Blood Wounds

Gr 7—10—"We're a happy family. But we're not identical to other happy families." Willa is one of a family of five—her mother, stepfather, and two stepsisters, Brooke and Alyssa, who are supported generously by their wealthy mother. But the McDougals' happiness is shattered when Willa's biological father kills his current wife and daughters and then embarks on a cross-country trip toward the McDougal home. The police insist Willa and her mother go to a hotel to hide, just in case Budge Coffey goes to their house. When he does show up, he attacks a policeman and is killed, and the lives of the McDougals are changed forever. Despite her mother's objections, Willa insists on going to her father's funeral so she can learn about him and his family, not the most popular people in their small Texas town. From Willa's secret cutting to the discord of custody arrangements within a blended family, all the topics that the family usually tiptoes around suddenly explode and are brought out into the open. By the end of the story, the once-taboo topics result in full discussions, and the McDougals do seem to be a more functional family unit. As in Life as We Knew It (Harcourt, 2006), Pfeffer uses enough realistic detail to make the story believable while adding a good dose of teen angst. The novel ties up all the loose ends a bit too conveniently but not enough to ruin the story. A good read that should appeal to those who want realistic fiction.—Diana Pierce, Leander High School, TX