I recently bought a new kindle after my old one broke. For some reason I was unable to download this title from the cloud onto my kindle, therefore I will be unable to review this title. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Dill's father is in jail for an unspeakable crime. Shunned by the neighbours in their small religious Tennessee town, Dill and his mother try to make ends meet.
Dill’s only respite from poverty and prejudice are his two friends: Lydia and Travis. Travis is an oddball, finding sanctuary from his violent father in his obsession with an epic fantasy saga. Lydia is fast-talking and fiercely creative, pinning her hopes on her achingly cool fashion blog. Dill fears his heart will break when she escapes to a better life in New York.
Dill wants to get through his final year of high school in one piece. But there’s a dark secret at the heart of his family, a serpent poisoning his blood, filling him with despair. Dill must confront this legacy of madness and desperation before it tears him apart.

*4.5 stars*

Sometimes there are books that are hard to describe - but easy to love. This is one of those books.

Told from three POV's, it tells the tales of three teenage friends - outcasts, loners - and the terrible poverty and prejudices they suffer in their small home town in Tennessee. Their lives are complicated by the adults in them, their friendship is the only thing that they have. And then tragedy strikes, and things will never be the same again.

It was such a pleasure to read a YA novel that wasn't filled with teen angst, sappy romance scenes or glorified illnesses. Not to mention dystopian vampire love triangle drama comedies...or something like that...

This is a marvellous YA coming-of-age novel that deserves to be read by one and all.


Paul
ARH