Musing #92 - "Beloved" by Kaitlyn Krispense

I don't care. I don't care.
These seem to be the only words foster teen Cara Richards' heart whispers as she makes her way through life, alone, unwanted - abandoned by her mom, and then her dad. Now Cara's whole being is burdened, unforgiving, and desperate. She tries to hide it, but it's useless.
She truly hurts.
Cara plans to travel the world and do great things. But when her feet first land on a beach in California, the thought, Why not just end it all? consumes her. Water - endless water, stretching out before her. She can't swim; surely she'll drown. 
And then she'll be free.
But her plan does not succeed, as she is found in the ocean and dragged out by a group of boys . . . boys who later become her foster brothers. They reach out to her, but she pushes them away. Too many times she's experienced the sting of rejection; she refuses to be cut by it again. 
Yet, little by little, these brothers force their way through to her heart. Cara is drawn to the kindness of the Carlos family, is subdued by the stories she hears. 
And then comes the real question: Can I, a worthless criminal, a nobody, truly be saved by Jesus' blood?
I enjoyed this novel by Kaitlyn Krispense. She had me captivated. I smiled as she referred to one of the boys as having a "Michael Landon" hairstyle. I cringed as Cara fought against those who loved her. And I was disappointed when the book drew to a close, although the ending was beautiful. 
My favorite scene? When Cara opens up to her brother, Erich, and accepts Christ into her life. However, while I don't think the conversion was abrupt, I do think her change of character immediately afterwards was a little rushed. Yet . . . I enjoyed it. :-)
My favorite brothers? Definitely Titus and Fergus. Those guys are so fun!
And the cover . . . oh, my, the cover. It's gorgeous! (Still can't stop staring at this beauty!)
My overall review for this book:
I give it 3.5 stars. The topics of this book are heavy, and I recommend it for readers ages 15+. The story can be a little depressing (especially if you're a sensitive reader), and things can get a bit weighty. At times, I felt like Kaitlyn went over the top with Cara's pain, her brothers' stories, etc..  But I do like how she adds some humor with the Carlos boys (see quote found below to find out what I mean). :-) 

"Just because you don't tolerate my intolerance doesn't mean I have to tolerate your intolerance of my intolerance." He [Fergus] pauses and frowns. "And that . . . barely made sense. But I think I got my point across."