Ruby

Between the Cracks #1

by P.D. Workman

We all have secrets. But at a certain point, they become too big to keep.

If you asked Ruby, she'd tell you she's happy with her life. She's tough and independent and doesn't depend on anyone else. The road that has led her here has not been easy, and she's blocked a lot of it from her memory.

But things aren't as rosy as she would have everyone believe, and the road ahead of her is filled not only with gangs, drugs, and depression, but other challenges that Ruby hasn't even imagined.

Winner of "In The Margins" Top Ten Best Books for Teens Award 2015. Awarded to relevant books for our communities that validate, illuminate and humanize those living in the margins.

Genres: Young Adult, Abuse, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary

556 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2014

About the author

Award-winning Canadian author P.D. Workman has written over a hundred addictive page-turners featuring diverse and divergent sleuths, high-stakes investigations, and stories that linger long after the last page. Her books dive deep into characters’ minds while exploring timely social issues through fast-paced, emotionally charged plots. Readers praise her work for its powerful emotional truth combined with unputdownable suspense.

Shunning sleep, when Workman is not writing, formatting, or marketing, she’s probably running, reading, or spending time with her family.

Check out her catalogue at pdworkman.com to start your next page-turner and sign up for news and special deals.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I completed this book but there were several times I thought of not doing so. My first time reading a P.D. Workman book. Ruby, the main character of the book, is a 13 year old who has been in the foster system since she was 8. She entered the system at her own request. At time the book begins she is involved intimately with her social worker. She is not assigned to a foster home but her social worker allows her to spend the night with him several times a week. Other times she stays with friends or a gang member. She rarely attends school and is very promiscuous. While I understand some kids fall through the cracks in the foster care system, some of the things that happen to Ruby in the book are over the top and don't seem realistic. Having an abortion while carrying twins and only one baby being aborted and the other carried to full term and healthy? Never receiving counseling for why she requested to go into the foster system at 8? Policemen who routinely repeatedly slap female 13 year old suspects to try to get information? A policeman who knowingly lives with a 14 year old allowing her to hang out with gang members? If these things truly happen in the foster care system, then the system must be overhauled.

[Cathy *Booklover4everandever* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually don't post reviews but I was disappointed in this book. I only made it half way thru it before I quit. I found it dragged on and the main character seemed to find herself in every conceivable problem that you can think of. I'm sorry if my review upsets anyone just trying to be honest.

[Jessica Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!

this book was intense!! you never knew what was going to happen. who would live or die, what Ruby would do next! She ended up pregnant twice though the second she tried to abbort, though it turned out unsuccessful. the first baby her best friend took care of, whom ended up passing away later on. the second she signed rights over to, to a guy she liked. whom later on ended up being a child molester and only liked young girls. (Ruby had no idea). really interesting story! definitely a must read.

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

This book doesn’t measure up to Ms. Workman’s better written and more interesting TEARDROPS, MEDICAL KIDNAPPING, and ZACHARY GOLDMAN series of books.

I struggled to get as far as 70% through.

The story felt dated like something out of the 1961’s West Side Story with street gangs called Jaguars and Terminators. What, no Jets?

The read was way too long and drawn out. It felt like a movie that was turned into a blander mini series version.

Why would you have foster parents with the oddly sounding last name “Roger”, and then another character with the more naturally spelled last name “Rogers” in the same story?

Ruby was obviously promiscuous but not once did the story specifically say she had sex.

The kids come off WAY TO MATURE for their ages.

The teachers and school administrators don’t seem to care if students show up or not.

Also improbable is the male college student so in love with babies that he happily takes over the raising of a newborn baby not his own, and does this while attending college.

And there were too many typos.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit. Holy. Shit. If I could rate a book 10 stars outta 5, I would. It was over 700 pages (on iBooks) and I read it in three days! This book was absolutely amazing and I would go through everything I loved about it if I could, but that's the thing—I loved EVERYTHING. Every single last detail. I especially loved Ruby's development though, as a cold, naive 13 year old to a stronger, more caring 16/17 year old. I absolutely loved the timeline and, even though the book was long, I definitely think it was well worth it. Definitely one of the best books I have ***EVER*** read.

[Karen & Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because the story moved along well and the characters were very believable!
(Gerard's review)

[Frances Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg

What in the world did I just read. This book is so good. I couldn't put it down. I want more Ruby.

[Dominique Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about this book was the lack of preachiness and the story was told in a neutral way without moral judgements which is unusual for this sort of story. Unfortunately, I felt no sense of engagement or sympathy with the heroine at all sometimes wishing the author would just shoot her now to get us all out of her misery! There was little sense of her learning from any of her experiences or growing, so one doesn’t feel that there’s any chance she’ll change her behaviour and it seemed very unlikely that someone saying they wanted to marry her was going to solve anything, so I didn’t believe in the ending. I could have done with a bit more redemption for the character. But overall it worth reading, the writing was of a high quality and it felt like a real story.

[Cat Lucente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - this is some kind of crazy life Ruby leads, and I am so ready to read about the rest of her family! I can't imagine this sort of childhood, but Ruby is tough and smart, and I am not surprised that she is a survivor. I hope she makes appearances in the rest of the series.

[Jennie Ersari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-breaking and disturbing.

The story of Ruby's life is so heart-breaking and knowing that things like this really happen is disturbing. This book will get you thinking for sure about child welfare services and what should be done. My heart went out to Ruby. Very good book!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book, I enjoyed all the characters and the story was really gripping. At first it kind of dragged but then as I got into the story the pace really picked up. I look forward to reading another book by this author.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! One word describes this: Intense!!!!!

[Laura Gadd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Twists and turns on pretty much every page.

[Pamela Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read PD Workman's book "Loose the Dogs" and got hooked on her writing and style.
Now I just finished "Ruby" and can't wait to find another book of hers. I actually bought 5 more and now having to decide which one to start first. I sure would love to see this book as a movie. Her stories are so believable and you can't help but feel like you know these people. You find your self crying, laughing and feeling the characters emotions. Now if an author can make you cry and feel every emotion in a story, she is one hell of an Author. Not to mention a real page turner. Ruby is a must read.

[Jessica Wilhelmsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

ByJessica Wilhelmssonon September 5, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book was fantastic! Ruby really stay in you mind long after you finished the book.

[Christie Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard to put down but also hard to read sometimes. I felt like Ruby lived with me, and I was experiencing everything with her. It was heart-wrenching and painful at times. Very few books lead me to tears, but this one did several times. It's sad to think there are girls like Ruby all around us.

[Denise Kulesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not my typical read. This book was very intense yet I could not stop reading.

Ruby was in foster care since the age of 8 when she asked to be removed from her home. Her dad may or may not have been abusing her.

Ruby had two babies and a botched abortion where one twin survived. She fell in with a gang and had several boys she slept with.

She met Charlie during an arrest and they became involved. He was able to get custody of her daughter and they were raising her together. A kid from juvie kidnapped the baby and Ruby was taken hostage. Charlie moved heaven and earth to find them and was able to rescue them

[Alien Bookreader · Rating 1 out of 5]

This plot was all over the place. Ruby's struggle consists of a series of unlikely things all happening one after the other. She must have really bad luck. It would be more interesting if there was one consistent problem rather than her being homeless, having a stroke, her doctor making a "mistake" during her abortion, resulting in her still being pregnant. (If the doctor actually made a "mistake" she would have probably miscarried).

[Kaylee Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

It wasn't a story I connected to in terms of me being able to relate to Ruby, but I needed to know what was going to happen! It was such a great story. Definitely recommend it.

[Supernova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's main character was a very promiscuous girl age 13-16 who lived on the streets. This made the book very rough, along with the fact that she was dating a gang member for a while.

[Deanna florez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read! !

Could not put it down best book I have read this month!! And I read about 5or 6 books a month!! Loved the whole story