★★★★ 4/5 stars
⁕ Pub date 1/28/25 - out next week!

⟡ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 :
-Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
-Mad Honey or My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
-powerful, thought-provoking reads
-snow Colorado setting
-dual timelines
-complicated families
-the search for forgiveness & redemption

⟡ 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 :
I am so incredibly impressed that this is a debut novel! Penitence is one of those books that really grabs hold from the first page. It has tension that grips like a thriller & even some legal drama. It’s such an emotionally charged story that highlights the way forgiveness comes from acceptance, because “each one of us is more than the worst we’ve ever done."

This story is messy & complicated, filled with morally grey areas. It asks some tough questions. The characters are flawed & multifaceted, connected by tragedy & grief while navigating a broken criminal justice system.

The audiobook narration was fantastic. Thérèse Plummer’s performance was truly captivating, bringing the characters to life with depth & emotion.

The chapters were on the longer side, & in the end we don’t have all the answers. But I felt like that fit the story in a way, a little disappointed & frustrated - exactly how the characters felt I’m sure.

I'm excited to see what author Kristine Koval comes up with next! Consider me a fan ◡̈

Thanks to @celadonbooks @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this Arc ◡̈

What an incredible debut novel! I was riveted. Two connected families face the aftermath of an unthinkable crime, as memories of a previous tragedy still haunt them. This family drama is complex and layered, delving compassionately into some heavy territory.

Beautifully written, well-paced, and powerful, this has a dual timeline and multiple POVs. I found myself fully invested in each timeline and in all of the characters. Every scene is vividly depicted, and the characters are multi-faceted, flawed, and compelling.

The story is deeply emotional, looking at grief, guilt, redemption, healing, forgiveness, love, and more. Some scenes are heartrending, although there is hope. This did not go where I thought it would, which is not a criticism. I appreciated that things were not tidy and tied up in a neat bow. Not every question has an answer.

The commentary on the justice system, particularly the juvenile justice system, gave me a lot of food for thought. And I'm still thinking about this story days after I finished the book.

A must-read if you enjoy a family drama. I look forward to reading what Koval writes next. I was really blown away that this is her debut novel!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Celadon Books for the gifted audiobook!

A solid 4.5 stars for this thought-provoking, poignant DEBUT author!!! Kristin Koval kills it!! This novel will find the reader often pausing to contemplate its very humanly-flawed characters, inspire discussions, and even change the reader's mind--entertaining new thoughts and challenging his/her core beliefs and values.

Imagine you are the parent of two children, whom you love with every ounce of your being...now imagine if one of those beloved children murders the other...This is the story that unfurls with a vehement impact from page one and does not let go until its conclusion; It's a brilliant narrative of pain, desire, mystery, hope and forgiveness, written so beautifully, in lyrical language, that leaves the reader much time to deliberate the emotions conceived so magnificently and powerfully. Think brilliant author, Celeste Ng here...as Ms Koval's writing, although VERY MUCH unique, mirrors that of Ms. Ng's style.

Please give this debut novel a chance, dear reader; I believe you will truly enjoy everything this beautiful book emotes, and it will stay with you long after its last luminous word. It is due out on January 28th, 2025; buy it.

Thank you to author, Kristin Koval, Publisher, Celadon Books, and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book so much! The writing was so well done and so was the character development. I could not put it down!

This novel centers around the murder of Nico, who has Huntington’s disease, by his 13 year old sister Nora. Her motive is unclear and she is unable to recall the event, initially even refusing to speak. Her parents respond to this event in very different ways, with her mother, Angie, essentially shutting her out until the end. We get a lot of Angie’s perspective and history and the additional storyline of how she had a relationship with Nora’s defense attorney when they were younger. This is a story of many secrets and some forgiveness. I expected a few more twists and surprising moments. The reveals were somewhat predictable and I really wanted the story to focus on Nora, because Angie was unlikeable. Even though there were some disappointments along the way, I was invested in this story (maybe hoping for more Nora) and kept coming back to see how it would end.

Impressive first novel by author/lawyer Kristin Koval. You can certainly tell that Koval has experience as an attorney since much of this novel follows a mother and her son who are representing her son's former girlfriend, which brings a sort of Peyton Place element to this dramatic novel. I've been snowed in most this week so it was to settle down with this novel, wondering why this 13-year-old girl murdered her 14-year-old brother with Hutchinson's disease, the former sweethearts who hadn't seen each other in 16 years, reconnected as the legal representation for the couple having to make sense of this horrific tragedy, and then the lingering tragedy that involved these same families decades earlier. Many secrets, much grief, and endless losses that more or less return full circle, though some secrets remain secrets, and other mysteries remain unknown, yet, the families reconnect and it's a compelling read for the readers of this engaging novel.

Very much the same feeling when reading Celeste Ng - intense and eager to find out the outcome of a harrowing story. Deep topics covered - complex and heartbreaking at times reading about the intersection of these two families. Multiple perspectives helped make this an emotional read.

This is a hard tale, one where a young girl commits fratricide. There are many secrets being kept from others, and they are slowly revealed throughout the course of the book. It’s worth a read, especially for the very last bit, which made me cry.

That said, this was such a slow burn that it won’t be on my re-read list. However, Koval’s thoughts on forgiveness and redemption will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC.

This book packs an absolute emotional punch. So much pain for these people without any true resolution (in my mind). This book centers on a young girl shooting and killing her brother. If that alone doesn't break your heart, the rest of the story will. While some plot points felt wrapped up and finalized to me, others didn't. 4/5 for me. This could have been a 5 star read, but without answers on specific things that happened in this book I couldn't.

This is such a poignant read with flawed characters, complex circumstances, family drama, and loss. The pace is a slow burn, but the story is so deep in character, in multiple POVs, that it maintains your interest. I’m so glad I got an ALC and the ebook because Thérèse Plummer's narration was great. Thank you MacMillan Audio and Celadon Books for the gifted ALC and ebook.

Penitence is a remarkable debut. This is a gripping family drama centered on siblings Nico and Nora, whose lives are forever changed by a devastating act. Thirteen year old Nora has shot her older brother, Nico. But why would she commit such an unthinkable act?

As Nora’s parents Angie and David, wrestle with the unimaginable loss of one child and the effective loss of another, they face a community that has turned its back on them and the only lawyer available is the mother of Angie’s ex lover. They struggle to uncover the truth and navigate a justice system that feels as broken as their family.

Although I often find non-linear timelines challenging, this story was so absorbing that the shifts between past and present felt seamless. The narrative is woven with tension and emotion, making it difficult to put down.

This story involves a lot of difficult topics, but the writing is sensitive, thoughtful, and never veers into sensationalism. Themes of guilt, forgiveness and a very broken justice system feature heavily throughout.

Ultimately, Penitence is a poignant and thought-provoking read, with a lot to unpack. It would be an ideal choice for book clubs, since there are so many discussion points.

This book publishes January 28. Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a difficult review to write - I didn’t enjoy the story but it’s not the author’s fault. The story is very well written but it is a difficult topic to read about. When 13 year old Nora kills her 14 year old brother Nico she calls 911 and reports it herself. She is immediately taken to a juvenile detention center and her parents are left alone in the home to plan a funeral and find an attorney to defend her. Along the way we learn about the family’s past and their relationships. There’s a lot going on, but it’s all rather depressing. Three and a half stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the digital ARC.

I really liked the opportunity to both read and listen to this story, the audio was exceptionally done.

Penitence is a tragic story, the emotions were palpable, and I'm left utterly gutted.

This is an extremely well wtirren character driven story, I was truly transported into the lives of these characters. The author excelled in showing, not telling.

Although a bit slow, Penitence is an impressive debut and I will definitely read more by this author

4.5 starts rounded up! This is just the book I needed to really start my reading year after slightly slumping into 2025! Defending Jacob by the infamous William Landay meets Days of Wonder by Caroline Leavitt meets What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan. Koval writes the legal aspect with a deft hand, which makes sense — turns out she’s a former lawyer! But the heart of this story is found in the four walls of two families’ homes. Come to find out how the Sheehan family will make sense of the unthinkable, but stay for the much more complicated web that Koval spins with skill. The ending was a bit abrupt and, if you’re like me, you’ll be left wanting more justice to be served.

Thank you to Celadon Books, Net Galley and the author for the e-galley!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy!

Absolutely floored that this one has so many positive reviews. I found the story of this book so incredibly interesting—a 13-year old girl shoots her 14-year old brother and the mystery of why she did it—but it was told in such a slow pace, with so much repetitiveness and unneeded over-explaining, that I had to slog my way through it. I swear each character's thoughts are a constant repeat of the past, their regrets, their issues, etc, over and over again. Minute details are drawn out and make the story exceptionally boring, such as a whole paragraph about the minivan's odometer being stuck. What I thought would be a page turning mystery or crime drama was really a deep delve into a bunch of adults who are involved in Nora (the 13-year old murderer's) life. I don't mind books that are character-driven, but there wasn't enough for me to love here sadly.

From the beginning, readers might sense that while this is going to be an excellently written story, it's not ever going to be an easy one. We know from the beginning that Nico, a young teenager with a recent Huntington's diagnosis, is dead, and his sister, Nora, just thirteen, shot and killed him and called 911 to report it. What follows is a deeply emotional story of grief, justice, and the weight these things carry in individuals and society. There are a lot of genuinely infuriating moments in this one and I struggled with some of the ways this story turned out. I think one of the truisms of life is that grief and its legacy isn't a linear, one size fits all process, and we see that reflected in the characters. This isn't a story that has a pretty bow that packages it, and I think because of that it's staying with me in an even more profound way.

I have read about this type of thing in the news and have felt true sorrow for the families whose child picks up a gun and shoots a sibling. But I have never thought past that and put myself in the place of the family. This is a story of a families reaction to the loss of a child at the hands of another one of their children. And wow, the author did a great job. What a powerful book! This could be a very controversial book if you have strong views on governmental gun controls.

4.5- Thank you so much to Celadon Books for the gifted copy of this book & having me apart of the Read Together event!

This book will be out January 28th, 2025.

I feel like this book is going to be one that a lot of people will be talking about this winter. This book has so many layers and get more complex as the story goes on.

"I didn't want it to suffer."
"I know.

This story is told from 2 timelines as well as multiple point of views (3rd person). I was very invested in the past timeline of the relationship between Angie and Julian. I was curious how the book would merge the past and present timeline as that is the case in most books. I may have been in the minority of readers in this (need to review my fellow readers review) but I was rooting for Angie and Julian throughout the book. They were childhood friends turned high school sweethearts but the mix of trauma from a skiing incident followed by alcohol addiction, changed this couple. They grow within the pages and I can't say I agree with a lot of the decisions that were made by them as young adults as well as grown adults but that is what made them feel realistic. We are messy humans and sometimes we don't make the best decisions especially under stress.

"Nostalgia is nothing more than a trick of the mind, she tells herself. A way to turn plain memories into great ones."

Nora did not get a lot of page time. At least not as much as I would have liked. I would have love to have seen more of her before the shooting. More of her with her brother. I just would like to have more inside of her brain. Though there was a moment that was very telling into her logic as to why she did what she did.

I don't want to say the end was truly shocking but I was caught by surprised on how it all wrapped up. Clues were dropped so readers may be able to figure out some of the turns. It continues to make you think after you are finish and I know was left with questions.

It did not feel like a debut by the way the book was written. I am anxious to see what Kristin does in the future!

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve done.”

This novel is as complex as it is simple. It begins with a horrible tragedy and then follows the affected people while they attempt to reconcile the event and what they know to be true. In determining the path forward, the various connections between the characters are explored and they are forced to come to terms with their own decisions of years past.

While the publisher’s blurb describes this as “a suspenseful, addictive page-turner,” this was more of a slow burn and character study. I love this type of novel, but readers should know to not expect a fast-paced suspense/thriller.

I was unsure in the beginning if this was going to be for me, but ended up settling in to where this story took me and quite enjoyed it. Since I am from Western Colorado, the setting had me excited and a little distracted, as I tried to determine where exactly the fictional town of Lodgepole would be.

Overall, I would recommend this novel if you like a slow-burn suspense, with unlikable characters, dual timelines, and stories that make you think about what you would do in a particular situation.

I can, with full confidence, predict that Penitence will be in my 10 ten books of 2025. While thoroughly original, her writing can be compared to Celeste Ng and Angie Kim. Loved the development of the characters and look forward to reading more from Koval. Will be highly recommending to others.