My Review: June Bug

Amazon and Goodreads would let me give half stars, I'd give this book 4.5 stars. Since they don't, I'll give it five. It is a far better story than I usually read with an original plot and well-drawn characters. The only reason I wouldn't give it five stars is that the writing style isn't extraordinary; not that it is bad, it just isn't one of those handful of books I see where the writing itself draws me.

June Bug is the story of a nine year old girl who lives with her Daddy in an RV and travels around the country. Everything is fine until one day she is in Wal-Mart and sees her picture on the bulletin board where they post pictures of missing kids. She starts wondering where she came from and why they are there. She knows she is loved and cared for, but she also wonders why they are constantly on the move.

About that time, back in her hometown, the car in which she disappeared seven years ago is found at the bottom of the lake. While everyone else has given the child up for dead, finding the empty carseat makes her grandmother feel vindicated. There is nationwide coverage of the girl's disappearance and a known consumer of kiddie porn in brought in for questioning. What happened all those years ago? What should happen today?

The cover says this book is a retelling of Les Miserables, but since I've never read it, I can't say to what extent that is true.

The book is classified as Christian fiction, but if I didn't know that, I wouldn't put it in that category. References to religion are few and far between and while redemption is the theme, it isn't brought forth in a heavy-handed way.

I highly recommend this wonderful book. I received it for a First Wildcard Tour and you can check back August 11 to learn about the author, Chris Fabry and to read the first chapter.