAP!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!