You Are My Only

You Are My Only
by Beth Kephart
From Goodreads:

Emmy Rane is married at nineteen, a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with a husband she no longer loves, Baby is her only joy. Then one sunny day in September, Emmy takes a few fateful steps away from her baby and returns to find her missing. All that is left behind is a yellow sock.Fourteen years later, Sophie, a homeschooled, reclusive teenage girl is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place, perpetually running from what her mother calls the "No Good." One afternoon, Sophie breaks the rules, ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. It is this loving family that gives Sophie the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever. . . .
The riveting stories of Emmy and Sophie—alternating narratives of loss, imprisonment, and freedom regained—escalate with breathless suspense toward an unforgettable climax.

 My Thoughts:  I read this book as part of an ARC tour, and to be honest I don't know that I would have finished it if I didn't feel that I should stick with it for the sake of the tour.  The storyline really appealed to me- a baby stolen, a young mother left to wonder what happens intertwined with the story of the now teenage daughter.   But the writing of the book didn't flow for me, the language, the voice, didn't draw me in.  The two main characters were not the main interest for me, instead it was Joey and his aunts- that part I really loved.  I loved these two women, raising this boy and helping to awaken Sophie, who is not unlike Rapunzel, locked in the tower- an image the author does use.  I liked that they were Joey's aunts not because they were sisters but because they were life partners, and that it's not a big issue, it's just a fact.

The weakest part of the book for me was Emmy's story. Her story started off good, and I thought the set up for Baby/Sophie's kidnapping was very realisitc.  It just fell flat after that, and while I appreciate the fact that she loses her mind when Baby/Sophie is taken, you never see her really come back.  And although I liked the glimpse of Emmy's own personal Girl, Interrupted experience, I really wanted to see how Emmy had fared during the years.  The Emmy at the end of the story is still a question mark.

Am I glad I stuck with the book?  Yes, I am.  I think Kephart had a good idea, there were elements to her story that I really liked- for instance the back story of the woman Sophie thinks is her mother.  Aunt Helen and Aunt Cloris- their love, their house, their support makes this story.   I am so glad that was introduced to them.  I loved how much they loved literature- clearly a trait shared by the author.

You Are My Only is technically meant to be a YA book, but it really works as an adult novel as well.  It wasn't a book I loved, or even liked, right away, but it's a story that sticks with you.  And honestly, now that's it's been over a week since I read it I'm actually feeling more fond of it and usually I have the opposite reaction for a book that I just found okay.


You Are My Only gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

I haven't read anything else by Kephart, but I am interested enough to consider reading more of her work.  Any recommendations out there?