51 // “Many people believe it was a random act of violence, and our lives, black lives, are like that. Unforeseen patterns shape our fate. And in the South Side of Chicago, we exist with a unique kind of knowledge of how fragile life unfolds among these clustered rows of bricks, cement and asphalt.”
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SAVING RUBY KING is a debut novel about friendship, family, and faith. the story is told through multiple perspectives, but the story is perhaps most powerfully told through one unique character—the African American church in Chicago’s South Side, which bears witness to generations of sin, secrets, trauma, and heartbreak. I thought this book was so well-done and worth the read. 4/5⭐️—I liked it! Out June 16.
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thank you to @netgalley for the early copy of this book! #savingrubyking #netgalley

I do not know how to begin this review. This book is one that you just have so many thoughts that you do not know where to begin. A book dealing with incest, abuse, secrets and other things that, with the great writing presented, it makes you want to keep reading. The story being told from the main characters is absorbing and yes, we have seen this before. But, The church building giving prose in this book to me was a very welcome and needed addition. Saving Ruby King is one of those reads that will stay with you for a long time. Great read and outstanding story. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

The story centers around Ruby King and the death of her mother, but weaves into a captivating story told by different characters, exploring domestic violence, sexual abuse, and secret long thought buried.

Once you get into the flow between the different perspectives, this will be a book you will not be able to put down.
While difficult to read at times due to the nature of some of the subjects, this book, is unapologetic and real.

Saving Ruby King is not a light read. It is an emotional story dealing with numerous issues affecting life of black families in Chicago over the decades. The issues include family relations; domestic violence; murder; deep secrets; discrimination; church, and friendship among others. This story is told by the various characters point of view. The church building even has its view shared, which I think is one of the most affecting/emotional ones in the novel. There were numerous complex characters which the author gave voice to. It took me a little bit to get into the story; there were many characters and time periods, all a bit confusing in the beginning, but I soon sorted it out and the writing became clearer.
Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books (May 24, 2020)
ARC provided by Publisher via Netgalley

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West takes me back to my childhood, when my life was centered around church. Like its members, churches have secrets. And these secrets can haunt families for many generations until they are faced head-on. This is where Saving Ruby King enters the chat….

The quick rundown: Childhood friends, Jackson and Lebanon, are connected in more ways than one. The two share a horrible secret that has followed them into adulthood. This secret spills over into the lives of their daughters, Ruby and Layla, who also are best friends. Ok, that’s all I’m sharing. I don’t want to spoil it!

I finished this book with hope and a smile. The writing is solid and easy to understand. The pace was also on point. Initially, however, the story was a tad slow, as we were being introduced to the many characters, including my favorite. This character sees and knows all, and is the central character binding them together. I loved that the author did this.

To not spoil the book, I am stopping here. Saving Ruby King is a remarkable read. I cannot wait to read more works by Catherine.

I was granted an ARC from the publisher, Harlequin, and NetGalley to read and provide my honest feedback.

When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it’s a devastating loss that leaves her on her own with her violent father. While she receives many condolences, her best friend, Layla, is the only one who understands how this puts Ruby in jeopardy.

Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what is the price for turning a blind eye? In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla uncovers the murky loyalties and dangerous secrets that have bound their families together for generations. Only by facing this legacy of trauma head-on will Ruby be able to break free.- Goodreads

TW | Incest, Rape, Abuse, Violence, Murder

This book is heavy. It is emotionally draining heavy piece of literature that I have no idea how the author was able to write it and I hope that she is okay. 

And honestly, I wish I can stop the review there. Not because this wasn't a good book. It was good. Different point of views, which means you got the full story, its messy (good messy), its deep and it gives everyone and thing a voice. 

History goes deep, especially history with secrets and while reading this book all I can think about is this someone's truth? If it is, dang. Not only was I invested in this story, my heart and emotions was completely wrapped into what was going on. 

This book isn't just about Ruby or Layla. It goes way further than that. Its excellent writing to add so much without feeling like the book is dragging or overly complicated. 

This is a good book but if you are not emotionally strong enough, then do no read this book. If you are, good luck. 

4 Pickles

Blame it on the pandemic . . . I found that I just couldn't quite sink my teeth into this one right now. Between the heavy content and the multiple narrators, I just didn't get an anchor for this one. No doubt that if I pick it up at a different time, my response might be different.

Ok, first of all, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! Hands down, this is a gold one here!

Catherine Adel West, you outdid yourself!! I just couldn't put this book down! There is so much to talk about in this book! This is a gripping, meaty, full of life, love, secrets, betrayal, murder, generational trauma, race, and relational complexities that touch the lives of all involved. I couldn't get enough of this book!

"Sometimes you can't fix everything, or love your family like they need you to because you barely love yourself. You Can't get over abandoning the dreams you had. Instead, you end up raising kids who love you and resent you because of mistakes you made." Listen, this book is full of layers! So many layers!

"I'm stitched together by the lies I tell myself, and the lies people want to believe about me."

The characters in this book all have a complex history with each other. This book is told from multiple POV's, so just know that you will have to pay attention and follow along. However, the story does connect and tie them all together in a nice package at the end, so you will understand how the story and ties come together. This is the story of Ruby King and her family, who are barely holding on because of domestic abuse in the home. There is an unfortunate murder of Ruby's mother, and in Chicago, it doesn't seem like the police are all that interested in finding out what happened to another black person. However, the people in Ruby's life, mainly her best friend Layla, is determined to help save Ruby King from her father, who terrorized her and her mother their whole lives.

This book talks about how secrets people keep can destroy or determine paths in life. How domestic abuse is passed down from generation to generation, unless the chain is broken. How far friends go to protect the people they love. How families are not determined by the people you are biologically connected to, but to the people that love and care for you. How the black church can be complicit sometimes in overlooking domestic violence in black families. How reputations of certain people in the community can be damaged by the amount of contact you can have with those who appear to be undeserving/undesirable. How black people are automatically either dismissed when they need help, or blamed without question when something goes wrong.

This book is super meaty and would be a great bookclub read, as there are so many layers to uncover and unpack in this fictional work. Debut novel??? Wow! Just wow! I can't wait to read more of this author's work. Phenomenal job! 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Adel West, and Harlequin-Trade Publishing (Park Row) for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved it! A story of friendship, intergenerational trauma, and community responsibility, this one would make an EXCELLENT book club pick. So much to discuss! Some may find the multiple perspectives (I think there are six) and jumping around in time difficult, but I love non-linear structures, and this one really worked for me. Also, one of the perspectives is a physical church and it was beautiful.

Ruby King suffers an extraordinary loss that no child should ever have to endure : the loss of her mother. And in a vicious way. Her mother was murdered. This puts Ruby in an extremely precarious and fraught situation, as her father is a violent man. Vulnerable and feeling alone, Ruby confides in the one person she can trust, her friend Layla.

This was such an engrossing novel. The story was heart wrenching and raw. Also, so few books have a young protagonist. Ms West did an excellent job of capturing young Ruby's emotions. West wrote with such amazing vigor and had great eloquence with her words.

I would highly recommend this as a book club pick.

Catherine Adel West’s debut novel, ‘Saving Ruby King’ is a sweeping, revelatory tale about love, friendship, and familial bonds.

When Ruby King’s mother, Alice, is found murdered in their home, all signs point to it being yet another random act of violence in the predominantly Black neighborhood in Chicago’s South Side. Alice’s death leaves Ruby alone with her abusive father, and her friend, Layla, is desperate to help her get out of his house for good. But, as the story progresses, deep-seeded secrets and lies come to the surface, and Ruby and Layla will be faced with the consequences that come from knowing the truth.

One of the most compelling aspects of this novel is its narrative style. It shifts between characters in the story and tells each piece from a first person perspective. I felt completely immersed in each characters’ story, and was able to glean humanity from each person, regardless of how “bad” they were. This story shows the complicatedness that comes from generational suffering and abuse, and also shows how choices matter. Each character is both a product of their environment and an agent unto themselves.

‘Saving Ruby King’ is beautifully poignant and, at times, tragic in its scope. It’s specificity to the plight of Black people in America is searing; I think it’s yet another profound work that should spark meaningful (and especially timely) conversations about race in America. It strikes the delicate balance of being a self-contained and intimate story about its characters while also speaking to more macro-level issues regarding race and prejudice. It’s a novel that will stay with you, make you think, and hopefully inspire you to become a better version of yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a Chicagoan and avid thriller reader I was thrilled to preview this astonishing novel. What a revelation to read this author and her brilliant prose. I can’t stress how important this book is and how beautifully and emotionally it is written. Please buy it, and if you are not in awe, I will give you your money back😄😄