Out of the Easy in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Sep 26, 2025 Melissa rated it it was amazing

This novel was my book club's pick for the month. I had never read anything by Ruta Sepetys before, but I had heard good things about her and wanted to give this one a try. And now I want to read all her other books. I was really impressed by this one!

Josie had a really challenging life and could never catch a break. Her reputation was soiled because of her mother being a prostitute. She wanted to go to college far away but had barely any money saved up and only her good grades in school worked ...more

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Mar 26, 2014 Talia rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-fiction

Josie Moraine lives in New Orleans in the 1950s, the daughter of an abusive prostitute and the adoptive granddaughter of a brothel madam, who works in a book store and dreams of someday getting out of Louisiana and going to college. But when a mysterious death occurs in her neighborhood, it sets off a chain of events that has the power to disrupt Josie’s future plans as well as test her resolve and personal morals.

I really liked this, and Ruta Sepetys can write. It was different from “Between Sh ...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Renata rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, arc, historical-fiction

DAG YO THIS BOOK WAS GOOD AS HELL

That's my immediate response? I had a hard time putting it down. SUCH a good mix of great setting (NOLA's French Quarter in the 50s) and characters and plot. The protagonist, Josie, is the daughter of a prostitute but basically raised by Willie, the madam of the house where her mother works, as well as by the other prostitutes. (Josie's mother isn't really the parenting type). Josie is so strong and clever (even if she doesn't quite have *everything* figured out) ...more

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