In "Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves," Quinn Connor takes on the ambitious task of unraveling submerged histories and exploring the impact of "progress" on communities. While the execution falls slightly short of the goal, the book remains an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Inspired by the flooded town of Buckville, Arkansas, the story introduces us to Prosper, shaped by historical upheaval. At its center is Cassie, a character rich in quirks and fears. Connor's writing evokes an atmospheric world, vividly capturing Cassie's complexities and her enigmatic link to Catfish, a figure from her past.

Interwoven with Cassie's narrative are the intriguing lives of Lark and June, adding depth to the story's fabric.

However, as the plot advances, it reveals some narrative fissures. Amid the allure, the proliferation of storylines dilutes the core experience. The divergence into the Rig/Woody/Bolt/Sammy storyline, while potentially intriguing, detracts from the main narrative.

Despite this, "Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves" showcases Connor's talent. Their evocative prose immerses readers in the narrative's atmosphere. As a debut, the novel offers a glimpse into potential. The lesson is one of honing creativity for a more focused storytelling approach.

While not entirely capturing my heart, "Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves" establishes Quinn Connor as an author to watch. The blend of history, mystery, and atmosphere sets the stage for Connor's literary journey.

Unfortunately I could not finish this book, after quite a few chapters I wasn’t invested in the story or characters. The writing was descriptive and I could tell a lot of work went into this story it just wasn’t for me, I’m sure this novel is going to find its audience though.

The atmosphere in this book was amazing, and it really picked up after the first half. I must say that the start was a bit slow and sometimes confusing - I had a hard time keeping Lark and Cassie apart until quite late in the book - but somehow later on that added more atmosphere than it took. It underlined the confusing state of the town as it were.

Atmospheric, creepy, and strange, Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves was unlike anything I have read before. 🪰

Years ago, the town of Prosper, Arkansas was devastated by yellow fever, followed by the destruction of the dam that resulted in catastrophic flooding and decimating the town and its inhabitants. Now, decades later, secrets that have been buried underneath the lake are rising to the surface. Three women, each descendants of Old Prosper citizens, are thrown into another feverish summer where people begin acting strange and old ghosts are returning with a vengeance.

I really enjoyed the storyline of this book. The atmosphere was haunting with specks of magical realism throughout. However, the characters themselves fell flat for me at times. There were too many different POVs and the personalities of all the characters started to mesh together. But the plot and creativity made this book worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this arc

Sounds interesting in premise, not in execution. There are too many points of view. And then whoosh. The supernatural is involved. That part is pretty cool. There's a lot to unpack in this story and while some of it gets lost in the multiple viewpoints but strangely not multiple voices, there are engaging and interesting parts of the story. Solid 3 star

The ghosts of a lake side town are haunting three women who are connected to the history of the lake. Cassie-who's grandfather left her his vintage shop; Lark who is back in town to sell her father's boat and the telescopes he was obsessed with and might have driven him mad; and June who is trying to find a fresh start but finds a mysterious box in the lake instead.

I loved the southern setting and could tell that the authors either lived or are from the south. I do feel like they got the spookiness that *something* is going on with this lake but I feel like there was missing something. I specifically feel like there could have been more of a character exploration with June. Why was she in the town? I really liked her and Lark but didn't really get her character enough like I did with Cassie and Lark.

A town that had been destroyed long ago by yellow fever and flooding of the land. Ghosts of the past haunt the valley. Three girls with different stories explore family and attempt to move on with their lives. Lots of family history that leads you thru each girls life. I enjoyed reading and recommend others to read this.

*I was graciously given a copy from Netgalley

Very, very interesting and eerie tale! I really enjoyed the characters, but the pacing was just a little too slow for my taste. That said, I think it was very fitting for the story itself; if this had been fast-paced, I might have lost interest quicker.

One of my favorite things is "The past coming back to haunt you," and this book really did deliver! 4/5 would recommend

I so wanted to love his book as Southern fiction is one of my favorite genres. The underlying story is good, but I never felt much of a connection with any of the characters.

Insanely gripping. The first paragraph got me hooked instantly I was genuinely so thrilled by how much I enjoyed this one.

2.5 stars

Usually I like having multiple narrators, but this time I felt like it just didn’t work. Maybe because all the voices felt the same? I think I also had different expectations going in. I was looking for a bit more of a spooky book versus one where everything felt oppressive. I think from the description I had high hopes, but none of them were actually met.

If you like magical realism, summer horror and books based on historical events, you might like:

🦗 Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves by Quinn Connor (pen name of Robyn Barrow and Alex Cronin) 🦗

This dark magical realism novel is based on the history of towns in the US being flooded in 'development-induced displacements'. The fictional town of Prosper, Arkansas, was drowned after a dam burst - just when a yellow fever outbreak was killing its inhabitants. Now, many years later, people live in a new town built around the lake which was formed by the flood. One especially feverish summer, three women are feeling drawn to the lake and become increasingly involved with its dark history...

🐟

Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves captivated me from the start with its unique premise, emotional depth and dark summer atmosphere. The writers portrayed the eerie, foreboding summer feeling around the lake so well throughout the entire book. An example of this is a scene in which one of the protagonists visits an old café decorated with dead fish and fishing nets:

"June had the disquieting impression that she and everyone else were underwater, that perhaps the roof was truly a surface, dotted with fishing boats that dipped their nets in, hoping to pull wriggling treasure back up. As if they had already drowned, only none of them knew it."

I love how the authors used the lake to connect everything: the characters to each other, the characters to their own background, the past to the present, the old town to the new town... The lake and the history of the sunken town truly came alive through magical realism. Without spoiling it, the way the lake pulled people towards it and seemed to change them was horrifying, but done so well.

My only critique is that it felt as if I got to know only one of the characters well, which I think could have been solved if there weren't so many alternating POVs. However, I still felt a deep connection to the story and think about the feverish, emotional finale in which everything was revealed.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC!

Stunning! Spooky Southern fiction, beautifully written. Prosper is a small Arkansas town, displaced and rebuilt after the dam was put in years ago. There, Cassie lives in her childhood home and runs her late grandfather's antique shop. Lark has just returned to Prosper to clean up her father's houseboat and prepare it for sale. And June is just passing through, staying with her aunt for the summer and licking her wounds after yet another string of failures in her life. Prosper has a dark past, and its secrets are starting to come to light, connecting these three women and drawing them into an inescapable mystery.

Wow. Show me a book set in Arkansas, and I'll pick it up (being an Arkansas native)... But I was totally blown away by this story. The writing is phenomenal. It was easy to connect with all three of the protagonists. They each had their own struggles to overcome, and did so beautifully. The slowly unspooling mystery of Prosper was revealed at exactly the right pace. The supernatural elements were fantastic. The novel has a strong message and some very creepy imagery. I read the entire book on a hot summer night- the perfect setting. Two huge thumbs up from me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The novel takes place in Prosper, Arkansas, a town that was ravaged by the yellow fever and drowned by a fatal failure in a dam years ago. In present day, a mysterious locked box is pulled from the lake a three residents of Prosper are thrown into what becomes a truly hellish summer. Cassie is a reclusive loner who witnessed something horrible that no one believes actually happened. Lark is a dreamer plagued with odd visions. June came to Prosper for a fresh start and finds herself facing the town's ghosts. The three girls become connected to one another, to the town's eerie history, and to the ghosts that are slowly resurfacing from the lake.

This book was bizarre, beautifully written, and hauntingly good. I'm a huge fan of ghost stories and haunted locales... and this book checked off both of those items. I loved the mood of the entire novel - it's perfect for a spooky summer read. Cassie, Lark, and June were all wonderful characters with their own unique quirks that I loved. There are some characters that you love to hate, too - which I think is a great element of a good spooky story. I loved that this story villainized the capitalist white male businessman. That just felt right to me.

All in all - perfect summer read if you're into bizarre ghost stories (which I am). It left me constantly wondering what was going to happen. There's a lovely amount of symbolism and mystery that made it very enjoyable.

This book is somewhere between poetic and horror. The vibes will envelop with its succulent scent while also being eerie. It's a perfect mix between family, drama, and mystery, with a dose of musicality in the execution of words.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves. If where the crawdads sing was more adult and more detailed, this is it.

3.5 ⭐️

𝐂𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬
𝐁𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟓.𝟑𝟎.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

Thank you @bookmarked for the gifted ebook.

📖 Years ago, yellow fever gripped the small lakeside town of Prosper, Arkansas. At the height of that summer swelter, in the wake of an unexpected storm, the dam failed and the valley flooded—drowning the town and everyone trapped inside.

The secrets of old Prosper drowned with them.

Now, decades later, when a mysterious locked box is pulled from the depths of the lake, three descendants of that long-ago tragedy are hurled into another feverish summer. Cassie: the reclusive sole witness to an impossible horror no one believes. Lark: a wide-eyed dreamer haunted by bizarre visions. June: caught between longing for a fresh start and bearing witness to the ghosts of the past. Bound together, all three must contend with their home’s complex history—and with the ruins of the town lost far beneath the troubled water.

🪲 🪦 📦


I’ll be honest; I’m still mulling this story over in my mind; it was not what I expected. A slow and haunting tale, to be sure, but I did get a bit distracted by the three POVs and their own stories.

There are some big themes here: race and class inequalities and injustices, as well as grief and loss. But they kind of float in amongst the narrative and never gain solid ground. This does offer atmospheric Southern gothic fiction, with a touch of magical realism, and it’s based on a real town that suffered a flood in the 1950s.

So, I really loved the ideas behind this one. There was some magical realism, various POVs with interesting stories, some ghost story vibes, and it was all based on actual historical events that I can’t believe happened, honestly.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t really work for me. I would often read something and then have to go back and read it again because I didn’t get what was going on or I felt like I missed something. The characters were all interesting, but they were also kind of one-dimensional, and that made it very difficult to remember who was who.

I also felt that it dragged quite a bit. I wish a big chunk in the middle could’ve been cut out. I found that I wasn’t invested until close to the very end, and although I enjoy a slow burn, this was a bit too slow for me.

I can see this being a huge hit for some people, so make sure to check it out if it sounds interesting!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my gifted copy!

Such a beautiful story I loved it!
Covers different genres
It gave me the actual feeling like if I was at a lake!
So many feels! Love the cover that’s what caught my attention more. Thank you for letting me read this amazing book.

I loved the atmospheric writing of this one. I thought it was nice for summertime and I enjoyed the lake setting as well. However, I struggled with the different perspectives in the book as it was difficult to distinguish the different characters. I was also a bit bored with the lack of plot still at 40% into the book.