Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco Moore (ARC Review)

A story about two girls guarding a secret no one would ever believe and the desperate lengths they will go to in order to protect each other from the outside world.

Jo lives in the same town where her mother disappeared fifteen years ago. Everyone knows what happened to Jo’s mom. Now people are starting to talk about Jo. She’s barely passing her classes and falls asleep at her desk every day. She’s following in her mom’s footsteps. Jo has a secret — she has a twin sister. Her sister is not like most people. She lives in the woods, wild and free. Night after night, as often as she can manage, Jo slips out of her bedroom window and meets her sister in the woods, where together they run, fearlessly.

When Jo’s twin attacks a boy from town, the people in town assume it must have been Jo. Now Jo has to decide whether to tell the world about her sister or to run. SOME KIND OF ANIMAL is an accessible, feminist thriller that digs into themes of sisterhood, family, and friendship.

My Thoughts:

What an odd, captivating YA!

Jo's parents have never been in her life, gone by suspected gruesome, mysterious circumstances. She has a twin sister (Lee) who lives in the woods that no one, not even her aunt and grandmother, knows exist. After Lee attacks a local boy, Jo's own life is turned upside down, and she embarks on an epic journey that changes everything.

I really, really liked this book. There are so many interesting, strange characters in this small town without its own grocery store. I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit about Lee, but the story of why she ended up in the woods was really interesting. Jo was a strong, conflicted main character, struggling to find herself in the grim legacies of her parents. And oh, how I loved the ending!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. Look for Some Kind of Animal in stores on August 4th, 2020.