The tale starts when Deena returns to her childhood house in Brunswick, Georgia. She wants peace and a new beginning. But, her dreams of a calm escape are ruined when she accidentally finds the seaside land of a hidden widower. She doesn’t know this meeting will send her on a scary route filled with risk and mystery.

Morris is good at connecting her characters’ problems with more significant societal matters. Deena’s journey to find out why the widower went missing showed that illegal land stealing and turning old poor village areas into new places happened. Deena bravely works for justice and symbolizes hope in her community. She battles against powerful and dark forces.

Morris’ clear pictures of the seaside of Georgia make a lovely setting for the story. They put readers deeply into the exciting past and culture of that place. Morris pays close attention to details, making the location feel real. This added depth to the story. The Geechee people and their ways are easily connected to the story, giving a unique and authentic view.

“What You Leave Behind” is an exciting book that makes you think. It has parts of mystery, opinions about society, and how people can improve themselves. Wanda Morris tells a great story that keeps people reading and caring about what will happen next. It’s hard to stop reading her book. This book has solid ideas and great characters. It will make a deep impression on people after reading it.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters and the storyline, Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Stunning, breathtaking, mind-blowing! Three words that succinctly capture my emotions during this unputdownable wild ride. It ensnared me from the very first page, keeping me on the edge of my seat, shivering and nervous, urging me to turn the pages faster.

This thrilling tale seamlessly weaves racism, political corruption, and history into spirituality. It takes us on a journey alongside the resilient lawyer, Deena Wood, who has been hit by tragedy like tsunami waves—losing her mother, betrayed by her ex, and ousted from her home, all while being terminated from her job. How much can one person endure? Now, with her tail between her legs, she returns to her hometown of coastal Georgia, Brunswick, where the culture of the Geeche people envelops her like a comforting safety blanket.

Returning to her childhood home becomes confusing when her mother is replaced by Ruth, her mother's best friend, who married her father only six months after burying her mother. She resents her newfound stepmother, blaming herself for failing to piece together the fragments of her shattered life.

A chance encounter with Holcomb Gardner, mistaking her for a realtor trying to take his land, turns Deena's day into a nerve-wracking experience with a barrel pointed at her head. The threats from an old man in a trailer are not the only highlights of her day; she's also pursued by a mysterious car on her return journey. Who is following her? Why does an old man in a trailer claim ownership of a million-dollar land? Which company is trying to take it from him?

While she toils away at her suffocating job to save enough funds to escape her childhood home, Deena's mind remains fixated on the mystery of the missing old man and the suspicious death of her sister. Could they be connected to those who pose a threat to the lives of many townspeople? Why does her own father act as if he's seen a ghost when she mentions the Gardners? She delves deeper not just for herself but for the townies who risk losing everything inherited from their ancestors.

Deena senses the clinking shackles of the brave Igbo people who chose death over slavery by walking into Dunbar Creek. She feels indebted to shed light on a massive corruption for her own "dayclean": a fresh start!

This epic and thought-provoking story of the Geeche people will linger in my mind and heart for a long time. It stands as one of the marvelous works of 2024! Don't miss this amazing read deserving more than five stars!

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this epic book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

5 Stars!! This exceeded my expectations.
The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****