BITTERSWEET IN THE HOLLOW

Reagan Boggs's gently accented narration deftly depicts this story's Appalachian setting. Her delivery contrasts with the high anxiety 17-year-old Linden feels a year after she went missing overnight during a community festival. Linden is still searching her memory for details of those events when she discovers that a friend has been murdered. Linden is one of four sisters who have peculiar gifts, and Boggs's narration captures the mysterious and the magical aspects of this story. Linden, for example, tastes feelings. The way Boggs presents these sections adds lyricism and eases the tension of Linden's discomfort with her community's secrets. Boggs's portrayal of Linden's romantic feelings adds sweet tension. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]