Dark Water | Laura McNeal
Amiel is unlike any boy Pearl has ever met. From the first day she sees him pantomiming, she's drawn to him. And as she learns more of his life as a migrant worker and the events that lead to his muteness, the two become caught in a deep and desperate love. But when her town is evacuated due to a wildfire, she must decide whether to follow her feet to safety or her heart -- to warn (and save) the boy she loves
I read this as part of the Nerds Heart YA book challenge. It had been on my reading list for a little bit, but I wouldn't have expected to get as wrapped up as I did. McNeal's story alternates between velvet and sandpaper -- drawing you in with soft touches and descriptions of a lazy, languid world, and then rips you up with Pearl's headstrong decisions and awful hindsight. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this read and am so happy that my partner and I decided to move it along to the next round.
Posted on Friday, Jul 15, 2011
