Discussion question 1- SPOILER ALERT

[Kristin]

Let's start simple: Likes? Dislikes? Favorite character? Least favorite character? Which story line did you prefer, Rill or Avery? Expected or surprised?

[Andrea]

I liked everything about the book. I honestly can't pick out one dislike. I liked Rill's story line the best...it was more because of the way she spoke haha. I imagined this little girl with a southern twang. I was actually super surprised but the ending, but I think I may have missed some clues.

[Michele]

I loved this book! I had to put it down a couple times bc I found it hard to read Rill's story. I either wanted to cry my eyes out or punch the crap out of something for what was done to her and her family. I really can't pick a favorite story line because they were both had their own story to tell. I figured when the story line was going between them that they were related somewhere, especially when May had thought Avery was Fern due to her blond head and curls.

[Tiffany]

I loved this book, at first I hated the back and forth because I wanted to know what happened , I couldn't read it fast enough. Rills story was so sad it made me have a couple's sleepless nights, I couldn't believe that this was based on a true story.

[Kristin]

I adored this book. Rill was my favorite too. She was such a strong little girl, even when she was scared shitless. Avery wasn't really my favorite anything. I kind of found her a little irritating. Privileged, but pretending not to be. Sometimes it seemed like she knew and appreciated it, but other times she came off like a spoiled brat. But, Rill captured my heart. And little Gabion made me CRY! I guess because I can picture my own kids in this role, big sister, little brother. Toward the end, I had to put it down because i was on the verge of ugly crying. It also broke my heart when Rill said goodbye to Zede and the other boy who she loved. Omg, I just cried all over. But the end of the story was so heartwarming. I'm so glad I read it. I was afraid to read it because I had heard a lot about and was afraid it would be too depressing. Luckily, it wasn't.

[Michele]

There were times I had to put it down and walk away because their story was so heartbreaking. You think of all the parents that want kids and probably didn't know of how these kids came into the possession of the childrens home. It breaks my heart how evil this lady was.

[Jayde]

This book was amazing! Not too many dislikes. I didn’t really care for Avery’s story line. I was so excited to finish every one of Avery’s chapters so I could get back to Rill’s story. My favourite character was Rill, least favourite was obviously Miss Tann. There were some hints dropped throughout the book that I picked up on so I wasn’t completely surprised. I was frustrated when Rill left the Sevier’s to go back to The Arcadia. I knew nothing good would come from going back that. Although, I loved when they returned to the sevier’s and Rill said that they were all worried about them. I was so happy that her and Fern had found unconditional love after all their hardships.

[Karen]

This book was soooo good, I finished it all in one day. I especially liked that it was set around where I currently live. I’m in Augusta and Aiken is 30 min from here. I love both story lines, Rill’s because I was so intrigued and heartbroken by her story and Avery because I wanted to know what the elk was going on. This story also hit home, my grandma was an orphan...only difference was her Mom actually gave her up. I don’t think I have ever gone through so many emotions reading a book before either.

[Jessica]

I definitely liked Rill's story line better because that was the meat of the story. The way the author recounted everything in her story line made you truly feel everything that the kids were going through - the pain really came through.

[Cassandra]

I am the weird one I guess! I always looked forward to the mystery solving of Avery's chapters. She had annoying moments where I was like "pffft, rich people", but I also related to her in her relationship with her father and her perspective on secrets. I loved Rill's story telling, but I was just sad reading it and the anxiety made me want to have the more distant perspective of Avery instead. I cried a lot reading Rill. I loved all the kids, especially Camellia, because she reminded me of my sister. I bawled when she disappeared and when Gabion was adopted.

I liked Trents character as a researcher and as Stevie's descendant, but looking back I wasn't really fond of any of the love interest angle. Elliot was the worst, so I did not feel really moved by the shift to Trent at all. I mean, duh, your boyfriend is a dick, stop thinking about him.