The Souls Of Lost Lake By Jaime Jo Wright

The Souls of Lost Lake

by Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 9780764238321

I finally caved a few years ago and read my first Jaime Jo Wright novel and now when I find out she has a new book coming out I'm ON IT! Her stories will keep you guessing all the way through! I am on her launch team and was sent her book for review.

Summary:

To save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, helping her father with ministry at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess who is believed to still roam the forest. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coonses' cabin ruins and a sinister mystery she is determined to unearth.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last several years carrying the mantle of mystery since the day she emerged from the woods as a thirteen-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's ax. She has accepted she will never remember what happened to her family, whose bodies were never found, and that the people of Tempter's Creek will always blame her for their violent deaths. And after a member of the town is murdered, and another goes missing, rumors spread that Ava's secret is perhaps more malicious than previously imagined.

Two women, separated by time, must confront a wickedness that not only challenges who they are but also threatens their lives, and the lives of those they love.

My Review:

Ok, I have to admit the cover is super creepy. The intro... wow, extremely creepy! The rest of The Souls of Lost Lake will have you on edge the entire time! The author knows how to weave a tale that will give you goosebumps. Her slight of hand with words will capture you in its grip and not release you until the last page.

The characters had an emotional pull on me from the start. We meet Ava and Arwen in the middle of terrible circumstances. Ava tugged on my heart while at the same time made me bite my nails. She was portrayed so completely backwoods yet had a complete grasp of human nature. She called things as she saw them with such clarity. The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to see her protected.

Arwen (Wren) was as lost a character as you would imagine. I don't think I quite grasped how lost she was until I began reflecting on her. The elements that tie her to the past chilling... and confusing. That's what makes the author's writing so fantastic. She leaves the readers questioning EVERYTHING!

Of course, I liked the male supporting characters in the story. They lend to the growth of the ladies and helps us see them through different eyes. Noah, a stranger to town, sees past the Ava everyone has described. Eddie is the constant in Wren's life. He and his family have been her plumb-line for years.

There's always, ALWAYS, a deeper spiritual truth winding its way through the storyline. It's no different with this story as well. And notably is there the spiritual depth, but also the human connection as well. Our perception of others either from how we see them or how others see them reminds us we need to look at them how God sees them. The ending for both time periods left me with my jaw dropped! I was shocked by both needless to say, but the "who" in each was SO interesting. I'm still mulling it all over in my head.

About the Author:

Jaime Jo Wright (www.jaimewrightbooks.com) is the author of six novels, including Christy Award winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also the Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of two novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her cat named Foo; her husband, Cap'n Hook; and their littles, Peter Pan and CoCo. To learn more, visit www.jaimewrightbooks.com.