Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

 

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys 

4 Stars (3.5 to 4)

Set in 1950, in the French Quarter of New Orleans, 17 year old Josie Moraine wants to get out of the Big Easy more than anything. She is the daughter of a prostitute, works in a bookshop and has always helped clean/pick up the brothel ran by Willie Woodley. She has a dream to get out of this life and go to college because books and learning new things are important to her. We follow this story of Josie's dreams, heartbreaks, and involvement in a murder mystery.

I really enjoyed this book. My third Ruta book and while it wasn't as impactful as I Must Betray You and Between Shades of Grey, it was still a great story that I think is worth the read. Be aware of the content in this one -- some language, domestic abuse, prostitution details (not explicit but discussed), a brothel as a main location, innuendo (not graphic), a mother who mistreats her daughter, and mild violence. The content did not bother me for the most part personally as it was a realistic viewpoint of Josie's life trying to get out and live a better life -- but I want my followers to be aware of content to make their own decision. There is one part in this that bothered me but it's a spoiler for a character so I don't feel like I can say that in the review. 

I loved Josie's character, she felt like a girl you just ROOTED for in this book and wanted to see her get out of this town and make it to college. It felt like a coming of age story for her throughout the book, even though I wish the ending was a bit more finished. 

It was devastating what Josie went through with her mother and how horrible she treated her. We see a murder mystery with her mother/mother's boyfriend at the forefront as suspects and Josie gets wrapped up in that too, which is heartbreaking. I do think I would have liked a bit more details about why her mother was the way she was, what happened in her life to make her this way.  

The side characters in this book were great too. Charlie, Jesse, Patrick - they were great. Even Willie gave me mixed emotions because you could tell she cared about the people around her, despite the nature of her business, but you also felt she did many things for her own selfish gain so it was a lot of different emotions with her. I think Ruta wanted us to care for Willie in some way because Willie cared for Josie -- even if she didn't want her to flourish away from her in college.

The atmosphere really felt like 1950s New Orleans too, loved how Ruta can draw you in her stories like this. Audiobook is wonderful too. Keeps your interest. 

Overall, fans of general historical fiction who can handle some of the content would enjoy this. Ruta really brings so much to her stories and I am glad I read this one.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4738743217
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42zq5v8

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

 

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys - 5 Stars 

"I Must Betray You" is a gripping historical fiction novel set in 1989 Romania, during the final days of Nicolae Ceaușescu's brutal communist regime. The story is told through the eyes of 17-year-old Cristian Florescu, who dreams of becoming a writer but finds himself ensnared in the web of the oppressive government.

I was absolutely blown away by this story. Ruta truly wrote a compelling and thought-provoking novel that sheds light on a lesser-known period of history, while also telling a story of courage, resilience and the human's spirit longing for freedom. I knew nothing of what happened in Romania during this time until I read this book, and that is a sad thing. I truly believe we should all take note of this story and what happened and learn from it. 

Many part of the story were eye opening because they really made you sit down and think about how fortunate we are here in America. So many around the world do without and their struggles are or were unknown to us. We have a fridge full of food, while many others wonder where there next meal will come from. 

One character that stands out in this story is Cristian's grandfather. He plays a significant and complex role in the story. He is a character who adds depth and highlights the moral ambiguities faced by individuals living under oppressive regimes. Cristian learns valuable lessons from him about resilience, sacrifice and the complexities of human nature in times of extreme adversity. 

Overall, I highly recommend this book. If you love historical fiction, this is one to pick up. It's certain to leave a lasting impression.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6539639666
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zqbC9Z

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.