Elise Juska

A character driven story about a big Irish Catholic family from NE Philadelphia.

What I liked and did not like about this one are the same: it's very close to my own life. The descriptions of the family and the locations are all things that I can identify with in my own family or in the families of my friends and in-laws. It's all too familiar and in that way it's all too uncomfortable.

This is a simple book and enjoyable enough for me but I wonder if it would resonate with somebody who had different cultural touchstones?… (more)

"If We Had Known" was a unique read that gave me chills.

With all the shootings that have been happening, well...everywhere, I was honestly surprised I hadn't seen millions upon millions of books trying to hone in on the public interest. When I initially picked this book up, I was under the impression this book might try to do just that, but it was surprisingly and beautifully respectful.

I did enjoy this book. I think it was an interesting ride all the way along, and it kept me hooked. There were a couple chapters where it was slow and I became bored, but overall it was an addicting ride.

So, what are my pros and cons?

Pros:
1. Different POVs - There are many different point of views in this story, and one of them is NOT the shooter (believe it or not). I appreciated watching the lives of many people fold out, and not just one.

2. Story Telling - I LOVE how Elise Juska told this story. Her choice of words and pace of the novel really fit well with this topic. I wouldn't change a thing in relation to this.

3. Intertwining Stories - When stories intertwine I get so giddy! All of these stories having effects on each other (some positive, some very negative) made the book just a little bit more exciting. I could guess some of the effects that they would have on each other, but it was still nice to see that things do effect other people.


Cons:
1. Plot Device Characters - It felt like some characters were thrown in and taken out super fast just to move the plot along. I would have liked to see Anna's boyfriends a little bit more and see how things affected them.

2. Happily Ever After - Everything tied up so nicely at the end! I was kind of hoping to leave off on a weird note, and not a semi-happy note. Now, everybody who knows me knows I like happy/good endings, but I felt a little cheated with this one. There shouldn't have been a really good ending, and anybody who's been through something like this would tell you how honest that was.

Overall, I really liked this book! There are definitely some minor problems with this book, but it was a worthy read!

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.… (more)