Can't stop thinking about the characters in this book. Great new author that really gets Appalachia.

Seventeen-year old Sadie Blue is pregnant. Despite having only been married for fifteen days, she knows that her drunken and abusive husband, Roy Tupkin, is bad news based on how regularly he knocks her about. Sadie wants more for herself than a life as Roy’s battered wife, but the small mountain town of Baines Creek, where she lives, is not a place where change is welcomed. However, when a stranger arrives in town to teach at the school, the locals are suspicious and confused by her unusual ways and attitudes, but Miss Kate Shaw may, in fact, be the friend that Sadie needs to escape from Roy’s clutches.

Written in the first-person perspective of a multitude of colourful and varying characters, “If the Creek Don’t Rise” is an engaging and moving story about strength and self-belief and the difficulty of breaking free from the inertia of small town life. The book was extremely readable and the different narratives all felt as if they were truly coming from different characters – from the kind-hearted preacher, Eli Perkins, and his judgemental sister, to Sadie’s bitter grandmother, to the controversial teacher, Kate, and even Roy himself. As a reader, I naturally felt sympathy for the ‘nice’ characters and wanted things to turn out well for them but the author also manages to show the other side of the ‘nasty’ characters and the events in their lives that have led to them being the way they are, making their personalities extremely multidimensional and realistic. You come away from the story feeling as if you know each of the different people involved and asking yourself questions about their lives and what you yourself would have done had you been in their circumstances.

The setting of this book was masterfully created by the author and the writing really sets the scene in a way that vividly transports the reader to the mountainside throughout the story. Whilst not exactly thrilling, the narratives are engaging and mostly keep you turning pages to see what happens next. Some of the subjects that the book touches on are quite dark and upsetting but the author tackles them sensitively and manages to excellently and honestly portray a way of life that is extremely different from the one we know.

Unfortunately, some of the characters’ stories didn’t seem to have a real ‘ending’ to them, but I felt that this was probably done deliberately by the author in order to give us a realistic snapshot of life in Appalachia rather than creating an artificially rounded tale for each of her characters. I found the ending a little unsatisfying as a result but still enjoyed the book and found myself thinking about the characters after I had put it down, imagining how things might have turned out for them. My other criticisms were that at times multiple different characters described the same events in a way that was a little repetitive, and also the narratives would sometimes move back and forward in time between characters, which could be a little confusing.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about a different way of life or is interested in human stories, although fans of thrillers and extreme drama may find it a little slow-paced. Nonetheless, I very much enjoyed it and would be keen to read more by this author.

Daenerys

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Baines (means bones, referencing the Civil War era) Creek is high up in a very remote part of the Appalachian mountains. Dirt poor, scrabbling to have basic human needs met, Sadie Blue realizes she made a big mistake marrying Roy Tupkin about 15 days into the marriage, even though she is very pregnant.

The story is told by all the people who are involved in Sadie and Roy's life, but Sadie's story which is woven through everyone else's story rings out the loudest. Sadie is courageous and tenacious, living a tough life. Good read.

4☆

I added If the Creek Don’t Rise: A Novel to my summer reading list because the setting and description reminded me of Hillbilly Elegy.

This book is fiction, but many of the themes are the same as in Elegy: people in isolated communities, living in poverty, with addiction and violence, and no easy way out.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

First of all, It includes strong women characters, one is Sadie, who has followed the usual path in marrying a bad husband too young, but she has a plan. And another character who isn’t even mentioned in the publisher’s notes, Miss Shaw, a teacher who comes to the area to attempt to make a difference, was my favorite. No previous teacher has lasted very long in this area.

The story is told by alternating (mostly women) point of views in a readable Appalachian dialect. While Sadie gets inspiration from Loretta Lynn songs, Sadie’s grandma, who also once did what she had to do, pays tribute to Mother Jones who called out the coal mining industry:

“Mother Jones don’t like that coal miners put a pile of gold coins in rich men’s pockets and nary a penny in their own. If daddies got hurt, boys got sent into the mines. When bills weren’t paid, then families got put out on the road -their stuff crammed in a paper poke. If a man was to say out loud That ain’t right, he’d be gone without a trace. When Mother Jones says That ain’t right, folks listen.”

There is an interesting dynamic and friendship between Miss Shaw (an atheist) and the town preacher, another good character. Not all the characters are likeable but mostly we find out why they are the way they are, for example the preacher’s sister Prudence, who can’t stand the happiness Miss Shaw is bringing to the children of the community:

“I come to the schoolhouse and look in the windows at an odd sight. The children twirl and whirl with their arms up and out, and old Miss Shaw does the same thing. Even through closed windows I hear their voices singsong, Autumn leaves are falling down…yellow, red, orange, and brown! At the end little heads drop from sight as bodies fall to the floor and giggle. Then the door flies open, and boys and girls with rosy cheeks spill out and swirl past me. I’m shot through with envy at simple joy that won’t mind, and anger grabs me so tight I can’t breathe.“

I found this a solid, entertaining, and interesting read in a setting I wanted to know more about.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of a small mountain town in North Carolina, Baines (which means “bones” in the local dialogue) Creek. It is there that we meet this interesting cast of characters, including Sadie Blue, a young pregnant woman trying to survive the beatings inflicted on her by her husband, Roy. Also included is Kate Shaw, the new local teacher, Prudence, the preacher’s sister, Eli, the preacher, and various others. We get to hear a little from each different character’s point of view, which I thought was really interesting for the overall story. The grammar was pretty hard to get through in some parts, the author tries hard to stay true to the dialect of the region being represented in the book and they are for the most part illiterate. The book follows the different characters lives through a strange course of events.
Overall I liked this book a good amount. I liked seeing things through each different character’s point of view and I liked that each section from each different person revealed a new piece of the story. The grammar was hard to get through and also I felt like there were a lot of open pieces to the story left kind of unresolved, even with all the different points of view. I liked all the different characters, especially Sadie and Katie Shaw. There was a lot going on with so many different points of view and sometimes it was a little distracting. Other than that though I thought this was a good book and I was interested to see what would happen in the end.

A very honest look at life in Appalachia. These are desperate people with desperate lives and buried secrets who live a life of extreme poverty in isolation from the outside world until a strong and kind stranger comes to the area. This stranger is the new schoolteacher who sort of “upsets the apple cart.” This is a very well written book with well developed and true to life characters and an appropriate plot. The mood, living conditions, and language are genuine for Appalachia. I couldn’t put it down. The author lets us see all sides of life in Appalachia, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I was happy to see Sadie finally come out on top at the end. There are some very interesting characters some of which are despicable and others very likeable. This book is well worth the read and I look forward to reading more from Leah Weiss in the future.

My Review: 4/5
Great praise for this book.  This was unlike anything I’ve read.  It was a fresh break from my usual reads, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Set in the Appalachian Mountains, it tells the story of a small town and the interesting people who inhabit it.  The story is told from different points of view, about 10 in all.  We start with Sadie, a lovely girl who has already encountered hardship at a young age.  She finds herself pregnant with the town’s bad-boy and is instantly a wife and soon-to-be mother.  This sweet girl stole my heart.  I loved her optimism and longing to love life, even though she was trapped in a loveless, hopeless world.
The author did a fabulous job describing the culture of mountain-life.  The poverty level was unreal.  The language at times was difficult to understand.  Again, the author nailed this.  I felt so immersed in the story, I was right along with the citizens of the mountain.
This book was original.  I am still trying to understand how this is the author’s debut novel.  Superb job!

If the Creek Don't Rise is a terrific book. I loved the North Carolina mountain setting. The book has a good plot and believable characters. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The story is set in Baines Creek, a small remote town in Appalachian mountains, North Carolina during the 70's. The people in this isolated town are facing huge social problems such as lack of education, poverty, and domestic violence.

This book is written in multiple perspectives which I truly loved. It adds more depth to the story and characters. Speaking of characters, this books has a lot of amazing, authentic and unforgettable ones.

We get to meet Sadie Blue, a young pregnant girl who has been married for fifteen days to his alcoholic and abusive husband Roy Tupkin; Gladys Hicks, her grandmother whose past has also been difficult; Sadie's aunt Marris Jones who is very kind and loving; Preacher Eli Perkins and her spiteful sister Prudence; Kate Shaw, a very passionate teacher/person and a newcomer from the city; Birdie Rocas, the local "witch" with a crow nest on on her head; Billy Barnhill, Roy's "shadow"; and a young boy named Tattler Swan. My personal favorites were Sadie, Marris, Kate, and Birdie. I loved the sincerity and compassion that they've shown to others.

The writing matches the story perfectly. It was unusual yet captivating. The author managed to take me to Baines Creek and introduced me to the town and its people. She made me feel their sorrow and pain. Some of the scenes were too heavy and hard to read (expecially the violent scenes) but there were also heartwarming and touching ones. I had no problem adjusting with the narration and here were also some phrases (old words) that I wasn't familiar of but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story.

My only problem was there were some interesting and important incidents that were never mentioned again towards the end. In my opinion, the story isn't only about Sadie. It's about all of the characters in the story. The ending was unexpected. I wasn't expecting that at all. It felt quite abrupt but I thought it was brilliant.

If The Creek Don't Rise is an astounding debut novel that will definitely stays with me for quite a while. Highly recommended!

if the creek don’t rise by Leah Weiss is quite the debut novel. i will 100% admit that i was interested in reading this book because i loved the cover photo. this is a gritty, emotional portrayal of the life and struggles of an apalachian community that was told with depth and sensitivity.

leah’s characters are crafted so exquisitely i felt like i was in their kitchens or on their front porches listening to them tell me about their lives.

sadie blue is the protagonist and though she is beaten down and has had a life no one would envy, i could tell she was a spitfire meant for great things. i honestly couldn’t help but get wrapped up in her story. she was at times familiar as a character. her struggles – while most of the time completely foreign to me – were at times something i think most young women could find something in common with. she is poor, poorly educated, hopeful, naive, and trusting despite her situations. leah wrote sadie in such a way that you have to root for her.

the cast of characters at her side are all supportive (save for her husband) in their own ways and in learning about their lives which happens via their own chapters which occur throughout time and simultaneously with sadie blue’s life we learn how the events that shape the resolution of this story had been put into place years prior.

i cannot recommend this book enough. it was a quick read for me and though the tension was slow to build overall, the intense bursts of drama that were placed in the story so expertly make it hard to believe this is leah’s first work!

4.5/5 stars from this girl!

A 1970s Appalachian mountain town is brought to life through the alternating first-person voices of Leah Weiss’ characters. Several different people speak about the happenings in Baines Creek, North Carolina, though the common thread throughout most of the book is Sadie Blue, a pregnant teenage bride in an abusive marriage.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I thought the writing was beautiful, and I especially enjoyed the folksy dialect of the characters. The lives of Baines Creek’s locals are hard and heartbreaking, and it was easy to empathize with them. What I didn’t like was the incomplete feeling I have after finishing. We’re introduced to several characters whose stories are left up in the air. Even with Sadie Blue’s story, there wasn’t a strong, cohesive plot linking everything together.

IF THE CREEK DON’T RISE is Leah Weiss’ debut novel, and she already has a talent for drawing readers in with her intriguing characterizations. Looking forward to seeing where she goes next.

I really enjoyed this book...it was easy to read...and easy to relate to...it was about something...that could happen every day! It was nicely written...and you find yourself wanting Sadie to make her life better...because she is a good person...and doesn't deserve the troubles in her life! I would recommend this novel to anyone that wants something that is quick to read...yet interesting enough to keep you going!!!

What an enjoyable read! The story takes place in Appalachia in the 1970s, a time and place that felt as if it were decades earlier due to the poverty and lack of education, with no hope or opportunity for change.

The book opens when pregnant and newly married Sadie is beaten by her husband. Sadie had high hopes for her marriage but soon finds out she’s made a horrible mistake. Her hero is Loretta Lynn, who was from a hillbilly town, and escaped to find a better life. In Sadie’s words “Miss Loretta is a miracle to me”

From here, the story is narrated by a colorful cast of characters who inhabit the town. Each adds their backstory and perspective to the story, ultimately creating a complete picture of the people and the events that take place.

Some characters are noble and good, while others are despicable, but all are unforgettable. The people of this village stick together and often help one another out in unexpected ways.

One highlight of the book for me was the depiction of the female friendships that were a source of strength and support. Sadie, Gladys, and Marris were my favorite characters. Preacher Eli is one of the few good men, a man who has been “planting seeds a long time to help her (Sadie) believe in herself." The day Kate, the new teacher, arrives changes the dynamics and her guidance offers Sadie hope for a better life. But not everyone is happy with Kate’s forward liberated thinking.

Although there are many characters, this is Sadie’s story, and the book begins and ends with her. The tension slowly builds throughout the novel to the very end, and what a surprise ending it is!

This was an excellent debut and recommended for fans of character-driven, Southern “Grit Lit”, but isn’t bothered by the fact that not every character’s story is resolved and neatly tied up in a bow.

**Many thanks to Netgalley and Sourecebooks Landmark for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this novel! I know it won't be for everyone, but being a female from the Deep South who adores character studies that manage to become the plot itself made this the perfect read for me! The unique form of dialogue and slow building tension worked well in my humble opinion; the broken dialect reflected the time period's lack of value for women and the dark struggle that many have endured at the hands of a violent drunk. The story was very straight forward; there isn't much sense of mystery or suspense in the natural sense, but I found that the tension building between Roy and Sadie really catapulted the story forward and gripped me for the entirety of the narrative. Oh, and that ending? I thought it was brilliant. I must be the odd ball out, as I felt there was complete closure to the story and nothing was really left hanging. Highly recommended for those who enjoy deep characterization of rough folks in a historical fiction setting that feels as if it could have been written in today's time.

What an absolutely fabulous read! If I could I would give this novel 10 stars. From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. Leah truly captured the language and the spirit of Appalachia. She was able to effortlessly shift from one person's point of view to another, keeping the story flowing smoothly. The ending was absolutely brilliant. I am really looking forward to her next novel.

So, I feel like a jerk, but I just did not care for If the Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss. I recognize that it may just be where my mind is at currently, but this book, while well-written, was incredibly depressing and slow moving. Those who have been following me know that I do like my share of depressing novels, but I need a little bit of happy so my tears are worth it.

I had to force myself to keep reading because it did not capture my attention. Then, the plot and characters were so sad that I did not find many reasons to want to keep reading it.

For example, the characters live very hard, poor lives in rural Appalachia. However, they do not seem to learn from their choices and just continue living the same sad lives – getting beaten, alienating others, hurting relationships, etc.

I really wanted to like this book more since I have heard so many rave reviews and it is set in time/place and a genre I usually enjoy reading about (Southern fiction). In this case, it just did not happen for me.

However, I will say that for a character-driven novel, the author does a nice job of creating a vast array of characters. I did not like or relate to many of them, which made it difficult in a character-driven novel. But, if you like novels more focused on character than plot. And novels that are gritty, realistic, frank, and depressing, then you will most likely enjoy it.

I do believe I am the weird one here as the book is getting quite a bit of praise, but I just couldn’t wait to finish it so I could read something more enjoyable. Sorry!

If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss is a highly recommended debut novel set during the 1970's in the Appalachian community of Baines Creek, N.C.

The cast of characters tell the story from their point of view through their own chapters. Weiss have given each character their own unique voice in their chapters. Some characters are heard from once or a few times while others have multiple chapters to propel the story forward through their personal narrative. This approach creates a powerful ensemble piece with strong character development and develops a compelling sense of place in the setting.

Sadie Blue has been Roy Tupkin's wife for fifteen days and she knows that she has made a terrible mistake. He is a bully and his beatings are endangering their unborn child, as well as her own life. What she needs to do is listen to her Daddy's voice and find a smart way out. Her dour grandmother, Gladys Hicks, knows what Sadie is going through because she had to deal with her own abusive husband. Sadie's Aunt Marris Jones, a caring, optimistic neighbor to her grandmother, sees what is going on and wants to help Sadie.

Then Preacher Eli Perkins welcomes the new teacher to town, Kate Shaw. At 51 years old and over 6 feet tall, Kate is not at all what the community expects, but she is made of tougher stuff than they realize. She is also determined to make sure her students are fed during the time they are in school. Eli is attracted to her intellect, even though she is an agnostic, while his sister Prudence sets out to set others against Kate. Sadie likes Kate and Kate has promised to teach her to read. Birdie Rocas, a neighbor of Kate's and a local healer/diviner, watches Kate, protects her, and then befriends her. Everyone is concerned for Sadie's well-being.

If the Creek Don't Rise is a collection of many points of view where the characters are in each other's stories. While the synopsis makes it sound like it is solely Sadie's story, it really is a character driven novel. Telling the story through the viewpoints of different characters works extremely well in this novel with a southern Gothic feel to it. Even Roy gets a chapter. I will note that ultimately, Sadie gets the last word, so the arch of her story is told.

The writing is excellent and the characterizations are exceptionally well done. The sense of place is firmly established. I liked the ending too. This is certainly a novel worth reading, but for me, a well developed plot was a wee-bit lacking in If the Creek Don't Rise. Oh, there are anecdotes told and stories shared while confronting the immediate question of helping Sadie, but there were so many other stories and questions that were never resolved. For example, why give us the chapter from Prudence, and then not another word from that harpy? Or just drop the thread of Reverend Eli's attraction to Kate? In the end I liked If the Creek Don't Rise quite a bit, but not enough to give it my highest rating.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Sourcebooks
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/08/if-creek-dont-rise.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2105459813
https://www.facebook.com/shetreadssoftly/

Wow. What an incredible read!

As soon as I read the first page, the first line, I knew it was going to be quite an emotional story.

"I struggle to my feet, straighten my back, lift my chin, then he hits me again. This time I fall down and stay down while he counts"

Sadie Blue is picking foolish pride at first when she stands up with her chin high until her good for nothing husband, Ray hits her again. When she falls this time she decides to stay down. Ray finally stops and leaves. Slamming the trailer as he walks into the woods.

Her daddy's spirit comes to her telling her she needs to get away.

"If I could follow the bastard and kill him for you, I would, sweet girl, but it don't work like that."

She tells us her daddy treats her better in death than he did when he was alive...which is putting it mildly considering he once used a night with her in place of the five dollars he didn't have for a hand in poker. Thank God he won the hand, but she felt he would have paid up if he'd needed too (she was ten).

And now I knew this wasn't just going to be an emotional read but a heartbreaking one. But also one that I was going to have a very hard time putting down.

Her daddy wasn't the same after Momma.

"He got nothing from loving mom cept me left behind"

When Sadie tells us about the night her daddy ended up dead ....well it's heartbreaking too. Sadie Blue has had a hell of a start in life and so far the future isn't looking much better. She knows she was a fool to fall for Ray, with his sassy grin that made her heart flutter. Her Granny could see his evil...

"You knock them fake stars outta your blind eyes, Sadie Blue, or you gonna lay with the devil and live in hell."

Gladys Hicks is Sadie's grandmother. There's a good reason she's able to see evil in people like Ray Tupkin right away. Life hasn't been easy for Gladys. She's a hard woman, not prone to cuddles and warmth. She figures that Sadie didn't listen to her and now she's made her bed and needs to lay in it or find her own way out of it. But all that doesn't mean she don't worry. She doesn't like when her "ruminating" and "rememberings" take her places she don't wanna go ....or don't wanna leave.

Marris Jones is a second cousin by marriage and lives down the road. She's full of sunshine and it irritates the heck out of Gladys.

I LOVE Marris. She's full of love for everyone, including Gladys. She takes care of everyone, cooking and offering her support. And Marris knows things...things people don't realize she knows. Marris is really worried about Sadie Blue. She loves her like she's her own and hates seeing the life she's living with Roy. She wants to help Sadie but doesn't know how.

Sadie loves Loretta Lynn. She likes Loretta's life story. How she grew up in a log cabin in a Kentucky holler and now she has a wonderful life.

"Miss Loretta is rich, but she's my kinda people. She won't turn up her nose at a simple life like mine."

Now, Sadie has been married to Ray Tupkin for fifteen days.....and it's already beating number three. But she's making a plan.

"Roy Tupkin's gonna be sorry he ever messed with me and Loretta Lynn."

Everyone wants to get a look at the new teacher that has come. The previous teachers haven't lasted and no one expects this one too either. The Preacher, Eli Perkins keeps trying to get a decent teacher for the kids and really hopes this one will stay. The teacher, Kate Shaw is described by some of the other folk as a tall, big woman with short hair who wears pants.

Will Kate find her way and decide to stay? Or will the locals drive her out like they did to the other teachers. And what will happen to Sadie Blue?

So many great characters. The author did a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life. I enjoyed their individual stories, though I wanted to know even more about some of them.

As emotional and hard as it was to read at times, a lot of the writing was touching and heartwarming. The kindness and compassion that many characters showed each other. I became very invested in their lives...especially Sadie Blue. I wanted things to turn out well for her and couldn't read fast enough to find out how it would play out.

***Warning: the abuse was hard to read about. Men cold as ice with liquor, anger, and jealousy running through their veins. Full of hate, but so weak that they would take it out on someone who couldn't or wouldn't fight back.

Honest and gritty with a great plot. "If The Creek Don't Rise" is an excellent novel. The story and fantastic characters will stick with me for a very long time.


Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

Sadie Blue is pregnant and newly married to an mean, abusive moonshiner. Life is undoubtedly hard. Not only for her, but for all the people who live in the North Carolina mountain town of Baines Creek. Everyone in the town, from Sadie’s grandmother to the new schoolteacher, have secrets to keep and a past that won’t stop following them.

If you’re not familiar with the North Carolina mountains, you should be. I’ve had the privilege of visiting them over the past few years and have a profound love for them. I only wish I could call those mountains “Home."

The Appalachians are remarkably beautiful, but even I know that they have seen a sad and painful history.

There is extreme poverty in the Appalachians, even now. The lack of education runs rampant, but so does bravery and determination.

That is the case with this book: Sadie Blue is just the newest generation of mountain women who have faced horrible things, and must decide if she’ll cower, or if she’ll choose to be brave. We also learn the stories of her grandmother, aunt, new schoolteacher, and many others, all of whom have experienced the very good and the very bad.

There is a timeless quality to this story. I wasn’t able to tell what time period the book was set in for a good portion of it. There were cars mentioned, but otherwise, I couldn’t tell if the story was based in 1940, 50, and so on. The struggles of the people of the Appalachians are as ageless as the mountains themselves. I loved it.

One note I want to make is this: While this book largely follows the story of Sadie Blue, almost every chapter is narrated by a different character. These characters are almost always familiar to the reader, having been introduced by previous narrators. It’s not jarring, switching between the narrators, like it is in some books.

I sometimes wished that the book stuck with three or less narrators so that I got to know them better, but the fact that each character had their own very distinct voice made me forget that. Each character “spoke” differently. I felt I knew each person well.

And that ending, y’all…

If you have a hankering for some Southern fiction, this is absolutely the book to pick up. I am looking forward to reading books by this author in the future. This book was worth every minute.

3 out of 5 stars to If The Creek Don't Rise, an historical fiction novel set to be published in August 2017, written by Leah Weiss. I enjoyed reading the book, selecting 3 stars because it had several strong parts but also some concerns that I'll share later. Overall, I'm glad I read it.

Why This Book
I read the description of this book via NetGalley, where I search for all my ARCs, and thought it would be a great read prior to my upcoming trip to North Carolina, where I may be stopping in the same rural mountain area.

Plot, Characters & Setting
This is an ensemble book about a cast of 10 characters in the mid 20th century who live in the rural area of the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. It covers a few events that occurred to some of the townspeople in Baines Creek, providing the view points from different sides of the story. It centers around Sadie Blue, a 17-year-old girl who marries the man who has just gotten her pregnant. From there, the book covers domestic abuse, murder, religion, family, love and friendships. At its core, the novel covers the various relationships built in the town, understanding who sits back doing nothing versus who takes action when they are passionate about the outcome and protection of life.

Approach & Style
I read the electronic version on my Kindle via an iPad over the course of five nights. The book is about 300 pages, each 20 pages long across 15 chapters. Each chapter is told from a different character's point of view, written in the first person perspective. Dialect is important given the book is recreating life during a historical time period in a very specific region where culture and society are quite different.

Strengths
The characters are very clear and distinct. Each of the major players has a voice you will recognize and understand. Sometimes you will love them and sometimes you will hate them, but each one will leave an impression.

The setting is quite strong. You will feel transported to this rural town in the mountains. From the description, to the dialect and to the way the story unfolds, it matches what you'd expect from the constructs of this type of environment. You will feel like you are in the town.

It deals with very specific personal and family issues that will resonate will a lot of people. From a social perspective, it highlights things that happened in the past that were almost condoned or allowed to happen, due to people's fears and lack of education or knowledge.

Concerns
When I read the description, I thought it would be a great plot and story. But when I read the book, it was quite different. This is not a novel where a primary plot point drives the chapters. It's a character-driven story that tells of the happenings in a small town. The plot isn't as important as the way each of the characters interpret it. I found myself skimming pages to get to the crux of the story, but it never happened. It's a preference style, and I think the book should be marketed differently and have an alternative description or cover summary. It would help find a different set of readers who enjoy this type of book. Had I known, I might have spent more time investing in the characters in the beginning rather than trying to piece together a plot that wasn't going to become any more clear. That said, it's still a well-written book and will appeal to a wide audience.

Author & Other Similar Books
Although they are not of the same caliber, it reminded me of the book Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Both books cover highly controversial social issues within a small town, telling the story of how everyone reacts to a few critical events. Where Beartown brings a focus on plot, this book is more about how people interpret society's values and actions.

It's the author's first book, but she shows a lot of promise. I would read another of her books, but I'd want to be careful to understand the plot and approach to telling the story to verify it matches with the way I like to read a book.

Final Thoughts
In my world, a 3 is a good review. It means you had good elements and a few things I didn't quite latch on to. If this had a little more action and some clarity around the plot and point of the book, I might have given it a 4. That said, it will definitely resonate with many readers given it has a strong pull to connect you to the characters and the setting. Hope you enjoy it.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

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