Review by Booklist Review
A lie smells of smoke and rot, though its exact scent depends upon the telling. In a family of magically gifted women, this ability to sense falsehoods belongs to Rowan James, so it's befuddling when a blatant lie is spoken in her presence without the telltale stench. It's only one of an uptick in unusual occurrences (thefts, memory loss, strange visitors) around Caball Hollow, their small Appalachian town, where only a few months earlier Rowan's sister, Linden, became dangerously entangled with the local legend of the Moth-Winged Man. Rowan gets caught up in these mysteries when a comatose John Doe is found in the woods, not far from the cracked, ancient bone tree that the James women know to be a strong source of magic. Pearsall again paints an atmospheric family saga studded with folk magic, intrigue, sisterly bonds, and romance, and Rowan's compelling character development ties the multifaceted plot together. While this book stands alone, the reading experience is enriched if one is familiar with Bittersweet in the Hollow, 2023.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--This novel begins a few months after the events of Bittersweet in the Hollow and is told from the perspective of Rowan, the James sister who smell lies and in the previous book fought with Hadrian, their farm helper. As Caball Hollow deals a content creator searching for the Moth-Winged man, ginseng poachers, and townspeople who are losing items and memories, Rowan finds her temper flaring. Her grandmother banishes her to a Forest Service outlook station. At the station, Rowan finds creatures that don't belong--an adder and magpies. A car accident resulting in an unclaimed body and an unconscious man found in the woods seem connected to strange events she witnesses in the forest and in town. When Juniper, the youngest sister, contacts the accident victim with disastrous consequences, Rowan finds herself seeking out Hadrian's help. He is part of the link the James family has with the Bone Tree and Otherworld. Slowly, Rowan peels back layers of deception, learns more about family members, and navigates tricky deals with Hadrian to save her family. The simmering tension between Hadrian and Rowan leads to romance as they work together. The atmospheric writing captures the impact of the supernatural on real-world events. A surprise at the end hints at another book about the James family. VERDICT An engrossing supernatural story with a nice slow burn romance. The first book does not need to be read but provides readers with a better understanding of the characters. Strong first buy.--Tamara Saarinen
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An 18-year-old girl is confronted with the mysteries and magic of her small town. Rowan James and her sisters, born with magical gifts, live in Caball Hollow, West Virginia, where the townspeople treat them with a mixture of awe and suspicion. Rowan has a special ability to smell lies, so she becomes confused when she can't detect dishonesty where she expects to find it. This discovery leads her to realize that people in town are losing not only personal belongings but also their memories. While staying in a remote cabin and volunteering with the Forest Service at a fire lookout tower, Rowan is stunned when Hadrian Fitch, the farmhand who worked for her family and vanished weeks earlier, reappears on her doorstep, unconscious and bleeding. As more strange occurrences unfold--including a death tied to the mysterious events sweeping through town--Rowan finds herself at the heart of an escalating mystery. Her investigation grows increasingly dangerous as startling secrets come to light, and she must determine who in Caball Hollow can be trusted: Hadrian, a group of paranormal YouTubers, or even her own family members. This gothic Appalachian mystery works as a stand-alone but weaves together complex characters and storylines from 2023'sBittersweet in the Hollow. The plot is intricately crafted, with key information held back until the novel's explosive conclusion. The pacing is steady yet filled with tension, ensuring that each revelation lands with an impact. The main characters are cued white. Sparkling and darkly atmospheric.(Supernatural thriller. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
