very good book, enjoyed the author's 'voice'. ( )

My rating for this book is 4.5 stars

This is my first book by Joshilyn Jackson and to be honest, I had not really heard of her prior to grabbing this book. However, the title, cover, and brief overview of the book seemed interesting enough, so I thought I'd give it a go. I sure am glad that I did!

I can get distracted easy, so for a book to really capture me, it's got to be good. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty not only captured my attention but left me thinking about the characters long after the story was over. When you reminisce about the characters, you know you have something special.

At first, I wasn't really too sure where the story was going but I have to say, I loved how it was written. The mystery of the baby bones in the backyard leaves you curious and sad all at once and the deeper I got in to the book and the search for the truth, the more I loved where it was going.

Written in three POVs, each of the three Slocumb ladies had their own style of telling their piece of the story and each was incredibly believable. Big, Liza, and Mosey are all special in their own right, even if you do not see the depth of each one straight away. I love that we get to see the strengths and vulnerabilities of each lady throughout the story.

I enjoyed this book greatly and I look forward to checking out more titles by Joshilyn Jackson. ( )

I loved this book. It was the first book I read with my new Book Club Girls. This book is about strong women!!Big is big and strong and loving and will do anything to protect her girls. Shes been on her own all her life but doesnt let that fact keep her from being a great mother. Liza (Little) is strong in her weaknesses. Throughout the story she is fighting her way back to the world, first from the pull of drugs and the street and then from a debilitating stroke. And Mosey is strong in her capacity for love and her need to keep her "real family" intact but still curious enough to want to find out who she really is. This was a great read full of witty language and quotes. Some even made me laugh out loud!! Im going to have to go back through and underline my favorites in my copy. ( )

My rating for this book is 4.5 stars

This is my first book by Joshilyn Jackson and to be honest, I had not really heard of her prior to grabbing this book. However, the title, cover, and brief overview of the book seemed interesting enough, so I thought I'd give it a go. I sure am glad that I did!

I can get distracted easy, so for a book to really capture me, it's got to be good. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty not only captured my attention but left me thinking about the characters long after the story was over. When you reminisce about the characters, you know you have something special.

At first, I wasn't really too sure where the story was going but I have to say, I loved how it was written. The mystery of the baby bones in the backyard leaves you curious and sad all at once and the deeper I got in to the book and the search for the truth, the more I loved where it was going.

Written in three POVs, each of the three Slocumb ladies had their own style of telling their piece of the story and each was incredibly believable. Big, Liza, and Mosey are all special in their own right, even if you do not see the depth of each one straight away. I love that we get to see the strengths and vulnerabilities of each lady throughout the story.

I enjoyed this book greatly and I look forward to checking out more titles by Joshilyn Jackson. ( )

Excellent. Her best book yet. Once I started, I couldn't put it down and stayed up way too late last night to finish it. Definitely a keeper. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. It was along the lines of "Where the Heart Is." The characters are ones that are easy to identify with and the mystery of Mosy's identity and Liza's past are really intriguing. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. It was along the lines of "Where the Heart Is." The characters are ones that are easy to identify with and the mystery of Mosy's identity and Liza's past are really intriguing. ( )

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. ( )

Enjoyed this book! Would like to read more from this author. ( )

Pretty good so far...I enjoyed this. Good summer read. ( )

The Short of It:

A thoroughly engaging story about three generations trying to live the best life they can, but battling demon after demon along the way.

The Rest of It:

Liza is a “grown-up kind of pretty” which gets her in trouble more times than her mom “Big” can count. Boys are not her issue, but men? Grown men, preferably married ones are what catch her eye. Drugs too. But when Liza becomes pregnant at the age of fourteen, Big becomes her fierce protector.

Years later, when Liza’s daughter Mosey enters her own teen years, Liza suffers a massive stroke which leaves Big as Mosey’s primary caregiver. Big’s sole purpose in life is to keep Mosey from going down the same path as Liza. But Liza has many secrets. Some of which Big is just now discovering and include something buried in the back yard.

I have to tell you. I have had this book on my shelf for a long, long time. Seven years. Possibly more. One of the Instagram accounts I follow posted a photo of the book and since she was reading it, and I happened to have it, I joined her. So glad I did. This book has it all and it’s not full of fluff, which the cover might lead you to believe. It reminded me a lot of Steel Magnolias. You know how the women stuck together no matter what? Plus, Jackson can write her fanny off. These characters leap off the page with all their faults but I still loved them.

If you need a quick read but one that is kind of fun but deep at the same time, go find a copy of A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. ( )

The Slocum women -- three generations of them -- have had their share of drama in their Mississippi upbringing. Ginny ("Big") had a baby at age 15. That baby, Liza, also had a baby at age 15. That baby, Mosey, is now nearly 15 and her family is determined that she will not fall victim to the same mistakes that they made in their young teenage years. When some small infant bones are accidentally uprooted in their backyard, the older Slocum women attempt to hide past secrets, while the youngest, Mosey, desperately tries to discover what those secrets may be.

I've been a fan of Joshilyn Jackson since her earlier novels, though it's been quite a few years since I've read one. She's truly gifted at writing about southern women and their dysfunctional families. The thing I like about her is that she can take that dysfunction and overall craziness and concoct a really good story, usually with a bit of mysteriousness and a good multi-layered plot. This book was no exception. She always narrates her own audio books, and though sometimes that strong southern twang can borderline get on my nerves, I don't think it could be read any other way and still be as effective. While some of her books are stronger than others, I thought this one was a pretty good one and I look forward to continuing to make my way through the rest of her novels. ( )

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson is my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed this story about three generations of determined, spunky Southern women who lived life by their rules. They are suddenly faced with a dark family secret and each in their own way tries to solve the mystery while also trying to protect the others from the hurt that this devastating secret will cause.

Bad things appear to happen to the Slocan women every fifteen years. The matriarch, Ginny got pregnant at fifteen and her family threw her out in the streets. Her daughter, Liza also became an unwed mother at fifteen. After running away and living on the streets for two years, she and her daughter Mosey showed up at Ginny’s door. Now granddaughter, Mosey is about to enter her fifteenth year and this one appears to be the worse year yet.

With it’s snappy dialogue, very likeable characters and acerbic humor the author delivers a very interesting and engaging story about the troubled lives of this family of women and the strength of their love for each other. ( )

The first time I picked up this book and started to read, I only made it through 16 pages before I put it down and walked away. But this time, I couldn't stop devouring its pages. I think that books wait until you're ready to read them; the first time, I wasn't ready. But this time, I was. This is the tale of Big, Liza, and Mosey. Three generations living under one roof, each 15 years apart. Big (Ginny) had Liza when she was 15, and Liza had Mosey when she was 15 (or did she?). Every 15 years something happens to shake up this family. Liza has had a stroke, and Big hopes that by putting in a pool Liza can do more physical therapy and get back to herself. So Big has the big willow tree torn down in the backyard. And that's when everything breaks loose. Bones are found, tiny ones in a baby outfit. Everyone in town wants to know whose baby was buried underneath that willow tree. Through the storm that follows, each of the Slocumbs will discover who they are, what they can withstand, and that they are better together. With a quirky cast of characters and a juxtaposition between rich and poor, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty shows what it means to be family, that money isn't everything, and that some things are worth fighting for. ( )

4.5 Great read, highly recommended! It’s well-written with plenty of humor, mystery, and unforgettable characters.

I loved this story of 3 strong southern women told in alternating voices: Ginny, nicknamed “Big”, is the matriarch although she’s only 45. Liza, Big’s 30 year old daughter is recovering from a devastating stroke, and Mosey is Liza’s 15 year old daughter. Big is convinced that God sends a trial of epic proportions every 15 years and right on schedule a tiny grave containing a baby’s remains is uncovered while putting in a backyard pool for Liza's therapy. As the mystery unfolds, more mysteries and secrets are revealed.

I loved these characters. Ginny is a strong, fierce “steel magnolia”. Mosey was delightful, as was her quirky, nerdy best friend, Roger and her new friend Patti, from an even worse part of the wrong side of the tracks. Liza holds the key to the mystery but her story is told in the third person since she was unable to communicate due to the stroke. I cheered her steps toward recovery and was frustrated that she wasn't receiving the proper therapy.

The story pulled me in and had me guessing the mystery (I was wrong) and rooting for these 3 women.
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I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed having the author read the story. She put so much passion into the characters. The chapters are told from the views of Ginny (Big), Liza (Little) and Mosey. Ginny had Liza when she was 15 and Liza had Mosey when she was 15. But did Liza really have Mosey? After the willow tree is dug up in the backyard to make room for a pool to rehab Liza who has had a stroke, a box with baby bones are found under the willow tree.

This unleashes all kinds of crazy. Liza's sassiness comes out and she slowly comes back to life. Mosey and her best friend Roger start doing research to find out who she really is. Roger is really good at research. The research sends them down many different paths.

I loved every single character in this book. There were times I was laughing out loud and times I thought "oh no." I really, really enjoyed this story and recommend it. If you like audio books, then listen to it. Joshilyn's southern accent is fantastic to listen to. ( )

In A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson three generations of Slocumb women are struggling to get by in their small Mississippi town while facing incredible odds set against them. Ginny, who is called Big by her daughter and granddaughter knows that every fifteen years something bad happens to Slocumb women and they are on the cusp of that bad year. When Big was 15, she had her fierce daughter, Liza. History repeated itself when Liza had her daughter at 15. Now Mosey is fifteen. Mosey has faced a life time of being warned about and away from this curse, but the curse may be taking other directions for this generation. Liza has had a stroke and then a small grave is unearth in the backyard. Can Big hold her family together while trying to find an explanation? And will Mosey discover the answers she seeks?

The chapters in Joshilyn Jackson's A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty alternate between the three Slocumb women. Each woman has a distinct voice in her chapter and there is strong character development for each woman individually. What they are thinking can be very different from what they are sharing with each other, especially since Liza is essentially nonverbal, but each of them is facing the threat to their family and the questions the mystery brings head-on, in their own way.

Why, oh why, did I wait so long to read A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty? This is an outstanding novel by a most accomplished writer. I've enjoyed every book Jackson has written and this incredible novel is no exception. The multilayered plot is complex and I appreciate how additional information was slowly discovered. And I completely understood Big hiding her suspicions from Mosely while Mosely is doing the same. I was absolutely spellbound and immersed in this novel. You couldn't have torn me away from reading it. And when I finished reading, I knew that I had just read something splendid, flawless, and sublime... and perfect. When I was done there was not one thing I would have wanted differently. Bravo, Joshilyn Jackson!

Jackson has a new novel being released this November, Someone Else's Love Story, and I am going to just preorder it now and schedule time to read it right away.

Very Highly Recommended - one of the very best ( )

10 audio discs

3.75

Multigenerational saga of the Slocumb women of Mississippi, bound together by love and secrets.

In alternating chapters we meet 14 year-old Mosie, her 30-year old mother Liza and her 45 year-old Grandmother Ginny. ( )

This story is absolutely engrossing and poignant. It follows three generations of women back and forth in time and point of view. I loved the way each woman's voice was heard, how each had secrets and difficulties, and how their pasts are revealed. I loved all three women: Big, the 45-year old grandmother, trying desperately to help her family safe, Liza, her 30-year-old daughter trying to revive from a stroke, and Mosey, her 15-year-old granddaughter, trying to figure out who she is. This is a wonderful roller coaster full of laughter and tragedy, friendship and revenge, love and hate, loss and redemption. Along the way, the characters are so real and the language so fresh and vivid. ( )

Audiobook performed by the author.
4.5****

Excerpt from the book jacket: When a long-hidden grave is unearthed in the backyard, headstrong young Mosey Slocumb is determined to investigate. What she learns could cost her family everything… Every fifteen years, trouble comes after the three Slocumb women: a child on the cusp of womanhood searching for her true family; a woman whose fight to protect her daughter will toss her headlong into a second chance at first love; and a lost soul rediscovering her voice.

My reaction:
Wow. I was mesmerized from beginning to end. Jackson writes the kind of Southern fiction I absolutely love – full of bigger-than-life characters facing “un-possible” plot twists, and sprinkled with colorful dialogue and idioms. She also writes strong female characters and all three Slocumb women show strength, albeit in different ways. Big, as matriarch, has the advantage of maturity and experience; she fights hard to maintain a stable family environment for her daughter and granddaughter. Liza shows the kind of strength and determination required to survive and recover from a debilitating stroke. Mosey has the strength of character that comes from knowing that she is loved and treasured. All three make their share of mistakes, but all face their future with a determination to succeed and the knowledge that they will always have each other to count on.

The chapters move back and forth between these three women and their various points of view. In this way the reader is privy to more information than any one of the women has, but that doesn’t mean I knew the solution to the mystery much sooner than the characters did. The only reason I don’t give the book five stars is that I was disappointed in how Liza and Big behaved around certain men. Liza, in particular, didn’t seem to have learned much from having had a child at age 15, except perhaps refining her ploys for not getting caught. But this was really a small part of the book.

Jackson read the audio version of the book herself. She is a talented voice-over artist and was easily able to give each woman enough individuality that I had no trouble telling them apart. She has good pacing and a style of reading that is just perfect for her novels.
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I knew I really enjoyed this book when I realized that I never - not even once - looked at the percentage of book I'd read so far on my Kindle. I can't give it 5 stars because some of the language was, in my opinion, a little stilted and cheesy. I've never been to Mississippi, so maybe they really talk like that, but whatever, it got on my nerves a tad. But overall, I just really got into the story. Isnt' that what reading's about? ( )

This book doesn't have all of the charm I'm used to in a southern novel, but it still holds its southern novel title in its social interactions. It was especially a good read for me because of how close I am to my mom, even though we don't always see eye to eye. ( )

This was my first book by Joshilyn Jackson and purchased the audio version. The narrator was also the author, a plus-- as she was ideal for the characters and her passion was reflected throughout.

There was much going on in this book and the author does not miss a beat. A Grown up Kind of Pretty, set deep in the south in Mississippi with three generations of women: Jenny (Big) age 45, Jenny’s daughter (Lisa) age 30, and her daughter (Mosey) Age 15. There is much drama and mystery regarding a small grave in their back yard with bones of a baby.

These three women have experienced many hardships yet are bound together by family. Mosey is sassy and spirited and is determined to get to the bottom of the small grave. Liza has experienced a stroke and is haunted by her choices as a teen. However, Jenny the strong and big-hearted grandmother the solid one who defends her family. It's a courageous story about mothers and daughters and the strong and powerful love binding them as family.

A comical southern novel full of banters and one liners which will keep you laughing – no big surprises or big twists; however, if you like Southern Fiction, readers will find entertaining. I look forward to reading more from this author.
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This is the third Joshilyn Jackson book I have read and can definitely say I am not disappointed. Every time I read one of her books I honestly lose track of reality and just fall into her story. Her multifaceted characters will have you becoming their best friend or worst enemy, as you discover their secrets and question what your choices would be if faced with their challenges. I recommend A Grown Up Kind of Pretty to anyone who needs a delicious book to read, or who-really-doesn't-but-hey-what's-another-book-right? Happy reading! ( )

This is the third Joshilyn Jackson book I have read and can definitely say I am not disappointed. Every time I read one of her books I honestly lose track of reality and just fall into her story. Her multifaceted characters will have you becoming their best friend or worst enemy, as you discover their secrets and question what your choices would be if faced with their challenges. I recommend A Grown Up Kind of Pretty to anyone who needs a delicious book to read, or who-really-doesn't-but-hey-what's-another-book-right? Happy reading! ( )