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Beneath the Silence
Secrets have consequences. If given the power, they will lead you into a life you never dreamed of or wanted.
Brooke Lake is a girl caught in a town and a life she yearns to escape. Full of anger, fear, and questions without answers, she runs from her problems only to lose herself in a world that’s too much for her.
Molly Shirley is a woman without a past and no foreseeable future. Her body is her best commodity, so she does whatever she has to do to survive.
Broken by lies, Brooke and Molly must explore the parts of themselves they would rather keep secret. Only by confronting the past can they develop the strength to create a life of their own making—a life where love and forgiveness never come too late.
Brooke Lake is a girl caught in a town and a life she yearns to escape. Full of anger, fear, and questions without answers, she runs from her problems only to lose herself in a world that’s too much for her.
Molly Shirley is a woman without a past and no foreseeable future. Her body is her best commodity, so she does whatever she has to do to survive.
Broken by lies, Brooke and Molly must explore the parts of themselves they would rather keep secret. Only by confronting the past can they develop the strength to create a life of their own making—a life where love and forgiveness never come too late.
295 pages, ebook
First published June 9, 2015
29 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Charlene Carr
18 books429 followersCharlene Carr is the youngest of four children and the only girl. Living in a house full of boys taught her to fight for what she wants and to always reach higher (you have to when everyone in your family towers above you).
She spent much of her childhood creating elaborate, multi-faceted storylines for her dolls and reading under the blankets with a flashlight when she was supposed to be asleep.
A bit of a nomad, she’s lived in four countries and seven Canadian provinces. After travelling the globe for several years and working an array of mostly writing related jobs, she decided the time had come to focus exclusively on her true love—crafting stories.
Charlene is a novelist and stay-at-home mom: her two dream jobs. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and loves exploring the coastline of her harbour town with her husband and young daughter.
Her upcoming novel Hold My Girl, "a tense and emotional dual narrative novel about motherhood, racial identity, loss and betrayal," perfect for "Fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty" will release Winter 2023 from HarperCollins Canada and Welbeck Publishing (UK).
She spent much of her childhood creating elaborate, multi-faceted storylines for her dolls and reading under the blankets with a flashlight when she was supposed to be asleep.
A bit of a nomad, she’s lived in four countries and seven Canadian provinces. After travelling the globe for several years and working an array of mostly writing related jobs, she decided the time had come to focus exclusively on her true love—crafting stories.
Charlene is a novelist and stay-at-home mom: her two dream jobs. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and loves exploring the coastline of her harbour town with her husband and young daughter.
Her upcoming novel Hold My Girl, "a tense and emotional dual narrative novel about motherhood, racial identity, loss and betrayal," perfect for "Fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty" will release Winter 2023 from HarperCollins Canada and Welbeck Publishing (UK).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 10, 2015
First, I would like to thank Charlene Carr for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Beneath the Silence by Charlene Carr is a story of how secrets can destroy lives even when those secrets are made and kept with the best of intentions. The book focuses around two characters, Brooke Lake and Molly Shirley. Brooke is a teenage girl who wants to be anywhere her alcoholic father and 'weak' mother are not. Her brother River and best friend Gabe are enough to keep her going until neither seem to be there for her anymore; Brooke decides that the small town she has grown up in has grown too small for her and runs away to the big city with big dreams of starting a new life. Molly, on the other hand, is a woman who is strong and determined to not let her past define who she is today. She has to make difficult decisions to survive, but that is what she is... a survivor.
Pros:
• This book was very fast paced and continuously jumped back and forth from each character's story and point of view. It kept me interested and wanting to read more.
• The hurt that each of the characters felt was very real. The author did an excellent job of using descriptive detail that made the characters come to life.
• The author was able to evoke emotions in me and leave me questioning what I would have done if I had been in Brooke's or Molly's situation.
Cons:
• The timeline was a bit confusing at first, but once I caught on to what was going on, it became clear and a nonissue.
This is the first book I have read from this author, and I am very interested in reading more of her work in the future.
Beneath the Silence by Charlene Carr is a story of how secrets can destroy lives even when those secrets are made and kept with the best of intentions. The book focuses around two characters, Brooke Lake and Molly Shirley. Brooke is a teenage girl who wants to be anywhere her alcoholic father and 'weak' mother are not. Her brother River and best friend Gabe are enough to keep her going until neither seem to be there for her anymore; Brooke decides that the small town she has grown up in has grown too small for her and runs away to the big city with big dreams of starting a new life. Molly, on the other hand, is a woman who is strong and determined to not let her past define who she is today. She has to make difficult decisions to survive, but that is what she is... a survivor.
Pros:
• This book was very fast paced and continuously jumped back and forth from each character's story and point of view. It kept me interested and wanting to read more.
• The hurt that each of the characters felt was very real. The author did an excellent job of using descriptive detail that made the characters come to life.
• The author was able to evoke emotions in me and leave me questioning what I would have done if I had been in Brooke's or Molly's situation.
Cons:
• The timeline was a bit confusing at first, but once I caught on to what was going on, it became clear and a nonissue.
This is the first book I have read from this author, and I am very interested in reading more of her work in the future.
July 7, 2015
Raw emotions will boil over as you turn each page of Beneath the Silence by Charlene Carr. Young Brooke Lake ran, away from the hate, the pain and the betrayals in her life. Away from her best friend and the boy she loved. Alone, only fifteen, she was overpowered by the metropolis of Montreal, until her “savior” arrived, taking her in and slowly introducing her to a world that wanted her only for her body. That day Brooke died and Molly was born. Used and ogled by men, sneered at by women, alone and living a lie. When she thought she had found love, her lies caught up with her and her world was, once again, crushed. So she ran again, to the only place she could think of, to the life she had hated and to the man she left when they were children.
What would returning “home” bring her? Peace? Ghosts from the past? Renewal? Or would Molly’s past find Brooke and continue the vicious cycle of her messed up life? Is there any way for a do-over in Brooke’s life?
Charlene Carr has written a dark and frightening tale of one runaway’s story of life in a dark world where survival becomes its own form of hell and redemption seems impossible. Brooke was lucky, she had the chance to go home, but what she did with that chance was up to her.
Vivid mental, emotional and physical descriptions highlight this tale as we are invited into the honest thoughts of Brooke/Molly and witness the changes she was forced to acknowledge. From seedy characters to those in her same boat, Ms. Carr’s characters are alive, sometimes brutally treated and become part of the fiber of this wickedly woven drama. Ms. Carr doesn’t ask us to like her characters or to understand their actions, but she has presented an intriguing drama that in turn, repels and magnetizes one to each page.
I received an ARC edition of the eBook version from Charlene Carr in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: Paperback - June 9, 2015 eBook - July 7, 2015
Publisher: Coastal Lines
ISBN-10: 0993923860
ISBN-13: 978-0993923869
Genre: Women's Fiction
Paperback: 300 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
What would returning “home” bring her? Peace? Ghosts from the past? Renewal? Or would Molly’s past find Brooke and continue the vicious cycle of her messed up life? Is there any way for a do-over in Brooke’s life?
Charlene Carr has written a dark and frightening tale of one runaway’s story of life in a dark world where survival becomes its own form of hell and redemption seems impossible. Brooke was lucky, she had the chance to go home, but what she did with that chance was up to her.
Vivid mental, emotional and physical descriptions highlight this tale as we are invited into the honest thoughts of Brooke/Molly and witness the changes she was forced to acknowledge. From seedy characters to those in her same boat, Ms. Carr’s characters are alive, sometimes brutally treated and become part of the fiber of this wickedly woven drama. Ms. Carr doesn’t ask us to like her characters or to understand their actions, but she has presented an intriguing drama that in turn, repels and magnetizes one to each page.
I received an ARC edition of the eBook version from Charlene Carr in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: Paperback - June 9, 2015 eBook - July 7, 2015
Publisher: Coastal Lines
ISBN-10: 0993923860
ISBN-13: 978-0993923869
Genre: Women's Fiction
Paperback: 300 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 31, 2015
I am totally rooting for Charlene Carr. An Ontario girl who moved East, a bunch of degrees, aspiring writer, so basically me except competent and has actually managed to write some novels. Plus, Beneath the Silence is the first time anyone has solicited me to review their book. W00t w00t; I'm moving up in the reviews-for-free-books world!
Beneath the Silence isn't the sort of book I would normally pick up. I realized that after I started reading it. The writing style is more mainstream than what I usually pick and the characterizations a bit more YA-styled than I generally look for. But reading it made me feel like seventh grade again. I'm not going to lie: seventh grade me swooned a couple of times. I can imagine being totally in love with Gabe, the way I was totally in love with a picture in the copy of The Eyes of the Dragon I got at a middle-school book fair. I would have reveled in the teen anger and angst of Brooke. I would have thought the names, Brooke and River Lake, to be the epitome of cleveness. As an adult, I can't say I found the same sort of magic, but it let me pretend. Sometimes pretending on a rainy summer's day is perfect.
There's a lot of good in the book: it surprised me. I complain constantly about figuring out plot points pages before they happen. I did figure out some (like about the car accident and Molly), but there were other little ones that I wasn't expecting (like at the house party, which had train-wreck written all over it, but ended much differently). There's a completely mortifying period story, which makes you want [author Charlene Carr] to be one of your girlfriends because she can tell a story like that. The book is uplifting. I know normally when a book is uplifting, I'm usually really down on it, but I willingly accepted the life-affirmingness of the story. It's spiritual without being cloying; in a way, the book is a meditation on forgiveness.
There's also the, I don't want to say bad because it isn't really bad, the mediocre: I'm not sure whether I believe all of Molly's story, with the clichés of a hooker with a heart of gold, a tumble-down the stairs miscarriage, a prince in the wings willing to wait for our heroine. Believe is the wrong word again (there's a reason Charlene Carr has managed to write a book while I sit here with a thesaurus trying to figure out what exactly it is I am trying to say). There was something about Montréal that was too pat. It's like a tiny lump in a bedspread. You could just slop down and ignore it or you could be, like me, annoyed to no end by it.
Plus the book taught me there was an IMAX theatre in Halifax. I did not know that. So learning new things while expanding the type of books I normally read. Entertainment and information!
Beneath the Silence by Charlene Carr went on sale July 9, 2015.
I kind of received a copy free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Beneath the Silence isn't the sort of book I would normally pick up. I realized that after I started reading it. The writing style is more mainstream than what I usually pick and the characterizations a bit more YA-styled than I generally look for. But reading it made me feel like seventh grade again. I'm not going to lie: seventh grade me swooned a couple of times. I can imagine being totally in love with Gabe, the way I was totally in love with a picture in the copy of The Eyes of the Dragon I got at a middle-school book fair. I would have reveled in the teen anger and angst of Brooke. I would have thought the names, Brooke and River Lake, to be the epitome of cleveness. As an adult, I can't say I found the same sort of magic, but it let me pretend. Sometimes pretending on a rainy summer's day is perfect.
There's a lot of good in the book: it surprised me. I complain constantly about figuring out plot points pages before they happen. I did figure out some (like about the car accident and Molly), but there were other little ones that I wasn't expecting (like at the house party, which had train-wreck written all over it, but ended much differently). There's a completely mortifying period story, which makes you want [author Charlene Carr] to be one of your girlfriends because she can tell a story like that. The book is uplifting. I know normally when a book is uplifting, I'm usually really down on it, but I willingly accepted the life-affirmingness of the story. It's spiritual without being cloying; in a way, the book is a meditation on forgiveness.
There's also the, I don't want to say bad because it isn't really bad, the mediocre: I'm not sure whether I believe all of Molly's story, with the clichés of a hooker with a heart of gold, a tumble-down the stairs miscarriage, a prince in the wings willing to wait for our heroine. Believe is the wrong word again (there's a reason Charlene Carr has managed to write a book while I sit here with a thesaurus trying to figure out what exactly it is I am trying to say). There was something about Montréal that was too pat. It's like a tiny lump in a bedspread. You could just slop down and ignore it or you could be, like me, annoyed to no end by it.
Plus the book taught me there was an IMAX theatre in Halifax. I did not know that. So learning new things while expanding the type of books I normally read. Entertainment and information!
Beneath the Silence by Charlene Carr went on sale July 9, 2015.
I kind of received a copy free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2016
I loved this contemporary drama covering Brooke’s childhood to becoming a woman and Molly’s journey from teen to woman. The story kept switching between Brooke and Molly’s point of view. Right away I figured out who Molly was, but that didn’t ruin the story for me. In fact, the author did such a wonderful job with characterization that I really cared for everyone in the story. When they laughed, I laughed. When they cried, I shed tears.
I loved this book because it was full of drama–Brooke’s family dynamic was downright depressing. With a family like hers, who needs enemies. Good thing she had her neighbor and best friend, Gabe. Molly was a poor, naive teen who turned to stripping and prostitution in order to survive. Some of her roommates (coworkers) were decent. Both ladies needed self-reflection and I prayed that they could find themselves. It’s never too late.
My favorite lines: 1) He looked like the brother she remembered, not the strange person he’d turned into. 2) Riv. Her protector. Her hero…until he wasn’t. 3) Are cliches okay if they’re real? 4) The older Brooke got, the easier the lies came.
The author was brilliant with dialogue and creating tension. All the scenes were full of emotion. I definitely thought of this story as an indie movie, a tear jerker. It seemed like every time Molly tried to get ahead, bad luck would find her. She wanted to get her GED, but her past haunted her. She had a supportive boyfriend until he became an insensitive jerk. She faced inner-conflict every day–strip vs. real world.
I loved the twist at the end. I hadn’t seen that as the cause for Brooke’s mom, dad, and brother’s unhappiness. The entire situation broke my heart. If only…
My favorite scenes involved Grams telling Brooke about her parent’s tragic past, Brooke meeting her niece for the first time, and Brooke and Gabe getting closure. I can’t lie. This book made me cry. I loved how journal entries became a part of the narration. These characters were beyond broken, and the author didn’t shy away from that. It made for a very emotional, inspirational journey.
I’m definitely a fan of the author’s writing style. Usually I get bored with long books, but I didn’t want Molly or Brooke’s story to end. I rooted for them to become strong women. Did they get happy endings? You’ll have to read to find out.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
***I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review***
I loved this book because it was full of drama–Brooke’s family dynamic was downright depressing. With a family like hers, who needs enemies. Good thing she had her neighbor and best friend, Gabe. Molly was a poor, naive teen who turned to stripping and prostitution in order to survive. Some of her roommates (coworkers) were decent. Both ladies needed self-reflection and I prayed that they could find themselves. It’s never too late.
My favorite lines: 1) He looked like the brother she remembered, not the strange person he’d turned into. 2) Riv. Her protector. Her hero…until he wasn’t. 3) Are cliches okay if they’re real? 4) The older Brooke got, the easier the lies came.
The author was brilliant with dialogue and creating tension. All the scenes were full of emotion. I definitely thought of this story as an indie movie, a tear jerker. It seemed like every time Molly tried to get ahead, bad luck would find her. She wanted to get her GED, but her past haunted her. She had a supportive boyfriend until he became an insensitive jerk. She faced inner-conflict every day–strip vs. real world.
I loved the twist at the end. I hadn’t seen that as the cause for Brooke’s mom, dad, and brother’s unhappiness. The entire situation broke my heart. If only…
My favorite scenes involved Grams telling Brooke about her parent’s tragic past, Brooke meeting her niece for the first time, and Brooke and Gabe getting closure. I can’t lie. This book made me cry. I loved how journal entries became a part of the narration. These characters were beyond broken, and the author didn’t shy away from that. It made for a very emotional, inspirational journey.
I’m definitely a fan of the author’s writing style. Usually I get bored with long books, but I didn’t want Molly or Brooke’s story to end. I rooted for them to become strong women. Did they get happy endings? You’ll have to read to find out.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
***I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review***
August 8, 2015
I received this book free as part of a Pre-Launch program.
This book holds some surprises, and it will keep you wondering and interested in the characters. The main characters, Brooke, Riv, Gabe, Molly and Piper are all well developed personalities who will become a part of your life as you read their story. You will explore the woods and walking trails with Brooke and hear the crickets singing while maybe remembering your own childhood days, and you will also be sad with her during the sad times in her life.
You will also think of Molly when you hear or read the news about young girls who have run away or who are missing from their homes. You will feel terrified and worried about what could or will happen to her, and you will feel a longing to help her get her life back. You will laugh and you will cry with Molly and suffer with her when she suffers great loss in her life. She is a girl that you will not forget.
The author did an amazing job of placing us right in the centre of the lives of her characters and making us a part of their lives. I am generally reading several books at the same time but they are usually very different books and stories. This past week I was reading Beneath the Silence, as well as The Journey, by John A. Heldt and strangely enough the books were written in a similar manner where one was reading about the lives of different people in different times and places. I was highly impressed with how well both authors developed their stories and how well they kept all the details straight. This is not an easy task for an author and shows great talent in the writing field.
Thanks, Charlene Carr, for a great story written about social and cultural issues in our society. I think your story will help us all to think differently about some of these issues and help us to be more supportive of those who may be involved in some of these issues.
Here is a quote from this story that I really liked:
"The past haunts us. It hides for a while, fooling us into believing life can go on easily and empty of what has come before. Then all at once it creeps up, grabbing us—kicking and screaming—back into a life we thought we’d left, or pulling us, gently, slowly, as we, seemingly unable to resist, stare deaf and dumb in wide eyed amazement."
Charlene Carr. Beneath the Silence (Kindle Locations 4946-4947). Coastal Lines
This book holds some surprises, and it will keep you wondering and interested in the characters. The main characters, Brooke, Riv, Gabe, Molly and Piper are all well developed personalities who will become a part of your life as you read their story. You will explore the woods and walking trails with Brooke and hear the crickets singing while maybe remembering your own childhood days, and you will also be sad with her during the sad times in her life.
You will also think of Molly when you hear or read the news about young girls who have run away or who are missing from their homes. You will feel terrified and worried about what could or will happen to her, and you will feel a longing to help her get her life back. You will laugh and you will cry with Molly and suffer with her when she suffers great loss in her life. She is a girl that you will not forget.
The author did an amazing job of placing us right in the centre of the lives of her characters and making us a part of their lives. I am generally reading several books at the same time but they are usually very different books and stories. This past week I was reading Beneath the Silence, as well as The Journey, by John A. Heldt and strangely enough the books were written in a similar manner where one was reading about the lives of different people in different times and places. I was highly impressed with how well both authors developed their stories and how well they kept all the details straight. This is not an easy task for an author and shows great talent in the writing field.
Thanks, Charlene Carr, for a great story written about social and cultural issues in our society. I think your story will help us all to think differently about some of these issues and help us to be more supportive of those who may be involved in some of these issues.
Here is a quote from this story that I really liked:
"The past haunts us. It hides for a while, fooling us into believing life can go on easily and empty of what has come before. Then all at once it creeps up, grabbing us—kicking and screaming—back into a life we thought we’d left, or pulling us, gently, slowly, as we, seemingly unable to resist, stare deaf and dumb in wide eyed amazement."
Charlene Carr. Beneath the Silence (Kindle Locations 4946-4947). Coastal Lines
June 8, 2019
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The novel begins as Brooke Lake, age 22, returns to her home of Rhett's Bend, Nova Scotia, after leaving seven years ago. Memories flood her mind, and the reader views her earlier life and what drove her from home through flashbacks. A single event changed her loving family into one with an abusive father and a mother unable to cope with the circumstances and help her two children through this devastating life change. Forced to fend for themselves, Brooke and her older brother Riv, make different choices to enable them to survive.
This is a compelling story that shows what secrets and tragedy can do to a family who is unable to communicate at a time when communication was so important to the family unit. Seen through Brooke's eyes, the reader follows her struggle to survive and face the choices she made, as well as figure out who she now is and what the future holds for her. Charlene Carr writes with emotion and depth to bring this story to life. Her characters are vivid and real, leading the reader to become personally invested in the story. Carr's use of voice identifies the characters clearly, and also provides a look into the psycholgy of the mind. It was hard to put this novel down as I journeyed with Brooke, feeling each devastation and success, all the while rooting for her to come through the challenges that life gave her, and unsure of the outcome until the final page of the book. This novel is extremely relevant for today and highly recommended. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to review it!
The novel begins as Brooke Lake, age 22, returns to her home of Rhett's Bend, Nova Scotia, after leaving seven years ago. Memories flood her mind, and the reader views her earlier life and what drove her from home through flashbacks. A single event changed her loving family into one with an abusive father and a mother unable to cope with the circumstances and help her two children through this devastating life change. Forced to fend for themselves, Brooke and her older brother Riv, make different choices to enable them to survive.
This is a compelling story that shows what secrets and tragedy can do to a family who is unable to communicate at a time when communication was so important to the family unit. Seen through Brooke's eyes, the reader follows her struggle to survive and face the choices she made, as well as figure out who she now is and what the future holds for her. Charlene Carr writes with emotion and depth to bring this story to life. Her characters are vivid and real, leading the reader to become personally invested in the story. Carr's use of voice identifies the characters clearly, and also provides a look into the psycholgy of the mind. It was hard to put this novel down as I journeyed with Brooke, feeling each devastation and success, all the while rooting for her to come through the challenges that life gave her, and unsure of the outcome until the final page of the book. This novel is extremely relevant for today and highly recommended. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to review it!
June 26, 2015
Beneath the Silence by Charlene Carr
Brooke Lake is stuck in a town and life she hates, eager to escape. As she runs from her problems she finds herself entangled in a life, not much better than she left. So she does whatever she has to do to survive, even if it means using her body.
She must face her past, put aside her anger, fears, and tears to learn to forgive. Will she be able to do this and finally find peace within and happiness?
A well written story. I could feel the raw emotions on each page. Brooke is definitely troubled, through descriptive prose, and detailed events I could feel every emotion. The secrets, lies, drama and turmoil, flows off every page. I was hooked from the beginning until the very end. I could not put it down. I highly recommend Beneath the Silence those who love a great dramatic, memorable read.
*I was lucky to receive this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Brooke Lake is stuck in a town and life she hates, eager to escape. As she runs from her problems she finds herself entangled in a life, not much better than she left. So she does whatever she has to do to survive, even if it means using her body.
She must face her past, put aside her anger, fears, and tears to learn to forgive. Will she be able to do this and finally find peace within and happiness?
A well written story. I could feel the raw emotions on each page. Brooke is definitely troubled, through descriptive prose, and detailed events I could feel every emotion. The secrets, lies, drama and turmoil, flows off every page. I was hooked from the beginning until the very end. I could not put it down. I highly recommend Beneath the Silence those who love a great dramatic, memorable read.
*I was lucky to receive this arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2015
Thank you to Charlene Carr for sending to book as an ARC in exchange for a review.
Once I started reading this story, I could not put it down! It was a very quick read and easy to follow. But the story itself was so captivating. I found myself just continuing to find out where Brooke/Molly's next step/decision would bring her. This story is about an unfortunate family upbringing which in turn causes the children to become "lost" in themselves and in life. Brooke Lake leads a double life trying to forget herself as Molly Shirley and makes some choices to help her to survive but also that shape the person she is. It is not until she hears some bad news that brings her back home only to find out why her family was so messed up. This causes her to self reflect and in the process she learns to find out who her true self really is.
Powerful and emotional story. Well written. Can't wait to read more by this author!
Once I started reading this story, I could not put it down! It was a very quick read and easy to follow. But the story itself was so captivating. I found myself just continuing to find out where Brooke/Molly's next step/decision would bring her. This story is about an unfortunate family upbringing which in turn causes the children to become "lost" in themselves and in life. Brooke Lake leads a double life trying to forget herself as Molly Shirley and makes some choices to help her to survive but also that shape the person she is. It is not until she hears some bad news that brings her back home only to find out why her family was so messed up. This causes her to self reflect and in the process she learns to find out who her true self really is.
Powerful and emotional story. Well written. Can't wait to read more by this author!
September 18, 2015
I got this book through Goodreads ARC Giveaway.
The book starts out with Brooke & Riv Lake living in a household of abuse by their father, Jack. The story keeps unfolding. Nobody tries to stop the abuse, and their mother will not leave him even though she is abused also.
Brooke has a best friend, Gabe who knows everything that goes on. When he doesn't return her advances when they are both teenagers, and the abuse was getting worse, Brooke decides to leave her situation and begin a new life.
Being only 15 when she moved to Montreal, she had to make some money somehow, right? Well, she fell into a trap which happens to most young women... but the story continues as she moves on from her past and recreates a new identity and things go from bad to worse to good again.
This is seriously one of the best books that I have read in a LONG time. For anyone looking for a good read, I recommend and 5-star this one..
I'm hoping for a sequel :)
The book starts out with Brooke & Riv Lake living in a household of abuse by their father, Jack. The story keeps unfolding. Nobody tries to stop the abuse, and their mother will not leave him even though she is abused also.
Brooke has a best friend, Gabe who knows everything that goes on. When he doesn't return her advances when they are both teenagers, and the abuse was getting worse, Brooke decides to leave her situation and begin a new life.
Being only 15 when she moved to Montreal, she had to make some money somehow, right? Well, she fell into a trap which happens to most young women... but the story continues as she moves on from her past and recreates a new identity and things go from bad to worse to good again.
This is seriously one of the best books that I have read in a LONG time. For anyone looking for a good read, I recommend and 5-star this one..
I'm hoping for a sequel :)
May 18, 2016
Heart-wrenching and real, this book takes you on an unforgettable Journey.
Brooke has only one haven in the world and its not at home. Her world is filled with aggressions to strong for a child to deal with but through the pain her best friend and knight in shining armor always seems to make things a little brighter.
Until he can't.
At 15, Brooke's world is turned upside down and the only way up is out. She packs her bag and leaves.
This book is her journey- through the depths of a worldly hell and hopefully back to her haven.
Without her hero can she muster the will to survive? And if she does, what is the cost?
Recommended for:
People who enjoy women's fiction.
Warning:
This book covers many serious issues, in a tasteful manner. Violent in content but expressed with tact. Not intended for minors.
Stephanie M Nason
www.authorsopinions.wordpress.com
Brooke has only one haven in the world and its not at home. Her world is filled with aggressions to strong for a child to deal with but through the pain her best friend and knight in shining armor always seems to make things a little brighter.
Until he can't.
At 15, Brooke's world is turned upside down and the only way up is out. She packs her bag and leaves.
This book is her journey- through the depths of a worldly hell and hopefully back to her haven.
Without her hero can she muster the will to survive? And if she does, what is the cost?
Recommended for:
People who enjoy women's fiction.
Warning:
This book covers many serious issues, in a tasteful manner. Violent in content but expressed with tact. Not intended for minors.
Stephanie M Nason
www.authorsopinions.wordpress.com
February 3, 2016
I was asked by Charlene Charr, the author of Beneath the Silence, if I would love to receive an ARC of Beneath the Silence in exchange for an honest review. I would just want to give my thanks to Charlene Charr for giving me this opportunity to read this wonderful piece of art. :)
This is one of the best books I have ever read! Only few books have made me cry and this is one of them. I cried during the parts where Brook is reading her mother's journal. I just love how this book leaves me hanging in the end. I TOTALLY LOVE THIS BOOK! <3
I think this book totally deserves a sequel (PLEASE!) :)
This is one of the best books I have ever read! Only few books have made me cry and this is one of them. I cried during the parts where Brook is reading her mother's journal. I just love how this book leaves me hanging in the end. I TOTALLY LOVE THIS BOOK! <3
I think this book totally deserves a sequel (PLEASE!) :)
October 5, 2015
Brooke Lake hates the town and life she is stuck in. She is eager to escape her problems , her life. As she runs she finds herself entangled in a life not much better than the one she left. So in order to survive she does what she has to even if it means using her body. She must face her past, put aside her fears, anger and tears, and learn to forgive, Can she do this and finally find peace and happiness within herself? A very well written story with raw emotions on every page.
December 19, 2016
I just finished this book a couple of days ago and it was a great read. The character are very interesting and go through so much that it makes it hard to put the book down. Ms Carr deals with real life issues in a very captivating way and holds your interest in the characters and the story while dealing with important life lessons.
January 8, 2019
Wow! Thank you for an amazing, page-turning book to read! I was offered this book so that I could voluntarily leave my honest review. I'm very happy to say it is deserving of all 5 stars. I believe this is my favourite of Charlene Carr's books, even though I still have a couple to read.
The story of Brooke & Molly had me riveted from the very beginning. I was literally up till 6:00 am because I couldn't put it down. Fortunately I was able to finish it the next day so didn't loose another night of sleep. But definitely worth every minute. And almost a let down when it ended...I wanted to keep reading more!
I won't go into the details since you can read them above, but you really should pick up this book. It is an emotional read, it had me laughing, crying, frustrated, angry, happy and sad. I guarantee you won't be disappointed and if you haven't read Charlene Carr's books before, make time to loose yourself in her wonderful writing.
The story of Brooke & Molly had me riveted from the very beginning. I was literally up till 6:00 am because I couldn't put it down. Fortunately I was able to finish it the next day so didn't loose another night of sleep. But definitely worth every minute. And almost a let down when it ended...I wanted to keep reading more!
I won't go into the details since you can read them above, but you really should pick up this book. It is an emotional read, it had me laughing, crying, frustrated, angry, happy and sad. I guarantee you won't be disappointed and if you haven't read Charlene Carr's books before, make time to loose yourself in her wonderful writing.
December 10, 2023
This book is a good story, it just goes on way too long and I was bored by the end, longing for it to finish. When it did finish, it felt like it was in the wrong place which was frustrating. The English is good and the writers thoughts come together well. It sounds like she didn’t have an outline for the book but wrote it over 10 years which makes sense - it rambles.
December 28, 2021
Charlene knows how to bring life and depth to her characters and you can't help but care and worry about them and their life situations. I really enjoyed reading this book and it was still on my mind weeks after I finished reading it.
November 16, 2019
This was my 4th reading of this book and it was even better with this reading. See previous review.
Read
June 6, 2021This is my first time reading Ms Carr but it won’t be my last. I loved the book I cried I laughed and was unhappy most of the time. I LOVED it!!
September 9, 2022
Good book
I simply loved this book but I am very disappointed.I wanted to see gabe and brooke come together as a family with Sahara and perhaps children of their own.
I simply loved this book but I am very disappointed.I wanted to see gabe and brooke come together as a family with Sahara and perhaps children of their own.
Read
October 10, 2022Very Good Book
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. Clean reading even though controversial subject matter was the story line.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. Clean reading even though controversial subject matter was the story line.
June 22, 2015
Beneath the Silence is a new novel by Charlene Carr, which I received as ARC from the author. I was asked to provide an honest review.
Brooke, the daughter in a family silent under its burden of abuse, alcoholism and apathy, is followed through shifts in time, beginning with her homecoming after a ten year alienated absence. The reader then moves on to Brooke's new life and changed identity in Montreal, as she hides her runaway and underage status in sleazy jobs, then back and forth to Rhett's Bend Nova Scotia.
The bones of the novel are good ones. The theme is universal, that home is best- but of course, it is as adults we must come to terms with what that means. I believe that this novel, with its focus on the teenaged and young adult Brooke will appeal to Young Adult readers.
Beneath the Silence is not great literature and it would have benefitted from much tighter editing. I found the novel repetitive at times, with an overuse of dialogue. I was puzzled that the family's status of Nova Scotian Blacks was alluded to, yet it was not expanded upon as another dimension of the characters, but it was significant enough for the reader to be reminded sporadically with superficial references to hair and skin tone. The device of switching from present to past in places interrupted the flow of the story in Montreal, and revisited Brooke's thoughts, memories and agonies from earlier periods in the novel which were nothing new. One confusing element was the inclusion of passages in italics, about a third through the book. Since so much of what is written is about Brooke's emotions, memories, experiences and thoughts, the italicized sections were quizzical. When Brooke's mother's journal was introduced in italics, I went back to reread the earlier ones to see if those had been slipped in as a foreshadowing device. But it just didn't seem likely. And one in particular made no sense, "Life is so ridiculous sometimes- so ridiculously, alarmingly, beautifully ridiculous - it makes me breathe."
One other small point: either refer as Gabe's grandmother as Gram Patterson or Mrs. Patterson, not both. My brain wanted to look for Mrs. Patterson AND Gram Patterson.
Unfortunately, Brooke's story includes forgiving those who abused her because her parents had undergone personal tragedy themselves. To truly mature and resolve her past, Brooke might understand the story but abuse is never acceptable under any terms. Alcoholism alters a family forever. Brooke must embrace her anger, learn to say what she means and refuse to be belittled by those who always put themselves first. Young women who read this book would benefit seeing Brooke access a greater degree of a valiant self.
Charlene Carr is a new writer with her heart in the right place. She cares for her characters and is clearly sending an important message to her readers. By increasing the drama, reducing the amount of dialogue and clarifying her themes, her work should have great impact with her target audience.
Brooke, the daughter in a family silent under its burden of abuse, alcoholism and apathy, is followed through shifts in time, beginning with her homecoming after a ten year alienated absence. The reader then moves on to Brooke's new life and changed identity in Montreal, as she hides her runaway and underage status in sleazy jobs, then back and forth to Rhett's Bend Nova Scotia.
The bones of the novel are good ones. The theme is universal, that home is best- but of course, it is as adults we must come to terms with what that means. I believe that this novel, with its focus on the teenaged and young adult Brooke will appeal to Young Adult readers.
Beneath the Silence is not great literature and it would have benefitted from much tighter editing. I found the novel repetitive at times, with an overuse of dialogue. I was puzzled that the family's status of Nova Scotian Blacks was alluded to, yet it was not expanded upon as another dimension of the characters, but it was significant enough for the reader to be reminded sporadically with superficial references to hair and skin tone. The device of switching from present to past in places interrupted the flow of the story in Montreal, and revisited Brooke's thoughts, memories and agonies from earlier periods in the novel which were nothing new. One confusing element was the inclusion of passages in italics, about a third through the book. Since so much of what is written is about Brooke's emotions, memories, experiences and thoughts, the italicized sections were quizzical. When Brooke's mother's journal was introduced in italics, I went back to reread the earlier ones to see if those had been slipped in as a foreshadowing device. But it just didn't seem likely. And one in particular made no sense, "Life is so ridiculous sometimes- so ridiculously, alarmingly, beautifully ridiculous - it makes me breathe."
One other small point: either refer as Gabe's grandmother as Gram Patterson or Mrs. Patterson, not both. My brain wanted to look for Mrs. Patterson AND Gram Patterson.
Unfortunately, Brooke's story includes forgiving those who abused her because her parents had undergone personal tragedy themselves. To truly mature and resolve her past, Brooke might understand the story but abuse is never acceptable under any terms. Alcoholism alters a family forever. Brooke must embrace her anger, learn to say what she means and refuse to be belittled by those who always put themselves first. Young women who read this book would benefit seeing Brooke access a greater degree of a valiant self.
Charlene Carr is a new writer with her heart in the right place. She cares for her characters and is clearly sending an important message to her readers. By increasing the drama, reducing the amount of dialogue and clarifying her themes, her work should have great impact with her target audience.
June 19, 2015
I received this book free as part of a Pre-Launch program.
This book holds some surprises, and it will keep you wondering and interested in the characters. The main characters, Brooke, Riv, Gabe, Molly and Piper are all well developed personalities who will become a part of your life as you read their story. You will explore the woods and walking trails with Brooke and hear the crickets singing while maybe remembering your own childhood days, and you will also be sad with her during the sad times in her life.
You will also think of Molly when you hear or read the news about young girls who have run away or who are missing from their homes. You will feel terrified and worried about what could or will happen to her, and you will feel a longing to help her get her life back. You will laugh and you will cry with Molly. She is a girl that you will not forget.
The author did an amazing job of placing us right in the centre of the lives of her characters and making us a part of their lives. I am generally reading several books at the same time but they are usually very different books and stories. This past week I was reading Beneath the Silence, as well as The Journey, by John A. Heldt and strangely enough the books were written in a similar manner where one was reading about the lives of different people in different times and places. I was highly impressed with how well both authors developed their stories and how well they kept all the details straight.
Thanks, Charlene Carr, for a great story written about social and cultural issues in our society. I think your story will help us all to think differently about some of these issues and help us to be more supportive of those who may be involved in some of these issues.
Here is a quote from this story that I really liked:
"The past haunts us. It hides for a while, fooling us into believing life can go on easily and empty of what has come before. Then all at once it creeps up, grabbing us—kicking and screaming—back into a life we thought we’d left, or pulling us, gently, slowly, as we, seemingly unable to resist, stare deaf and dumb in wide eyed amazement."
Charlene Carr. Beneath the Silence (Kindle Locations 4946-4947).
This book holds some surprises, and it will keep you wondering and interested in the characters. The main characters, Brooke, Riv, Gabe, Molly and Piper are all well developed personalities who will become a part of your life as you read their story. You will explore the woods and walking trails with Brooke and hear the crickets singing while maybe remembering your own childhood days, and you will also be sad with her during the sad times in her life.
You will also think of Molly when you hear or read the news about young girls who have run away or who are missing from their homes. You will feel terrified and worried about what could or will happen to her, and you will feel a longing to help her get her life back. You will laugh and you will cry with Molly. She is a girl that you will not forget.
The author did an amazing job of placing us right in the centre of the lives of her characters and making us a part of their lives. I am generally reading several books at the same time but they are usually very different books and stories. This past week I was reading Beneath the Silence, as well as The Journey, by John A. Heldt and strangely enough the books were written in a similar manner where one was reading about the lives of different people in different times and places. I was highly impressed with how well both authors developed their stories and how well they kept all the details straight.
Thanks, Charlene Carr, for a great story written about social and cultural issues in our society. I think your story will help us all to think differently about some of these issues and help us to be more supportive of those who may be involved in some of these issues.
Here is a quote from this story that I really liked:
"The past haunts us. It hides for a while, fooling us into believing life can go on easily and empty of what has come before. Then all at once it creeps up, grabbing us—kicking and screaming—back into a life we thought we’d left, or pulling us, gently, slowly, as we, seemingly unable to resist, stare deaf and dumb in wide eyed amazement."
Charlene Carr. Beneath the Silence (Kindle Locations 4946-4947).
December 11, 2015
I was given this as a free gift on goodreads.
I had never heard of the author before and, thus, really had no idea what to expect but thought that there was nothing to loose having a read. I don't have a set genre anyway; I love reading loads of different things.
I really loved this book. It's beautifully written. The use of language is beautiful and there was something in the way that all the characters were presented that meant I felt able to identify and appreciate in all of them. I was about to say that there was something to like in all of the characters but I'm not sure that that would be true. I did feel that I knew all of the characters though by the time I finished the book.
The main character was Brooke. I enjoyed the beginning of the book and when I was about half way through I thought, 'I know where this is going. Same old, same old' but persevered and how wrong was I? What, initially, felt like it was only ever going to go one way absolutely was not the case. Bad parents, addiction issues, daughter leaves home, gets in with the wrong crowd, starts making money from her body. Only ever going one way. Poor thing. Awful start. What can you expect? Then we go back in time (through Brooke's Mum, Veronica's, journal) and you see Veronica and Jack from a different perspective. Brooke's life journey wasn't always going to be thus. Veronica and Jack weren't always chemically troubled parents who seemed to care little for their daughter. People react to life and its shit in different ways. We all start with hope in our lives and our lives can always turn around and have hope again. Personally, I loved the stability of Gab's personality. He would normally be the kind of character that I might find dull and predictable but I have a real sensitive spot for him. He was reliable without being dull and a walkover and just an amazing, honourable man. A friend who was there for Brooke through thick and thin. A happy ending? Well, there was but it didn't feel twee and inevitable; just right.
I really liked this book. I'd definitely read more by Ms Carr. Thanks!
I had never heard of the author before and, thus, really had no idea what to expect but thought that there was nothing to loose having a read. I don't have a set genre anyway; I love reading loads of different things.
I really loved this book. It's beautifully written. The use of language is beautiful and there was something in the way that all the characters were presented that meant I felt able to identify and appreciate in all of them. I was about to say that there was something to like in all of the characters but I'm not sure that that would be true. I did feel that I knew all of the characters though by the time I finished the book.
The main character was Brooke. I enjoyed the beginning of the book and when I was about half way through I thought, 'I know where this is going. Same old, same old' but persevered and how wrong was I? What, initially, felt like it was only ever going to go one way absolutely was not the case. Bad parents, addiction issues, daughter leaves home, gets in with the wrong crowd, starts making money from her body. Only ever going one way. Poor thing. Awful start. What can you expect? Then we go back in time (through Brooke's Mum, Veronica's, journal) and you see Veronica and Jack from a different perspective. Brooke's life journey wasn't always going to be thus. Veronica and Jack weren't always chemically troubled parents who seemed to care little for their daughter. People react to life and its shit in different ways. We all start with hope in our lives and our lives can always turn around and have hope again. Personally, I loved the stability of Gab's personality. He would normally be the kind of character that I might find dull and predictable but I have a real sensitive spot for him. He was reliable without being dull and a walkover and just an amazing, honourable man. A friend who was there for Brooke through thick and thin. A happy ending? Well, there was but it didn't feel twee and inevitable; just right.
I really liked this book. I'd definitely read more by Ms Carr. Thanks!
July 1, 2015
I was asked by the author of this book, Charlene Carr, (through Goodreads) if I would be interested in receiving an ARC of her new book and would consider reviewing it when done. I love to read, enjoy women's fiction and especially enjoy reading authors that I am not familiar with. I thoroughly enjoyed Beneath the Silence from the first page. This is a story about a smart, creative, resourceful girl named Brooke Lake and her journey through a very uncertain, chaotic, dangerous and sometimes violent adolescence and early adulthood. Her life in Rhett's Bend, a small town in Nova Scotia, is chaotic, frightening and insecure. Other than her best friend Gabe and his grandmother Gram, her life is unbearable. She has memories of happier days in her family when she was a child. But for many years now her father a long haul trucker has drank too much whenever he is home and physically abuses her mother, sometimes in front of her and her older brother Riv. She sees her mother as weak, unable to protect herself or her children from a violent man. Her only protector, her brother Riv, leaves after a beating from his father, not the first one. If only Brooke could get away from it all - her weak mother, her alcoholic abusive father, the brother that abandoned her and may or may not come back and a best friend she can't count on. Can a person disappear, move far enough away, change enough about themselves to start over? Can they do all that when they are young with little to no resources? This is the journey that Beneath the Silence takes the reader on. The characters of Beneath the Silence are ones that you feel you get to know and care about. The life that Brooke lives and the life she came from is heartbreaking. The exploration of what's important in life and how to survive life is complex and riddled with memories, unknowns, guilt, hard realities, and hope. I loved the style this book was written in and the language the author used. Beautiful story.
July 12, 2015
Disclaimer - I received an ARC from the author in return for an honest review.
I won't go into a precis of the storyline here as others have done it before me.
As one of the earlier reviewers mentioned, the bones of this novel are very good. Others have commented that the switching between time periods is confusing, but I didn't find it so and I think this worked as a device, for the most part. The characters are well developed and the plot is well structured.
Family dramas are universal and the story dramatically depicts the damage that alcohol and secrets do to this family and to Brooke, the protagonist. Her resultant flight, life in the shadows and return to resolve things make her a strong character, but it seems to take a long time to get her there.
Hence my biggest issue with this novel, and what stops me from giving it another star - I felt it was simply too long-winded. This excellent writing would have benefited from the firm hand of a good editor to prune it down as too many of the reflective passages of both Brooke and Molly are repetitive and self indulgent. I repeatedly found myself skimming over pages as Brooke/Molly rambled on, over and over again, about her shame, anger, loss and isolation, all of which slowed the story down unnecessarily.
However, having said that, I'd be very interested to see what Ms Carr comes up with next.
Well worth a read.
I won't go into a precis of the storyline here as others have done it before me.
As one of the earlier reviewers mentioned, the bones of this novel are very good. Others have commented that the switching between time periods is confusing, but I didn't find it so and I think this worked as a device, for the most part. The characters are well developed and the plot is well structured.
Family dramas are universal and the story dramatically depicts the damage that alcohol and secrets do to this family and to Brooke, the protagonist. Her resultant flight, life in the shadows and return to resolve things make her a strong character, but it seems to take a long time to get her there.
Hence my biggest issue with this novel, and what stops me from giving it another star - I felt it was simply too long-winded. This excellent writing would have benefited from the firm hand of a good editor to prune it down as too many of the reflective passages of both Brooke and Molly are repetitive and self indulgent. I repeatedly found myself skimming over pages as Brooke/Molly rambled on, over and over again, about her shame, anger, loss and isolation, all of which slowed the story down unnecessarily.
However, having said that, I'd be very interested to see what Ms Carr comes up with next.
Well worth a read.
July 4, 2015
***I received an ARC(Advanced Reading Copy) for an honest review from the author.***
Title: Deep and artistic, a bit dark fit for a drama.It doesn't give away what you will read about.
Cover: Same as the title. Not eye catching.A thriller story could have the same cover, doesn't give anything away.
Blurb: Complicated, thought the book had two seperate stories in parallel time.It could be negative for readers that don't like that kind of thing.
Theme/General Story: Good story.Not original theme, but with refreshing ''smart'' elements.
Writing: Good vocabulary.A bit chaotic.Lots back and forths that get you tired and confused sometimes.A mixing of times and places that didn't go quite well.
I didn't feel consumed in the story from the first chapters, but i kept reading and my interest piked.I liked the characters, even the 'bad'.They all contributed to the story in some way.I wished though for more pages about some of them.Like 'Gabe' and 'Riv'.The end is too abrupt for my taste, it could be more elaborate.
Overall a good book, it felt like watching a drama in TV.
Title: Deep and artistic, a bit dark fit for a drama.It doesn't give away what you will read about.
Cover: Same as the title. Not eye catching.A thriller story could have the same cover, doesn't give anything away.
Blurb: Complicated, thought the book had two seperate stories in parallel time.It could be negative for readers that don't like that kind of thing.
Theme/General Story: Good story.Not original theme, but with refreshing ''smart'' elements.
Writing: Good vocabulary.A bit chaotic.Lots back and forths that get you tired and confused sometimes.A mixing of times and places that didn't go quite well.
I didn't feel consumed in the story from the first chapters, but i kept reading and my interest piked.I liked the characters, even the 'bad'.They all contributed to the story in some way.I wished though for more pages about some of them.Like 'Gabe' and 'Riv'.The end is too abrupt for my taste, it could be more elaborate.
Overall a good book, it felt like watching a drama in TV.
August 17, 2015
** I received this book as an ARC ** Minor spoiler alerts...
This is the type of book for which I wish there was a 4.5/5 rating. 4 feels harsh, and 5 implies there is very little need for improvement. The story flowed well, and I found myself surprised when I realized that Molly and Brooke were the same person. This plot technique worked well to emphasize the desperate measures we take to deal with the pain and betrayal we can feel at the hands of those who are supposed to love and protect us. Secrets have the power to destroy, or strengthen, and Carr has worked well with the stories and characters to bring her characters and their situations to life.
My biggest complaint would be that the story became a bit rambling in different stages. Some careful editing would have improved the readability, and would promote the attention that readers will have for this story.
Overall, I found myself empathizing with the characters, and rooting for Brooke/Molly throughout. I would recommend this book.
This is the type of book for which I wish there was a 4.5/5 rating. 4 feels harsh, and 5 implies there is very little need for improvement. The story flowed well, and I found myself surprised when I realized that Molly and Brooke were the same person. This plot technique worked well to emphasize the desperate measures we take to deal with the pain and betrayal we can feel at the hands of those who are supposed to love and protect us. Secrets have the power to destroy, or strengthen, and Carr has worked well with the stories and characters to bring her characters and their situations to life.
My biggest complaint would be that the story became a bit rambling in different stages. Some careful editing would have improved the readability, and would promote the attention that readers will have for this story.
Overall, I found myself empathizing with the characters, and rooting for Brooke/Molly throughout. I would recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2015
I would like to thank Charlene Carr for the ARC copy I was given.
I enjoyed the bones of this novel. The plot was really interesting and I enjoyed the frank look at Brooke's life. Without giving away any spoilers, I think that Carr did a very good job of explaining how the circumstances of Brooke's life led her down the path that she went. Carr looks at domestic abuse, alcoholism, peer pressure, sexual assault, young love, and stigma. This was also a story of second chances and redemption. However, the novel lost a star because I found the end half to be a bit rambling and long winded. There were parts that were repetitive and I would skim sections without actually reading it. I think that with a bit more editing, it would really tighten up and become five stars.
Thanks again for the copy! I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to reading more by Carr in the future.
I enjoyed the bones of this novel. The plot was really interesting and I enjoyed the frank look at Brooke's life. Without giving away any spoilers, I think that Carr did a very good job of explaining how the circumstances of Brooke's life led her down the path that she went. Carr looks at domestic abuse, alcoholism, peer pressure, sexual assault, young love, and stigma. This was also a story of second chances and redemption. However, the novel lost a star because I found the end half to be a bit rambling and long winded. There were parts that were repetitive and I would skim sections without actually reading it. I think that with a bit more editing, it would really tighten up and become five stars.
Thanks again for the copy! I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to reading more by Carr in the future.
September 24, 2016
Charlene is an amazing storyteller. The characters she brings to life, like Brooke, are complex people whom the reader comes to care about. What really impresses me is that she never wraps everything up neatly in a box. Her characters push through struggles and challenges, but ultimately, she leaves the reader considering the different possibilities for their futures. "Beneath the Silence" is a painful, deep, and ultimately hopeful story that kept me reading long into the night(s)!
June 18, 2016
I enjoyed this book.The main character was well defined. The story was
full of twists and turns. I didn't want to like Molly but because the author went into her life in detail I found myself warming to her. Will definitely read more of this author's work. Off to find the sequel to this book hopefully there is one
full of twists and turns. I didn't want to like Molly but because the author went into her life in detail I found myself warming to her. Will definitely read more of this author's work. Off to find the sequel to this book hopefully there is one
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