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A review by cj_mo_2222
The Shimmering Road by Hester Young
4.0
Charlotte “Charlie” Cates is still grieving the loss of her son. In spite of her grief, she is eager, but anxious, for a new start with boyfriend, Noah, and their soon-to-be born baby. This should be a joyous time for Charlie, but children in danger are able to telepathically reach out to Charlie for help through her dreams. The latest nightmares she is having seem to indicate she and her unborn baby are in danger, so she is afraid of getting too excited about the upcoming birth of her baby. In addition, she also feels compelled to help a young niece she never knew existed and this situation could be putting her in even more danger.
I have been eagerly waiting to read “The Shimmering Road” which is the follow-up to Hester Young’s outstanding “The Gates of Evangeline”. Most of this book is set in southern Arizona, which is a setting I like, and the plot is just as suspenseful as the prior book, but it somehow doesn’t measure up to Young’s debut. Although I like the desert setting, I miss the gothic New Orleans atmosphere of “The Gates of Evangeline”. Also, the way Charlie and Noah deal with their relationship is frustrating and takes away from the suspense of the story. For as strong as each character is individually, the interactions between the pair is often immature. Relationship conflicts have their place in a novel, but Charlie and Noah sometimes seem like high schoolers instead of grown adults who have each been married before.
On the positive side, the plot is interesting and both Charlie and Noah find themselves in unbelievably dangerous situations that will leave you in fear over what will happen next. When not dealing with Noah, Charlie is a brave, likeable character to root for. In addition, with all she has experienced in her young life, Charlie’s six-year-old niece Micky is an old soul and a delightful character who really adds to the story. There is just enough of the paranormal with Charlie’s ability to tune into messages from children in peril to make this a unique, but relatable series. Although “The Shimmering Road” is the second book in the series, it’s not necessary to have read the prior book first, but readers who enjoy this book will want to check out the first one, too. I am hopeful there will be a third book and another adventure for Charlie.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Penguin Group/Putnam. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
I have been eagerly waiting to read “The Shimmering Road” which is the follow-up to Hester Young’s outstanding “The Gates of Evangeline”. Most of this book is set in southern Arizona, which is a setting I like, and the plot is just as suspenseful as the prior book, but it somehow doesn’t measure up to Young’s debut. Although I like the desert setting, I miss the gothic New Orleans atmosphere of “The Gates of Evangeline”. Also, the way Charlie and Noah deal with their relationship is frustrating and takes away from the suspense of the story. For as strong as each character is individually, the interactions between the pair is often immature. Relationship conflicts have their place in a novel, but Charlie and Noah sometimes seem like high schoolers instead of grown adults who have each been married before.
On the positive side, the plot is interesting and both Charlie and Noah find themselves in unbelievably dangerous situations that will leave you in fear over what will happen next. When not dealing with Noah, Charlie is a brave, likeable character to root for. In addition, with all she has experienced in her young life, Charlie’s six-year-old niece Micky is an old soul and a delightful character who really adds to the story. There is just enough of the paranormal with Charlie’s ability to tune into messages from children in peril to make this a unique, but relatable series. Although “The Shimmering Road” is the second book in the series, it’s not necessary to have read the prior book first, but readers who enjoy this book will want to check out the first one, too. I am hopeful there will be a third book and another adventure for Charlie.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Penguin Group/Putnam. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.