3.5 stars

I'm not going to lie, this was a rough read to get through for a few reasons. I knew there was animal cruelty in here, but don't think I expected so much for a middle grade level book. It was gut-wrenching to read through this even though it is relatively short and fairly quick paced. I found that I was having to read it in small sections and then step away for a while.

The writing was good and the book is worth the read, but didn't grip me quite as much as I wanted...I do attribute this slightly to the middle grade level, but even then I just wanted more to it. The story was good, but again, I just felt that it needed to be fleshed out a little more. The pacing made it an easier read than it would have been otherwise, but still may have done it a little of a disservice in the immersion department.

I see value in the read and there is absolutely an audience for this one, it just wasn't quite for me.