Just My Luck: A Novel

She enjoyed her life for the most part. Their group of friends had been together for 15 years, putting their change into the weekly lottery. Then things changed. In the blink of an eye winning had changed everything. Slowly this author reveals the greed and twisted things that can happen when someone wins. The lies and deceit chaotically overtake all rhyme and reason as friends turn against friends, with husbands against wives and vice versa. Money changes things and these folks don't get to escape it. This author shows us different sides of the story chapter by chapter as it all falls apart all the way to the last. I haven't read this author before but she does write a compelling story. Her characters ae all over the board from the turd of a husband to the wife who does nothing to reign him in. Their friends (if you can call them that) are no better. All in all there are all not worth caring about so it makes it hard to be invested in the outcome. She does add some twist and suspense that makes it worth reading which keeps you turning the page if for no other reason than to see how she brings it all together in the end.

I couldn’t seem to start this review for over a day, as I needed to ruminate, ponder, and mull. This was a prickly pickle. Most of the characters were not likable or annoyed me greatly as they were snide, greedy, snobby, selfish, unreliable, and conniving. They also disappointed me, as even the few likable ones tended to be wishy-washy and weak. However, I am aware that most people, regardless of culture, have a bit of all of these failings in their bag of traits. And I am also highly aware that as much as the characters were antagonizing me, I couldn’t have stopped reading about them as I was intrigued and rather desperate to know what was going to result from their flailing. The plotlines were maddeningly paced but when I reached the conclusion and looked back, I registered the cunning and shrewd craftsmanship in the storytelling. Adele Parks is a wily one.