Steph Cha | YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY
In the wake of the police shooting of a black teenager, Los Angeles is as tense as it’s been since the unrest of the early 1990s. Protests and vigils are being staged all over the city. It’s in this dangerous tinderbox that two families must finally confront their pasts.
Grace Park lives a sheltered existence: living at home with her Korean-immigrant parents, working at the family pharmacy, and trying her best to understand why her sister Miriam hasn’t spoken to their mother in years. The chasm in her family is growing wider by the day and Grace is desperate for reconciliation, and frustrated by the feeling that her sister and parents are shielding her from the true cause of the falling out.
Shawn Matthews is dealing with a fractured family of his own. His sister, Ava, was murdered as a teenager back in 1991, and this new shooting is bringing up painful memories. Plus, his cousin Ray is just released from prison and needs to reconnect with their family after so many years away. While Shawn is trying his best to keep his demons at bay, he’s not sure Ray can do the same.
When another shocking crime hits LA, the Parks and the Matthewses collide in ways they never could have expected. After decades of loss, violence, and injustice, tensions come to a head and force a reckoning that could clear the air or lead to more violence.
Review:
Based on true events, Your House Will Pay is a fictional story that touches on some very heavy topics including racism, criminal injustice, and loss. This book was phenomenal. Cha has a way of not only writing fantastic and vivid characters, but can paint an image that is so stunning for her readers. I was obsessed with this story right from the opening chapter and became more and more captivated as the story went on. This is definitely more of a drama, but it did have some elements of a psychological thriller in it, but by no means would I consider this a thriller. It's a taut and emotional story of two families and racial tension.
I loved these characters so much - even the unlikable ones were just so well written that I couldn't stop obsessing over them. For someone who usually only reads thrillers and suspense, I was blown away with how hard it was for me to put this one down. I felt like it was an emotional read, it was extremely realistic when it comes to what these characters were going through and the racial injustice they both dealt with. Steph Cha just floored me when it came to this book. I think it was absolutely perfect. I loved the chapters that alternated between the two families, I loved the brilliant pacing, and I loved her writing; her prose just dazzles even in the darkest parts of this story.
I loved this read. It kept me immersed, it was wonderfully crafted, and it is and honest and accurate portrayal of racial injustice and the bonds of family. I couldn't get enough of this story, these characters, and Steph Cha's writing. I highly recommend checking this one out and I am eager to see what Cha does next.
Special thanks to Ecco Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Grace Park lives a sheltered existence: living at home with her Korean-immigrant parents, working at the family pharmacy, and trying her best to understand why her sister Miriam hasn’t spoken to their mother in years. The chasm in her family is growing wider by the day and Grace is desperate for reconciliation, and frustrated by the feeling that her sister and parents are shielding her from the true cause of the falling out.
Shawn Matthews is dealing with a fractured family of his own. His sister, Ava, was murdered as a teenager back in 1991, and this new shooting is bringing up painful memories. Plus, his cousin Ray is just released from prison and needs to reconnect with their family after so many years away. While Shawn is trying his best to keep his demons at bay, he’s not sure Ray can do the same.
When another shocking crime hits LA, the Parks and the Matthewses collide in ways they never could have expected. After decades of loss, violence, and injustice, tensions come to a head and force a reckoning that could clear the air or lead to more violence.
Review:
Based on true events, Your House Will Pay is a fictional story that touches on some very heavy topics including racism, criminal injustice, and loss. This book was phenomenal. Cha has a way of not only writing fantastic and vivid characters, but can paint an image that is so stunning for her readers. I was obsessed with this story right from the opening chapter and became more and more captivated as the story went on. This is definitely more of a drama, but it did have some elements of a psychological thriller in it, but by no means would I consider this a thriller. It's a taut and emotional story of two families and racial tension.
I loved these characters so much - even the unlikable ones were just so well written that I couldn't stop obsessing over them. For someone who usually only reads thrillers and suspense, I was blown away with how hard it was for me to put this one down. I felt like it was an emotional read, it was extremely realistic when it comes to what these characters were going through and the racial injustice they both dealt with. Steph Cha just floored me when it came to this book. I think it was absolutely perfect. I loved the chapters that alternated between the two families, I loved the brilliant pacing, and I loved her writing; her prose just dazzles even in the darkest parts of this story.
I loved this read. It kept me immersed, it was wonderfully crafted, and it is and honest and accurate portrayal of racial injustice and the bonds of family. I couldn't get enough of this story, these characters, and Steph Cha's writing. I highly recommend checking this one out and I am eager to see what Cha does next.
Special thanks to Ecco Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 5/5
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