Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was very excited about this novel. After all, what's not to love about Appalachia, sister bonds, magical realism, baby lesbians, and dash of mystery? Unfortunately, most of this book did not hook me. The interesting subject matter and beautiful prose was held back by some hella slow pacing. Although I love some slow literary novels, the book's description, subject matter, and length all led me to believe this one would be faster paced, so I finished this book feeling a bit misled.

I will say, if you're struggling with finishing this one, the last 30% was my favorite portion of the novel. The pace sped up and things were happening. I think if more of the book was written with that pacing, it would have kept my interest more than it did.

I have no doubts this book will find an audience that loves its slow, eerie atmosphere. It just wasn't quite for me.

Publication Date: 16 July 2024