Book Synopsis:
I watched in awe as Miz Rosa stopped those men on the bus with her clear, calm “no” and I thought about that word. What if I said no? What if I refused to follow the path these White folks wanted for us? What if I kept this precious baby?
Montgomery, Alabama, 1955
On a cold December evening, Mattie Banks packs a suitcase and leaves her family home. Sixteen years old and pregnant, she has already made the mistake that will ruin her life and disgrace her widowed mother. Boarding the 2857 bus, she sits with her case on her lap, hoping that the driver will take her away from disaster. Instead, Mattie witnesses an act of bravery by a woman named Rosa Parks that changes everything. But as Mattie strives to turn her life around, the dangers that first led her to run are never far away. Forging a new life in a harsh world at constant risk of exposure, Mattie will need to fight to keep her baby safe.
Atlanta, Georgia, present day
Ashlee Turner is going home. Her relationship in ruins, her career held back by prejudice, she is returning to the family who have always been her rock. But Ashlee’s home is not the safe haven she remembers. Her beloved grandmother is dying and is determined to share her story before she leaves…
When Ashlee finds a stack of yellowing letters hidden in her nana’s closet, she can’t help the curiosity that compels her to read, and she uncovers an old secret that could wreak havoc on her already grieving family. As she tries to make sense of what she has learned, Ashlee faces a devastating choice: to protect her loved ones from the revelations, or honor her grandmother’s wishes and follow the path to the truth, no matter where it may lead.
For readers of The Help, Orphan Train and Before We Were Yours comes a beautiful and heartbreaking novel about redemption, family secrets and the spirit of survival found at the hardest time.
The Girl At The Back Of The Bus is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
This was an emotional and absorbing story that will be staying with me for long time.
Firstly I must confess to not having known much about the events in this book I think I knew that someone had stood up against the injustices of segregation but I don’t think I knew who or what happened. I therefore really enjoyed reading more about the social injustice of the time and the fight for equality. I found it very interesting to see how black people were treated, I had no idea that the racism and inequality was such an everyday thing so it was fascinating to learn about it. Some of the scenes described made my blood boil and I found my self very glad that things aren’t like that now.
The characters in the book were all strong, women which I loved reading about. My favourite was definitely Mattie and I really enjoyed reading her story. I loved her drive and determination to make things better which I really admired her for. It was interesting to read about her experiences and see how they influenced her family, particularly Ashlee. Her story was the most interesting for me and I found myself rushing through the other parts to get back to hers. I would have loved to have her courage to try and make a difference.
This was a fast paced absorbing read which I thoroughly enjoyed and found hard to put down. I loved how the secrets where slowly revealed and how the two stories intertwined. I found myself completely involved in the story and on the side of the characters. I found myself very sad to finish the story and leave the fantastic characters behind.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Suzette D. Harrison, a native Californian and the middle of three daughters, grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Her literary “career” began in junior high school with the publishing of her poetry. While Mrs. Harrison pays homage to Alex Haley, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison as legends who inspired her creativity, it was Dr. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that unleashed her writing. The award-winning author of Taffy is a wife and mother who holds a culinary degree in Pastry & Baking. Mrs. Harrison is currently cooking up her next novel…in between batches of cupcakes.
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Great review Joanna. I enjoyed this book as well and the characters were so real to me. Unfortunately, there are still huge racial inequalities over her in North America and this is a good story to bring some of that to light.
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