Official Review: Ruby by Cathy Coburn

[Miller56]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ruby" by Cathy Coburn.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“Ruby was a strange girl from the very beginning. She didn’t seem to have any real attachment to anyone, not even her parents.” This is how Cathy Coburn describes Ruby Parker. Ruby is a fictional tale about a young girl who seemed to have few emotions. Ruby did not have friends, and most people seemed to be leery of her. Even animals avoided her. Her mother knew there was something different about Ruby, but she ignored it and defended her behaviors. Eventually Ruby’s behavior escalated and the eight-year-old became a hunted orphan.

Patricia and Thomas Cummings lived next door to the Parker’s. They became the hub where everyone gathered whose lives had been turned upside down by Ruby. Patricia had found Ruby crying, covered in blood in the Parker’s yard. She found Bobby, Ruby’s older brother, in a catatonic state. She found Ruby’s mother, taking her last breaths inside the house. Patricia realized who the murderer was and set out to prove to the police and others the killer’s identity. Patricia was a strong character throughout the book, and she quickly became one of my favorite characters. She had a sense of humor and showed compassion to those around her. She took in Bobby and Roberta (Ruby and Bobby’s grandmother) even though she did not know them and had many reasons to turn her back on them. She seemed to be a very likeable, wholesome, down-to-earth person who provided strength and stability to those who needed a friend and some moral support. I also like Roberta, the grandmother. She knew that Ruby was not normal. She saw through Ruby’s charm and tried to protect others from Ruby.

My least favorite character in the book is Ruby. Ruby is cute and a very intelligent young lady. Unfortunately, she is very manipulative and uses her few redeeming qualities to get what she wants. She is often sarcastic and devious. She likes to taunt people by saying, “Please don’t kill me.” She acts much older than her age (8-years-old). Her intelligence allows her to handle situations that many adults would not be able to handle. In the book, she becomes orphaned, alone, and hunted. I found myself wanting her to be caught, even though her ability to survive was admirable, because she was an awful person. I could feel the anger and hatred that many of the characters harbored for her.

I read this book in its entirety in one sitting. I kept turning the pages, anxiously awaiting the next twist and turn. The story held my attention, and the ending provided a good lead-in to a sequel. I had previously reviewed this book, and upon request reviewed it again. Although many of the errors were fixed, there are still multiple word usage and capitalization errors. Because of the remaining errors, I regretfully give the book 3 out of 4 stars instead of the four stars the book deserved.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a mystery thriller. The book contains some language that may be deemed inappropriate for some readers; however, it seemed appropriate for this book. There are no sexual scenes in this book. I do not believe that any religion would find this book offensive. There are some descriptive murder scenes that may be inappropriate for young readers. I think the book is appropriate for young adults and older. The book kept my attention, and I look forward to reading more mystery thrillers from this author.

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Ruby
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[Vannaskivt]

Thank you for this great review. The cover alone is enough to freak you out. I love a good thriller but generally, stay away from reading those where the bad person is a child. Even though it's fiction, in real life any child that would act like this child would have had an extremely strong trauma in their past. Always makes me want to help them, not hate them Nonetheless, since you read this in one sitting and it seemed gripping, I may check it out.

[Sonya Nicolaidis]

Well done for this outstanding review. It’s a pity that this otherwise excellent book has not achieved the perfect score it deserves. Nevertheless, it sounds like a really gripping thriller, and I have added it to my shelves for a closer look. Thanks!

[Prisallen]

I love good thrilling books, and I will have to take a look at this one after your intriguing review. Well done!

[LinaJan]

I could feel that dark side of Ruby seeping out from your review! Well done! It's quite a curious phenomenon - a protagonist being the most hated character in the book. I can imagine the screening of it could be good. Regardless of the errors, I must add this to my shelf for the near - hopefully - future. Thank you for such a thorough and inspired review!

[lynnwwork]

I enjoy thriller books. This seems perfect just based on the review. I have read many thriller books that insist on the background of the offender, which in turn leads to a level of compassion for the offender. From what I gather from the review, this one shows us Ruby's background, but does not seem to lead the audience to feel compassion for her. Her actions seem to be taken for what they are, heinous acts.

[Amanbruh]

Ooo this sounds like it'll be my very favorite book, the plot, title and cover are so attachable, makes me want to buy it, someday I guess.

Judging by the plot, this is a great mystery and a horror book for those who are interested, it looks very catchy to me and i would suggest it to a friend who likes these as well!

[Raluca_Mihaila]

You have picked my interest with this thriller! Thank you for your engaging review!

[NetMassimo]

Ruby seems an antihero, so you might hope she gets caught or even killed. Certainly, she won't leave you indifferent. Thank you for your great review!

[Miller56]

Thank you for this great review. The cover alone is enough to freak you out. I love a good thriller but generally, stay away from reading those where the bad person is a child. Even though it's fiction, in real life any child that would act like this child would have had an extremely strong trauma in their past. Always makes me want to help them, not hate them Nonetheless, since you read this in one sitting and it seemed gripping, I may check it out.

The book is very interesting and keeps the reader engaged. I agree that children being the bad person is not generally something I want to read, but there are bad children. I admired and disliked Ruby. She had so many great qualities, but she used them for her own manipulation. I hope you take the time to read the book and see if you like it.

[Miller56]

Ruby seems an antihero, so you might hope she gets caught or even killed. Certainly, she won't leave you indifferent. Thank you for your great review!

I liked aspects of Ruby, but I really wanted her caught throughout the book. Thanks for taking time to read my review.

[Miller56]

You have picked my interest with this thriller! Thank you for your engaging review!

I hope you take the time to read this one. Thanks for stopping by.

[Miller56]

Ooo this sounds like it'll be my very favorite book, the plot, title and cover are so attachable, makes me want to buy it, someday I guess.

Judging by the plot, this is a great mystery and a horror book for those who are interested, it looks very catchy to me and i would suggest it to a friend who likes these as well!

I hope you decide to read it. I would be interested to see if you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by and reading my review.

[Miller56]

Well done for this outstanding review. It’s a pity that this otherwise excellent book has not achieved the perfect score it deserves. Nevertheless, it sounds like a really gripping thriller, and I have added it to my shelves for a closer look. Thanks!

I hope you enjoy reading this. Thanks for stopping by and reading my review.

[Fabulous mind]

Having no friends, no emotions, and being hated by everyone, including animals, must have been tough on Ruby. I'm amazing at how an 8-year old seems to survive alone and is responsible for the death of a close family member. Well, this part doesn't seem realistic for me, but I think this book will make a great read.