Review: What We Buried by Kate A Boorman

Title: What We Buried 

Author:  Kate A Boorman
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publishing Date: February 26th, 2019

Pages: 304
Genre: YA Psychological Thriller

Series: Stand Alone
Source:  ARC

 

Siblings Liv and Jory Brewer have grown up resenting one another. Liv—former pageant queen and reality-TV star—was groomed for a life in the spotlight, while her older brother Jory, born with a partial facial paralysis, was left in the shadows. The only thing they have in common is contempt for their parents.

Now Liv is suing her mom and dad for emancipation, and Jory views the whole thing as yet another attention-getting spectacle. But on the day of the hearing, their parents mysteriously vanish, and the siblings are forced to work together. Liv feels certain she knows where they are and suspects that Jory knows more than he’s telling . . . which is true.

What starts as a simple overnight road trip soon takes a turn for the dangerous and surreal. And as the duo speeds through the deserts of Nevada, brother and sister will unearth deep family secrets that force them to relive their pasts as they try to retain a grip on the present.

I am not too sure how I came upon this book. I think I just found it on NetGalley and thought it sounded good. I wasn't sure what this book was truly about but it was a mystery. I love mysteries. So I grabbed it. I will start by saying this book had me thinking I was crazy. This was a total mind screw kind of book. It was good. I enjoyed it greatly,  I couldn't put it down. It was nothing that I had expected but I am so glad I gave it a go. 

This book is about  a brother and a sister. The brother, Jory, is about to go away for college. Very smart boy but has some physical handicaps. He is a little awkward, and doesn't talk much. The sister, Liv,  is a pageant queen that wants to get away from her parents. So much she is willing to take them to court so she can legally be on her own. She feels they have screwed up her life. The two siblings were never very close but as of lately they aren't even talking. 

The day of the court hearing, their parents disappear. No where to be seen. Jory and Liv decide to go on a road trip to the one place they think their parents will be. Sounds good right... except all is not what it seems and isn't simple at all. They get lost, see things, hear things, meet some pretty strange people, and uncover many memories and family secrets. 

So the biggest part of this story is the mystery. I can't go into to much detail about the story. I will say the story is pretty crazy. I was completely at a loss for most of the book and close to the end I did figure it out... sad to say I think I figured it out when I was supposed... right before it was revealed. So the mystery is good. Maybe some others will figure things out sooner, maybe not but I can say it was a wild ride for me. 

The writing is good, very fast paced book, easy to read through. I was totally into the story from start to finish. I wanted to stay up all night reading it but just couldn't. It's not often I do this with books. 

The only real complaint I have... I didn't much care for either character. I get the story, these two are not supposed to be likable...they are broken and messed up but in the end I wanted to feel something. I really didn't feel much of anything for the characters. They were well written as in if I was supposed to really not care for them because they are rude and selfish... then they were for sure well written. I feel they were developed. I got them. I understood them. I just didn't care for them. Bit that was okay I was reading it for the story anyways. I do feel this book is more about the journey than the growth in the end. 

It's a bit messed up,a bit dark, a bit angsty. But I did enjoy it A LOT.  It was mildly addicting... but I do think this book won't be for all. It's for those that likes a great mind screw, enjoys dark tales, and a not so happy ending... just an ending. 



A bit on the crazy side, but I loved it. 

Kate is a freelance writer and artist from the often-frozen Canadian prairies. She has a nice family and a well-indulged travel bug. She also has an irrational fear of birds, so when you visit, please leave your bird at home. But do visit.