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downtown_kb's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
June Farrow grew up knowing that one day she would start to see things that weren’t there and when that happened it would be the beginning of the end. The same was true for every woman in her family. When her grandmother dies after her own battle with dementia, June is left a strange photograph that can’t be explained. However, when she starts to search for the answers to her questions, she finds the truth along with so many secrets no one ever told her.
This story swept me away. I love Adrienne Young’s beautiful atmospheric writing and this was no exception. I’m always going be a sucker for books set in Appalachia. This story is about June discovering herself and her purpose in life through her history and a lot of that revolves around the relationship between a mother and a daughter. The romance in this one was a bit angsty and borderline subplot/chicklit level but I love a prickly man who is sad and lonely on the inside. There was pretty vague steam but I still found it hot. This book was hard to “trope” bc it doesn’t quite fit a mold and I don’t want to spoil the plot but it has a mystery that at times borders on suspense/thriller and it had me turning the page as fast as I could. I am tempted to start it over from the beginning now that I know what happens. I think this one will stick with me for a while. Great on audio by Brittany Pressley.
The only thing I’m dying to know:What happened to make her start things with Mason and then go through the door? I chose to believe that Mason just saw her as a sister, Birdie told him the full truth after a time, and then he fell madly in love with that intern!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Abandonment, and Grief
jcrawford31's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment and Grief
reading_historical_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I’m trying to come up with the right words to express how much I loved this book, and whatever I write keeps falling short so I keep deleting and starting over! It was everything magical all at once, and absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. Five glittering gold stars. This is a masterful tale of magical realism, suspense, mystery, thriller, and aching romance.
Thirty-four year old June Farrow was raised by her grandmother in the small Appalachian mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, after being abandoned as a baby. Her mother was never seen again. Although June has done some research into what may have happened and to try to discover if her mother is still alive, it is June’s grandmother’s death that kicks off a chain of events that leads June to finally discover the truth about the female members of the Farrow family.
This is one of those books that you can’t quit thinking about when you have to put it down to deal with actual real life stuff (rude) and long after you’ve finished it. The threads of the story are all woven together so tightly. The characters are consistently human, and never get close to the edge of being fantastical or mystical. The characters are what continually ground the reader to focus on the novel’s themes, which include the sacrifices inherently required of true love, motherhood, sisterhood, and choosing one’s paths throughout life.
This is a mystery novel, and Adrienne Young absolutely kept her contract with the reader. I loved that I wasn’t able to predict the end. I sat back when I finished it, feeling happy in the afterglow of a great book and thinking BRAVO. For those readers who know the author through her YA fiction, be prepared to find what I felt was an impressive depth of maturity in terms of content and writing style. I think Adrienne Young really demonstrated her ability to craft compelling adult fiction with this novel.
And finally, because I cannot end this review without mentioning EAMON. I have no notes. *CHEF’S KISS*
Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine, Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Thirty-four year old June Farrow was raised by her grandmother in the small Appalachian mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, after being abandoned as a baby. Her mother was never seen again. Although June has done some research into what may have happened and to try to discover if her mother is still alive, it is June’s grandmother’s death that kicks off a chain of events that leads June to finally discover the truth about the female members of the Farrow family.
This is one of those books that you can’t quit thinking about when you have to put it down to deal with actual real life stuff (rude) and long after you’ve finished it. The threads of the story are all woven together so tightly. The characters are consistently human, and never get close to the edge of being fantastical or mystical. The characters are what continually ground the reader to focus on the novel’s themes, which include the sacrifices inherently required of true love, motherhood, sisterhood, and choosing one’s paths throughout life.
This is a mystery novel, and Adrienne Young absolutely kept her contract with the reader. I loved that I wasn’t able to predict the end. I sat back when I finished it, feeling happy in the afterglow of a great book and thinking BRAVO. For those readers who know the author through her YA fiction, be prepared to find what I felt was an impressive depth of maturity in terms of content and writing style. I think Adrienne Young really demonstrated her ability to craft compelling adult fiction with this novel.
And finally, because I cannot end this review without mentioning EAMON. I have no notes. *CHEF’S KISS*
Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine, Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Violence
chronicacademia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, and Suicide
whatiskatelynreading's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
I REALLY really enjoyed this book. Very vibey, very mysterious and full of heart. If you’re looking for a twisty, small town, generational mystery type of book this is definitely for you. Only reason it’s not 5 stars was because there were a few things I think could have been wrapped up a bit more, but I couldn’t put this book down and can’t wait for more of this type of book from Adrienne Young after loving Spells for Forgetting too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Grief
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