“Lisa McMann’s Dead to You meets Kate Ellison’s The Butterfly Clues in a psychological thriller full of romance, intrigue, and mystery.
Two years ago, Callie was found in an abandoned apartment, scrawling words on the wall: “I KILLED HIM. His blood is on my hands. His heart is in my soul. I KILLED HIM.” But she remembers nothing of that night or of the three previous days. All she knows is that her father, the reverend at the Church of the Holy Promise, is missing, as is Hannah, a young girl from the parish. Their disappearances have to be connected and Callie knows that her father was not a righteous man.
But the more she remembers, the closer she comes to the horrifying truth. And when a good looking guy in school helps her to remember what she’s buried for so long, she might wish she never dug up the past.”
WILL BE AVAILABLE: May 14, 2014
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I was given an ARC by a nearby book company and I just want to state – like always – that that does not affect, in any way, the following review.
This book is brilliant. Dawn’s characters, story plot, and her writing style combine to create a vividly horrifying world for the reader. The author pens the dark world of Calliope Knowles. She’s a graphomaniac (she has the urge to write constantly) who blacks out frequently, finds herself torn between two boys (but, for once, there is reason behind the love triangle), and is haunted by the night that her outwardly-religious father disappeared with one of the Church congregation’s young attendees, Hannah. Through her seemingly unrelated writings in her notebooks and her new relationship with a boy at her school, she begins to remember what occurred the fateful night of their disappearance.
This story hints at a lot of dark/controversial actions: rape, sex and underage drug use. These things are mentioned briefly throughout the book and usually left to the imagination. It’s not for the light reader. I think that readers should know what they are getting into when they begin this book! That being said, the darkness was necessary for painting the character of Calliope and her struggle to come to grips with her confusing and troubled life. Dawn creates teenage characters that are realistic and that struggle with many of the same basic problem that all teenagers (and adults) struggle with: the need for love and acceptance. Her choppy writing style fit in perfectly with the pace of the book. It’s a crazy thrill ride and I never had any idea what would happen next! Clues appeared in the weirdest places and led to a conclusion that I didn’t expect, but it fit in perfectly with the clues given throughout the book. There was not a dull moment!
I would recommend this book to either gender (but I do feel like it is more suited for girls) who are ages 16+ (due to the suggestive content). If you like psychological thrillers that leave you hanging until the very end, this is a must-read!
I’d give this one 4/5!
"I Think I'm Obsessed" 