Thanks for the review copy. This book reminded me of Jodi Picoult, Angie Kim, and Celeste Ng. I will admit I wanted more answers about why Nora did what she did.

I think there were some problems with pacing, but I did really enjoy this. Angie Kim-esque. Definitely one I'll be thinking about for a bit.

Started very strong, I was hooked right in the prologue. I enjoyed the writing style and the story was compelling. It did have moments as it went on that were a bit slow and could of used some trimming but all in all a solid read.

I have so many mixed feelings about this book! I really felt like I wanted to know the story and really appreciate the different premise and storyline . I enjoyed the flash backs and felt like I was getting to know the characters… meanwhile kind of hating all of them, haha! I just wish we would have gotten to know more about Nico and Nora and really why/or a believable reason why Nora did it!

A heartbreaking story of love, guilt, and forgiveness .
When a sibling kills another sibling truths and secrets are revealed as we the reader try and figure it out! A page turner with surprises .
I enjoyed the writing and I was definitely invested in the characters and the outcome .I also loved the dual timeline and connecting the dots.
Thanks Net Galley for an early read of this one!

The debut novel manages to strike a balance between a legal and family drama with the inciting crime actually only being a foundation for the story. The exploration of complex relationships, guilt and forgiveness, is handled with care and insight. If you're looking for a nice, neat ending, this isn't the book for you.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for a free copy of #Penitence by Kristin Koval. All opinions are my own.

Kristin Koval’s debut Pentitence delivers a compelling writing style while exploring rich familial drama. A shocking murder shatters Angie and David Sheehan’s lives, leading them to lawyer Martine Dumont, who is also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian. As they each confront their past and long-buried guilt, the story spans decades and settings, diving deep into complex themes of love, loyalty, and forgiveness. While the suspense and literary depth are strong, I was left hoping for a redemptive quality that never materialized. Koval’s relentless focus on emotional turmoil drained me, leaving me exhausted. Still, it’s an engaging and thought-provoking read, earning a solid 3.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This book was a favorite of mine of January. This story was so moving and so good. It was sad and very emotional, and at times difficult to continue reading. The author did a phenomenal job with this story. I loved the courtroom drama aspect and the back-and-forth with the lives of Angie and her parents growing up and how she met David, while still with Julian. The fact that she lost her sister when she was young, then her son, and later her mother. Then all the emotions Nora went through in jail and her silence was making me think so many things. From the first page of this book I was completely hooked. This book deserves 5 stars.

This book really hooks you in from the start. A traumatic event leads two parents dealing with an unthinkable event within their home that leads to a true breaking of the family. The book moves from past to present, building on the story of how the main characters are intertwined. I did feel more drawn to the present, court room story line of the book vs the historical story line and did not feel that it brought much to the pacing. I understand not tying up the end perfectly, but I did find the ending was anti climatic and a reveal of some kind would have made the slower pacing of the book more worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC.

“God goes silent on all of us. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.” Penitence by Kristin Koval is a novel that explores forgiveness, guilt, and personal redemption. The story centers around a young teen, Nora, struggling with the aftermath of a tragic and life-altering event: she has killed her brother. But unlike thrillers or fast-paced murder mysteries, this story is a slow burn, taking time to deeply explore the emotional interiors of the characters as they search for ways to atone for their past mistakes.

Julian, Nora’s lawyer, and Angie, her mom are also characters seeking forgiveness—both from others and from themselves. Julian says to Nora, “You need to become the person you want to be instead of the person who did the bad thing.” Each character wrestles with their own form of penance, trying to piece together their fractured lives while grappling with overwhelming remorse.

Though some would describe Penitence as a thriller, I feel this novel is a quieter, more intimate exploration of trauma and recovery. This novel is less about the crime itself and more about the consequences of that crime and the difficult path toward redemption.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced ride, this might not be the book for you. However, if you enjoy a character-focused book with the themes of guilt, atonement, and forgiveness, then Penitence is an unforgettable read.

A wintery literary suspense debut set primarily in rural Colorado about a family in crisis who turn to the mother’s first love for help when their daughter is accused of murder. This book is being marketed for readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng and I can see it for substance, but not necessarily style. Setting my expectations so high probably didn’t serve this book well, but I did enjoy it enough and it held my attention. The story moves quickly thanks to a dual timeline that flashes back to follow the first love story in the 90s into the early aughts which also contains a tragedy with present day reverberations.

I think Penitence will be best suited to readers who enjoy a literary leaning thriller.

3.25 stars

This started off amazing with a great premise but was in my opinion dragged out a little too much. The pacing was overall pretty slow. Chapters go back and forth between past and present timelines and the present story was way more interesting. I constantly found myself just wanting to get back to the main storyline. The backstory for the characters was nice but could've been shorter.

This does bring up valid critiques of our judicial system but the author doesn't trust her readers and holds their hand a little too much. Too many things were over explained or just repeated constantly.

Overall, not a bad book. It was just okay. The ending did make me cry a little though so it's def getting some points for that.

This is an amazing debut novel and a story that I won't soon forget. This book contains deep emotion and mystery. It will keep you interested until the end. I loved the focus on forgiveness. This is a powerful novel and I can't wait to read more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Set in Colorado and New York in Then and Now timelines of the nineties/early aughts, and the 20-teens, PENITENCE tackles the mysterious and shocking death of a boy committed by his sister. There are two storylines, one this current story, and the other, that of the siblings’ mother decades before. This was a well-written debut which doesn’t tie things up with all the answers. It leaves you wondering and thoughtful about many things. I thought the strongest part was the ending, when the children’s mother reckons with the decision to forgive her daughter.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

Penitence by Kristin Koval is a beautifully written novel that explores love and redemption through the lives of two families bound by tragedy. This story spans from rural Colorado to pre 9/11 New York City while raising the question, does one terrible mistake define us forever? The characters feel deeply human, flawed, complex, and shaped by unspoken regrets and lost chances. While this book is rich in themes of family and forgiveness, it also delivers plenty of suspense and emotional depth. I was completely drawn in by the wonderful storytelling and the way the author balances tension and heartfelt moments. The pacing is just right, keeping you hooked while giving the characters the space to grow. If you love literary fiction with a touch of mystery and emotional depth, this book is absolutely worth reading.

I really enjoyed this book! I'll link to the review later once I put it up, but I thought it was a magnificent debut. good character work, strong relationship building, & ethical dilemmas. there was a tad bit of predictability and the ending felt a little too rushed for me in the confrontation with Julian and Angie, but otherwise I recommend it! reminded me of Jodi Picoult.

When the unimaginable happens, Angie and David must find a way to defend their 13 year old daughter from the crime that she just committed against her own brother. Angie must also face her past when her ex-boyfriend plays a pivotal role in the legal process, bringing about buried traumas and a search for the closure that was never obtained.

This book was captivating and well-paced. The depictions of the characters were nuanced and authentic. The focus of the book is not on the crime itself but rather the intricacies of familial relationships, past connections, and finding forgiveness in the most impossible situations.

PENITIENCE is an ideal companion to this seemingly endless winter season: set in snowy rural Colorado, this mystery is propulsive while still filled with depth.

The story opens when thirteen year-old Nora kills her fourteen year-old brother, Nico. Nora’s parents, David and Angie, seek legal counsel from the rural town’s best known lawyer, Martine, who is on the brink of retirement and not well versed in murder trials. Martine calls her son, a famed NYC defense attorney, Julian, for back-up. To make things even juicier, Julian and Angie have a deep romantic history.

PENITENCE reminded me of old school Jodi Picoult, the courtroom drama mystery novels I devoured on summery holidays in middle and high school. I similarly devoured this one; I looked forward to picking it up each night and to my commutes with the audiobook.

Kristin Koval executes a dual timeline brilliantly in this novel, with one timeline focusing on Angie and Julian’s history and the other focusing on the present day murder of Nico. The structure develops the key players, keeps the story propulsive, and strengthens the emotions behind the mystery.

I love nothing more than a mystery that goes beyond the blueprint set for the genre, and PENITENCE certainly does that. Though the pacing is propulsive, it is largely a character-driven novel. There are captivating family dynamics, the relatably powerful emotions of first love, discussion of the power of forgiveness, and commentary on the American legal system.

This is not, however, a perfect novel. The plot is scattered at times, the character development is inconsistent throughout, and there are elements left unresolved. It is, though, a strong and solid debut that kept me highly entertained. I’ll be on the lookout for whatever Kristin Koval writes next.

When a devastating shooting takes place in the home of Angie and David, both of their children are lost to them in the blink of an eye. Turning to a local lawyer, Martine Dumont, for help, the past rears its head and Angie is soon not only trying to save her daughter, but she is also in the throes of the past. Martine is the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a love that ended tragically. Martine is on the verge of retirement and doesn’t feel qualified to take on the case. She soon is calling on Julian to come help. Everyone must confront the past and present in this character driven debut. Broken relationships, trusts and hearts are at the center of this story, but will there be any reconciliation and forgiveness before we reach the ending? This book is written in different timelines and had me riveted from start to finish. Both past and present storylines were strong, which doesn’t always happen. The ending wasn’t what I’d hoped for, but fit right in with the rest of the story. Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book had me all over the place. From the start, when I couldn’t stop reading, to parts where I felt I couldn’t keep reading, until the end, I was everywhere. This book, wow. Angie & David Sheehan’s lives are broken, the night their daughter kills their son. She is 13 years old and she shoots her brother dead, in their home. They don’t know who to turn to, so they reach out to an estranged friend, who happens to be a lawyer. Martine Dumont, isn’t just a lawyer, she is the mother of Angie’s first love. She isn’t the right person to handle this case, so she leans on her son. Who is a criminal defense lawyer in New York City. Julian comes to town to help Angie and her daughter and they must confront their past and make the best of the present. This novel spans declares. It has many different side stories but the author does a great job at connecting them all. There are lies, heartaches, grief and sadness. But even with this sad undertone, there is hope. That is why, this book had all the feels. It had some twists and turns and an ending, I didn’t see coming. I want to thank Netgalley & Kristin Koval for my copy of Penitence, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story.