Allegedly: A Story About Injustice, Trauma, and the Search for Truth

There’s not enough stars to rate this book! An absolute masterpiece! A rollercoaster of emotions with an ending that’ll make you flip back to page one to figure out what you missed. When I was done, I could only lay down staring at my bedroom wall. So easy to read and you’ll can’t help but keep turning the pages. This story constantly had my mind turning the whole way. What a ride this was!

When she was nine, Mary Addison killed 3-month-old Alyssa Richardson, allegedly. Now sixteen, Mary is released into a group home. The girls there are violent and those in charge are apathetic and inept, creating a dangerous environment for outcast Mary who has recently learned she is pregnant. Ted, the baby’s father, is eighteen, also in the system, and Mary’s sole champion. I came to like Ted early on, only to wonder later if I should have. I still have mixed feelings. Mary is smart, resourceful, and upon being faced with impending motherhood, wants nothing more than to take the SATs, attend college, and provide for her child. Being ward of the state, Mary’s baby is ward by proxy and the group home intends to put her child into foster care or up for adoption. She is, after all, a baby killer… or is she? Mary decides she needs to come clean after seven years, to assert her innocence, which she hasn’t to this point out of protection of the true guilty party. The only way to keep her baby is to clear her name. With the help of a great cast of supporting characters—an SAT prep coach and a lawyer with The Absolution Project—Mary sets out to beat the system that has taken advantage of her, perhaps because the baby that died was white and she is black. There are articles through which the history of the Alyssa Richardson case are slowly revealed in between primarily first person narrative. Every chapter is purposeful. Exciting. I couldn’t wait to know what was going to happen next. The writing is good, but it’s the story, the circumstances and Mary’s likable character, that propels the plot forward. I came to expect the worst at every turn for Mary, who seemed to genuinely want to do the right thing. That said, Allegedly is a page-turner that is not without its faults. I don’t want to cite specifics so as not to ruin anything for other readers, but I was wholeheartedly disappointed in the ending. I really wish things had gone differently because I was so heavily invested. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It is well worth reading, and some of the most tense, exciting scenes I have read in a long time. Mary is a three-dimensional, sympathetic character whose journey, I suspect, is sadly all too real, but if I could, I would ask the author and publisher to reconsider those last few chapters. I’m torn between 3.5 and 4 stars based more or less on the ending alone.

🛑SPOLIERS🛑 ⭐️: 4.75/5 What a ride this book led me on.. I buddy read this book with a friend, and to say I finished quickly is an understatement. From the beginning, you keep asking yourself, did she do it? From the beginning, I said she did. But her mom had something to do with it. I will say the first 45% of the book was repetitive. I felt things did pick up until 50% into the book. But I enjoyed the statement sections of the book. From psychologists, cops, writers, and more. Mary, from the beginning I knew, was sneaky. It was the way she would say I know the truth tell the "truth" but then withhold things that can help her case. Personally, her mom is the reason she is so messed up. I believe Mary was kidnapped, and I wish that was a talking point in the book. Things weren't adding up. Based upon how she spoke about Mrs.Richardson I knew she had an obsession. But she was good at her manipulation and had others believing her. At one point, I even believed her, but as the book went on, I said at the end everything is a full circle, and she was more like Sarah than she thought, which is why she gravitated to her. I will say this book hits upon serious topics more than it gave away. Mental health, of course, is our broken system and the way children are not taken care of, and even how kids who are in the system are more likely to come out and commit more crimes. The group home and juvenile hall aspects really make you wonder what those kids go through. I understand that if you commit a crime, you have consequences, but to be abused is even worse. I loved characters like Ms.Cora and Ms.Claire they believed in Mary and supported her. They are the adults of the book. But unfortunately, they were being played. This book was amazing, and I loved everything. I would have liked to see Ted one more time, but in the end, you get to see Mary was not that naive as she let on. Read this book and understand the messaged behind it. Of course great job Ms.Jackson!

Tiffany D. Jackson's "Allegedly" takes readers on a gripping journey through the traumatic life of Mary, a girl forever changed by a fateful event. The narrative skillfully unravels the complexities of her experiences, immersing us in a world where the truth is elusive and guilt blurs with innocence. However, the ending delivers a twist that leaves the audience confused, opting for ambiguity over clarity. While some mystery can enrich a story, in this case, I would have preferred a more explicit resolution to better understand Mary's trauma. Overall, "Allegedly" is a powerful exploration of resilience, showcasing Jackson's storytelling talent. Despite the unsatisfying conclusion, the journey through Mary’s life is undeniably compelling.

This was an,amazing read. Kept my interest the entire time.... a lot of plot twists. I'm unsure if i do or dont like the open ending. Definitely a great read!!

One of my favourite books. Pages and book physical quality overall good.

Loved it. I don't read much these days but I read this from beginning to end in one day (staying up past my usual bedtime). The story held me and had me rooting for the main character...I thought I knew the ending but I was not prepared when it came!

Whoah that was a heavy read, a twist at the very end too, clever stuff. Dark, full on & well thought out. Keeps you guessing.

Worst book I have ever read in my entire life! It just seems the author got fed up writing and just threw in a ridiculous end, leaving tons of loose ends, with no meaning whatsoever!