Review: Waiting to Forget by Sheila Kelly Welch

Title: Waiting to Forget

Author: Sheila Kelly Welch

Publisher: (namelos, October 1, 2011)

Source: NetGalley ARC

From GoodReads:

T.J. has always looked out for his little sister, Angela. When Momma used to go out and leave them home alone, he'd lock the door so they'd be safe, keep Angela entertained, and get out the cereal and milk for her. When Momma's boyfriend got angry at them, he'd try to protect Angela. Later, at their foster homes, T.J. was the only one who knew how to coax his little sister out of her bad moods. The only one who understood why she made origami paper cranes and threw them out the window.

But now T.J. is sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, wondering if Angela, unconscious after a fall, will ever wake up. Wondering, too, if he will ever feel at home with his and Angela's new parents—Marlene, who insists on calling him Timothy, and Dan, who seems to want a different son.

Going back and forth between Now and Then, weaving the uncertain present with the painful past, T.J.'s story unfolds, and with the unfolding comes a new understanding of how to move forward.

Waiting to Forget by Sheila Kelly Welch is not the kind of book I typically read. I tend to lean toward fantasy, dystopian and supernatural, just because I really enjoy getting lost in books instead of feeling like they're too real. I requested this eGalley on a whim, and am so glad I did.

Waiting to Forget is an honest, sometimes brutal, look at what it means to be a kid in the modern foster system. T.J. comes from a broken, cruel world and the honest portrayal of that is sometimes difficult to read. While reading this book, I was reminded just how lucky I really am - the problems in my family really aren't problems at all. T.J. and his sister go through a lot, and still try and find a reason to believe that there is good in the world and in their lives.

This is a well written story that bounces back and forth between the present (Angela in the hospital) and the past (what led to this point). Many of the supporting characters are incidental and seem almost larger than life, but I really enjoyed T.J.'s point of view. There is enough good in the story that it's worth reading, but if you're looking for something upbeat and happy, this isn't the book for you!

Final thoughts: Check it out from the library.