The River Within seems like a classic story of love, loss, class distinction and tragedy. What makes the story unique is Powell’s poetic language and the sense of place that permeates the story. Even though the story opens with a death (not a spoiler), this is a delicate telling of human emotion. It is told by the alternating narration of the four main characters and multiple timelines which can be a challenge to keep straight, but it helps to maintain the tension of the story. I enjoyed this story and will look for more from this author. Thank you to Net Galley and Europa US, and Dreamscape Media for the Advanced Listener’s Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Adult/minor relationship/molestation, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental Illness, Misogyny, Physical Abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder

This book really took me for a ride that I did not expect. Find Me in Havana is traumatic from the get-go; my mouth fell open and I was stunned every time I remembered it this was based off real life events. It is a difficult (though very well-executed & impactful) read; I cringed at so many parts and had to stop reading to catch my breath. The story of Estelita Rodriguez and her daughter Nina Lopez is heartbreaking, and it will definitely stick with me for a very long time. The trials and tribulations these women go through is incomprehensible. It's hard to say I enjoyed reading this book, considering the content is so upsetting and disturbing; however, I came away having learned so much. It definitely made me confront and contemplate a lot of harsh realities. The theme of men using and abusing women is what really stuck out to me, a disgusting reality. The complexity of family relationships and the importance of communication in the face of trauma was another message I took away from this book. Find Me in Havana will make you feel so many emotions as it is a dark story, though the ending filled me with a surprising amount of hope.

Find Me in Havana was stunningly written, the author clearly having done her research and also taking her time to weave chapters and craft sentences in an impactful way. She actually worked closely with the daughter, Nina Lopez (I'm pretty sure Nina Lopez commissioned her to write the piece?), and you can tell. Serena Burdick is an incredible writer. If you are up for it, I definitely recommend this book! However, I would definitely take into consideration that this book is painful and the content is unsettling, so I would pick it up when you're ready to ready something heavy and dark.