Made in the U.S.A. review and giveaway

Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts is a novel about a teenage girl, Lutie and her younger brother, Fate, who have found themselves on their own. Their mom died when they were very young, and their dad abandoned them, leaving them to live with his ex-girlfriend, who dies very early in the story.



Lutie is an angry, bitter girl, and who can blame her, with the life she has lived? Fate is a sensitive, smart boy who has never been able to make friends.



The two kids take off in a stolen car in search of their dad. They do not get the happy reunion they had hoped for with their dad, and begin living a very hard life alone on the streets of Las Vegas. Someone is watching them, and gives them bits of anonymous help along the way.



The first 2/3 of the book were very difficult for me to read. The kids went through a lot of hardships, and it was just difficult. Not to say the book was not good, because it was well written...It was just hard. As a mom, and just as a person, to envision the difficulties these poor kids endured.



Finally, when things seem as though they couldn't possibly get any worse, their secret helper steps in and reveals himself, and helps when he is needed most. He helps them recover, physically and emotionally, from the hard life they've lived.



It was a happy ending indeed to see the transformation of Lutie into someone less angry, and Fate into someone who finally finds a friend.

This was a very emotional read, and it took a while to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I think if you read it, you'll be glad you did.

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Hachette Book Group is offering five readers the chance to win this book!



To enter, visit Hachette Book Group and tell me what other book you'd like to read. You must complete this entry before getting the extra entry.



For a second entry, follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest.



The contest will run until Sunday May 31st at 11:00PM EST. Five winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond.



Good luck!