After her many adventures and family reunions in the previous novel, Hayden decided that she was ready to call Destiny Falls home. As she starts to settle in and find a new routine, she meets a woman who may have the answers she has been looking for. Before unveiling the mysteries of Destiny Falls as well as the disappearance of her mother, the woman who made so many promises is found dead. A package arrives soon after that will lead to more questions than answers as Hayden once again finds herself trying to discover more about Destiny Falls, the mysterious ferry, and more information about her missing mother.
The second book in the Destiny Falls series does not disappoint. It is every bit as light and fun as the first one, even with the threat of a murder from pretty early on. Destiny Falls is such a fun and mysterious place that it is easy to forget about the darkness that hides just out of reach for our characters. I found myself so wrapped up in Hayden’s journeys around the town that I found myself caring more about finding out more about the island than I did about the crime itself. This may have been one of the few cases of either too much world building, or just not enough intrigue into the crime itself.
For much of the novel, the stakes were just not high enough to keep the story moving forward. Fellow readers, let’s be serious here. Destiny Falls even has a magical library. How can I focus on anything else when there is a magical library? If I was in a town where there was a magical library, you better believe I would never leave.
I struggled a bit with the family dynamic. For a family that has been through so much, there is very little conflict. I mean, I love a strong family, but it took away from some of my ability to relate to the story. The Caldwell family is so loving and accepting that adds to the warm atmosphere of the town, but it was nauseating that on every other page they said how much they love one another. It didn’t feel quite realistic. I did appreciate that there was a bit more family drama in this one than there was in the last but it would be more real to have just a bit of conflict within such a large family with so many strong personalities.
The ending really brought the book together, both with the way the case reached it’s climax and the way the story was set up for the next book. I am so in love with the town and the family that leads it, that I can’t wait to read the next book and maybe find a few more answers to my many many unanswered questions.
I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
3.5/5
The Novel Llama 