This book is fantastic and so well written, I could not put it down. It's a mix of coming of age, a sister sister relationship, as well as a murder of a missing neighborhood girl. Set in the 1980s New Jersey suburbs, the author captures the small town neighborly vibe perfectly. Children playing on the street, all of the neighborhood kids know each other and have cliques. But the real story is the bond between sisters - the unspoken tensions and vulnerability that they each share, or hide from each other. I related to this book in some ways as I am super close with my sister and she can sense what I am feeling on a day to day basis without even seeing me. If you know, you know.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early read of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Author Karen Winn has a doctoral degree in nursing and an MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson, and she can definitely WRITE. Her first book (hard to believe) is Our Little World, and it grabs the reader instantly and is memorable on so many different levels. Set in 1985, it follows the lives of Bee (full name Borka — really?) and Audrina, young sisters who are totally close — until they aren’t.

Drina is the golden girl, and Bee always “…felt as if I were a puzzle piece that had accidentally gotten tossed into the wrong box.” and she knows that although she doesn’t specifically “...know when it all changed between us, but it did.” They had been inseparable but Bee “…realized there was no longer Audrina-and-me. There was Audrina. And me.”

One summer day, Bee and Drina are joined by the new neighbor kids, teenage son Max and his cute little sister, 4-year-old Sally, for a trip to the local lake where they all swim and play until Sally goes missing — never to be seen again. As time passes, with no resolution to the mystery for a loooong time, the sisters’ world grows smaller while also becoming more dangerous.

There are several stories going on at once: what happened to Sally? Will Bee and Audrina get over whatever it was that caused their rift? Is Max ever going to kiss Bee again, in a setting other than a spin the bottle game with friends? I loved the depiction of the sisterly bond, the complexity of family dynamics when tragedy occurs, the exploration of sibling rivalry and parental favoritism, and just the overall tone of both tension and mystery. With thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley, this debut is a solid four stars, and I look forward to more from Ms. Winn!

The emotional side of sibling rivalry and of parental favorites are explored and exposed against a backdrop of a childhood disaster and of growing up. A very emotional book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Keep tissues nearby, I implore you! This book was so beautiful, yet so sad. It ripped my heart into a million pieces and I'm crying as I write this review. It's about sisters. It's about loss. It's about regrets. It's about forgiveness - of yourself and of others. And it's about never taking the people you love for granted. What a powerful debut!! I can't wait to see what she writes next. Now I'm off to call my sisters and tell them I love them.

This book was raw, riveting, and continuously heartbreaking. The childlike innocence of the narrator, Bee, brings a uniquely open perspective to what is already a hyper-exposed community sparking like a live wire in the aftermath of tragedy.

In the summer of 1985, Bee Kocsis and her younger sister, Audrina, have no concerns except to decide how best to spend their days at the local lake or club. When new neighbors move in across the street, the two become fast friends with the son, Max, and his four-year-old sister, Sally. But their summer fun is cut horrifically short when Sally goes missing during a day at the beach - and stays missing.

As time passes, and life begins to resume a pattern of normalcy - without Sally - relationships grow strained and the sisters find themselves in a world that has both grown smaller and more dangerous. A story that spans several years and is saturated with the unknown and a persistent undercurrent of tragedy, Our Little World is an up-close-and-personal display of youthful ignorance and the complexity of relationships of all kinds.

From start to finish, I was blown away by how captivating and well written Our Little World is. I could not put this book down! Karen Winn does a 10/10 job of telling the story of an idyllic small town struck by tragedy, and ultimately plagued by secrets....kept by residents of all ages. Filled with relatable characters, moments that will give readers nostalgia, and lots of twists and turns, this book will leave you wanting more from Karen Winn. One of my most favorite reads in a long time!

This book was an amazing coming of age story! The characters were perfectly executed and I loved the relationships along the way. I was immersed in this story, such a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Mothers and daughters. Parents and children. Sisters, siblings. So many dynamics within a family involving small interactions interpreted to have much larger intentions. Who really knows what's between a married couple, or between siblings - who share a room, who are asked to share so much more. Is that borne of necessity or perceived preference. Set in 1985 the story of sisters, Bee and Adrina who live across the street from Max and his four year old sister Sally. When Sally goes missing at the lake everything changes, the parents, the children, the hush of neighbors, the continuation of life around them after such a painful event. This story follows Bee as the main character and deals with very real topics of envy, hurt, denial, jealousy and desire. Told in beautiful price, Our Little World is a story that will make you laugh and cry. And certainly recall memories of your own childhood as you can relate to many of the emotions of maturing through your youth.

Genre: Adult Coming of Age
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pub. Date: May 3, 2022

A sorrowful coming-of-age narrative about a twelve-year-old girl whose eleven-year-old sister dies. There was an age-appropriate competition between them. The author has us reading in between the lines to understand that if the younger sister hadn't died, they would have grown to be close adult siblings. The setting is a typical New Jersey suburban community in the 1980s, where nothing evil is supposed to happen. Winn captures the era perfectly, as well as the cul-de-sac where the kids play and live.
We learn on the first page that this isn't the first time the older sister has witnessed death up close. Their five-year-old next-door neighbor is abducted and later found murdered. The novel is quite well written. Winn does an excellent job of capturing every parent's worst nightmare. This is a beautifully written novel that is also a murder mystery. However, the story's true strength lies in the sisters' relationship, particularly the older girl's inner world.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I was captivated right from the first paragraph and wasn't able to put it down. It was a nostalgic read, taking me back to my childhood. This was so well written and will stay with you long after you finish. Can't wait for my friends/family to read this so we can all talk about it. I highly recommend it!

Bee, the protagonist of OUR LITTLE WORLD, is fraught with insecurities. She thinks everyone likes her pretty sister, Audrina, better than they like her. Even her father. But Bee loves Audrina and wants nothing more than for Audrina to value her, to be her best friend. When a child in their neighborhood goes missing, Bee and Audrina's world splits wide open and their relationship grows even more complicated. Winn does a beautiful job of showing the inside of a girl experiencing all of the joys and embarrassments of adolescence. She also captures the push and pull that comes with having a sister, both the love and the hate. Really interesting read.

wow, wow, wow. i'm so lucky to have read an ARC of this haunting, tender debut.

OUR LITTLE WORLD is narrated by Bee (not Borka), an unsure and diligent tween defined seemingly exclusively through her relationship with her charming younger sister Audrina. Bee's life is good, at first—she has a loving family, a peas-in-a-pod relationship with her sister, and lives in a safe, familiar neighborhood. but when Sally, a sweet four-and-a-half year old girl, disappears during a beach day with Bee and Audrina, Bee's life tilts. suddenly her world fills with dark shadows, spiralling further into something unfamiliar and terrifying.

Bee is a realistic, endearing character. she's jealous and deceptive, but is wracked with guilt. her depth carries this coming-of-age tale in a fluid and fast-paced swing. Winn's prose is sentimental but never mushy.

OUR LITTLE WORLD is a stunning debut set in small-town 80s suburbia, perfect for fans of quiet thrillers or stories about the complexity of sisterhood and identity.

Our Little World
A Novel
by Karen Winn
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy for an honest review. Given that I am a mystery and thriller reader, I thought I would dip my toe into a new genre. I am glad I did. It was good, and Karen Winn can take you into her story. The sisters seem real and showed what they were made of. Good read!

Dutton Books
Thank You so much for this outstanding novel!

Mini Review
Our Little World by Karen Winn

A magnificent, compelling debut.
I knew it was going to be an all nighter when I started this amazing new novel by Karen
Snuggled up, in my big ol bed with my Kindle reading this story ends perfectly to my day!
And Our Little World was the perfect ending!
From the first chapter I was hooked. Couldn't stop reading!
Winn's storytelling is something amazing and she had me.
Our characters are interesting, which had me reading till early morning trying to find out how this book end.
A page turner story that I know will have readers flipping the pages .
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The author perfectly conveys small town life, and the complexities of sisters. I enjoyed the books great deal and will look for more from Ms. Winn.

I liked everything about this book from the fact that it’s a close knit neighborhood and the fact that it takes place in the 80s. This books around the relationship but it also surround the disappearance at the same time. It expertly tells the story of both and then they intertwine. It’s really a great story.