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Daytime Moon
Written with remarkable precision and insight, every page of Daytime Moon is a testament to Schlottman’s enormous gifts as a storyteller and writer — Andrew Porter, author of The Imagined Life
Isa has a gift. Premonitions, intuitive insight, a knack for tarot. But she is adrift.
Years ago, she ran away from one coast to the other and never looked back, but when her brother Cole unexpectedly shows up on her stoop, she’s convinced that it’s time to go home. Back in the California desert, Isa is swept up in her former life of late-night drag races by the Salton Sea, beers with the locals, and haunting reminders of the twin sister she lost and the mother she never got to meet.
When Dane, the man who raised them, becomes terminally ill, Isa is forced to confront everything she ran away from. In a posthumous letter, his revelations ignite her fearless internal drive. Traveling up and down California highways, through desert and forest, roaring coastline and border towns, Isa will follow the signs so delicately woven into the fabric of her life—a name, a constellation, a painting, a gleam of recognition on the water’s surface. If she can piece them together, she just might reunite the shattered remains of her beloved family.
Artfully narrated, Daytime Moon is an unforgettable journey through hidden stories, the shimmering fluidity of memory, the depths of women's secrets, and the magic of transmutation.
Isa has a gift. Premonitions, intuitive insight, a knack for tarot. But she is adrift.
Years ago, she ran away from one coast to the other and never looked back, but when her brother Cole unexpectedly shows up on her stoop, she’s convinced that it’s time to go home. Back in the California desert, Isa is swept up in her former life of late-night drag races by the Salton Sea, beers with the locals, and haunting reminders of the twin sister she lost and the mother she never got to meet.
When Dane, the man who raised them, becomes terminally ill, Isa is forced to confront everything she ran away from. In a posthumous letter, his revelations ignite her fearless internal drive. Traveling up and down California highways, through desert and forest, roaring coastline and border towns, Isa will follow the signs so delicately woven into the fabric of her life—a name, a constellation, a painting, a gleam of recognition on the water’s surface. If she can piece them together, she just might reunite the shattered remains of her beloved family.
Artfully narrated, Daytime Moon is an unforgettable journey through hidden stories, the shimmering fluidity of memory, the depths of women's secrets, and the magic of transmutation.
- GenresFiction
300 pages, Hardcover
Published May 12, 2026
About the author
Kerri Schlottman
7 books78 followersKerri Schlottman is a writer of literary fiction novels, most recently Daytime Moon (Unnamed Press, May 2026), which was named a 2026 Most Anticipated Book by Pop Sugar Magazine. Her novel Tell Me One Thing was a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist, and a Shelf Awareness Best Book This Week. Kerri works to support artists, writers, and performers in creating new work and is a part-time graduate professor in arts administration at NYU.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 11, 2025
Daytime Moon is magnificent, a literary meditation about family, memory, and belonging with deep emotional stakes. Like trying to capture meaning in one’s life with a net, Schlottman beautifully illustrates the longing we all have for the places we came from and the places we hope to arrive to, both transitory like sand castles. Gorgeously written and intensely felt, Schlottman adds a worthy milestone on her journey to excellence.
May 6, 2026
What a stunning book 🥹 this had so much of what I love in a book and was so beautifully written. It was atmospheric and the grief cut straight through. This one just hits right for me.
May 31, 2026
Wow. This was such an insanely good book. I’m honored to be part of Isa and Ella’s journey. It was bitter sweet and often plain sad, the writing was delicious and I loved the characters. They felt so full and honest I want to be friends with them. It was a journey to get to the end and I really liked how the pieces were slowly put together, the grief joy love anger and peace. Loved it.
May 30, 2026
Thanks to Unnamed Press for sending me this advanced reading copy.
This book is about family, death and finding out past secrets. There are a lot of family themes. The story is sad and moving but written very beautifully. I enjoyed this one! I’ll have to read more from this author.
This book is about family, death and finding out past secrets. There are a lot of family themes. The story is sad and moving but written very beautifully. I enjoyed this one! I’ll have to read more from this author.
May 15, 2026
Daytime Moon is an unwavering exploration of found family, and of finding oneself by discovering unknown origins, embarking on unexpected sojourns, and claiming one's own genuineness.
It’s a mystical story that traverses the treacherous lakes, oceans, deserts, and plains of California, which serve as metaphors for the tremulous terrains of the human heart, of desire, of loss. Written in the same haunting, lyrical prose that author Schlottman so deftly laid to the page in her book Tell Me One Thing, this is an evocative, contemplative novel about the consequences of not only running away, but of facing your predicaments head-on.
God, I loved the protagonist, Isa, her older brother Cole, the ghost of their sister Ella, and the entourage of idiosyncratic characters that wax and wane around them as they attempt to locate the missing pieces of their lives and finally complete the jigsaw puzzle of their histories.
Schlottman’s skilled writing and flowing narrative structure remind me of a mash-up between Michael Cunningham and Iris Murdoch. If you loved Francesca Lia Block’s House of Hearts, Malia Marquez’s City of Smoke and Sea, and Carson McCullers’ The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, you will also love this book.
It’s a mystical story that traverses the treacherous lakes, oceans, deserts, and plains of California, which serve as metaphors for the tremulous terrains of the human heart, of desire, of loss. Written in the same haunting, lyrical prose that author Schlottman so deftly laid to the page in her book Tell Me One Thing, this is an evocative, contemplative novel about the consequences of not only running away, but of facing your predicaments head-on.
God, I loved the protagonist, Isa, her older brother Cole, the ghost of their sister Ella, and the entourage of idiosyncratic characters that wax and wane around them as they attempt to locate the missing pieces of their lives and finally complete the jigsaw puzzle of their histories.
Schlottman’s skilled writing and flowing narrative structure remind me of a mash-up between Michael Cunningham and Iris Murdoch. If you loved Francesca Lia Block’s House of Hearts, Malia Marquez’s City of Smoke and Sea, and Carson McCullers’ The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, you will also love this book.
April 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and The Unnamed Press for the complimentary e-ARC of this novel.
Daytime Moon is best described as a deeply reflective piece of literary prose , one that draws you in rather than demanding your attention. I found myself almost hypnotized by Isa’s thoughtful inner monologue and her “mutterings” . While I usually gravitate toward faster-paced reads, this was the kind of book that invites you to slow down and rewards you for doing so.
The novel is profoundly introspective, exploring grief, identity, and the fragile, often messy process of putting oneself back together. What stood out for me most was its emotional honesty. The characters are flawed, at times even frustrating, yet that imperfection made them feel real. There were moments when I had to pause, sit with the words, and let them settle and I always appreciate a book that creates that kind of space.
That said, the pacing did feel slow in places. There were instances where I longed for more momentum or tension. Still, I understand that the quietness is intentional, and in many ways, it serves the story well, especially if you’re in the mood for something contemplative.
Overall, this was a thoughtful and moving read. A book , that after reading I’m left with a feeling I can’t quite name .
Daytime Moon is best described as a deeply reflective piece of literary prose , one that draws you in rather than demanding your attention. I found myself almost hypnotized by Isa’s thoughtful inner monologue and her “mutterings” . While I usually gravitate toward faster-paced reads, this was the kind of book that invites you to slow down and rewards you for doing so.
The novel is profoundly introspective, exploring grief, identity, and the fragile, often messy process of putting oneself back together. What stood out for me most was its emotional honesty. The characters are flawed, at times even frustrating, yet that imperfection made them feel real. There were moments when I had to pause, sit with the words, and let them settle and I always appreciate a book that creates that kind of space.
That said, the pacing did feel slow in places. There were instances where I longed for more momentum or tension. Still, I understand that the quietness is intentional, and in many ways, it serves the story well, especially if you’re in the mood for something contemplative.
Overall, this was a thoughtful and moving read. A book , that after reading I’m left with a feeling I can’t quite name .
March 12, 2026
A novel about a woman conflicted between puzzling out her family and fleeing its tragedy that is heavy with Americana—for instance a list of the main character’s occupations include: housecleaned, tarot card reader, mechanic, custodian, concession stand worker. There is also the specter of environmental degradation (polluted water, smog, fires) and poverty (there seems to be no accessible social safety net in the characters’ America).
This is a novel for people who like family mysteries, but for me it was too melodramatic and the events were too grief filled to enjoy. That’s not to say it’s not realistic at all; in some ways it felt like a story a client would tell me.
This is a novel for people who like family mysteries, but for me it was too melodramatic and the events were too grief filled to enjoy. That’s not to say it’s not realistic at all; in some ways it felt like a story a client would tell me.
March 13, 2026
Saw another review calling this a “literary meditation” and I can’t help but agree! Beautiful, melancholic writing about familial mysteries and relationships. Enjoyable read.
Thank you Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
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May 8, 2026"It’s a quiet, reflective book that focuses on the 'in-between' moments of life. Not for everyone, but definitely unique."
I’d give this a solid 3.5. This isn't a book you read for the plot; you read it for the atmosphere and the social commentary. It does a fantastic job of showing the reality of the American Dream—or rather, the lack of it—for people living on the fringes. The parallel between the decaying city and the empty landscapes of the West was really well done. I found the writing beautiful, though at times it felt a bit detached. If you enjoy character studies and don't mind a story that takes its time, you’ll find some really profound moments here. Just don't go in expecting a thriller or a standard romance.
I’d give this a solid 3.5. This isn't a book you read for the plot; you read it for the atmosphere and the social commentary. It does a fantastic job of showing the reality of the American Dream—or rather, the lack of it—for people living on the fringes. The parallel between the decaying city and the empty landscapes of the West was really well done. I found the writing beautiful, though at times it felt a bit detached. If you enjoy character studies and don't mind a story that takes its time, you’ll find some really profound moments here. Just don't go in expecting a thriller or a standard romance.
July 11, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! I read it because I had heard from a friend that the audio version was not great. I’m glad I read it because it was awesome! The story hooked me right away and I couldn’t wait to see what happened in Isa’s life. She was definitely an interesting character with a deep heart! I also found the setting intriguing. I’ve never been to the Salton Sea but have heard many things about it. It has really been brought to life in this book. A beautiful story of family, love and forgiveness.
December 28, 2025
The writing was beautifully melancholic and fully captures how adrift Isa is and as the story unfolds, you definitely understand why. The book was like a treasure hunt following a map of family stories never told. I think if you like stories about unraveling family mysteries this one will click with you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the ARC of this book. Love the cover of the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the ARC of this book. Love the cover of the book!
May 3, 2026
This book was surprisingly heavy. There was a very beautiful melancholy tone. I found myself having more pity for the characters than empathy or connection. The quality of the writing is undeniable but I can’t say I particularly enjoyed the book.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
June 22, 2026
Daytime Moon is the kind of novel you fall into like quicksand, and you let the warm earth swallow you whole.
There's no struggle in it. You don't want to get free. You want to live inside this book for as long as it'll have you. It's the rare read that you put down physically but never mentally. It follows you around and invades your thoughts at odd hours, long after you've closed the cover. It is, in the best way, inescapable.
Kerri Schlottman has built something here where every metaphor, small and large, is deliberately and brilliantly placed. It's a snake eating its own tail, each image circling back to feed the next. Isa's reckoning with her sister, her mother, and the man who raised her is never just hers. The questions she's wrestling with of what we inherit, what we hold onto, and what we finally let go of belong to all of us, not just to one woman piecing together a fractured family. It is a reflection on us as individuals and as a society. How do we cope with our shared history? How do we move forward without losing the things that made us?
The Salton Sea itself is so visceral, so commanding, that you get lost in it right alongside her. Schlottman sets up this friction between the city and the desert, between our collective hunger for progress and our deeper, older need to return to and care for the earth that holds us. That tension runs under everything in the book, quiet but relentless. That is her gift as an author. The ability to plant subtle seeds that bloom as you read and live on long after you finish her work.
This is a spectacular novel, one I think people will still be reading and marveling over years from now. Schlottman is a singular author, with so much to say and such an elegant tongue with which to say it.
To say that I recommend this book would be a comic understatement. It is easily the novel of the year for me and likely for years to come.
There's no struggle in it. You don't want to get free. You want to live inside this book for as long as it'll have you. It's the rare read that you put down physically but never mentally. It follows you around and invades your thoughts at odd hours, long after you've closed the cover. It is, in the best way, inescapable.
Kerri Schlottman has built something here where every metaphor, small and large, is deliberately and brilliantly placed. It's a snake eating its own tail, each image circling back to feed the next. Isa's reckoning with her sister, her mother, and the man who raised her is never just hers. The questions she's wrestling with of what we inherit, what we hold onto, and what we finally let go of belong to all of us, not just to one woman piecing together a fractured family. It is a reflection on us as individuals and as a society. How do we cope with our shared history? How do we move forward without losing the things that made us?
The Salton Sea itself is so visceral, so commanding, that you get lost in it right alongside her. Schlottman sets up this friction between the city and the desert, between our collective hunger for progress and our deeper, older need to return to and care for the earth that holds us. That tension runs under everything in the book, quiet but relentless. That is her gift as an author. The ability to plant subtle seeds that bloom as you read and live on long after you finish her work.
This is a spectacular novel, one I think people will still be reading and marveling over years from now. Schlottman is a singular author, with so much to say and such an elegant tongue with which to say it.
To say that I recommend this book would be a comic understatement. It is easily the novel of the year for me and likely for years to come.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, NetGalley and Unnamed Press, for the ARC of this book. I was drawn to this title from the description, and I feel it is heavier emotionally than I anticipated. The writing is elegant and descriptive. Although the formatting wasn't final in the version I read, it didn't throw off the story's ability to pull me in and keep me reading. There is definitely almost a mystery quality to the main plot that kept the story moving in a strong way. The characters were unique yet relatable and enjoyable to meet and discover through Isa's exploration. There is definitely a lot of sadness and death in the story. So if that is not a vibe you are comfortable with currently, maybe wait to read this at a different time. However, like most heavily emotional stories, I feel like Isa and Cole will be in my head for a long time.
Isa is pulled back into a life she ran away from when her brother, Cole, comes to New York to tell her that the man who raised them is dying. When Isa returns to not only the town but also the house she grew up in, all the good and the bad of her youth comes rushing back. A letter and some photos ignite in her a need to learn more about her mother's life and her biological father. Each discovery leads to more questions, and Isa finds herself on a quest to both understand and find a way to more forward.
Isa is pulled back into a life she ran away from when her brother, Cole, comes to New York to tell her that the man who raised them is dying. When Isa returns to not only the town but also the house she grew up in, all the good and the bad of her youth comes rushing back. A letter and some photos ignite in her a need to learn more about her mother's life and her biological father. Each discovery leads to more questions, and Isa finds herself on a quest to both understand and find a way to more forward.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A journey into family grief and healing, Daytime Moon calls young Isa, a Tarot card reader living on the fringes of New York city life, home to the southern California desert to face a dying stepfather, where she is haunted by unresolved griefs: the death-in-birthing loss of her artist mother and the drowning death of her damaged, beloved twin sister. Living in layers of unspoken family secrets, Isa doesn't fit into any ordinary worlds available, so she lives on the fringes of the ordinary, in physical and psychological places haunted by trauma. Such worlds! The hot dry track of desert racing, the poisonous and beautiful Salton Sea, the worlds of unknown relations discovered. A spooky journey with her steadfast brother takes Isa toward understanding of her origin story and attempts to settle the strangeness of the world through tentative connection, finally setting the world right by facing loss and grief and honoring the dead. This book takes us to a place where sadness can no longer freeze life in its tracks; rather, the need for connection and a love of the beautiful can allow something new to grow.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I have loved Kerri Schlottman's work since I discovered her novel Tell Me One Thing a few years ago. I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of Daytime Moon! The coastal setting and family/sisterhood and timely environmental themes drew me to this extraordinary novel. Schlottman expertly balances urgent topics with a lightness.
I was so moved by the main character Isa's journey to find her family, and the characters she meets along the way. It kept me turning pages late into the night. I also absolutely loved her dynamic with her brother! The characters all felt so real to me, like people I could hang out with, from Isa's friends, to her love interest, to her wonderfully reclusive aunt (who was an absolute stand out for me!) to the mother she never got to meet, and the sister she longs for. I felt like I sank into these pages and was guided expertly along by the gorgeous, lyrical writing.
I have a feeling Kerri Schlottman's name is going to be everywhere soon and I think this book has real award potential. I'm so excited to see what Kerri does next! She is an auto-buy author for me now!
I was so moved by the main character Isa's journey to find her family, and the characters she meets along the way. It kept me turning pages late into the night. I also absolutely loved her dynamic with her brother! The characters all felt so real to me, like people I could hang out with, from Isa's friends, to her love interest, to her wonderfully reclusive aunt (who was an absolute stand out for me!) to the mother she never got to meet, and the sister she longs for. I felt like I sank into these pages and was guided expertly along by the gorgeous, lyrical writing.
I have a feeling Kerri Schlottman's name is going to be everywhere soon and I think this book has real award potential. I'm so excited to see what Kerri does next! She is an auto-buy author for me now!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Daytime Moon is a haunting, beautifully written novel about grief, family, and the strange, inescapable pull of home. Kerri Schlottmann’s Isa is living in New York, trying to keep her life moving forward, yet the novel makes clear from the start that she is shadowed by the loss of her twin, Ella, and by the desert world she thought she had left behind. When she is drawn back to the Salton Sea, the book opens into a powerful reckoning with memory, guilt, love, and the unfinished business of belonging.
What I admired most is the way Schlottmann balances lyric beauty with emotional clarity. Isa feels utterly human throughout: wary, wounded, loving, avoidant, perceptive, and not always ready to face what the past is still asking of her. The novel’s imagery of water, whales, tarot, and the eerie, half-ruined landscape of the Salton Sea gives the story a dreamlike atmosphere, but its emotional truths are sharp and grounded.
And beneath all that beauty is a deeply moving story about forgiveness, including the hardest kind, forgiveness of the self. Daytime Moon stayed with me for its tenderness, its atmosphere, and its hard-won grace. A luminous, deeply felt novel.
What I admired most is the way Schlottmann balances lyric beauty with emotional clarity. Isa feels utterly human throughout: wary, wounded, loving, avoidant, perceptive, and not always ready to face what the past is still asking of her. The novel’s imagery of water, whales, tarot, and the eerie, half-ruined landscape of the Salton Sea gives the story a dreamlike atmosphere, but its emotional truths are sharp and grounded.
And beneath all that beauty is a deeply moving story about forgiveness, including the hardest kind, forgiveness of the self. Daytime Moon stayed with me for its tenderness, its atmosphere, and its hard-won grace. A luminous, deeply felt novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Daytime Moon, the latest novel from Kerry Schlottman, is an impactful, thought-provoking story that is beautifully written. I loved it!
Isa is the main character of this poignant story. She is trying to find where she belongs, having lost her mother at childbirth and her twin sister when she was young. She has faced other loses and tragedies in her young life.
The one person who won’t abandon her, even though she leaves him for ten years, is her older brother Cole. Together, they set out to learn more about their family.
Told through vivid and immersive scenes of the California desert and coast, we travel with them and discover their desire to find love and family they can hold on to. Schlottman’s rich, complex characters captivated me completely, as Isa and Cole were not alone on their journey.
I was fascinated by this splendid book from page one and I stayed engaged until the very end, with a tale that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Thank you to Unnamed Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Isa is the main character of this poignant story. She is trying to find where she belongs, having lost her mother at childbirth and her twin sister when she was young. She has faced other loses and tragedies in her young life.
The one person who won’t abandon her, even though she leaves him for ten years, is her older brother Cole. Together, they set out to learn more about their family.
Told through vivid and immersive scenes of the California desert and coast, we travel with them and discover their desire to find love and family they can hold on to. Schlottman’s rich, complex characters captivated me completely, as Isa and Cole were not alone on their journey.
I was fascinated by this splendid book from page one and I stayed engaged until the very end, with a tale that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Thank you to Unnamed Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daytime Moon (4.5 stars), by Kerri Schlottman, is a haunting, character-driven, layered novel about family secrets, memory, and the quiet pull of intuition. Isa, who experiences premonitions and reads tarot, returns to the stark California desert after years on the run. Amid late-night drag races, resurfacing ghosts, and revelations from a dying father figure, she pieces together the fractured past—her lost twin and the mother she never knew.
Scotchman's atmospheric writing captures the uncertainty of memory and finds magic in ordinary signs. The story is intimate while also being universal, weaving together loss, resilience, and the slow work of healing.
A powerful, introspective read that stays with you after the last page. This is not a fast-paced read, but that is OK. It allows you to sit with the characters and take it all in.
Thanks to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the advance copy; opinions are my own.
Scotchman's atmospheric writing captures the uncertainty of memory and finds magic in ordinary signs. The story is intimate while also being universal, weaving together loss, resilience, and the slow work of healing.
A powerful, introspective read that stays with you after the last page. This is not a fast-paced read, but that is OK. It allows you to sit with the characters and take it all in.
Thanks to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the advance copy; opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Daytime Moon shines with character depth and a striking sense of place. This Midwesterner didn’t even know the Salton Sea existed, and I was immediately drawn in to the world and geography, as my Google history shows!
Daytime Moon delicately weaves several disparate themes into a cohesive story. There’s everything from family dynamics and romantic relationships to grief and trauma, and even a dash of tarot and deep intuition along with meditations on our natural world. In many hands this could make for a big, meandering book. But in Kerri’s, it all seamlessly weaves together to make that just-right book. Characters you feel like you know and a story arc that holds you through every page. I’m excited to recommend this book to all my Sad Fiction girlies, because there’s a lot to wallow in, but there’s also beauty and healing.
Daytime Moon delicately weaves several disparate themes into a cohesive story. There’s everything from family dynamics and romantic relationships to grief and trauma, and even a dash of tarot and deep intuition along with meditations on our natural world. In many hands this could make for a big, meandering book. But in Kerri’s, it all seamlessly weaves together to make that just-right book. Characters you feel like you know and a story arc that holds you through every page. I’m excited to recommend this book to all my Sad Fiction girlies, because there’s a lot to wallow in, but there’s also beauty and healing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kerri Schlottman’s forthcoming Daytime Moon is a total gut punch. This hero’s journey follows a young woman named Isa for whom precarity has been the prevailing theme of her life. At times limping toward resolutions, Isa struggles open-hearted toward home, love, and herself. This book is for any reader who is holding onto something, letting go of something, and learning to live in the gray matter between who we’ve been and who we want to be.
Thank you to Kerri and Unnamed Press for the ARC!
Thank you to Kerri and Unnamed Press for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Daytime Moon is incredible! It's the type of book that pulls you along and then makes you want to go right back to the beginning to see how the author pulled it off. It's full of details that take on new meaning as the story moves forward - I felt so valued as a reader. It's tender. It's insightful. It's beautifully crafted. I care so much about the characters, and the family they build throughout their journey. I'm now a Schlottman megafan and am about to go check out her other books.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
With exquisite writing, openhearted characters, and a compelling quest to unearth family secrets, Daytime Moon absolutely shines. A vivid and thoughtful story unfolds as pieces of a mother’s hidden life come together while Mother Earth shows signs of coming apart. Schlottman creates a wonderfully complex, unforgettable tapestry.
Thank you to Kerri and Unnamed Press for the ARC.
Thank you to Kerri and Unnamed Press for the ARC.
August 4, 2026
found in the coolest ARC-filled little free library in chicago (clearly belonging to someone working in publishing) 🫶
love love loved the writing style, and i thought the author did a nice job creating a complex and intricate cast of characters. at times it was a little slow/sad for me, and i was hoping for a bit more with the ending
love love loved the writing style, and i thought the author did a nice job creating a complex and intricate cast of characters. at times it was a little slow/sad for me, and i was hoping for a bit more with the ending
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
March 20, 2026dnf
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An engrossing contemporary tale of how unknown things in our past can shape us. This is a well written novel - a coming-of-age story - in which when past secrets are revealed, the liberation this brings allows one to be free to finally understand oneself.
Isa ran from the west coast to the east coast to escape a tragedy but now it’s time to return. Her brother, Cole, brings her home to Salton Sea to say goodbye to the man who raised them but was not their father. Isa as well as Cole has been wrestling with whom her father was which she learns on this trip. She finally tells her boyfriend, Merce, about her twin only to have him reject her. Then she loses her best friend and it seems like a downward spiral for Isa. But somehow she gets determined finds her father, learns a lot about her mother’s history, searches with Cole to uncover her family’s secrets.
This is a powerful journey to truth story. I wasn’t sure what held my attention most: Isa or Cole because they both had so much unknowns in their lives. But I loved how they bonded over the family search. This is really Isa’s story though. I enjoyed how she blossomed as the story went on. And I loved how a family emerged.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Unnamed Press for giving me access to this ARC.
Isa ran from the west coast to the east coast to escape a tragedy but now it’s time to return. Her brother, Cole, brings her home to Salton Sea to say goodbye to the man who raised them but was not their father. Isa as well as Cole has been wrestling with whom her father was which she learns on this trip. She finally tells her boyfriend, Merce, about her twin only to have him reject her. Then she loses her best friend and it seems like a downward spiral for Isa. But somehow she gets determined finds her father, learns a lot about her mother’s history, searches with Cole to uncover her family’s secrets.
This is a powerful journey to truth story. I wasn’t sure what held my attention most: Isa or Cole because they both had so much unknowns in their lives. But I loved how they bonded over the family search. This is really Isa’s story though. I enjoyed how she blossomed as the story went on. And I loved how a family emerged.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Unnamed Press for giving me access to this ARC.
May 12, 2026
Gorgeous, interesting, fun, and well-written book with superb plotting, excellent vibes, and a great style. 5 stars. tysm for the E-ARC.
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