Rating: 
Summary: Unloved Angel
Review: Odessa is an innocent three-year-old girl. She is the fifth born of eight children. Bernice, Odessa's mom does not care about her. Loni, her dad, is an alcolholic, abusive, and arrogant person. Elizabeth, Odessa's grandmother, the only person who loved her passed away. Loni, with out any consideration decides to sexual abuse his daughter for the first time. Bernice, being aware of the incident, kept quiet. Mom tries to convince Odessa that nothing wrong had happened. Bernice has an affair with Leland, her brother-in-law. Loni murders his brother when he finds out. Odessa and her mom also keep this secret. Later on, Odessa finds out from her own cousin, Gretal, that Loni had also abused her. Afterwards, Odessa being a little older, cannot handle the situation at home. She runs away. Whith out knowing it, she ends up near her unknown aunt's house. She also finds out form her aunt that Loni abused her.
This is a very attractive novel. It is very descriptive. Most important of all, it draws the reader's attention. It makes me want to keep turning the pages anxiously to find out more about it.
Rating:
Summary: Fifth Born
Review: Odessa, the main character keeps you wondering exactly what her secret is and the "twist" that Ms. Lockhart puts on her character throughout the book is brilliant. Odessa is a strong willed, curious little girl and she too knows that there is more to her life and her family that meets the eye so she begins to do a lot of observing and listening. I don't want to give the book away but I think there is a little of Odessa in everyone. I enjoyed the book and it was a very quick/easy read. The subject matter was a little bothersome but the flow of the book allowed me to disregard that.
Rating:
Summary: STIRRING AND MEMORABLE!!
Review: This book is one that captures you from the first page and never lets you go. Odessa, the fifth born child of Loni and Bernice is sexually abused by her alcoholic father for the first time at age three. Her mother is completely aware of the incident and lies for her father. Odessa is treated coldly my her mother from then on.Her mother, Bernice is also physically abused by her father as well. All throughout the story Odessa remembers her grandmother, the only person that she ever thought loved her and this brings her solace. Loni doesn't stop the abuse however and she deals with it until she decided to fight back by not letting him see her weakness. Odessa also witnessed her father kill his very sucessful brother Leland in an attempt to gain his business and put a stop to the affair that was going on with Leland and Bernice. Does Odessa tell? I wont' give away the reast of the storyline but I recommend this book to anybody. It is very vivid and at times hard to stomach, but all in all, I would give it a 10 if I could.
Rating:
Summary: Heartfelt and Poignant
Review: This book is written with feelings and emotions that cut into the depth of your soul and makes you feel the heartache and pain of the main character, Odessa. The story reminds me of novels, The Color Purple and Push in that, Odessa has to find strength as she struggles with aleination, abuse and the generational curses of her family. Zelda Lockhart is an outstanding writer and I can't wait to read her next book.
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