You Are My Only

Oct 11, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-life, child-abduction-adoption, family-dynamics, kindle-stella-reads, new-author-for-me, psychological, reviewer-book, woman-writer

Here's the scoop: This will be the most extraordinary and probably one of the most memorable books you'll read for a long time. I suggest going right away to buy your hard copy, first edition because you'll want it in your personal library. I predict it will be one of the Top Best Books of 2011.

It is so masterfully written that you could simply close your eyes and point on any given page, and you'll land at a beautiful turn of phrase or description. This is a book of the heart and soul. This is...more Here's the scoop: This will be the most extraordinary and probably one of the most memorable books you'll read for a long time. I suggest going right away to buy your hard copy, first edition because you'll want it in your personal library. I predict it will be one of the Top Best Books of 2011.

It is so masterfully written that you could simply close your eyes and point on any given page, and you'll land at a beautiful turn of phrase or description. This is a book of the heart and soul. This is a book that only an author of the highest quality could write.

The characters we learn to love: Emmy Rane, the delicate, damaged young mother whose baby is stolen; Sophie, the baby and teenager whom we come to know and love; Joey, her next door friend and companion-of-the-larger-world; Autumn, Emmy's precious person who helped; the awe-inspiring Aunts; and the man who made a difference... All of these people are believable; they come alive in the hands of Beth Kephart. I know them. I cried with and for them, and I laughed in joy and sorrow with them.

The structure of this novel is one I have come to favor in every instance: the back and forth of individuals and their story lines. In "You Are My Only" we see the story from the perspectives of Emmy and Sophie. This kept the book running at such a pace that I held back to savour every page. I was so sad when the book ended. You know the feeling...didn't want it to end. But, it ended just perfectly, as I knew it would have to. The final line was poignant and rang with truth.

This is a novel that can't be shared more than I have without giving too much away. This is a story that will so touch your heart and mind that you may want to reread it right after you finish it. I loved the book and recommend it to all of my friends and readers. It is a novel that will leave you somber, however, and I must tell you that; it's not one that you can expect to do other than make you think and hope.

5+ stars for this very beautiful book by a genius of a writer.

Deborah/TheBookishDame
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Jul 10, 2012 Amy (Turn the Page) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-library

I almost didn’t read this one. I found the opening chapters, especially Emmy’s, very awkward. It takes a while to settle into the rhythm of Kephart’s writing. But the overwhelming good reviews urged me to keep going and I’m so glad that I did.

You Are My Only is told through two separate narratives. Sophie’s is a little slow to get started, but ended up being the story I loved the most. Emmy’s took me longer to get into to, as I found her ‘voice’, not to mention the way in which she refers to ‘Ba...more I almost didn’t read this one. I found the opening chapters, especially Emmy’s, very awkward. It takes a while to settle into the rhythm of Kephart’s writing. But the overwhelming good reviews urged me to keep going and I’m so glad that I did.

You Are My Only is told through two separate narratives. Sophie’s is a little slow to get started, but ended up being the story I loved the most. Emmy’s took me longer to get into to, as I found her ‘voice’, not to mention the way in which she refers to ‘Baby’, very off-putting,

I nudged her high and sang to her: “True, true, the sky is blue,” and she smelled like baby. There is not one single other thing that smells like baby, that cheeks against your cheek like the cheek of a baby. I kissed her. I promised, “I am coming right back, Baby.”

It’s immediately obvious that Emmy is somewhat mentally disabled, though clearly a loving mother. Thankfully, after a while, the over use of ‘Baby’ settles down, and from there on out, I couldn’t put You Are My Only down.

So why did I love this so much? Well, as strange as it sounds, given my initial reaction, it is all due to Kephart’s language. After an unsure beginning, You Are My Only has some of the most beautiful, lyrical passages I have read. The whole story reads like a poem. The heartbreaking nature of Emmy’s story, the loss of her child and the betrayal of the people in her life who should have cared for her most. And for Sophie, finding her own way, discovering her past and falling in love for the first time, flow so well together. As I read, I increasingly felt like an outsider, peeking in on something private.

I loved Joey and the Aunts best of all. It was wonderful to read about two women in a loving, committed relationship. Their ease and naturalness with each other is something Sophie sees and longs for herself. And if I was I was 14 (hell even now) and some cute boy from next door climbed up a tree in the middle of the night to bring me delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies, that would be it. Love. It’s also a huge testament to Kephart’s abilities as a writer that I never once felt negatively towards the stranger who took Emmy’s child, only pity and understanding.

You Are My Only is far from perfect. The story is predictable, but in this case it doesn’t seem to matter so much. If I wanted to be picky, I could argue I wanted more. More back story on Sophie and her mother – their relationship felt underdeveloped. I wanted to know more about Emmy’s past, her marriage to Peter and most importantly, her life after Autumn. But in the end I was too caught up in the writing to care. Rather than really getting to know these characters inside out, it felt like Kephart was giving us a brief glimpse into their lives, a mere snapshot in time to take with us.

This isn’t a book for everyone. It is difficult to adjust to Emmy’s disjointed, child-like narrative and some readers won’t get on along with the writing style and limited use of dialogue. But I found myself more and more in tune with the book as it went on and found much of it, particularly the second half, beautifully written; all the more poignant for it’s simplicity. I’d urge anyone curious to give this book a try.

It was the fault of whoever had left you. It was the fault of them not knowing that children left untended die. I worked the Clock and Watch. I was the neighborhood streets, which were sun blazed and empty. Your hands in the grass were pale and pudgy. You had been left to the weather.

I wore white, a mother’s color. The sky was blue, and it was easy.

We love in our own ways.

*Many thanks to NetGalley and Egmont USA for making this book available for review*(less)

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Aug 25, 2011 Itsjustme-wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my gosh, I loved this story! Right up until the end. In fact I loved every page except the last one. This is such a beautifully written book. It is more like Prose and Poetry that a novel. It really flowed nicely. I was hooked on the very first page. I felt the character development right away. I loved Emmy (the mom) I liked the way the Author chose to portray her as simple minded. It made her innocent and loveable and I really really felt her pain and loss. I also loved Sophie (the daughter)...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Michelle added it · review of another edition

You Are My Only is one of those novels where the reader knows from the first word that all is not well but that the danger or key issue is well-hidden. A tale of two novels, the narrative bounces between Emmy and Sophie, balancing the despair and desperation of one with the terror and curiosity of the other. It is a powerful little novel that showcases the evil in the world as well as the good.

On the surface, Sophie's childhood is odd but not overly so. She is homeschooled, which is not unusual,...more You Are My Only is one of those novels where the reader knows from the first word that all is not well but that the danger or key issue is well-hidden. A tale of two novels, the narrative bounces between Emmy and Sophie, balancing the despair and desperation of one with the terror and curiosity of the other. It is a powerful little novel that showcases the evil in the world as well as the good.

On the surface, Sophie's childhood is odd but not overly so. She is homeschooled, which is not unusual, So what if the topic she is learning is very advanced for her age? Again, it is unusual but nothing which should raise red flags. Yet, it does. Piece by minuscule piece, Sophie shares enough clues to confirm the fears of the reader, which draws the reader's ire as much as it does one's sympathy.

While Sophie's story is told with hints, Emmy's story hits the reader with an emotional punch and does not let up once throughout her narrative. Ms. Kephart captures the anguish and loss of self that accompanies every parent's worst nightmare, and the reader is left to feel Emmy's pain as his or her own. What happens to her after her discovery of Baby's disappearance is even worse, and the reader can do nothing but read in horror at everything she is left to endure.

You Are My Only is an extremely fast-paced, gut-wrenching novel of bravery, self-discovery, and friendship. Through her relationship with Joey and his aunts, Sophie gains the courage she needs to finally seek the answers to questions that have been bothering her for years. Both traverse unspoken dangers in the guise of other people and yet are saved by strangers who later become friends. Beautifully written, Ms. Kephart manages to capture the emotional turmoil and devastation that comes with losing everything one holds dear. Fans of Ms. Kephart will not be disappointed with her latest work, while those unfamiliar with her will no longer wonder why everyone raves about her novels.

Acknowledgements: Thank you to NetGalley and Robert Guzman from Egmont USA for my e-galley!(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Rachael Woohoo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, book, reviewed, romance

Rating Clarification: 3.5 / 5

If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!

You Are My Only is definitely a rarer type of contemporary - there's not a steamy romance, centered on mental disabilities or suicide, and doesn't focus on the cliche teenage drama. Instead, it focuses on the character's emotions as they go through tough but unique situations, while making discoveries on their own.

There was so much emotion in this book. Whenever there was a sweet moment betwee...more Rating Clarification: 3.5 / 5

If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!

You Are My Only is definitely a rarer type of contemporary - there's not a steamy romance, centered on mental disabilities or suicide, and doesn't focus on the cliche teenage drama. Instead, it focuses on the character's emotions as they go through tough but unique situations, while making discoveries on their own.

There was so much emotion in this book. Whenever there was a sweet moment between Sophie & Joey, it definitely made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Here's my favorite quote from the book between the two:

"Chocolate chips," I say.
"That's right," he says, and then he's kissing me, breathless, and the cookie falls to the floor, and it's all I've ever wanted is these kisses.
"You shouldn't be here," I manage between everything.
"I should be," he says, "because I like you"

*fangirl* *fangirl* *fangirl* adklfjaldjf. SO CUTE.

However, despite the last quote I mentioned, this book is not focused on romance. While Emmy's portion is full of struggle as well as growing as a character, Sophie's portion mainly describes her growth from innocence and ignorance towards a more mature character. The character development was well flushed out, and again, with lots of emotion, and through every part, I seemed to cheer both protagonists on. Both Emmy and Sophie grew endearing relationships with other characters, like Arlen, Joey, Autumn, Miss Clovis, Helen, etc., which definitely added to the emotions in my heart.

The main fault in this book, however, is the format. Each chapter switches between Emmy and Sophie, and although the writing style was beautiful, the endings were choppy and awkwardly shifted. It might have been better if the author focused more on Sophie's story in this book, then wrote a prequel featuring Emmy. Of course, this probably wasn't likely to happen, and Emmy's struggle helped bring the ending together.

Also, on a side note, the plot was pretty predictable. Considering the amount of emotion and character development there was, it wasn't as big of an issue to me, although it bothered me, although it will bug some people. Therefore, if you're the type of person who wanted a more suspense or mystery filled plot, this book wouldn't be for you. However, if you're looking for a book with great character development and emotion, I highly recommend You Are My Only to you.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Adrienne rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read great reviews of this book, people who absolutely loved it, but 146 pages into it, I'm done. I just can't get into it enough to make me want to finish. Even knowing that Sophie is Emmy's missing daughter--and somehow they're going to figure that out, right?--I can't make myself keep going. I understand Sophie's need to get out, and her developing relationship with Joey is sweet, but something about the book is jarring to me. Maybe it's because it alternates chapters, going from Sophie...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Libsue rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Looking through the window to a life that goes on without you – a world you’re not allowed to inhabit.

The trees green, the snow falls, a dog barks, close enough to touch but out of reach.

I read the stories of Sophie and Emmy, one beautiful word at a time, savoring the words and images evoked by the poetry Beth Kephart brings to us. Eager to turn the page but yet reluctant to let it go, I read on into the night knowing I needed sleep. How can I turn out the light when Emmy and Sophie yearn for wh...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, ya, realistic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I found this book to be a giant disappointment. It sounded so good from the cover description and the reviews and that was the problem. What is pitched isn't quite what you get.

First of all, Sophie doesn't even find out that she was kidnapped until the very end. So even though that is a MAJOR selling point of the book, you spend the entire thing reading to learn what you already know by reading the dust jacket. This isn't a story about a girl who finds out that she was kidnapped and rebuilds he...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Dewitt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Approaching Beth Kephart’s YOU ARE MY ONLY ONE as a YA novel does it a disservice; it is as sophisticated, visionary, and troubling as Jayne Anne Phillips’s lyrical novel, SHELTER. A baby is stolen from a momentarily distracted suburban mother, launching her on an odyssey of grief and madness. Frantic, she must find the baby, and Kephart’s prose explores and establishes her mental imbalance to and through institutionalization, where she is drugged and subjected to bath therapy. In eerie parallel...more

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Nov 12, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bullies, ncbla

Alternating chapters between Sophie, 14, a girl who has spent most of her life moving from town to town, and Emmy Rane, a young mother who leaves her baby alone outside only long enough to get a blanket from upstairs, this book covers a lot of emotional territory. It's clear from the start that Sophie is the baby that Emmy lost, and that loss has taken Emmy on a long, lonely journey, one that stops in a mental ward for a period of time. Readers will find it easy to empathize with both mother and...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, ya

Oh, wow. Where to start? I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this stunning novel of heartbreak and hope told from two alternating characters, Sophie and Emmy. Their stories are so different, yet intertwined by circumstances beyond their control. Sophie is a good girl. She always does what she is told, especially when it's time to run again from the No Good people. She loves her mother, although she hates the life they live moving from one broken down house to another, town a...more Oh, wow. Where to start? I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this stunning novel of heartbreak and hope told from two alternating characters, Sophie and Emmy. Their stories are so different, yet intertwined by circumstances beyond their control. Sophie is a good girl. She always does what she is told, especially when it's time to run again from the No Good people. She loves her mother, although she hates the life they live moving from one broken down house to another, town after town. In the newest house and town, Sophie spies a boy playing outside with his dog. She watches him for weeks from the attic window before deciding to tell him hello. That one decision changes her life. Emmy married young to a man who treats her like carpet. He degrades her and abuses her but once she has her daughter, Baby, her life is complete. Complete until the day "The sky was blue, and it was easy." Blamed for her baby's disappearance, Emmy's life spirals as she is institutionalized and put in a state mental hospital. All she knows is that someone, somewhere, has her baby and she hopes her baby is safe and loved. While these two characters are the heart of the book, they are accompanied by other characters you will grow to love like the boy next door, his two aunts, a big man with a big heart, and Emmy's roommate in the hospital. This book is full of secrets and dreams and hopes and heartbreak and what ifs. What if Sophie tries to help her mother stop running from the No Good people? What if Sophie and the boy next door like each other? What if Emmy's roommate wants to help her find baby? What if the sky is not blue, and it is not easy? This one will grab you and never let you go. You will relate to and remember these characters as they spend afternoons reading classics and eating custard or baking cookies and creating a kite. You will relate to the heartache a mother feels when her child is taken and when a person suddenly loses their best friend in the world. You will be inspired by the underlying message of hope when all seems lost. I will OWN this book as soon as I can buy it and it will get a special place on my shelf.
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Nov 02, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started this book the other night only planning to read the first chapter. I read the first 150 pages instead. I could not put this book down! I wasn't even sure after the first chapter that I would like it but something kept pulling at me to keep reading and by the second chapter, I was completely engrossed in the story.

Sophie is fourteen. She lives with her mom in a rental house. She is homeschooled and isn't allowed to leave the house for fear of the "no goods". One day, while Sophie's mom...more I started this book the other night only planning to read the first chapter. I read the first 150 pages instead. I could not put this book down! I wasn't even sure after the first chapter that I would like it but something kept pulling at me to keep reading and by the second chapter, I was completely engrossed in the story.

Sophie is fourteen. She lives with her mom in a rental house. She is homeschooled and isn't allowed to leave the house for fear of the "no goods". One day, while Sophie's mom is at work, Sophie watches the boy next door out of the attic window. Soon, she is outside playing catch with him.

The next day, while her mom is at work, Sophie meets Joey's two aunts. I loved the aunts! For some strange reason (and seriously, I have no clue why except for their physical appearance) they reminded me of the aunts in James and the Giant Peach. They were not mean or magical but one was tall and thin and one was short and round. I loved their love for each other, their love and sacrifices for Joey and their interest in Sophie.

Sophie continues to visit Joey and the aunts and one day, she gets up the courage to go to the basement and go through her mother's "personals". Two cardboard boxes that are taped up and moved from house to house hold the secrets to Sophie's whole life. Those two boxes will change Sophie's life in ways she never expected.

Meanwhile, we are taken back in time to Emmy. Emmy was a young mother in a loveless marriage. The only thing Emmy lived for was Baby. Until the day when Emmy ran inside for just a moment and came back out to find Baby gone. As I followed her on her search for Baby, I connected with her. I felt her panic and heartbreak when she found Baby missing. I felt her helplessness when she was put into the hospital and I felt her pain when she lost one of the only people close to her.

I loved how the story went back and forth between Emmy and Sophie. It kept the reading fast and interesting and you were able to piece together the different stories easily. There was absolutely no confusion.

I really loved this book! The writing was beautiful and the descriptions were vivid. The characters were very well developed and you couldn't help but connect to each and every one of them. You won't be able to put the book down because you will have to find out what happens next. It was amazing!

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Oct 31, 2011 Lilian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You Are My Only is a gorgeously written YA novel. That's the first thing I want you to know about it. The second thing is that I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day, ignoring my children. My older daughter, age 13, curious about my absorption, examined the cover and picked up the book to see what it was all about. That is the beauty of a paper book.

You Are My Only is told from two perspectives in alternating chapters. First there is Sophie, age fourteen, who has had a fugitive life being p...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, ya-books, books-reviewed

Review copied from original post at Imaginary Reads!

You Are My Only is told from the perspective of Emmy fourteen years ago and Sophie from the present day. Emmy has been abused and degraded by her husband, and now she suffers the blame for the disappearance of her baby. She feels the despair of losing the one bright spot in her life. Sophie has been homeschooled all the life, which isn’t much of a life as she’s always been on the run from what her mother calls the “No Good” people. She wants to...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Anncleire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ottobre-2011, netgalley

La storia viene narrata seguendo due punti di vista, quello di Sophie una ragazza costretta a vivere rinchiusa in casa, viaggando da un paese all'altro senza poter frequentare la scuola, avere degli amici. E quello di Emmy una madre a cui hanno rappito la figliaa e che viene creduta pazza.

La storia è commovente, interessante e incredibilmente toccante. La scrittrice riesce a renderci perfettamente partecipi del dramma che vivono entrambe le protagoniste senza perdere mai la suspance. Ci conduce...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I want to begin this review by saying that Beth Kephart’s books never cease to amaze me. She has a gift, and I knew immediately when I found out about this book that I needed to get my hands on it someway, somehow. Lucky for me I did. I love the simplicity of the cover art and I knew from the get-go that I was going to love this book. Call it intuition or having psychic powers, but I always love this author’s boo...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I want to begin this review by saying that Beth Kephart’s books never cease to amaze me. She has a gift, and I knew immediately when I found out about this book that I needed to get my hands on it someway, somehow. Lucky for me I did. I love the simplicity of the cover art and I knew from the get-go that I was going to love this book. Call it intuition or having psychic powers, but I always love this author’s books.

First 50 Pages: I usually tend to stay as far away as humanely possible from short length books. They almost always disappoint me. This wasn’t the case for this book. It hooked me right in and I pretty much stayed up half of the night in order to finish reading this book. I went to my college classes very sleepy the next morning but it was totally worth it. Needless to say, even though this book is short in length, it makes up for it in the amount of quality.

Style of Writing & Plot Points: Beth Kephart uses a very unique style of writing for this book that reminds me a bit like Ellen Hopkins. She is extremely creative and uses a sort of poetic prose for this book that I really enjoyed. I’m not sure everyone will necessarily like this sort of writing style, but it didn’t bother me or distract me from the points the author was trying to convey. It is very different and I liked it. It comes across as eloquent and efficient and I think that it added that extra special touch needed for this book to be a great book and not just a good book.

The problem with writing reviews for short books is that I hate giving too much of the plot away. The book synopsis, in my own opinion, already gives to much. What I will say is that this book is heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time. The plot was a tad bit predictable, which would also normally bother me, but in this particular book, not so much. The ending for this book was simply perfect and everything turned out just the way I had hoped.

Final Thoughts: This book brought me back out of my reading slump. I had been having a couple off-feeling days (who doesn't?) and I think I picked the best book to get myself back into a reading groove. If you aren’t opposed to reading poetic prose, I highly suggest looking into this book. It is one of the best books I have read so far this year. Beth Kephart is a very gifted author and I can’t wait until I hear news of her next release!(less)

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Sep 04, 2011 Sandra "Jeanz" rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Emmy Rane was married at nineteen and a mother by the time she was twenty. Emmy became trapped in her marriage, in a life with a husband that she no longer loves. Her Baby is her one and only joy. One sunny day in September, Emmy takes those few fateful steps away from her baby to collect a blanket from the house for herself to sit on under the swing that Baby lies in. When she returns she finds Baby missing. Emmy immediately panics the one she loves the most is missing! The only thing that is l...more
Emmy Rane was married at nineteen and a mother by the time she was twenty. Emmy became trapped in her marriage, in a life with a husband that she no longer loves. Her Baby is her one and only joy. One sunny day in September, Emmy takes those few fateful steps away from her baby to collect a blanket from the house for herself to sit on under the swing that Baby lies in. When she returns she finds Baby missing. Emmy immediately panics the one she loves the most is missing! The only thing that is left behind is one lonely yellow sock.
Sophie is fourteen, but she has never been to school. Sophie is homeschooled by her mother. Sophie has been manipulated by her mother into being a reclusive teenager. Sophie is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place. Sophie and her mother are perpetually running from what her mother calls the “No Good.” Sophie is becoming more and more curious about the outside world she never sees. Sophie is curious about her neighbours too and the freedom the boy that lives there seems to have to go to school and play outside. So one afternoon, Sophie breaks her mother's strict rules. Sophie ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. Sophie see's this loving family and it opens her eyes, giving her the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever…
This book is the riveting story of Emmy and Sophie, their alternating narratives of loss, imprisonment, and freedom regained. Their stories escalate with breathless suspense toward an unforgettable and dramatic climax.
I initially found this book to be a difficult read, then I really got drawn into the stories of these two female characters. Emmy who had Baby stolen, has a breakdown and is committed to a hospital and then mental ward, where she lives longing for her Baby to be returned to her.
Then there’s Sophie who at first blindly obeys her mother to stay hidden and exist only in their little world. Then she starts to watch her neighbours and eventually plucks up the courage to speak to the boy next door. She quickly becomes friends with him and his aunts, all the time keeping her new friends a secret from her mother. It’s the speaking she does with her new friends that sparks her curiosity so she begins searching the boxes that her and her mother drag from place to place but never unpack, that is when she discovers the secret of her past.
I really cannot say much more without giving spoilers of this book, but i will say though you may find it a rather difficult and in places slow read , stick with it as it is worth it at the end when all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
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Sep 02, 2011 WovenMyst rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, wow. Where to start? I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this stunning novel of heartbreak and hope told from two alternating characters, Sophie and Emmy. Their stories are so different, yet intertwined by circumstances beyond their control.

Sophie is a good girl. She always does what she is told, especially when it’s time to run again from the No Good people. She loves her mother, although she hates the life they live moving from one broken down house to another, town af...more Oh, wow. Where to start? I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this stunning novel of heartbreak and hope told from two alternating characters, Sophie and Emmy. Their stories are so different, yet intertwined by circumstances beyond their control.

Sophie is a good girl. She always does what she is told, especially when it’s time to run again from the No Good people. She loves her mother, although she hates the life they live moving from one broken down house to another, town after town. In the newest house and town, Sophie spies a boy playing outside with his dog. She watches him for weeks from the attic window before deciding to tell him hello. That one decision changes her life.

Emmy married young to a man who treats her like carpet. He degrades her and abuses her but once she has her daughter, Baby, her life is complete. Complete until the day “The sky was blue, and it was easy.” Blamed for her baby’s disappearance, Emmy’s life spirals as she is institutionalized and put in a state mental hospital. All she knows is that someone, somewhere, has her baby and she hopes her baby is safe and loved.

While these two characters are the heart of the book, they are accompanied by other characters you will grow to love like the boy next door, his two aunts, a big man with a big heart, and Emmy’s roommate in the hospital. This book is full of secrets and dreams and hopes and heartbreak and what ifs.
What if Sophie tries to help her mother stop running from the No Good people? What if Sophie and the boy next door like each other? What if Emmy’s roommate wants to help her find baby? What if the sky is not blue, and it is not easy?

This one will grab you and never let you go. You will relate to and remember these characters as they spend afternoons reading classics and eating custard or baking cookies and creating a kite. You will relate to the heartache a mother feels when her child is taken and when a person suddently loses their best friend in the world. You will be inspired by the underlying message of hope when all seems lost. I will OWN this book as soon as I can buy it and it will get a special place on my shelf.

Valerie <3
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Aug 18, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In her book, You Are My Only, Beth Kephart expertly intertwines two heart wrenching narratives to create a novel that is both raw and beautiful at the same time.

Meet Sophie Marks, who lives her life hiding from the “No Good,” a reclusive existence in which she is home-schooled and confined to her house. She has always obeyed her mother unquestioningly, but after fourteen years and ten moves she is exhausted. She watches the outside world through her attic window until the afternoon she breaks t...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Brittany Rehage rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can't get over the writing in this book. The plot itself is an interesting one, but the style of writing Kephart uses to tell the story makes this novel exceptional. The descriptions in this book are amazing and the imagery they create is incredibly unique. You can see the story unfolding as it happens; you are right there, feeling everything, seeing everything, experiencing it all.

I fell in love with Sophie and Emmy. Sophie is a girl who doesn't know everything she is missing until she breaks...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Wandering Librarians rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, family, fiction, realistic-fiction, serious-issues, ya

Sophie isn't allowed to leave the house. If she does, her mother gets really mad. Sophie has never been to school and has never had any friends her age. Her mom teachers her from books she gets at the library. Sophie and her mother are constantly moving, trying to get away from the "no good," even though Sophie doesn't understand what they're running from. One day, Sophie looks out the window and sees a boy playing catch with his dog. Sophie decides to talk to him. This begins a chain of events...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Mj rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You Are My Only by Beth Kephart
Publication Date: Oct 25, 2011
Egmont USA/Laura Geringer Books
ARC Copy from Netgalley.com
“I have Baby’s sock in my purse. I have the smell of her in my heart.” For 14 years Emmy Rane has carried a small yellow sock, “the color of a chick” with her. Emmy was an insecure 19 year-old when she married Peter Rane, a domineering young man with a bullying nature. The marriage produced Emmy’s beloved Baby. Emmy’s life is forever changed the afternoon she puts Baby in her s...more You Are My Only by Beth Kephart
Publication Date: Oct 25, 2011
Egmont USA/Laura Geringer Books
ARC Copy from Netgalley.com
“I have Baby’s sock in my purse. I have the smell of her in my heart.” For 14 years Emmy Rane has carried a small yellow sock, “the color of a chick” with her. Emmy was an insecure 19 year-old when she married Peter Rane, a domineering young man with a bullying nature. The marriage produced Emmy’s beloved Baby. Emmy’s life is forever changed the afternoon she puts Baby in her swing and runs back inside to get a blanket.
The chapters alternate between Emmy’s narrative of her life at 19 and a young girl named Sophie’s account of her life at 14. Sophie is a sheltered young girl who has never attended public school. She spends her days by herself studying the work her mother leaves for her while she goes off to work. Their life has been a continuous move from one place to another.
Sophie finally makes friends with a young boy, Joey, who lives next door with his elderly aunts, Cloris and Helen. The friendship between the four of them must be kept a secret from Sophie’s mother or they will have to move again. Sophie, at 14, begins to question the life they live and the need to move continually. As Sophie sets out to find answers to these questions, she uncovers secrets she could never have imagined.
Beth Kephart’s writing has a poetic quality that stirs deep emotions. “True, true, the sky is blue,” and she smelled like baby. There is not one single other thing that smells like baby, that cheeks against your cheek like the cheek of a baby.” In addition, her vivid language portrays a clear picture for the reader. “The train screams and pitches. It thunders—such an awful trembling that I do not know how the houses on the banks along the tracks don’t shatter up and crumble.”
The book was incredibly sad, but amazingly beautiful as well. The book touches your heart and you keep thinking about Emmy and Sophie long after you close the cover. Once again Beth Kephart has written a great story that has appeal for young adults and older adults too.
(less)

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Sep 30, 2011 Kaitlin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2011

Check out more reviews on Books to the Sky.

(I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)

I honestly don't understand what so many people loved about this book. I found the whole thing hard to follow.

I know Emmy was in a drugged up weird mental state, but I could barely understand anything she ever said or thought. Even from the beginning!

Also, Kephart tried to describe everything too much. I couldn't handle how some of the paragraphs of the descriptions of things are Emm...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-2011, ebooks, for-review, netgalley

Beth Kephart is a relatively new author to me, but she appears to be very well-known in the US, as her books seem very thought-provoking and well-written. So when I noticed You Are My Only on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read and review the book because I really wanted to see what everyone else saw about Beth’s writing and her novels. Despite the fact You Are My Only wasn’t my favourite novel ever, I can see why Beth’s so widely regarded as a brilliant, brilliant author.

You Are My Only t...more Beth Kephart is a relatively new author to me, but she appears to be very well-known in the US, as her books seem very thought-provoking and well-written. So when I noticed You Are My Only on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read and review the book because I really wanted to see what everyone else saw about Beth’s writing and her novels. Despite the fact You Are My Only wasn’t my favourite novel ever, I can see why Beth’s so widely regarded as a brilliant, brilliant author.

You Are My Only tells the dual-story of Emmy Rane and of Sophie. Emmy Rane has suffered a devastating loss after her baby was kidnapped one day, and she’s willing to do all she can to get her Baby back. Sophie, on the other hand, has grown up without being let outdoors. All her life has been spend in the four walls of whatever house she and her mother are living in. So when Sophie befriends a neighbour, Joey, she realises there’s a lot more to life than what her mother tells her there is. The novel goes back and forth with each chapter from Emmy to Sophie to Emmy to Sophie and back again; as Sophie learns more about the world thanks to Joey and his Aunts and how Emmy tries to desperately track down her Baby.

Kephart’s writing is something else entirely. It’s not necessarily my kind of writing style – with choppy sentences and poetic words and sentences but I prefer more descriptions, more actions, rather than the breathless way in which You Are My Only is written. It’s a strange way to write a book and it’s not a style I generally get on with. The constant jumping around, particularly during Emmy’s story was hard to keep up with. One minute she’s at a train station, the next a hospital and there was no description in between to tell us what had happened, leaving me a bit muddled. (To compound my confusion, I was reading the book as my bedtime book, meaning I was tired and sleepy; I definitely think you need all your faculties to read and understand the book properly.

Sophie’s story was infinitely easier to follow than Emmy’s and so, it was Sophie’s I gravitated to, Sophie’s I yearned for more of. I liked seeing how the girl handled being out in the world, behind her mum’s back. I enjoyed the secrecy, enjoyed the way she loved to be out and to be interacting with Joey and his Aunts. So despite the fact I did, at times, struggle with Emmy’s tale, Sophie’s kept me going, Sophie’s kept me reading right until the end. I think if I’d have been more awake whilst reading I wouldn’t have found Emmy’s story as confusing as I did, but there you have it. I’d definitely recommend the book, because Kephart is hugely talented; it might not be my personal kind of book, but I can appreciate just how clever Kephart writes and I’ll certainly be looking to read another of her books at some point because she’s an excellent, excellent writer.(less)

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Sep 01, 2011 Richard (Bound & Determined...) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2011

Kephart writes poetic. Her words and the way she describes even the simplest things are beautiful. You Are My Only is written unlike any book I have read. At it’s basic, it is a story of loss, friendship, growth, and trust. It is heart wrenching, heart breaking, gorgeous, and wonderful. I laughed, I was nearly in tears, and I ached for Emmy and Sophie.

There isn’t too much that can be said without spoiling this magnificent literary creation, so I’m not going to say too much. Just be prepared to s...more Kephart writes poetic. Her words and the way she describes even the simplest things are beautiful. You Are My Only is written unlike any book I have read. At it’s basic, it is a story of loss, friendship, growth, and trust. It is heart wrenching, heart breaking, gorgeous, and wonderful. I laughed, I was nearly in tears, and I ached for Emmy and Sophie.

There isn’t too much that can be said without spoiling this magnificent literary creation, so I’m not going to say too much. Just be prepared to stay up all night to finish it. Seriously. You kinda figure out the big reveal very early in the story, and I think that might be what you’re supposed to do. So that you keep reading to see how it ends. Kephart writes in such a way that made me second guess myself about the characters and the plot, but it’s not frustrating or irritating. It’s enlightened.

At it’s deeper levels, you will explore humanity and longing. The need to be held as dear and the need to hold things dear. The need for purpose in our lives, unconditional love and acceptance.

The cover is my real issue with this book. It is beautiful and what initially drew me to this story, but really didn’t fit the book. It looks more like a young lady from the 20s, a flapper if you will. I had trouble, because of the cover, figuring out what time period I was reading in. Let me go ahead and let you in on a little secret: this book takes place for the most part in the early 90s (for Emmy) and 2004 (for Sophie). But you don’t find this out right away. Knowing this upfront would have provided necessary context desperately required for the first few chapters. So, there you have it. Context proper.

The ending, though not what I was expecting, was perfect. I love it, I related to it. It couldn’t have been any better. It left me wheeling, dizzy, and breathless.

I was hooked, stayed up way past my bed time and HAD to finish this. Just had to, no matter how bad my performance at work would suck the next day. It was demanded of me to finish this book! [PS: I didn’t suffer at work, I was very productive!]

4 Stars: Add this to your TBR list. Go on, do it now!

Get to reading,
Richard

*This pre-release was provided to me by the publishers through netGalley* (less)

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Jun 19, 2012 Nicole Sobon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Reviewed on: November 21, 2011

From the moment you start "You Are My Only", you can already assume what will happen, but that doesn't stop Kephart for taking you on one heck of an emotional ride. The story is told from alternating view points: Sophia and Emmy.

Emmy is a mother desperate to find her baby. Worried that her husband, Paul, blames her for her daughter's disappearance, Emmy takes off in search of her baby. The story cuts back and forth - while Emmy searches for her baby, we get a glimps...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Laura de Leon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, netgalley, review-copy, nook, to-blog

This book was breathtakingly beautiful, and very emotional. I wasn't ready for it to end-- I want to know what's next for these characters.

The story follows Sophie in the present day, as she starts to chafe against the boundaries of her life, which seems stranger and stranger by the page. Within those confines she's a bright, curious, and overall NORMAL 14 year old (even if she moves frequently with no warning, she's home-schooled on an odd assortment of subjects, and is forbidden to have contac...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sophie is fourteen years old and living with her mother in run down houses. She is home-schooled, and the two of them have moved to new locations more often than Sophie can keep track of. When they land at a little house next to a boy named Joey and his two Aunts, Sophie realizes she is no longer interested in the nomadic life she has been living. Emmy is a nineteen-year-old mother whose child is taken from her in broad daylight. Emmy is heartbroken, but doesn't have a lot of time to mourn befor...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Book Twirps rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Twenty-year-old Emmy Rane married young and had a baby soon after. Trapped in a dull, meaningless world, her baby girl is her only bright spot. One summer day, Emmy leaves her daughter unattended in her swing for just a few minutes while she runs inside to grab a blanket. When she returns, her daughter is gone, the only trace of her the yellow sock left on the ground. Desperate to find her daughter, Emmy runs off in the middle of the night wandering aimlessly around town. Her search takes her to...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found this to be incredibly lyrical and beautiful. "The sky was blue and it was easy." Kephart made Sophie's kidnapper both...sad, in a way that you had to feel a little sad for her, and still villainous, which was no easy feat. You feel for her, and still, you're rooting for justice for Sophie. Sophie's relationship with Joey was incredibly sweet, and just right for their youth.

Emmy's narrative is...odd. There's a childlike quality to her that is at odds with the fact that she's meant to be a...more

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