A Place We Knew Well by Susan Carol McCarthy

For 13 days in October 1962, the world held its breath—seemingly on the brink of nuclear war. Set against the backdrop of Cold War panic and politics, this enthralling novel tells the intimate and human story of a family whose own hearts are at war.

For the Avery family, the dark days of the Cuban Missile Crisis mark a turning point in their lives which will shape and forever change them. McCarthy captures pitch-perfectly the panic, tension, insanity and innocence of the time. The Avery family forms the emotional center of the novel, as their world starts to unravel during the heart-stopping buildup to the Cuban Missile Crisis. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

3 STARS


Okay, seriously, I'm not sure if this is getting only three stars because of my reading slump or because I truly thought it was an okay book. I liked reading about the characters and all of these things they went through, the family secrets, the slip into mental health issues. They were all very well written, but alas here we are with just my three stars which is not bad either.

This book is set during the Cuban Missile Crisis as you can read from the description.



The book starts out in 2009 with Charlotte pulling up to her fathers Texaco station to go through some of her dads things before selling. This of course is after he has passed.



I liked the part where Charlotte is remembering when she asks her dad why he picked Texaco....


♣♣♣♣♣

Flipping on the back room's light, I have to laugh at the tin signs that line every available square foot of the walls and ceiling, most bearing the classic red-and green Texaco star. I asked Dad once why he chose Texaco over the more popular Shell or Gulf Oil brands. "It was the star, Charlotte: same five-pointed star as on my air force uniform. To me, that star meant freedom...not just to fly and fight the enemy, but to come home, marry your mom, and build our American dream. Besides, I just couldn't see myself running around with a seashell or an orange ball on my chest."

♣♣♣♣♣

We learn a lot of things about Charlotte, her mom Sarah, and her dad Wes, not everything is as it seems and it's sad. We also get to learn some history into the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I think people that love history, any kind of history, would like this book, but know that it has the story about a family and what they are going through as well.
*I would like to thank Penguin Random house for a print copy of this book for my honest review.* 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1425801247

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080417654X?keywords=a%20place%20we%20knew%20well&qid=1449941535&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1