A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty

A Novel

By: Joshilyn Jackson

Narrated by: Joshilyn Jackson

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A Grown Up Kind of Pretty is a powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family.

Fifteen-year-old Mosey Slocumb - spirited, sassy, and on the cusp of womanhood - is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard, and determined to figure out why it's there. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. But it is Jenny, Mosey's strong and big-hearted grandmother, whose maternal love braids together the strands of the women's shared past - and who will stop at nothing to defend their future.

©2011 Joshilyn Jackson (P)2011 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A mesmerizing tale of a family coping with the revelation of a secret that will change their lives...Jackson's most absorbing book yet, a lush, rich read with three very different but equally compelling characters at its core." (Kristine Huntley, Booklist, starred review)

"A deeply felt, engaging story." (The Atlantic)

"Highly immersive... a compelling page turner." (Publishers Weekly)

GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT

I bought this on a whim knowing nothing about the author or the book, just that the premise sounded interesting. About an hour in I came back and put all of Ms. Jackson's books on my wishlist- she's the kind of writer/reader who tells a great story and someone I wanted to curl up and spend my entire day with.

Ms. Jackson does it again...

Would you consider the audio edition of A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty to be better than the print version?

I LOVE to hear Ms. Jackson's narrations of her books. I think her voice is PERFECT, and would hate to miss her performance. That said, I don't think the print version would have been BAD. This is a great book all around.

What other book might you compare A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty to and why?

Hmmm... I think all of Joshilyn Jackson's books are sort of comparable. They are based in the South, they involve female protagonists that aren't perfect and have to find themselves, and they aren't perfect-Hollywood-ending sort of books.

What about Joshilyn Jackson’s performance did you like?

Her voice just fits the book. She really changed her intonations just a touch for each character, and I really felt that she WAS that character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole book was pretty moving. I think it is a book that many, many people can empathize with. There are three generations of women in this book, so something for daughters, mothers, and grandmothers!

Any additional comments?

While I didn't particularly like Mosey in some parts of the book, I felt that she is very well captured. I imagine that she acts much like a Southern teenage girl would. I don't have any teenage girls, nor am I friends with any, but I do hear that sort of slang from girls at the mall, etc. I think she is a solid character. My favorite character, of course, is Big! She is truly a great woman, and I found many (though not all) things about her to be admirable.

A Good Listen for those that liked 'The Help.'

If you could sum up A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty in three words, what would they be?

Fabulous, entertaining, endearing.

What other book might you compare A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty to and why?

Maybe it was the southern accent and setting but I thought this was entertaining in the same way that 'The Help' was. Strong female characters that worm their way right into your heart.

What does Joshilyn Jackson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The melting butter accent! She could read the alphabet and I would be gripped.

Who was the most memorable character of A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty and why?

I love 'Big' and I need her to move in and be my mum. Her unconditional love, the way she fights for her girls, she is engaging.

Any additional comments?

Buy this! I'm recommending it to everyone I can.

Southern Snap

This is the first book I've read by Joshilyn Jackson and I was pleasantly surprised. Trying a new author is like putting my toe into a swimming pool to check the water temperature. After the first chapter of this book I was ready to dive in.

Ginny Slocumb, a 45 year old single parent is the sole supporter of her adult daughter, Liza, and granddaughter, Mosey. Liza, once a strong willed woman, got caught up in the drug scene and disappeared at 16 with her infant daughter Mosey. Two years later Liza appears on Ginny's doorstep determined to leave drugs behind and become a responsible, although unconventional parent. But she needs Ginny's help. "Big" as Liza calls her, is more than happy to provide assistance and structure. But after more than a decade of staying clean, Liza suffers a debilitating stroke. Big is devastated, but looks at the tragedy honestly but is determined to bring her daughter back from the darkness where she's trapped. And she continues to raise a teenage Mosey in the process. Once Jackson sets up the situation, she adds in a box of baby bones buried under a willow tree in her back yard. This casts a shadow of doubt on Mosey's real parentage. And from stage left enters Big's long lost love to help her out.

Jackson moves the plot forward by utilizing three different points of view. We hear from Big, then Mosey, then Liza in a repeating cycle. Each character provides more questions but additional answers as well. More and more is revealed about each character and we see them grow as individuals. But they also grow as a tightly knit family. The metaphors and dialogue are fresh and snappy. We are fully engaged in the mystery and conflict. There's not a significant amount of suspense, but enough tension to cause you stay with the family mystery.

I believe Jackson delivers Mosey's point of view the most realistically and I enjoyed reading her voice the best. When writing from Liza's point of view, Jackson misses the mark slightly and isn't as straightforward. She attempts to show us how a stroke victim might think while trying to access words that the brain has lost through the stroke. As the book goes on, Jackson gets better at it because Liza gets better at it.

Jackson narrates her own book. Without the chapter headings telling us who's point of view we are in, it can be difficult to separate who's speaking. Nevertheless, she provides the Southern accent that adds charm to the entire story.

This book is more along the lines of Kate Morton rather than a true crime novel. If you're looking for gritty murders and espionage, look for something else. But if you want a light read that's freshly told, I recommend the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wow.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, great story line.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed that Joshilyn reads her own books and she does it well. Wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked the book but was pleasantly surprised! Will read her again definitely.

Listen to this book!

Would you consider the audio edition of A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty to be better than the print version?

Yes. Joshilyn Jackson does a great job of giving Mosey, Big, and Liza distinct voices and personalities.

If you could rename A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, what would you call it?

I wouldn't! It's a perfect name for the book and makes sense in various contexts throughout the book.

Any additional comments?

It was a little slow at first, but once I got into the meat of the story I couldn't stop listening.

Powerful story with strong characters

The story is not a new one ... 2 generations of women who get pregnant at a very young age .... and their fight to keep the 3rd generation from making their same mistake. It's a story of identify, family, relationships, love, secrets, growing, self discovery ... it was a beautiful book and when it ended i felt lonely.

Loved it

Would you listen to A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty again? Why?

Great story and fun to listen to! Can't wait till her next book! Awesome!

Heartwarming and addicting

What made the experience of listening to A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty the most enjoyable?

What a great story. The characters are engaging and you truly feel as though you become a part of their world. I loved it.

Any additional comments?

The end was a little abrupt, like the author got to a point and got tired of writing.

Great female "who-dun-it"

What about Joshilyn Jackson’s performance did you like?

I listened to about 1/3 of the book before I realized the author was reading it! What made the 'reader' so great is that she really embodied the main characters, she knew their backstory and used that knowledge to nuance the performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did want to listen to this all in one sitting because the author had done a superb job of foreshadowing certain events to leave you guessing.

Any additional comments?

Great southern chick lit!