Out of the Ordinary

This story stands alone within the series. The main characters from the first book are present in supporting roles. It was fun to check in and see how their lives had progressed.

Many times throughout the book I was laughing out loud at the conversations and antics of these wonderful characters. At times I was concerned that I was disturbing others in the house with my laughter.

I love the main characters! The variety of quirks that come out is amazing. One of the things that truly captured my attention was seeing how childhood emotional wounds shaped the way Gertrude behaved with others as an adult. We had hints of those wounds throughout the book.

Then over halfway into the book there was a major, heartbreaking, truth revealing session. So many of the odd behaviors were explained and my heart truly ached for all the pain and suffering that Gertrude and others had gone through.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

An okay read and can be read as a standalone. Research is evident in the writing and I only found a few typos. I appreciate the inclusion of color blindness, as it’s very underrepresented. However, assuming his color blindness is genetic since he is presented as a healthy young man, despite having lived with the disability his whole life, it’s odd Harrison hasn’t adapted to it in any shape or form, whether it be having letters or shapes stitched to the insides of his clothing or sticking to black and white so he can more easily dress himself appropriately in a world where appearances are so important.

This book was trying at times. There isn’t any sense of urgency regardless of characters’ claiming a need for it. The author leaned too heavily into the idea that everyone thinks they know what everyone else wants, needs, or should have to be happy or how they should live their life. All of the repeated exchanges of the same information and overly explained thought processes result in repetitive reading and a story that dragged, especially in the first half of the book. The similarities in the overall plot when compared to the first book has this series feeling formulaic.

A part of this story is a return to faith, a heads-up to those averse.