2.5 Stars* (rounded up)

Venus Black is in Juvvy. What got her there? Well, she committed one heck of a crime. One she refuses to talk about. And boy, is she angry. At everyone under the sun, but especially at her mother. Her actions, created equal and opposite reactions, and now, her younger brother Leo, who has autism, is missing. Now things are bad bad bad. Five years later, Venus gets out, having obtained a fake identity, which she hopes will help her stay under the radar even though she is extremely recognizable. Her main goal is to find Leo and bring him home. As for her past, well, let’s just see if we can forget about it.. shall we?

While this is a novel that had potential, unfortunately I felt that it was kind of all over the place and it just never came together. In order for me to invest in a novel, I need to care about the characters and Venus and her mother left me wanting. There were also several plot points that I felt were far-fetched - if only I could suspend my belief. That said, several peripheral characters saved the day, Tessa, a friend of Leo’s and Piper, a young girl who befriends Venus. Talk about stealing the show! Piper ran away with it.

I read this with my GR sister Lindsay. Reading it with her also made the experience much better. Thanks for that Linds!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, The Dial Press and Heather Lloyd for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 5.12.18.

From Goodreads: “Venus Black is a straitlaced, straight-A student obsessed with the phenomena of astronomy—until the night she commits a shocking crime that tears her family apart and ignites a media firestorm. Venus refuses to talk about what happened or why, except to blame her mother. Adding to the mystery, Venus’s developmentally challenged younger brother, Leo, suddenly goes missing.” It also says, “In this gripping story, debut novelist Heather Lloyd brilliantly captures ordinary lives upended by extraordinary circumstances. Told through a constellation of captivating voices, My Name Is Venus Black explores the fluidity of right and wrong, the meaning of love and family, and the nature of forgiveness.”

I want to note straight off that I got this ARC from the publishers by accident. See, I got an email from a Penguin Random House publicist offering me copies of a few of their February releases. So, I clicked on the cover of this one, and it automatically ended up on my NetGalley dashboard. That made me feel obliged to read and review it, and now that I have done, I’m glad that I did, even though this is far from a perfect novel.
Let’s start with the problems I had with this book. To start off, Venus tells her story in first person, which is fine. However, using this mechanic, the narrator can’t be omnipresent, so this meant that Lloyd needed to move to third person narrative when delving into the action of the other characters. That is also totally reasonable, but it can be problematic if the author doesn’t do something to ensure that the two different points of view are kept distinct, in one way or another. For example, Michael Ondaatje, was able to overcome this by making the action that the protagonist couldn’t know about as part of the protagonist’s imagination. Other authors will alternate chapters to distinguish first from third person sections. Lloyd, however, did neither of these, and I found it disturbing and confusing when the point of view slipped between first and third person within chapters and sometimes even within the same paragraph.

The other problem I had with this book was its ending. There’s a whole section before the epilogue which attempts to tie things up nicely. While that can be good, the fact is that several of these solutions to felt highly unlikely and unbelievable. All things considered, with what happens in this book, I think this book would have had a much more powerful ending if everything after the titular line is said by the protagonist (sorry, can’t say more, to avoid spoilers) had been left out, and gone straight from there to the epilogue – which was outstanding. I believe that life isn’t tidy, and therefore fiction doesn’t need to clean things up for us. Furthermore, I also believe that authors do us a favor if they leave us guessing and imagining for ourselves what happens to these people after the end of their novels.

That aside, I must praise Lloyd on what was otherwise a very powerful and complex story, with very sympathetic characters. One of the things that made this book special is how Lloyd went about telling us what Venus did on that fateful night. Instead of giving us the whole picture in one fell swoop, Lloyd gives us crumbs all along the way. This keeps the readers guessing and while trying to understand everything about what happened, we also slowly get to know Venus better. I would go so far as to say that this is one of the most admirable examples of developing a compelling character I’ve ever read. All the characters here – not just Venus – grow and change throughout the book, without it ever feeling forced or unrealistic.

To top all that off, Lloyd also gives us a multifaceted story, with conjoining plots and timelines. This could easily have been confusing, but as Lloyd did with Venus’ crime, this all gets carefully pieced together by the end of the book. Admittedly, because of the book’s title, initially I did get slightly frustrated that this novel didn’t focus solely on Venus, but when I realized that this would have left out a very essential part of the plot, I decided this wasn’t a problem here, and in fact, Lloyd turned it very much into a major advantage.

All told, this was a very happy accident for me to get this book. As far as characterizations and plots are concerned, this book was spot on the money, and written in a deceptively simple, but gripping prose. That I had a problem with some of the shifts in the points of view, and could have done without some of the ending, doesn’t mean that other readers won’t be able to ignore this (or disagree with me) and fully enjoy this novel. I think for all this, Lloyd has proven herself to be quite a talented writer (and one to watch out for), and I’m recommending this book with a solid four out of five stars.

Heather Lloyd presents readers with a strong, emotional tale of a young woman's efforts to find herself and start over. Venus Black simply wants to start fresh after a stint in prison. She goes to work, comes home, then goes back to work. She believes there's nothing much to hope for, but plenty to long for. When she finally lets her guard down a bit, good things comes her way, including a reunion with her long-lost autistic brother. Throughout the novel, Lloyd presents us with characters that are relateable, understandable and believable in their actions.

2.5 stars. The writing was good, but the storyline didn’t work for me.

I am definitely the outlier in saying that I couldn’t connect with this novel. The writing was simplistic, but enjoyable. The storyline and characters, however, were all over the place for me.

The novel follows Venus Black, a thirteen-year-old straight A student in juvenile prison for a crime committed in her family home. The narration skips between Venus and others. The switches in narrators felt jumpy and confusing, often times switching perspectives as quickly as paragraphs with no clear cut transition.

For me, the storyline itself had several HIGHLY implausible scenarios. I was shaking my head and thinking, this can’t possibly be happening? Toward the end of the book, the implausibility took on a whole new level when everything seemed to work out and find its picture-perfect ending. It concluded far too smooth and neat for me.

The writing had potential to be a good story, so I would definitely give this author another try. I am the outlier with my feelings on this book so please read the numerous other raving reviews before making a decision on this novel. I read this with my wonderful GR friend Susanne and strangely enough, we both felt the same disconnect with the story. Together we sit at the outlier table.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Heather Lloyd for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but ended up really enjoying it! I'm always hesitant to read contemporaries YA or otherwise since I often find them predictable and therefore boring. This one was slightly predictable, but there was enough story and plot to keep me reading, and it even surprised me a few times!

This was a well written book. I had a hard time putting it down because the character had a heart wrenching story to tell and I had to know what happened next. I recommend reading the book because the insights to the characters were 3d.

I loved this book; it was very well written. I find it hard to add this novel to the young adult category being that it dealt with very adult situations. I felt Venus' pain, she had so many obstacles to overcome as a teenager plus as a young adult.
Ms. Lloyd took several very sensitive topics and wove them into a good novel.

I would like to thank First-To-Read for providing me with a copy of this e-galley to read and review. The opinion expressed above are that of my own.

My Name is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd is a compelling book about an unfortunate act which turns several people's lives into immediate turmoil. The way everyone handles that turmoil is the story that Lloyd is telling. It also delves deeply into the concept that "family" does not only refer to a biological group of people, but can also refer to a group of people drawn together by their circumstances.

I greatly enjoyed this book and its characters and was sorry to have to say goodbye to them and reenter "real time".

This was an amazing story. It shows what happens when a girl feels like she has been failed by one of her parents. What happens when she tries to unveil the truth, but does it in a way that is perceived as a horrible act.

One night is all it takes for Venus' dreams to come to a crashing halt. All she was doing was trying to shed some light on unspeakable acts, but instead is found guilty of a crime that will stay with her forever.

Once she is release from prison, all Venus wants is to find a quiet life. She wants away from the media that has followed her and her story for years, away from all the prying faces of home and just somewhere to belong.

She achieves that at first, but then is found out in a way that she hadn't counted on. Suddenly forced into the spotlight again, she had to decide if she still wants to run or if facing the past and claiming her future is a better idea.

A great story of pain, love, growth and the reality of family dynamics. One of the best books I have read this year.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "My Name Is Venus Black"
by Heather Lloyd. What an amazing work of Adult Fiction. I could not put this book down. I read it in one sitting. I loved the story and characters. Venus Black is an incredible character and I especially loved her points of view in the story. The story centers around Venus Black, a thirteen year old girl who makes straight a's in school and loves astronomy. Venus Black commits a crime that shocks her family and town to the core. Venus goes to a juvenile detention center and ends up coming out years later, looking for a fresh start. Her brother Leo, disappeared around the time of the crime and even as she is getting out of juvenile detention center, Leo is still missing. An incredible read all around and I highly recommend it.

When we meet Venus she is thirteen years old and has just been arrested for shooting her stepfather to death.  It is not revealed until near the end of the book why she did it but we get clues here and there that lead you to suspect abuse of some sort.  This initial portion of her story is fairly brief. Time jumps significantly to the date of her release and her story picks up from that point forward.  Venus has a mentally handicapped younger brother, Leo, to whom she is very attached. Within days of Venus’ arrest, Leo is abducted. This leaves their mother, Inez, having lost her husband and both children within a matter of days.

The title of the book includes her name so this is primarily Venus’ story but it is almost equally Leo’s story.  There are several supporting characters as well that are so well written that you feel like they are also stars in the story.  The way this novel is written is unique. There are alternating sections covering Venus and Leo but what I found interesting and do not think many authors could pull off, is there are shifts between points of view within the same chapters and no titles to alert you that the point of view has changed.  However, you immediately know who is talking or thinking during the shifts.  That takes talent to pull off as a writer.

This book is not an action packed thriller type of book.  Nor is it even a traditional mystery though there are elements of mystery to the story.  I still found myself dying to know what happened with both Venus and Leo. Once I got into the book (and it did not take long) I ended up staying up most of the night to finish it.  This is rare for me. Awarding five out of five stars is also rare for me but this novel gets five.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel.  I look forward to reading more by this author.

Loved this book. Didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.

Love love love. Incredible book. Fabulous book club pick too

Totally not what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed My Name is Venus Black. I really liked most of the characters, I loved that this was set in the 80s as my childhood was as well, and I'm a big fan of books that show fractured lives can have hope to become whole again.

Venus Black did a bad thing and she's probably going to pay for it, for the rest of her life. The choices she made will interwine, spread, and eventually affect so many other people's lives - including a whole slew of complete strangers. People will talk about her for a long time and she will always have her decisions hanging over her.

I loved how the story unfolded, skipping and summarizing mundane spans of life, and POV from one character to another. I especially loved Leo's point of view, Venus' little brother who is a developmentally disabled child struggling since Venus, his most favorite person, did this bad thing. I enjoyed his descriptive feelings: "The cello makes a yellow sound" - and anger is red. The simplicity in which he views the world is sad, but also a bit refreshing. I thought the space and solar system references throughout were a fun addition to the story as well.

The story proves that being a parent is just as difficult as being a kid in this world, and there is kindness in lots of people that comes out in different ways, and family isn't always who shares your blood, but who shares your love. There is also evil in the world that sometimes isn't always as cut and dry as most believe.

I had some issues with some parts of the story.- they were a bit unbelieveable and I wanted more detail - but I tried to let them go and just enjoy the story and all it's twist and turns. Overall I'm really glad I took a chance and read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

Sometimes the best family environment is formed by love, not by blood. This is what is explored in the book, My Name is Venus Black. Author, Heather Lloyd, leads readers to explore relationships through the telling of her tale of four children - two are brother and sister, but all are interconnected by love and the circumstances that brought them into each other's lives. Good read! I enjoyed the book thoroughly, and did not want to put it down, as the author gradually reveals the details of the incident that started this roller coaster ride of events.

I'm so glad I picked up this book. It was much more than I thought it would be. The characters were so well-written and I loved them all. I would say my favorite would have to be Leo. The book starts out with Venus committing a crime that tears apart the family. The crime is against her step-father and the details are revealed much later in the story. Shortly after her arrest, her little brother Leo goes missing. Leo is 7, and although is isn't stated, I'm pretty certain that Leo has autism. The story alternates POV with Venus, Leo, and other secondary characters. After Venus is released she creates a new identity and has a new job. She has several new people enter her life that make her think of her past. Venus' perspective is so real and touching. The ending was amazing and heartfelt. I will definitely keep an eye out for Heather Lloyd's next book.

I got this from netgalley. I didn't hate this book at all, I did start out as a four star and then it dropped to three and then by part five or six it hit a two.

This book is about a girl who goes to prison until she's a young adult, her autistic brother had been kidnapped shortly after her incarceration. When she gets out she tries to make a new life for herself but ends up looking for her little brother.

I would put a disclaimer on this book for abuse, murder, and sexual abuse.

I loved Leo and I thought so much about his autism rang true from what I know, but I can't overly speak to that. He was a very sweet boy and I loved how he was shown to be intelligent and capable of learning when so often that is not believed.

Leo and Tessa were my favorite parts. I loved them so much. What I didn't like was Venus' personality and reactions towards everyone. She was just so dramatic and like some of it is understandable but other parts of it... Eh. I just couldn't get on board with her. She was so much more invested in Piper than her own brother. Like she ripped him away from people he loved and then ignored him.

Also that I'm supposed to like the cop guy? Why? Like how he pursues her is just ugh no thanks. What he says sets off my NOPE sirens. I do not like him.

Tessa and Leo! Tessa and Leo are so sweet. And Venus saying it was hard to love Leo yep, that dropped my rating way down. That was gross. Like let him stay with Tessa.

By the time the end reveal happened ahhh it had been so built up I thought it would have involved Leo but, it was still creepy. Just I thought it would be more.

I have to let you know right off the start that I'm really upset with myself for sitting on this book for so long. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop.

My Name Is Venus Black follows our MC Venus who's put in prison because she murders her step dad. I don't want to say why because I feel like it gives away a lot of the story, but I will say that at points it was a hard story to stomach. Venus is eventually released and struggles to find out who she really is all while starting over. So she decides to assume a new identity, but she soon finds out that running away from her past isn't as easy as she thinks. Especially while her special needs brother is still missing after being stolen from them a few days following her arrest.

I loved the way Heather wrote this book. Her writing style wasn't bogged down or too floral and it flowed so beautifully. I didn't feel disconnected at any point in time and often found myself binging it for three or four hours at a time. It is not a fluffy read, there's a lot of information, dialog, and internal monologs happening but they're so easy to digest. 

Even with the heavier content of this book it was still so easy to relate and feel for the different characters. Naturally Venus is my favorite, but I also really loved her Mother Inez and where the story took both of them. I think this book did such a good job voicing feelings a lot of us girls with far less than perfect moms have felt before. I feel like Heather did such a good job expressing the eternally complex relationship between mother and daughter.

Overall I ended up so pleasantly surprised by this book. I cared about the characters and I wanted them to succeed. I thought it was beautifully written, engaging, captivating, and heartbreaking all at once. I wished it would never end. A big thank you to Netgalley for giving me access to this book for review. If you're interested in reading the book you can order it on amazon here!

The was such a touching book. The pacing was on point, the characters were real, the whole general story was one that will not be forgotten. I could not put it down.

DNF @ 50%

My not finishing this book has nothing to do with the quality of the writing or storyline. While reading, I found this to be well written - I just lost interest halfway through and don't see myself picking it back up in the foreseeable future.

A book which kept me in its grips till the end, a very interesting read. Thank you Netgalley