In the wake of a fierce hurricane in the Carolinas, the streets are littered with downed trees, broken branches, and other debris.  When a shipping container washes ashore in Charleston, kayakers pry it open and are shocked to discover two corpses inside.  The bodies are wrapped in plastic sheeting and secured with electrical wire.  Who are they?  What were they doing in the water?  Forensic anthropologist Temperance "Tempe" Brennan—who recognizes certain aspects of the killings as similar to a murder she worked fifteen years ago in Quebec—is summoned to South Carolina to find out. 

Consulting with Andrew Ryan, her cop boyfriend who also worked the long-ago case, Tempe is determined to identify the two young women from the container.  While busy with that, she's also trying to solve a mystery involving a puzzling death mask and help a hysterical friend clean up after the storm.  The appearance of a troubling human flesh-eating contagion almost doesn't register, until Tempe starts to realize there might be a connection between it and the cases she's working.  The more she digs, the more she discovers, and the more dangerous her job becomes.  Increasingly obvious is the fact that someone is keeping explosive secrets, secrets they would kill to keep under wraps.  

You all know I'm a big Kathy Reichs fan.  I've long loved the Tempe Brennan series with its appealing heroine, approachable scientific explanations, twisty mysteries, and lively prose.  The newest installment, The Bone Code (available July 6, 2021), offers all of these elements and more, which makes it a compelling, enjoyable addition to the series.  Although one of my favorite characters—the always colorful "Skinny" Slidell—is unfortunately missing from this story, other series favorites appear, along with some fun new story people (can Tonia V. be a series regular, pretty please?).  As always, Tempe's devotion and wit shine through it all, whether she's piecing together evidence to solve a case, flirting with the always sexy Andrew Ryan, or fighting for her life against another nasty villain.  Not surprisingly, I loved this newest mystery and will wait with bated breath for the next.  

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Tempe Brennan series, including First Bones [novella], Deja Dead, Death Du Jour, Deadly Decisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning, Cross Bones, Break No Bones, Bones to Ashes, Devil Bones, 206 Bones, Spider Bones, Flash and Bones, Bones Are Forever, Bones in Her Pocket [novella], Bones of the Lost, Swamp Bones [novella], Bones Never Lie, Bones On Ice [novella], Speaking in Bones, and A Conspiracy of Bones)

Feeling bored with her mundane life and inconsequential to those who share it, stay-at-home mom Patricia Campbell turns to true crime books for excitement.  Although she gathers with a group of like-minded women to discuss the tomes, their book club is about more than just reading.  It's a refuge for Patty and her pals, a place for commiseration and camaraderie, friendship and support.  

When a handsome newcomer arrives in the neighborhood, Patty's friends are immediately atwitter.  James Harris awakens long-dormant feelings in Patty, too, but she's wary.  Something about the man is not right.  He's cagey about his past, strangely allergic to sunlight, and has a weird magnetism that is almost ... supernatural.  Then there are all the odd occurrences in the neighborhood that just happen to coincide with James' arrival.  No one else seems alarmed, but Patty is convinced James is a vampire.  Now, she has to prove it to her friends and get their help expelling the creature.  So what if they all think she's crazy?  Patty has to protect her neighborhood from the evil that's stalking it.  Can she stop the charming bloodsucker before he destroys everything—and everyone—she loves?

Based on the title and plot summary, I expected The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix to be a funny, light-hearted read.  And it is in some ways.  It's also deeper than it appears, with some very astute commentary about motherhood, female friendships, sexism, and gender roles.  Although my experiences with men and community politics don't really align with those of Patty and her friends, I still related strongly to the women at the center of this novel.  Hendrix brought them to life for me, making me care about what happened to them.  I was so invested, in fact, that I burned through The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires in one day.  And it's not a slim novel!  The slow-burn story, which is more psychological thriller than horror fest (although there's plenty of gore), is engrossing and compelling.  It definitely kept me riveted to the page.  While the book wasn't exactly what I expected it to be, I ended up really enjoying it.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

To the FTC, with love:  Another fine find

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Over the last fifteen years, four women have made it an annual tradition to gather at the beach for a week of R&R.  Dubbing themselves "The Girls of August," they have bonded over everything—from the woes of being doctors' wives to the trials of motherhood (and infertility) to the pains of aging.  When one of the women dies tragically, the group starts to drift apart, halting their cherished girls' weekends for years.  Then, the dead woman's widower remarries and his young bride insists on resurrecting the tradition in an attempt to become a "Girl" herself.  Reluctantly, the group gathers at a remote South Carolina island for a week's vacation.  Along with their beach umbrellas and bathing suits, the women have brought secrets, desperation, grief, and anger—ingredients that will make for a dramatic and unforgettable Girls of August reunion.

I've read and enjoyed a fair number of Anne Rivers Siddons books over the years and it makes me a little sad that the author will never write another (she died in 2019 at 83 years old).  So, when I saw Siddons' most recent book, The Girls of August (2014), in the bargain bin at Barnes & Noble, I snatched it up.  Written when she was in her 70s, the tale is definitely not on par with those she penned in her earlier years.  Still, the novel bears evidence of Siddons' trademark warmth and wit.  The "Girls" are a likable lot, even if they're not fleshed out enough to feel like real people.  As far as plot goes, there's not much here, which makes the book a little dull.  In the past, I've found Siddons' novels sumptuous and immersive—this one isn't that way, although it worked for an easy, breezy summer read.  Although there's nothing memorable or outstanding about it, The Girls of August is an okay novel.  Far from Siddon's best, it is, sadly, her last.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of novels by Karen White, Dorothea Benton Frank, and Patti Callahan Henry)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language and violence

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Girls of August from Barnes & Noble with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Gabriel Haberlin's life is already pretty great, but when he gets a shiny new bicycle for his 12th birthday it gets even better.  He's taking his present for a spin around little Birdsong, South Carolina, when he comes face-to-face (tire-to-tire?) with the town's worst driver.  Just as Gabriel starts to fret that his 12th birthday will be his last, someone rushes in front of the speeding car and pushes Gabriel out of the way.  The stranger, a black man named Meriwether Hunter, not only saves Gabriel's life but he also fixes up his mangled bicycle so it looks as good as new. 

Wanting to repay Meriwether's kindness, Gabriel talks his father into hiring the fix-it man to work at his auto shop.  Not everyone in the segregated town is happy with that hiring decision, but Gabriel is thrilled with the opportunity to get to know Meriwether better.  When he finds out the black man's intriguing secret, Gabriel becomes even more fascinated with his new pal.  If more people knew about Meriwether's war service and heroism, surely they would treat him better.  But, even in small, safe Birdsong secrets and forbidden friendships are dangerous things, things that will open Gabriel's eyes in ways they've never been opened before ...

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, by Brenda Woods is a touching, thought-provoking novel about growing up and facing the sometimes ugly truths that can exist in even the most placid of places.  It's a story about finding hidden depths, both in yourself and other people.  The tale, which features an interesting historical setting, likable characters, and tight prose, also teaches many valuable lessons about friendship, family, and forming one's own opinions in spite of what anyone else might think.  It's an enjoyable and important book that's easy to read, but difficult to forget.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me a bit of Jericho Walls by Kristi Collier)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

(Image from Becca Wilhite's blog)

After writing eleven book reviews today, I'm too tired to come up with another plot summary, so here's the official one for Wedding Belles by Melanie Jacobson, Jenny Proctor, Becca Wilhite, and Brittany Larsen:

Sutton is a photographer running from her past. Only the pleas from her best friend to photograph her wedding could bring Sutton back to Charleston. Her plan is to get in and get out before her ex knows she and their daughter are in town. At least it’s the plan until she meets Max, who turns out to be the safe place she didn’t know she was looking for. 

I don't usually dig short stories, but I'm becoming a fan of romance novels centering around one main event that are told in parts.  Wedding Belles is no exception.  It offers a series of funny, upbeat stories written by some of my favorite Latter-Day Saint romance novelists.  Although the book has nothing to do with the Church, it is mostly clean (there are a few mild swear words) and completely sweet.  Naturally, I liked some of the stories more than others (the first and final are my favorites), but all of them are fun, warm, and engaging.  If you're looking for a light, diverting read, definitely pick up this swoony romance.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other romance novels by Melanie Jacobson, Jenny Proctor, Becca Wilhite, and Brittany Larsen)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs)

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Wedding Belles from the generous authors.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

After being humiliated as an 18-year-old, Larkin Lanier fled her Lowcountry home for New York City, vowing never to look back.  Although the women who raised her have kept in touch, their pleas for her return have fallen on deaf ears.  When Larkin receives news that her mother—a free-spirited painter—has gone missing, however, she knows it's time to go back to Georgetown, South Carolina.  At 27, Larkin is a slim, successful businesswoman, not the awkward, overlooked girl she once was, but she's still leery about returning.  She'll stay in the South only long enough to do what needs to be done, then return as soon as possible to her lonely life in the Big Apple.

When Ivy Lanier is found in the ruins of her family's burned-out plantation home, injured and unconscious, Larkin fears the worst for her mother.  As she lingers in the hospital, unresponsive, Larkin can't help but wonder what the older woman was doing at Carrowmore.  Ivy seemed to have been looking for something, but what could she possibly need from the crumbling shell of her former home?  When Larkin questions Ceecee—the 77-year-old woman who raised both Ivy and Larkin—the old lady acts cagey and suspicious.  What is Ceecee keeping from her?  Ivy was trying to tell Larkin something before her accident, something about the past.  Only Ceecee and Bitty, her grandmother's childhood friends, know the truth and it just might be the truth that finally sets Ivy free.  Desperate to wake her mother up, Larkin will stop at nothing until she uncovers the truth about a trio of friends and the secrets that have bound them together for the last fifty years.

I'm always up for a Southern family secrets novel and no one defines the genre quite like Karen White.  Although I like some of her books more than others, I appreciate her atmospheric, warm-hearted stories, and always look forward to a new one.  Dreams of Falling takes place in a typical Lowcountry setting populated by quirky folk who value family, friendship, and foiling nosy attempts to sniff out the skeletons in their closets.  The tale oscillates between narrators and time periods, which makes both the plot and the cast a bit confusing at times.  While I loved Ceecee, Bitty, and some of the other fringe characters, the three women at the novel's core didn't appeal to me at all.  The Darlingtons (Margaret, Ivy, and Larkin) are a selfish, fickle, unlikable lot, which made it tough for me to care what happened to them.  Despite my reservations, though, I found Dreams of Falling compelling and, overall, enjoyable.  It's not my favorite of White's many novels, but it definitely kept me reading.

(Readalikes:  other novels by Karen White as well as those by Dorothea Benton Frank, Joshilyn Jackson, and Anne Rivers Siddons)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, innuendo, and (non-graphic) references to sex and prostitution

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Dreams of Falling from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Bonny Blankenship's happiest memories from childhood all center around one place: Watersend, South Carolina.  She loved spending long, languid summers there with her best friend, Lainey.  Known around town as the "Summer Sisters," the girls wiled away the hours swimming, dreaming, and reading at Title Wave, the local bookstore.  Although those idyllic vacations ended abruptly when Lainey's mother disappeared, Bonny still longs for the innocent, bygone days of her youth.  

When Bonny, now an ER doctor in Charleston, makes a critical mistake at work, she's encouraged to take some time off.  Lainey's suggestion of spending one last summer at Watersend seems to be just the ticket. Piper, Bonny's college drop-out daughter, comes along to nanny for Lainey's children while the two old friends (sans spouses) reconnect at the family cottage they've always loved.  As Bonny and Lainey share their individual triumphs and tragedies, they find camaraderie and understanding.  While trying to make sense of both their presents and their shared past, the duo poke into the continuing mystery of Lainey's mother.  With some help from Mimi, the owner of Title Wave, the women search for answers, healing, and the comfort that can only be found within the pages of a good book.  

The Bookshop at Water's End by Patti Callahan Henry combines several of my favorite novel themes: the South, the beach, and books.  That's a trifecta pretty much guaranteed to make me swoon.  In this case, though, it just ... didn't.  Not really.  I had trouble feeling any connection with Bonny or Lainey, both of whom seemed immature and self-absorbed.  While the story felt melodramatic to me, it was compelling enough to keep me reading.  Overall, though, I didn't love it.  In fact, The Bookshop at Water's End was so forgettable to me that I had to read a couple different plot summaries before I could remember enough about the book to write this review.  Bummer, because I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of books by Karen White and Dorothea Benton Frank)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated: 

for language (a few F-bombs plus milder expletives), violence, mild sexual content, and references to illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Bookshop at Water's End from the generous folks at Penguin Random House.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Tennessee, 1939—Life for the Foss family is hardly glamorous, but they get by as best they can.  Living on a shantyboat on the Mississippi, they take what the river provides, carving out a life among the colorful riverfolk.  Members of the makeshift community stick to their own.  It's only when Queenie Foss' labor goes awry, progressing beyond what the local midwife can handle, that the family has to seek help elsewhere.  With Queenie and her husband in a Memphis hospital, it's up to 12-year-old Rill to keep her four younger siblings in line until their parents return.  When several days pass with no word from her folks, Rill starts to worry.  Then strangers come to the boat, snatching up all five kids.  Thrust into an orphanage under the tyrannical rule of a woman both cunning and cruel, Rill is terrified.  How could Queenie and Briny have abandoned their children?  What will happen to Rill and her siblings now?

South Carolina, Present Day—The daughter of a wealthy, well-respected senator, 30-year-old Avery Stafford is poised to follow in her father's footsteps.  Not sure how she feels about the prospect or about her upcoming nuptials, she's already a bit rattled.  A chance encounter with a nursing home patient who calls her "Fern" leaves Avery feeling even more unmoored.  She's never questioned her place in the world, or the word of her highly regarded family, but now she's forced to ask a troubling question: Who is Avery Stafford, really?

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate is a fascinating novel based on the real-life antics of Georgia Tann, the woman who ran the Tennessee Children's Home Society from the 1920s through the 40s.  After brokering thousands of adoptions, Tann became the focus of a legal investigation that found her guilty of unethical and illegal behavior, which included fraud, kidnapping and child-trafficking.  Although the orphanage was shut down in 1950, Tann died before charges could be brought against her.  Through the fictional Foss family, Wingate brings the horrors wrought by Tann to vivid life.  What results is a riveting novel that is both compelling and touching.  Despite the disturbing subject around which the story rotates, it's a moving, hopeful tale with a predictable, but very satisfying ending.  I loved Before We Were Yours and I'm not the only one—the novel just won the Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction.  If you enjoy engaging historical fiction, you don't want to miss this one.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, scenes of peril, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for strong language, violence, and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Two Nights from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at Netgalley.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Accused of killing her infant son seventeen years ago, 49-year-old Grace Bradshaw has been sentenced to die.  Out of appeals, she knows nothing can stop her looming execution.  Resigned to her fate, Grace desires only one thing—that her daughter know the truth about what happened to her baby brother.  If only Grace can convince Sophie that she's not the monster everyone's made her out to be, Grace can die in peace.

Sophie Logan can't tell anyone about her past.  No one can know she's the daughter of Grace Bradshaw, baby killer.  Not her surgeon husband, not her wealthy friends, not the people on the staff of the hospital where she volunteers.  No one.  If the truth got out, Sophie's carefully constructed life would surely shatter.  She wants nothing to do with her mother, whom she hasn't visited in eleven years.  But when Grace's attorney reaches out, insisting Grace is innocent, Sophie can't help but listen.  Is it possible the lawyer's right?  

As Grace's execution date comes ever closer, Sophie launches a desperate search for answers.  Will she find enough evidence to save her mother?  Or will Grace die without anyone knowing the truth about what really happened to baby William?  

With Love From the Inside, a debut novel by therapist and life coach Angela Pisel, is a gentle story about forgiveness, redemption, and finding peace through love and God's grace.  The characters are pretty run-of-the-mill; they're sympathetic but not unique or dynamic enough to be memorable.  Likewise, the plot hobbles along, suspenseful only at the very end.  So, while I found the novel inspiring, I also found it forgettable.  Overall, With Love From the Inside was just okay for me. 

(Readalikes: Um, I can't really think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of With Love From the Inside from the generous folks at Putnam, an imprint of Penguin Random House.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Still guilt-ridden over her part in the accident that left her sister wheelchair-bound, 30-year-old Eleanor Murray spends her days helping Eve perform the tasks she can no longer do for herself.  Eleanor knows she shouldn't feel jealous of her disabled sister, but she does.  As beautiful as ever, Eve is married to Glen, a good man who works hard to support her.  She's also expecting the couple's first child.  With no real life of her own, Eleanor can't help but be envious.  Especially since she's loved Glen ever since she first met him.  Living in the same house as her sister and brother-in-law makes the situation even more torturous.

When Eleanor is offered the chance to work as a part-time companion for an elderly woman, she jumps at the opportunity.  Not only is the money too good to pass up, but the job will give her the opportunity to return to Edisto Island, the magical place where she spent her childhood.  Dealing with 90-year-old Helena Szarka won't be easy, though.  The cantankerous old woman obviously doesn't want Eleanor around.  Intrigued by the secrets Eleanor knows Helena harbors, she vows to get to the heart of the old woman's bitterness.  But will shocking revelations tear apart the people Eleanor's coming to love?  And what of her own family?  Will she ever find her own happiness?  Or will she forever live in the shadow of a sister who eclipses her even from a wheelchair?  

I've read most of Karen White's novels, but somehow The Time Between (2014) escaped my attention.  Until now.  Like the author's other books, this one offers a multi-layered family saga with a gentle Southern setting, empathetic characters, and an intriguing mystery.  The story doesn't offer a lot in the way of originality.  Or surprises, as I saw the twists coming from a mile away.  Still, The Time Between is a satisfying read that's compelling in spite of its predictability.  If you enjoy Southern family dramas, definitely check out Karen White.  This particular novel isn't my favorite of hers, but I've enjoyed all the ones I've read.

(Readalikes:  The premise reminds me of Kate Morton's novels.  The style is vintage Karen White.)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild violence; brief, non-graphic sex; and sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Two years ago, Merritt Heyward's firefighter husband died while on the job.  His sudden death left her fighting a slew of emotions, among them sadness, regret, guilt, and relief.  When the 33-year-old widow receives shocking news from Cal's family lawyer, she's hit with another one: confusion.  Although they were married for seven years, Cal never spoke of his past.  Not a word.  Merritt's stunned to find out that he hailed from a small Lowcountry town, where his ancestral home—built in 1791—still stands.  Not only that, but upon the recent death of Cal's grandmother, the historic structure now belongs to Merritt.  

Needing a change of scenery, Merritt packs up her life in Maine and heads to tiny Beaufort, South Carolina, with the intention of making her home there.  It matters little to her that her inheritance is a crumbling mansion, barely habitable and stuffed with the possessions of an elderly recluse, who perished on the premises.  Merritt's intrigued by the place, especially knowing that the secrets to her husband's mysterious past cower somewhere in the dusty corners of his childhood home.  Desperate to understand the man she married but hardly knew, Merritt vows to uncover the truths he kept hidden deep within the confines of his broken, embittered heart.  

Although Merritt desires only to be left alone, she soon realizes that's impossible in a tiny Southern town like Beaufort.  First, there's Gibbes.  Handsome and kind, Cal's younger brother is nothing like her deceased husband.  In spite of herself, Merritt finds herself drawn to the sensitive pediatrician.  Then, there's Loralee Connors, who shows up out of nowhere with every intention of staying.  Merritt can't stand to be around her chirpy 36-year-old stepmother for an hour, let alone months on end.  She doesn't care how down-and-out Loralee must be, there's no way Merritt's letting her stay.  If it weren't for Owen, Merritt's pitiful 10-year-old stepbrother, she would have kicked Loralee to the curb weeks ago ... 

Even with these newest complications, Merritt pushes forward with her investigation of the Heyward Family.  What she discovers is as enlightening as it is shocking and devastating.  As she fits together the pieces of her husband's dark history, she finds some surprising truths about herself as well.  With her own heart thawing, Merritt realizes that the hurts of the past don't have to dictate a painful future.  In fact, forgiveness may be the key to the kind of happiness she's only ever dreamed about having ... 

I've enjoyed a number of novels by Karen White.  They usually involve Southern settings, family secrets, and plots that flip flop between the past and the present—my favorite literary devices.  So, when the good folks at Berkley/NAL offered me a copy of White's 2015 release, The Sound of Glass, I enthusiastically accepted.  The story gave me everything I've come to expect from this author—an atmospheric setting; a compelling mystery; and an engaging, warm-hearted reading experience.  I didn't care as much for the characters in this one, however; they felt cliché.  Merritt especially annoyed me with her whiny selfishness.  Still, I enjoyed the book overall.  While similar to White's other unexpected-news-brings-woman-home-to-make-peace-with-her-family/past books, The Sound of Glass has an intriguing subplot that gives it a unique spin.  It's not my favorite of White's novels (that would be The Memory of Water), true, but it definitely kept me engaged.  In the end, it's an uplifting story about healing, surviving, and clinging to what matters most.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other novels by Karen White, including Falling Home; A Long Time Gone; The Beach Trees; The Memory of Water; and The Lost Hours)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs) and violence

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Sound of Glass from the generous folks at Berkley/NAL (an imprint of Penguin).  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

At 14, Frances Mace took the trip of a lifetime—a cruise aboard a luxury yacht.  There she met bright, wealthy Libby O'Martin; there she kissed a boy named Grey; there she witnessed a gang of assassins slaughter the ship's passengers and crew, leaving Frances an orphan.  Only three people survived the attack and the subsequent sinking of Persephone.  Only three people know what really occurred on board, what really happened to the 327 who died as the result of the vicious assault.  And two of them —Grey and his father—are lying. 

Frances isn't being totally honest either.  After the Persephone disaster, Libby's devastated father took Frances in, promising to protect her from both the media and the killers who might be looking for her.  He did it with one condition—that Frances pretend to be his dead daughter.  After reconstructive facial surgery, no one can tell she's not who she claims to be.  But Frances, now 18, and grieving the death of her adoptive father, is ready to shed her false skin.  She's ready to confront the lying Wells men, ready to avenge her deceased parents.  In order for it to work, however, she must convince Grey she's really Libby O'Martin.  He has to like her, trust her, fall in love with her—only then can she put her plan into action.

Once on Caldwell, an island in South Carolina where both the O'Martin and Wells Families own property, Frances' conviction starts to waver.  Especially as she gets closer and closer to Grey.  Can she see her plan through?  Will she finally be able to avenge her parents' deaths?  Or will the powerful Wells' win yet again?

If the plot to Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan sounds convoluted and improbable, well, that's because it is.  Which doesn't stop the book from being an engrossing page turner (provided you're willing to do some serious belief-suspending, of course).  The action kept me turning pages, even while I rolled my eyes at the irritating love triangle and melodramatic prose.  I cared more about the mystery than about any of the characters, especially the personality-less boys.  If it weren't for the quick pacing that made me want to know what happened next, I would have put this one down after the first few chapters.  I finished Daughter of Deep Silence, but didn't find the ending very satisfying.  Overall, then, it was only a so-so read for me.  While the suspense made the novel compelling, it just didn't do enough to override the story's gaping plot holes, far-fetched premise, and unlikable characters.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, scenes of peril, and sexual innuendo/sensuality

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

If this were a movie, it would be rated: