I’ve had this ARC on my shelf for a while now. I couldn’t bring myself to read something that seemed so heavy. But after picking it up I realized that it wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be. Willa is really your average teenager of a blended family. Her mother, stepfather and stepsisters all seem like one big happy family; until the new that Willa’s father killed his wife and two of his three daughters. Everyone thinks that “Budge” is on his way to Willa and her mother, though they aren’t sure what for.

We go on the journey with Willa as she heads to the place where she was born to attend the funerals of the sisters she never knew. With so much of that part of her past not remembered, since she was like 4 when her mother got them out, it is hard for her to be there. She wants to know what her father was like in the years that she didn’t know him and while there she meets the older brother that she doesn’t remember having.
Back home after the funerals, Willa realizes that things aren’t as perfect and “happy” as she thought. Everything is changing and Willa seems to be getting the short end of the stick as always. When Willa is informed that she has the chance to accept an inheritance she isn’t really sure what to do. In the end I believe she made the right decision and I was happy with the way the book ended.
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Terrible. Honestly, terrible even for YA -- insulting to the discerning teenage reader.

First of all, the plot that occurs after the murder is all nonsense. Trying to avoid spoilers here, but her parents would never let her go there, that family friend would never leave her alone with strangers, and the local police would never allow her to wander around unescorted. I guess it shouldn't be unexpected, then, that everything she does in the town is ridiculous and idiotic and her mom continues to be an immature mess the rest of the novel.

The writing packs zero emotional punch, which is strange for something about dysfunctional families uncovering their buried secrets. The "point" of her self-harm is frankly insulting to real sufferers of mental illness. The "twist" of her perfect family not being perfect was poorly done and again, because there was no emotional element to the writing, we never understand anything about her nonsensical actions. And why was her uncle in a cult? What does that even mean? It's never explained, just mentioned offhandedly multiple times without resolution. You can't just have a person be in a cult without being part of the plot. Did the author forget to include that subplot or something? Or was that just code for "he became a Buddhist/Mormon/other religion of which the author does not approve"?

Not recommended. ( )

A dark and powerful family drama. ( )

As I was thinking about what rating to give I found myself doing that eeny meanie my-nee mo thing. I was stuck between 3 and 4. Most of the book was just okay. But with juvie and ya books I try to review and rate from the perspective of how that marketed group would feel. Luckily I have a house full of girls at various ages and a lot of times I get them to read the books to and then we discuss them if a review has me stumped. That's where I was with this one and I agreed with my daughter that there were parts of it that were interesting for the most part it was just so-so. So together we landed on 3 stars. ( )

The book Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer has a thrilling story line that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This blood-tingling book tells the story of a high-school-age girl, Willa Coffey. As a young girl, her mom, Terri, stole money from Willa's grandfather and ran away with Willa to escape her abusive husband, Dwayne "Budge" Coffey. She soon remarries to a wonderful man, Jack McDougal. Jack, Willa, Terri, and Jack's daughters from his previous marriage, Brooke and Alyssa move in to a new house together and become a family. Willa barely remembers her biological father and, despite the fact that Jack hasn't been able to legally adopt her, she considers him to be her father. Although life seems to be going well, one day she learns some shocking news that will change her life forever; a man has viciously murdered his wife wife and two of his three young daughters in the small town of Pryor, Texas, Willa's hometown. Who is the cold-blooded killer? He is none other than her estranged father, Budge Coffey. Now he and his third daughter, WIlla's half-sister, are missing, but authorities believe he is heading west towards Willa and her mother. Under police protection, Willa and her mother should be safe from Budge, wherever he may be. WIll realizes that her mother has kept gargantuan secrets from her. Has her whole life been a lie? How can she be the daughter--and possibly next victim of--a monstrous, heartless, murderous man? WIll Budge find Willa or will she be able to escape his dangerous grasp? Will Willa discover who she truly is? These questions and more can be answered only by reading the breathtaking, mind-boggling novel, Blood Wounds.
I firmly believe this book is a great read and I would reccommend it to anybody who has an ardor for odd twists and turns and thrilling tales. Nearly each page presents a new conflict or complication that keeps readers gasping and eager for more. The secrets, lies, and strong-minded characters are just a few of the great qualities of this book. It is also a perfect example of how love doesn't always work the way it seems to in Nicholas Sparks' novels; sometimes, love can be very dangerous and cause multitudinous problems in the future. This book is a must-read for people who yearn for an unpredictable story that keeps their nose in the book all the way until the last word. ( )