thecultivatedlibraryco 's review for:

Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan

4.0

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I appreciate books that draw me in, not only into the story, but deeper into another culture. 

Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan takes place near the Salton Sea in southern California and delves into Central American folklore. I admire how Givhan mixes elements of the old with a contemporary mystery, and I loved the parallels to the story of Persephone and Demeter.

In this dark and gritty tale, I could feel Mal's desperation as she searched for her daughter, and the second half of the book was a heart pounding race to an end I did NOT see coming! With missing girls, mother-daughter relationships, dark family secrets, and some California history, this blend of magical realism and horror is a perfect fall read!

Read this if you like:
•  Family secrets 
•  Indigenous literature 
•  Magical realism mixed with horror
•  Stories set in southern California 
•  Tales with Central American folklore 
•  Books that examine mother-daughter relationships 

Many thanks to @mulhollandbooks for the complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and provided voluntarily.