Southern Gothic Vibe + Dark Family Secrets + Appealing Characters = a Mystical, Mesmerizing Read

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Ever since her mother died on her 30th birthday, Althea Bell has dreaded the start of her own third decade.  Something happens to the Bell women at 30.  Always has, always will.  At 29, Althea is trying to shake off the superstition.  After all, she's just out of rehab.  Her life isn't ending; it's beginning.  

With nowhere else to go, Althea returns to Mobile, Alabama, eager to make amends with the father she hurt with her descent into addiction.  As the family black sheep, she knows not to expect a celebratory welcome home party.  Still, she's surprised when she's thrown out of the family home by her brother, who's running for governor, and his ambitious wife.  Althea's even more shocked to discover that they plan to have her admitted to the local psychiatric hospital as a preventative measure.  

Disturbed by her brother's announcement and subsequent revelations about a dark family secret, Althea takes off, determined to find the truth about the curse that has haunted the Bell women.  With an old boyfriend by her side, she will not rest until she's uncovered every unsavory bit of her hidden family history.  As her actions grow increasingly dangerous, Althea will have to remain sober, focused, and, above all, sane to avoid the fate that has befallen the women before her.  She is not insane and she is not cursed ... or is she?

It's a little tough to describe the plot of Burying the Honeysuckle Girls by Emily Carpenter.  Suffice it to say, the book tells a mesmerizing, mystical tale and I had a very hard time putting down.  It's far-fetched, yes, but it's also an addicting story featuring appealing characters and an intriguing mystery.  The tale kept me tearing through pages, racing toward a satisfying end.  This isn't my favorite of Carpenter's books, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other books by Emily Carpenter, including The Weight of Lies and Every Single Secret)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, depictions of illegal drug abuse, disturbing subject matter, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Burying the Honeysuckle Girls from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.