A review by sunflowerscottie
The Drowning Summer by C.L. Herman

5.0

No one talks about the summer when three teenagers drowned in Sand Dollar Cove, but for Mina Zanetti and Evelyn Mackenzie, it's the origin of their problems. The two girls are tied together by what happened, a fact that's clear when the events continue to haunt them—literally—years later. Evelyn's father was accused of committing the murder, and she's spent her life with the town whispering at her back, even though he was never convicted. Mina's family trade is speaking with the dead, and ever since she and Evelyn made a deal with a spirit, Mina's power has been iffy at best. The only mark of that night? A sand dollar emblazoned on her wrist.

I found this story to be lovely and haunting. Mina and Evelyn are fantastic characters, and the queer aspect is a bonus, but not a massive part of the story. There's a lot of water/ocean-centric magic, so if that's your jam, this is for you.