Dark and Shallow Lies - by Ginny M. Sain (Hardcover)

Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain was a thriller tale of psychics, ghosts and secrets in a small town known to be the most pshycic in the country. 4/5 stars In La Chachete Louisiana, there is every type of psychic you can imagine. Along with 10 children all born within a few months of each other, known as the Summer Children. Grey is returning for the summer after her twin flame Eloras disappearance, and Grey wants to get to the bottom of it. Along with flashbacks, and secrets, she gets a lot more than she bargained for. This was thrilling! Immediately were pulled into the action, and it doesn’t let up. It wasn’t one basic secret that kept you going, it was a small town entwined with so many secrets, it seems like everyone is attached to some horrific event. I loved the plot. It seemed basic at first, but as it got going, it got spooky and it became so much more than it appears originally. The characters were so unique. They were honestly fascinating. I’m not going to go into too much detail. If you liked Here There Are Monster, Wilder Girls, or small towns with spooky undertones, I highly recommend.

Dark and Shallow Lies is an excellent book. The story is unique, and the world building is executed superbly. The characters are complex, relatable, endearing, emotional and interesting. I usually struggle with books written in first point of view but not with this book; it seems it is the only way it could be told. There were lulls and hiccups in pacing, and the writing style became too plain at times (more tell than show) but I wasn't bothered much by it. As much as I loved almost all of the book, the ending was kind of a let down. It would have been better if more information was provided to make the culprit feel plausible. It felt rushed, impassionate, not powerful. It's hard to put my finger on exactly why the ending left me deeply unsatisfied, and my rating was 5 stars until then. Regardless of the uncompelling and disappointing conclusion, Dark and Shallow Lies has earned a spot on my 2021 Favorites shelf on Goodreads (where it joins only 4 other books-- I'm very critical and picky). I will be on the lookout for more work by this author. Thank you to BookishFirst for offering this book to review.

Seventeen-year-old Grey is returning to her childhood home for the summer - the tiny, isolated, bayou town of La Cachette, Louisiana, "Psychic Capitol of the World". Everyone in the town has some kind of supernatural gift. Grey spends the summers with her grandmother and helps her out in her spiritualist store. Six months before, Grey's best friend, Elora, disappeared on a dark night. No body has been found despite an extensive search. Grey is traumatized by the loss of Elora and hopes to solve the mystery of her disappearance. At the same time, she discovers a psychic ability beginning to manifest in herself, and must come to terms with this new power. The swampy, hot, humid, coastal town of La Cachette is so lush, eerie and atmospheric, it is like another character. Darkness and rot fester under the surface. The town's people have been holding on to many secrets, which Grey uncovers in her search to find the truth about what happened to Elora. The first half of the novel was a bit of a slow burn, then the pace picked up in the second half, as the danger escalated and the secrets unraveled. There were misdirections and unpredictable twists. Dark and Shallow Lies was immersive, addictive and compelling. The creepy, unsettling atmosphere persisted throughout the story. This will be a popular fall/Halloween read, and deservedly so. #BookishFirst

In the small town of La Cachette, magic is everywhere. It is self-proclaimed as the Psychic Capital of the World. Seventeen-year-old Grey spends her summers here when she's not living with her father. However, six months ago, her best friend Elora goes missing. Grey can't understand how her best friend vanished in a town full of psychics and no one knows what happened. She begins to dig into the night Elora went missing and she discovers that everyone in town is hiding a secret. When a blue-eyed boy who has links to Elora mysteriously appears, Grey realizes that the past of La Cachette is more present and dangerous than she thought. She doesn't know who she can and can't trust. Nobody can be presumed innocent when secrets run rampant under the surface of the town and there's a murderer on the loose. La Cachette's dark and shallow lies may end up ripping the town apart. I wasn't a fan of this one. It felt incredibly drawn out and slow and I found myself bored for most of the story. The ending was good but the rest of the story was so monotonous and repetitive.