Book Review - The Midcoast; Adam White

 

The Midcoast; Adam White

Hogarth - 2022

The Midcoast is a debut novel that opens in small coastal town of Damariscotta, Maine.  Andrew is a writing instructor and lacrosse coach who returns with his family to the area where he grew up to settle down.  The story opens with a lavish outdoor reception for the Amherst College lacrosse team hosted by Steph and Ed Thatch at their enviable coastal home.  The Thatches daughter Allie attends Amherst College and their son EJ is a local cop.  Andrew wonders how Ed, a high school dropout and the son of a lobster fisherman could rise to their current status of achieving the American dream and more?  His wife Step is the unofficial town mayor as well. As Andrew does a little snooping indoors while the event is taking place, he uncovers some disturbing photos and with a little investigative work, the reader will soon begin to understand what has been going on.

This novel got off to a rather slow start but, I quickly found myself totally engrossed with the crime drama elements of it all.  I found myself on the edge of my seat often with an uncomfortable feeling as I read.  The descriptions of midcoast Maine and Amherst College, Amherst, MA seemed accurately portrayed and, I thought the author did a great job building the suspense of the Thatch story.  I was really glad I read this one, it was so hard to put down even though some of the characters needed a bit more depth. Recommended

Rating - 4/5 stars

(NOTE: the eGalley download was sent to me by the publisher (Hogarth) in exchange for my unbiased review.)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Remarkably Bright Creatures; Shelby Van Pelt

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon.  After reading and loving The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman (no review yet), I thought this debut seemed like a good follow-up choice for me.

Remarkably Bright Creatures; Shelby Van Pelt

Ecco - May 2022

Day 1,299 of My Captivity

Darkness suits me.

Each evening, I await the click of the overhead lights, leaving only the glow from the main tank. Not perfect, but close enough.

Almost-darkness, like the middle-bottom of the sea. I lived there before I was captured and imprisoned. I cannot remember, yet I can still taste the untamed currents of the cold open water. Darkness runs through my blood.

What do you think --read more or pass?

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon.

Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso

Hogarth - 2022

1.

My parents didn't belong in Waitsfield, but they moved there anyway.  My mother answered the first knock at the door of the new house, expecting a casserole.  We'd painted the house Evening Fog, she told me, but the woman from across the street wanted to know why we'd painted it purple like Italians.  Some people wore their difference honestly, but my parents were liars, illegitimate Waitsfielders, their off-whiteness discovered only after the paint had dried.  By the time I was born, the house had faded to the color of dirty snow.

This is a relatively short debut novel which seems like it takes place in the 1980's. I already like the young narrator.

What do you think - read more or pass?

Book Review - The Family; Naomi Krupitsky

The Family; Naomi Krupitsky

G.P. Putnam and Penguin Audio - 11/2021 - (9 hrs. 53 min.)

Narrator - Marin Ireland

Set in the late 1920s in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook,  The Family, tells the story of two best friends whose fathers, Joey and Carlos, were part of the Italian Mafia.  Sofia Colicchico and Antonia Russo were best friends from a very young age, their families even had Sunday dinners together. The girls knew their fathers worked together but what they did was a mystery.  When Antonia's father Carlos goes out one night and never returns, it is Joey who steps up and takes care of the fatherless Russo family.  As the girls grow, marry and become mothers their lives take a much different turn and fissures in their relationship begin to show but, they remain friends.  

What happens when someone wants out of the "family?"

I wasn't sure this book was going to be for me but, I found it to be a rather powerful coming of age story.  The husbands of Sofia and Antonia added much interest to the story as well (Antonia marries a Jew). I liked the time period: prohibition, the Great Depression and WWII.  I also enjoyed the background on how the Mafia and the protection aspect first came into play.  I  found some parts of the book to be a bit repetitive and I knew the ending would be somewhat shocking or surprising at the very least. I wasn't disappointed.  This book seems to have sequel potential as well.  The audio book was read by Marin Ireland who did an excellent job.  I think this debut is worth reading and was happy I tried it.

Rating - 4/5 stars

Book Review - The Push; Ashley Audrain

 

TITLE/AUTHOR: The Push;  Ashley Audrain

PUBLISHER: Penguin Audio 

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2020

GENRE: Fiction / Domestic / Psych thriller

FORMAT:  audiobook/LENGTH: 8 hrs. 38 min.

SOURCE: Penguin Audio download

SETTING(s): unsure (author is Canadian)

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A chilling story about the sometimes darker side of motherhood.

BRIEF REVIEW:  The birth of first baby Violet should have been the happiest of times for Blythe Connor, an aspiring writer and her husband Fox. Yet from the very beginning something feels off for Blythe as she feels unable to bond with her difficult baby.  As Violet grows things fail to improve.  Husband, Fox does not see any of the issues that concern his wife and, he has had no problem bonding with his daughter. Despite this Blythe does not feel it is all her fault, especially as she seems to have no difficulty bonding when the second child is born.  Spending the majority of time with Violet she sees first hand that Violet is not like other children her age and seems to have a mean streak. When things reach a crisis situation and the unimaginable occurs, the reader is made to wonder whether the child or an unstable mother is to blame? 

Told from the POV of Blythe and  is a story that grips you early on.  My feelings about Blythe changed as we learn about her sad childhood at the hands of her own troubled mother, Cecilia and her grandmother Etta.  The writing is very good and some the vivid details still linger with me. As a debut novel, this one is exceptional so I'm pretty sure this talented author has a promising future in store for her.  Although the ending was a "wow" moment, it's also one that I felt was open to interpretation. This book gives the reader plenty to discuss especially if you had the right group of readers however, I can understand why this one might not appeal to everyone - the subject matter is tough.  The audio book version read by Marin Ireland who did an excellent job.

RATING: 4.5/5

MEMORABLE QUOTES: " Marriages can float apart. Sometimes we don't notice how far we've gone until all of a sudden, the water meets the horizon and it feels like we'll never make it back."

The Escape Room; Megan Goldin

TITLE: The Escape Room

AUTHOR:  Megan Goldin

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING: New York City
FORMAT: hardcover/Library

RATING - 4/5

Vincent and colleagues Jules, Sam and Sylvie are ruthless, cut-throat employees of Stanhope, a Wall Street finance company.  The group receives an invitation to compete in a team-building exercise which requires them to work together in order to escape from the locked elevator of high rise building that is still under construction.

The group is given questions and clues that will hopefully help them figure out a means of escape.  However, the longer it takes the more claustrophobic and unhinged each becomes, especially as they soon realize there seems to be a price to pay for their unscrupulous past deeds.

The chapters create reader insight into the backgrounds and dirty deeds of Vincent, Sam, Jules and Sylvie as they try to figure a way out of the locked elevator.  Alternating chapters feature Sara Hall, a newbie analyst at Stanhope.  Unlike the ruthless 4, Sara is an extremely sympathetic character and, it was her story that really hooked me and made this debut novel so enjoyable.

The story starts out with a prologue that lets readers know that something bad has happened. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, but, this is one of those books that was extremely hard to but down once I started it.  I will look for further offerings by this talented author.  Try it!

Miracle Creek; Angie Kim

TITLE: Miracle Creek

AUTHOR:  Angie Kim

PUBLISHER:  Macmillan AUdio

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING:  Virginia
FORMAT:  - audio - library download ( 14 hours)

RATING - 4.5/5 

In this debut novel, Korean immigrants Young and Pak Yoo and daughter Mary run an experimental medical treatment device known as, Miracle Submarine. It's a therapeutic, hyperbaric, pressurized oxygen chamber where people with issues like autism and infertility go to seek a miracle cure.

A little lie, a big explosion and two people are dead as a result.  How did it happen? Who is to blame? It seems more than a few may have had some motive. A courtroom drama and ensuing trial unfolds over the course of four days.

Told from the third person POVs of some seven different characters, Miracle Creek is an incredibly gripping courtroom drama and somewhat complicated mystery. It seems everyone who takes the stand at the trial has a secret or is covering up a lie.  If you need likable characters, you won't find them here but, regardless, there is so much to like about book. The writing is so detailed and each character so well explored. Even the dead have a vivid story to be told here.  Definitely one of my better reads of 2019 making this author one for me to follow.

The audio book is read by Jennifer Lim who did a very good job.  I was concerned that the audio might be difficult to follow with so many characters but, each had such a unique story that it was pretty easy to keep them straight. I also wanted to mention how fascinating the author interview was at the end of this debut book.

Where the Crawdads Sing; Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing; Delia Owens

G.P Putnam - 2018

TITLE: Where the Crawdads Sing

AUTHOR: Delia Owens

PUBLISHER: GP Putnam

PUB. YEAR: 2018

SETTING:  North Carolina
FORMAT:  - library

RATING: 5/5 stars

Catherine Clark (Kya)  as the youngest child of 5 who grew up in a dysfunctional home in a rural area of North Carolina. When "Ma" took off one day, one by one Kya's older siblings followed suit. At the age of 10, Kya finds herself alone with her alcoholic and abusive father.   Kay is smart and fearless but, illiterate and lonely as well.  She is shunned by many as she is wild looking and dirty and her time in the classroom is short-lived. She soon becomes known as the "Marsh Girl", spending long days there exploring. Her father leaves for long periods of time and when one day he fails to return home, Kya finds herself on her own without any money. For her, the marsh lands soon becomes her home.

In 1969 when the body of Chase Andrews, a well-known, star quarterback is found along the marsh, Kya becomes a suspect in his death.

The story is told in two timelines; 1952 and 1969. An addictive, coming of age story,  love story and mystery.  The writing is beautifully descriptive. The Kya character is both heartbreaking and resilient to read about. I loved the way that the suspense built, ending in a way that I wasn't expecting. This is truly a wonderful debut novel, worthy of all the positive buzz it's received.  The author is a wildlife scientist and her love of nature shows in this well-written novel. This would be a terrific book for book club discussions.

The Ones We Choose; Julie Clark

The Ones We Choose; Julie Clark

Gallery Books - 2018

The Ones We Choose is a debut novel that packs a punch.  The author uses fiction and fascinating science tidbits about the DNA that shapes each of us. 

Paige Robson is a successful genetic research scientist in a small California town. Busy with her career, she soon realizes that her only chance at motherhood might be through the use of a sperm donor. 

Fast forward, Paige's son Miles is a lonely 8 year old who has issues fitting in. He also resents his mother's, kind, patient boyfriend Liam, and longs to know why he is the only child who doesn't know who his father is.  (Paige, has also had a childhood with an absent father who reappears later in the story.)

As the story progresses secrets to the identity of Miles father begin to unravel and are revealed. 

This is an amazing debut novel that blends literary fiction with science. At the beginning of each chapter are interesting genetic facts. I really enjoyed this book, a tender, heartwarming and informational read, reminding me of author, Lisa Genova.

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

A Good American; Alex George

A Good American; Alex George

Penguin Audio - 2012

Gibson Frazier, narrator - excellent

A Good American was my book group pick for July and everyone loved it.  It's a wonderful story about the German immigrant experience from 1904 through 2010.

When Jette's mother rejects the man she has fallen in love with she convinces Frederick Meisenheimer to set sail for America. The couple, with a baby on the way, eventually settle in Beatrice, Missouri, a small town with other German immigrants.  While  Frederick immediately falls in love with all the possibilities American has to offer, Jette  with new infant son Joseph is homesick and restless, and when a second child, Rosa arrives, the couples relationship becomes strained.  When World War I calls eligible young men to duty, Frederick, although now 39 and running a restaurant, enlists in the military feeling a sense of duty to the country he loves. Jette is furious.

Music is of significant importance in this story, Jazz and Blues helps the family through the tough times and keeps the family close.  There are several wonderful characters who come to life on the pages as the reader follows the Meisenheimer  through the generations: WWI, prohibition, the Great Depression and WWII.  Heartbreak and tragedy comes often to this family and to the people they care about but, despite this they remain stronger together.  The story has a nice balance of love, life, romance and loss.

Although I definitely enjoyed the first half of this book more, the entire novel was a transporting experience with an unexpected revelation as the story wound down.  Alex George is a talented debut author to watch for. If you love well done immigrant stories, be sure to check this one out.  The audio was excellent.

4.5/5 stars
(library audio)

Tuesday Nights in 1980, Molly Prentiss

Tuesday Nights in 1980; Molly Prentiss

Gallery/Scout Press - 2016

Tuesday Nights in 1980s was very different kind of story for me, it felt kind of edgy.  It's a story about the SoHo art scene from 12/31/79 through the end of 1980.

James Bennett is an unusual art critic with synesthesia, a condition that allows him to see, hear, smell and feel the world in an usual way. Raul Engages is an orphaned, Argentinian exile whose art is on the verge of being discovered.  Lucy Ollison is their muse, a high school girl from Idaho who escapes to New York looking for something more than Idaho has to offer.

The story shifts in POV between the characters who have come to the New York art scene to escape their past, each having experienced loss of some kind. Each character is flawed, selfish and not very likable yet their story felt real.  The author did a great job making these disconnected characters come together. I thought the writing was very good but, very different  At times I found this book a bit challenging yet, I loved the reading about the NY art scene before gentrification.

Readers looking for something different should try this debut. The writing and character development was well done.

4/5 stars
(review copy)

The Nest, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

The Nest, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

ECCO - 2016

Grown siblings behaving badly is the central theme upon which, The Nest, has been built.

The four Plumb siblings, Leo, Jack, Bea and Melody have long thought about "the nest" they would inherit when Melody, the youngest, turned 40 and, that day is just months away.  The watched the stock market soar and made plenty of plans for the money. They'd pay off mortgages, fund college tuitions and enjoy life more. However, as the saying goes, "don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Truth is Leo, the oldest and perhaps most irresponsible of the Plumb clan has chipped away at their inheritance, with the permission of their mother,  Leo loves women, booze and drugs perhaps a bit too much.  As the story begins he crashes his Porshe causing his young nineteen year old companion to lose a foot.  This accident costs him plenty including money from "the nest" that the others were expecting. Now they expect Leo, the irresponsible, golden boy to pay up.

The characters are both quirky and unique and come alive on the pages as we learn about their drama and baggage.  Their issues: parenting, relationships, finances, substance abuse etc. make some of them more likable than others.  Some of their situations were funny, others seemed unrealistic. Perhaps I just don't have a clue about rich people who live beyond their means and then expect to be handed a golden spoon really behave.

I thought the set up for this story was great but, I found most of the characters either shallow or annoying.  Family dysfunction is a topic I generally love to read about and I was enjoying the Plumb clan but, I felt a huge disappointment by the way this novel wrapped up. 

3.5/5 stars

(eGalley)

My Sunshine Away; M.O. Walsh

My Sunshine Away; M.O. Walsh

Penguin Audio-2015

(Kirby Heyborne - narrator)

I finished this book almost a month ago and, I really loved it.  Although I had both the audio and the eGalley, I especially loved the audio as the Kirby Heyborne was an excellent narrator.

The story begins in 1989, Baton Rouge, LA, where a popular, fifteen year old girl named Lindy Simpson is raped as she is returning home on her bike one evening.  Attacked from behind, she's unable to identify an attacker, however there are four possible suspects.

Told from the POV of one of the suspects, we get a well drawn look into the background of each suspect.  To make the story all the more interesting, the narrator also has an unhealthy crush on Lindy, almost to the point of an obsession. He seems to monitor her every move, often from the privacy of his bedroom since they are neighbors.  I don't want to say much more because I don't want to spoil the story -- just read it.

It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The writing is so good and very atmospheric and the characters finely tuned. The story hooked me from the very beginning. Readers who love coming of age stories, especially ones told through memory and reflection will enjoy this one.  Highly recommended.

5/5 stars
(audio and eGalley)

The Two-Family House; Lynda Cohen Loigman

The Two-Family House; Lynda Cohen-Loigman

St. Martin's Press - 2016

Set in Brooklyn beginning in 1947, The Two-Family House is the story of two Jewish families over the course of two decades. Abe and Mort are brothers, Helen and Rose are their wives.  Abe and Helen have four young sons and Mort and Helen have three young daughters.  The families are very close. The brothers own a business called, The Box Brothers and, Helen and Rose are closer than many sisters.  The two families live in a two-family brownstone in Brooklyn where the parents and children share meals and celebrations as one big family.  Then something happens when the women, with the help of a midwife,  each give birth to one more baby on the same snowy night while their husbands are snowed in at the factory.

What happens on this snowy night  fractures the families and changes their lives forever.

This was a tough book to review without giving spoilers and, if you are planning on trying this one, I recommend avoiding reading the book description and the many online reviews which seem to give away too much info.

The story is told from the perspective of each of the major characters and explores the meaning of family.  Abe and Helen were certainly the more likable couple.  Mort was bitter and cold and his lack of affection for his wife or children caused his wife Rose to sour as well.  Readers who enjoy stories steeped in family dynamics, and stories with secrets should give this one a try. I found the ending satisfying as well. There are many themes to explore here: marriage, children, family, grief, secrets and more. This would make a good discussion book and I found this to be an impressive debut novel.

4.5/5 stars

(eGalley)

Spill Simmer Falter Wither; Sara Baume

Spill Simmer Falter Wither; Sara Baume

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2016

Spill Simmer Falter Wither is a debut novel about two wounded creatures (man and dog). The story takes place over the course of one year beginning in spring, in a rural Irish village.

Although we really never learn the man's name, one can assume it is Ray, as we learn it is the same as "sunbeams and winged and boneless sharks."  Ray is a 57 years-old disabled man who has had a very sad and lonely life.  

After Ray's father chokes to death, an incident he witnesses,  Ray spends time reading and taking walks, but the people of the village view him as odd and shun him.  For companionship he adopts a disfigured, abused dog he names "Oneeye".  After an incident with another dog along their walk, the duo takes to the road traveling the seaside.  As Ray unburdens his soul to the dog as they hit the road, the readers learn the lifetime of secrets and tragedy that Ray and, to a much lesser extent, Oyeeye has experienced.

The story is really Ray's story and the quiet way in which it unfolds, season by season, makes is difficult to avoid feeling at least some of the pain and loneliness that the protagonist has experienced. It's definitely not an upbeat story or even a story with a happy ending. It is, however, a beautifully rendered story. The author manages to show us not just the ugly side of humanity but, the beauty of all that surrounds us as well.

This is not a terribly long novel, but it is one that is best enjoyed slowly, the writing is beautiful.

4.5/5 stars

(eGalley)

Bull Mountain; Brian Panowich

Bull Mountain; Brian Panowich

Recorded Books - 2015

(read by Brian Troxell)

Bull Mountain is a debut novel that I had passed on at first glance but, after reading several rave reviews I decided to give the audio a try.  It's very gritty yet so well written.

Set in Georgia, the story focuses on the lawless Burroughs family who for generations have been the kings of Bull Mountain, pretty much doing whatever they pleased. They sold moonshine, weapons, pot and now meth. Halford (Hal) is the elder brother who continues in the illegal operations following in his family's footsteps.

Clayton Burroughs, Hal's younger brother, took a different path after getting married, he is a county sheriff.  Clayton is torn between doing what's right and betraying his family.  Somehow the brothers have managed to stay out of each others business up until now but, when an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco and Firearms asks Clayton for his help things heat up.  The ATF want's Hal's help to shutdown a large scale gun and drug running operation out of Florida.

This story was very different from the kind of stories I'm usually drawn to. It's gritty with a lot of violence.  There are quite a few characters but, even on audio it was fairly easy to differentiate between them.  There were some unexpected twists in this story which surprised me as well.  I must say that the heavy accents were a bit rough at times so I listened to this one in shorter segments than I normally would.  I think if I had it to do over, I would have chosen the print version. Panowich is a talented new author to try. 

4/5 stars

(library audio)

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl; Mona Awad

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl; Mona Awad

Penguin - 2016

I rarely read chick lit these days but, when I received this book for review I decided to try it.  I do  love trying debut novels and, this one was only 214 pages.

Lizzie, AKA : Beth and Elizabeth, (her name changes as she slims down) was a heavy girl growing up through young adulthood. She has always been self conscience of her appearance. Even when she slims down and eventually becomes very, very thin her view of herself is always tainted. She is never satisfied with herself or her life for that matter.

The story is both funny and shocking at times. It felt like a realistic, yet painful portrayal of someone with a poor self image and how that can affect you your entire life. Readers who have struggled with weight or body image issues may be able to relate to this story in some way.

This was a quick read but, I wasn't a fan of the writing style overall. It's written like 13 short stories about the main character at various points in her life, but,  it was hard to determine the timeframes for each. I wish that had been better defined. For me the story felt a little choppy but, the cover was terrific -- that smudge over the word fat yet, still ever present in the mind of many who once were fat or dealt with body image issues.

3.5/5 stars

(sent by publisher)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Madwoman Upstairs; Catherine Lowell

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon. 

The Madwoman Upstairs; Catherine Lowell

Touchstone - March 2016

(debut)

Chapter 1

"The night I arrived at Oxford, I learned that my dorm room was built in 1361 and had originally been used to quarantine victims of the plague.  The college porter seemed genuinely apologetic as he led me up the five flights of stairs to my tower.  He was a nervous man--short and mouthy, with teeth like a nurse shark--who admitted through a brittle accent that Old College was over-enrolled this year, and that deans had been forced to find space for students wherever they could.  This tower was an annex to Old College.  Many tragic and old people have lived here before me, apparently: did I know Timothy the Terrible? Sir Michael the Madman Morehouse?  I shook my head and said that I was sorry--I was American."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 

(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

The Gates of Evangeline; Hester Young

The Gates of Evangeline; Hester Young

G. P. Putnam & Sons & Penguin Audio

(January Lavoy - narrator)

The Gates of Evangeline is a recent debut which blends mystery, ghost story, romance and Southern Gothic into a very readable novel. It's the first of a planned trilogy.

Charlotte (Charlie) Cates has a lot on her plate.  She's a grieving mother who tragically lost her 4 year old son Keegan. Now divorced and back at her fairly high powered job at Sophisticate magazine she's got even more reason for anxiety with big management changes happening at work.  Even bedtime fails to calm Charlie. She has been plagued with troubling dreams of young children calling out for help in the middle of the night. One small child in particular, a boy named JoJo calling out for help from a small boat in the middle of a swamp is especially haunting for her.

When a former colleague asks her to write a true-crime story about a young boy named Gabriel Deveau who went missing from his bedroom in 1982, his disappearance still unsolved, she accepts the offer. She believes this somehow might be connected to her dream.

Charlie travels from New York City to Chicory, Louisiana to research her story. Staying at the Evangeline plantation with the now 40-something twin sisters of the boy who disappeared decades earlier, she bumps heads with a unique cast of characters while doing her research.  Charlie has her work cut out for her as it's clear some people want long buried secrets to stay buried.

One of the best things about this read were the characters, especially Charlie. All the characters were very well drawn and believable.  The fact that some of them didn't want Charlie around made me wonder about what they had to fear or hide.  Although I felt engaged and invested in the story, it did drag in spots despite having an awful lot going on in it -- grieving mother, mystery, romance, ghost story and plenty of family drama and secrets.  Despite the great atmospheric feel, I might have enjoyed this one even more if it had been a little more straight forward.  Despite that I would still consider reading the sequel when it is released.

4/5 stars

(audio and eGalley)

Hyacinth Girls; Lauren Frankel

Hyacinth Girls; Lauren Frankel

Crown - 2015

Hyacinth Girls is a debut novel that will make some readers question how well they really know their children.

Thirteen year old Callie has had a less than perfect childhood. Both of her parents are dead and she is being raised by Rebecca, who was the cousin and best friend of Callie's mother.  One day Rebecca learns that Callie's has been accused of bullying another girl at her school in Connecticut.  Rebecca is sure there has to be some mistake because Callie isn't the the bullying-kind --  a quiet girl who likes to spend time outdoors and care deeply about the environment.

Callie's good name is cleared but then the threatening letters begin. Could Callie's life be in danger? Rebecca feels she must somehow intervene.

The story is told from both Rebecca's perspective, where she reflects on her own childhood and her friendship with Callie's mother Joyce and recalling incidents that she wished would have taken a different turn. We also get Callie's POV.  The reader does get to see both sides of bully and the victim which was good, but yet somehow this novel still wasn't perfect. There were quite a few ancillary characters that seemed insignificant or undeveloped, which only seemed to slow down the story at times.  I did like that there were some unexpected twists which added a nice element of suspense to keep me reading.

An important subject, unexpected twists - parents with children is this age range may want to check this one out.

3.5/5 stars
(arc)