Moonshine Serenade

by Amy Shelor Dye

Sixteen year old Sallie Songer moved from the nation’s capital to the Moonshine Capital of the World; a rural Virginia county not celebrated for its monuments and memorials, but famously known for its history of brewing and hauling illegal liquor. Haunted by the thought of a less than epic existence in this new place with its old-timey sensibilities, Sallie is thrilled with her discovery of a diary penned in the late 1930’s by a teenage girl who witnessed a murder in the forest near Sallie’s home.
When Sallie encounters the ghost of the killer described in the diary, she fears not just for her life but also her new-found spirit sighting ability. And as she grows more connected to her neighbor, Zeke - the Jeep driving, guitar playing, tattoo wearing, sweet talking son of a preacher man, Sallie finds her past, her present, and her future merging in ways she never could have dreamed.

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 2013

About the author

As a teenager Amy Shelor Dye found she related to the characters in S.E. Hinton's novels because of her own small town experience. Her first young adult novel, Moonshine Serenade, pays homage to those rural roots.

Raised in Franklin County, Virginia, despite her announcement at sixteen that she was getting the heck out of this place as soon as she turned eighteen, she and her husband have chosen to raise their three sons in the Moonshine Capital of the World.

She can't imagine a more refreshing place to live.

Reviews

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expect to be carried back to your high school years in this sweet romance with a paranormal twist. Experience all the excitement and fear of first love as city-girl, Sallie Songer, meets Zeke, a musically talented young man from the Moonshine Capital of the World, Franklin County, VA. Sallie discovers a diary in her new home, written by a young woman who witnessed a murder in the 1930's. After reading the diary, Sallie begins sighting ghosts clearly described in the diary. Fearful and curious, Sallie finds herself drawn into the mystery, only to discover that Zeke shares her gift of seeing 'spirits'. Sallie's past and present collide as she discovers the true story behind the murder and how it may affect her future with Zeke. This book was particularly appealing and cozy to me as the setting is my own hometown of Franklin County, VA. Ms. Shelor Dye has a way of carrying you down all the familiar roads and charming historical places that make this book feel like home. I recommend this book to my friends who enjoy clean romance, cozy mysteries, a little history, and those of Christian faith.

Note to author: found a couple of minor typos that did not interfere with the translation of the story. In particular, Chapter Fourteen, was spelled, "Chapter Fourtee". I very much look forward to reading your next book.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read. Living in the area where the book is set, I really enjoyed the local references. I had a hard time putting the book down as I wanted to find out who and what! I would highly recommend this book! Looking foward to her next book...

[Cassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given it 4.5 stars but I knocked it down to a 3.5 because of the romance. A very good book, especially to people who know the area and can understand the references to places.