Disclaimer: I received an e-arc and a finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Iphigenia Murphy
Author: Sara Hosey
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: March 10, 2020
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Pages: 272
Recommended Age: 17+ (abortion *nothing wrong with it, but it’s not some people’s cup of tea and I like to be upfront.*, Rape and attempted rape, sexual assault, language, some violence)
Synopsis: Running away from home hasn’t solved Iphigenia Murphy’s problems. In fact, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll catch up with her. Iffy is desperate to find her long-lost mother, and, so far, in spite of the need to forage for food and shelter and fend off an unending number of creeps, living in Queens’ Forest Park has felt safer than living at home. But as the summer days get shorter, it all threatens to fall apart.
A novel that explores the sustaining love of friendship, the kindness of strangers, and the indelible bond of family, Iphigenia Murphy captures the gritty side of 1992 Queens, the most diverse borough in New York City. Just like Iffy, the friends she makes in the park–Angel, a stray dog with the most ridiculous tail; Corinne, a young trans woman who is escaping her own abusive situation; and Anthony, a former foster kid from upstate whose parents are addicts–each seek a place where they feel at home. Whether fate or coincidence has brought them together, within this community of misfits Iffy can finally be herself, but she still has to face the effects of abandonment and abuse–and the possibility that she may be pregnant. During what turns out to be a remarkable journey to find her mother, will Iffy ultimately discover herself?
Review: I really loved the story overall. I thought the characters were well developed and the plot was intriguing. I like the world building as well and it’s definitely a book that’ll make you cry!
However, the writing was a bit weird in my opinion. It just felt more documentary style that in the main characters head style.
Verdict: A well done contemporary!
BOOK INFORMATION
Iphigenia Murphy
by Sara Hosey
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release Date: March 10th 2020
Genre: Young Adult
Synopsis:
Running away from home hasn’t solved Iphigenia Murphy’s problems. In fact, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll catch up with her. Iffy is desperate to find her long-lost mother, and, so far, in spite of the need to forage for food and shelter and fend off an unending number of creeps, living in Queens’ Forest Park has felt safer than living at home. But as the summer days get shorter, it all threatens to fall apart.
A novel that explores the sustaining love of friendship, the kindness of strangers, and the indelible bond of family, Iphigenia Murphy captures the gritty side of 1992 Queens, the most diverse borough in New York City. Just like Iffy, the friends she makes in the park–Angel, a stray dog with the most ridiculous tail; Corinne, a young trans woman who is escaping her own abusive situation; and Anthony, a former foster kid from upstate whose parents are addicts–each seek a place where they feel at home. Whether fate or coincidence has brought them together, within this community of misfits Iffy can finally be herself, but she still has to face the effects of abandonment and abuse–and the possibility that she may be pregnant. During what turns out to be a remarkable journey to find her mother, will Iffy ultimately discover herself?
BOOK LINKS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47914500-iphigenia-murphy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/36zfS3i
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/iphigenia-murphy-sara-hosey/1133194010?ean=9781982618292
Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Iphigenia-Murphy-Sara-Hosey/9781982618292
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/iphigenia-murphy
Google books: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=B9qqDwAAQBAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Sara+Hosey%22&hl=es&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjb8ODY1LPmAhXiolwKHRBnAykQ6wEIODAB

AUTHOR INFORMATION
Sara Hosey holds a PhD in American literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is an associate professor of English and women and gender studies at Nassau Community College. Her book, Home Is Where the Hurt Is: Media Depictions of Wives and Mothers (McFarland, 2019), looks at representations of the domestic in popular culture. Sara grew up in Queens and now lives in Sea Cliff, New York, with her partner and their children. She is working on a second novel.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website: https://sarahosey.com/home/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7273735.Sara_Hosey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoseysara?lang=en