Review: Banished

"There isn’t much worth living for in Gypsum, Missouri—or Trashtown, as the rich kids call the run-down neighborhood where sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell lives. Hailey figures she’ll never belong—not with the popular kids at school, not with the rejects, not even with her cruel, sickly grandmother, who deals drugs out of their basement. Hailey never knew her dead mother, and she has no idea who her father was, but at least she has her four-year-old foster brother, Chub. Once she turns eighteen, Hailey plans to take Chub far from Gypsum and start a new life where no one can find them.

 

But when a classmate is injured in gym class, Hailey discovers a gift for healing that she never knew she possessed—and that she cannot ignore. Not only can she heal, she can bring the dying back to life. Confused by her powers, Hailey searches for answers but finds only more questions, until a mysterious visitor shows up at Gram’s house, claiming to be Hailey’s aunt Prairie.

 

There are people who will stop at nothing to keep Hailey in Trashtown, living out a legacy of despair and suffering. But when Prairie saves both Hailey and Chub from armed attackers who invade Gram’s house in the middle of the night, Hailey must decide where to place her trust. Will Prairie’s past, and the long-buried secret that caused her to leave Gypsum years earlier, ruin them all? Because as Hailey will soon find out, their power to heal is just the beginning."

What can I say about this book other than I love it. The plot was very intriguing and held me from page to page. Hailey is not your average kid. She is always being picked on and teased by the other kids. She has been told lies about her past and know nothing.One day after saying a student from death does she start to question things. She begins to get closer to the answer when her long lost aunt comes looking for her. There are other people, dangerous people looking for her too.


Let me tell you that this is one unique book. The plot and paranormal parts is great. It is nothing that I have seen before. What I like the most about it was how Ms. Littlefield wrote the book with her characters coming to life literally from the page. You can feel the emotions just dripping off the page. I felt for Hailey and loved her strong, endless devotion to her brother. Even with everything that she has been through, she stays strong and overcomes.


Her family is mess up. They talked down to her and don’t let her know anything. Her aunt is just a crazy old mean bat who is bitter and she deserve what she got. (Sorry, had to say it) Hailey’s fought for what she believed in and let no one stand in her way. I love this girl! The paranormal part is good. I am intrigued by the Banished and I am hoping to learn more about them in the second book.


I give it 5 BITES!

Happy Reading!