What readers think of The Opposite of Everyone, plus links to write your own review.

Childhood plays a role in your adult character. This book takes you through the journey of a broken soul. It tells the heartaches that come from living in a foster home. It tells the journey of why being a good mom is prudent. Sadly, a tragedy occurs. Through this tragedy you will see how a damaged childhood can affect a persons adulthood, the importance of family, healing from scars of the past and others paths of life. She is like a butterfly. Only through tragedy, does she learn to let her wings fly.

I would like to thank BookBrowse for a copy of "The Opposite of Everyone" by Joshilyn Jackson. The author writes about family, betrayal, trust,traditions, love and growth.The story centers around a character, Paula Vauss, a successful divorce attorney, and her journey to discover her relationship with her mother, family, and boyfriend. Paula's roots start with a dysfunctional young mother,Kai, who tells stories using Hindu as well as southern tradition. Kai makes many wrong choices, and goes to jail leaving Paula to grow up in a foster system. The children and the foster system contribute to Paula's poor self esteem. Paula feels guilty that she is separated from her mother, and believes that she betrayed her. This starts a pattern when Paula is constantly trying to make amends with Kai. As a successful attorney Paula sends money to Kai, to try to make amends, and mend their relationship. Paula has no address for her mother,just a post office box, and at one point Kai sends the money back with a cryptic note. The story starts off very slowly, but picks up and there are different twists and surprises. Many of the characters in this novel and Paula's life are broken and dysfunctional. I do like Paula and feel that she does show courage and growth. In my opinion this novel has many layers, and is very deep. I would recommend "The Opposite of Everyone", but please keep in mind it is a heavy read.

You can never really escape your past but it is your past that makes you who you are, whether you chose to use it is another story. Once again, Jackson introduces us to quirky, complicated characters who, whether or not you want them to, touch us in places we don't expect with feelings we are surprised at ourselves.

Paula Vauss has had to reinvent herself so many times during her lifetime it is amazing she has become as successful as she has as a lawyer. It is obvious that her past and upbringing have not only haunted her and driven her but it has also held her back in ways she didn't necessarily fully understand until 1 fateful day when the past alluded to in a long forgotten letter comes to visit and draws out emotions that she never knew she possessed.

I promise the reader will not be able to put The Opposite of Everyone down. It is a complicated web of a story but one that will touch you to the core.

The narrator of the book is an Atlanta family lawyer practicing in a high-end practice, mostly on outrageous expensive divorces. She also does pro bono work for young women who've had bad starts in life (because she herself spent time in a group home while her mother was in jail). She herself had a very irregular, nomadic life with a careless, new-age-y single mom The story begins with her mother, from whom she is estranged and about whom she feels guilty, dying and suddenly there may be a brother and more -- with many flashbacks to her fractured childhood. Credibility is sometimes strained but it's worth the read.

In Joshilyn Jackson's new book "The Opposite Of Everyone" we find main character, Paula Vauss, on a journey of unintended self discovery...Paula is a hard nosed divorce attorney with a very tough outer shell...As the story progresses we slowly peel back the layers of this personality and discover what makes her who she is..This story will not disappoint the many Joshilyn Jackson fans of which I am one. Joshilyn's use of the English language is delightful as always.This book is sure to be another hit and a wonderful wintertime read..

This was a great read from the authors craft of the written word, to a lovely story about a mother and daughter. Having lived through the late1960s as a college student I could relate to the cultural influences of those times.
This novel easily becomes...."well...one more chapter before I finish reading tonight"?

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure if it was for me. New author, unfamiliar territory, etc. But the characters of mother and daughter and other characters were interesting and well drawn. I enjoyed the style of going back and forth in time and between characters and liked how she tied up all the loose ends. I wanted them to win. I could not put the book down and will be recommending this book and author to others. I also liked her wry sense of humor. The plays on words were pleasant surprises. I now want to go back and read her other books. Thank you for creating characters that were believable and real. This book will stay with me for a long time.

I love the writing of Joshilyn Jackson, and her characters and plots, usually what I describe as quirky and active, seem even more so here. For this reason, I was not sure how I would take to this book - the first few pages were stranger than usual. But I am so glad that I persevered. The diverse and deep themes of this book, delivered in frenzy and flashback, take us from southern culture to Karma and may appear dichotomous at times - but in the end - and surprising that ending is - Jackson delivers to her readers one of her richest works in so many ways - one that is truly the opposite of what most everyone who reads it will expect but all will find deeply enlightening and satisfying. So much to think and talk about here.