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The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright Review

Happy Monday Everyone :)


And Happy Belated Canada Day To All My Fellow Canadians!


I'm so happy that the weekend is finally over. It was even crazier than I'd been anticipating, and all the extra hours at work definitely have me feeling pretty exhausted. However, when you're so tired nothing's better than curling up with a good book, and just taking some time to relax. That's definitely my plan for today and tomorrow now that the craziness is over, but before I do so, I'd like to share my review of a much anticipated release for me that I had the privilege of getting to advance read.


The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright:



Source: Publisher (Bethany House) Via NetGalley

Publisher: Bethany House

Publication Date: July 3rd, 2018

Genre: Christian Fiction/Christian Suspense/Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

For over a century, the town of Gossamer Grove has thrived on its charm and midwestern values, but Annalise Forsythe knows painful secrets, including her own, hover just beneath the pleasant faade. When a man is found dead in his run-down trailer home, Annalise inherits the trailer, along with the pictures, vintage obituaries, and old revival posters covering its walls. As she sorts through the collection, she's wholly unprepared for the ramifications of the dark and deadly secrets she'll uncover. 

A century earlier, Gossamer Grove has been stirred into chaos by the arrival of controversial and charismatic twin revivalists. The chaos takes a murderous turn when Libby Sheffield, working at her father's newspaper, receives an obituary for a reputable church deacon hours before his death. As she works with the deacon's son to unravel the mystery behind the crime, it becomes undeniably clear that a reckoning has come to town--but it isn't until another obituary arrives that they realize the true depths of the danger they've waded into.

Two women, separated by a hundred years, must uncover the secrets within the borders of their own town before it's too late and they lose their future--or their very souls.


******synopsis from goodreads*****


My Review:

I didn't know if it would be possible for The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond to possibly live up to Jaime Jo Wright's debut novel The House On Foster Hill but it definitely did. I can honestly say that this one is just as good, maybe even better than the first one, and it proved once again that Jaime is a beautiful storyteller who's definitely mastered the art of the dual timeline.

In the Reckoning at Gossamer Pond, scary events are unveiling in 1907 and during the present time, and it all intertwines in one big, dark and deadly secret that's spanned the town for many generations, and some will go to extreme depths to keep the dark secrets hidden at any costs.

When a book starts out with an Edgar Allan Poe quote, you know you're in for a spine tingling, scary ride, and that was definitely the case. I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish trying to piece together who was behind the horrific events plaguing the town in both the present and the past. In 1807 the murders appear to be triggered by the arrival of twin revivalists who are calling for an extreme reform of Gossamer Grove, and Libby Sheffield finds herself in the center of everything when obituaries of people not yet deceased keep appearing at her father's newspaper office. In the present day, Annalise Forsythe's life takes a shocking turn when the town recluse is found dead in his trailer with pictures of her wallpapered all over his trailer, and soon her quest to find answers turns deadly when someone starts targeting her to keep her from finding out the truth at all costs.

Just like The House On Foster Hill, the Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is a thrilling, keep you on the edge of your seat suspense novel that will keep you guessing, and have you unable to put it down. I love how well Jaime Jo Wright can write a dual time line without it ever feeling confusing to the reader, and she's a master at crafting the story to intertwine perfectly between such different time periods. And the one thing above all else that really stands out with Jaime's novels is the way the faith element is always represented so authentically, that you feel you're on the character's journey right with them.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is a fantastic follow up novel for the author, and an extraordinary story in its own right. Jaime Jo Wright is fast becoming a favorite author of mine, and I look forward to seeing what else she has up her sleeves for her readers in the future.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I highly recommend picking this one up when it releases tomorrow, but I highly suggest not reading it right before you go to bed as I can almost guarantee Jaime's crazily spooky mystery will have you up all night!

Thanks so much to Bethany House and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this.

I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

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