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Watermark
Raised by a drug-addicted mother and criminal stepfather, she became her younger sisters’ only hope—and the rock that held her family together. Now, high school senior Angel Ferente is nowhere to be found.
Last seen on public transit in the middle of the night, the talented competitive swimmer with an independent streak could have ended up just about anywhere. But on the rough streets of Philadelphia, in a community plagued by drugs and violent crime, her family and friends are finding plenty of cause for concern.
Narrated by Angel’s troubled younger sister Jeannine and her swim teammate Alex, Watermark explores the challenges of growing up in the inner city in the midst of the crack epidemic and how one girl found refuge in the act of swimming and the steadfast support of her team. Alex and Jeannine form a bond as they find ways to cope with Angel’s absence.
The swim team and members of a struggling community come together in search of the missing teen—will they manage to figure out where she has gone and track Angel down alive?
Last seen on public transit in the middle of the night, the talented competitive swimmer with an independent streak could have ended up just about anywhere. But on the rough streets of Philadelphia, in a community plagued by drugs and violent crime, her family and friends are finding plenty of cause for concern.
Narrated by Angel’s troubled younger sister Jeannine and her swim teammate Alex, Watermark explores the challenges of growing up in the inner city in the midst of the crack epidemic and how one girl found refuge in the act of swimming and the steadfast support of her team. Alex and Jeannine form a bond as they find ways to cope with Angel’s absence.
The swim team and members of a struggling community come together in search of the missing teen—will they manage to figure out where she has gone and track Angel down alive?
ebook
First published April 8, 2016
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About the author
Elise Schiller
3 books108 followersElise Schiller has been writing fiction, memoir, and non-fiction and actively participating in writing groups since adolescence. She has published several short stories and a number of articles and essays, as well as two books: Even If Your Heart Would Listen: Losing My Daughter to Heroin, 2019; Watermark: Book One of the Broken Bell Series, 2020. She is now working on the second book of the Broken Bell Series. Schiller also blogs about the opioid epidemic, books, education, and family history on her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this story from Elise Schiller. It touches on some seriously tough subjects, but does it in a way that is respectful to people who may have experience with those things. I am a huge fan of the author and this one did not disappoint.
The Story: I really enjoyed the story. It was a tough read with some tough subjects, but it also contained a great story that was interesting and easy to follow along with. I know absolutely nothing about swimming and was worried some of the things in this book would go over my head. I can’t lie, some things did go over my head, but it never took away from the story as a whole. There were so many different components to this book that were all captivating.
The Flow: I thought this book flowed pretty well. I do wish the chapters were a little shorter, but that’s really just reader preference and didn’t necessarily take away from the story as a whole.
The Characters: Wow, talk about becoming invested in the characters. I love the way Elise Schiller presents the characters to us in a way that we are forced to become emotionally attached. We feel the emotions they feel. It was great to see how the characters, especially Angel’s sister, developed from the beginning of the story to the end.
The Writing: The story was told using the narratives of two different people, both close to Angel. We were able to view the story through both Angel’s sister and Angel’s best friend. I found it interesting to not use Angel’s voice itself, and actually enjoyed this style of story telling. It provided us two very distinct and unique outsider perspectives to the story. I thought the writing was great and had no issues with it.
I truly enjoyed this story and found my heart breaking with each and every character. It was captivating and drew you in so you not only became invested in the story, but became invested in the characters as well.
*Thank you to SparkPress and Elise Schiller for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*
The Story: I really enjoyed the story. It was a tough read with some tough subjects, but it also contained a great story that was interesting and easy to follow along with. I know absolutely nothing about swimming and was worried some of the things in this book would go over my head. I can’t lie, some things did go over my head, but it never took away from the story as a whole. There were so many different components to this book that were all captivating.
The Flow: I thought this book flowed pretty well. I do wish the chapters were a little shorter, but that’s really just reader preference and didn’t necessarily take away from the story as a whole.
The Characters: Wow, talk about becoming invested in the characters. I love the way Elise Schiller presents the characters to us in a way that we are forced to become emotionally attached. We feel the emotions they feel. It was great to see how the characters, especially Angel’s sister, developed from the beginning of the story to the end.
The Writing: The story was told using the narratives of two different people, both close to Angel. We were able to view the story through both Angel’s sister and Angel’s best friend. I found it interesting to not use Angel’s voice itself, and actually enjoyed this style of story telling. It provided us two very distinct and unique outsider perspectives to the story. I thought the writing was great and had no issues with it.
I truly enjoyed this story and found my heart breaking with each and every character. It was captivating and drew you in so you not only became invested in the story, but became invested in the characters as well.
*Thank you to SparkPress and Elise Schiller for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*
July 11, 2016
Review to come 7/17 :)
February 12, 2021
My one line review for Watermark would be: if you want to enjoy the book, don't read the blurb. From the blurb, which focuses on this as a missing person mystery-thriller, I expected a much different kind of book. Yes, someone goes missing, but the disappearance gets some attention in the first few pages and then doesn't come back until many chapters later — not long before the end, actually.
In between, though, there is a well told story of the daughters of a poor family living in Kensington, a run-down community in Philadelphia known for its association with drugs, prostitution, and homelessness. Schiller does a good job of telling their stories, as well as with humanizing the setting. She doesn't pretty anything up about Kensington or about the poverty, addiction, neglect, and general disorder that run in and out the lives of all the characters, major and minor, but at the same time she is never patronizing and never fetishizes or exoticizes any of it. These are ordinary people, living real lives, under difficult circumstances, yes, but they are regular lives. Their stories are interesting, the characters are interesting, and you care about what happens to them.
So, if you're looking for a compelling crime thriller, you'll have to look elsewhere, but you could do a lot worse than Watermark for a solid character-based story of human relationships set against a background of social disadvantages that are too often seen as the story itself.
In between, though, there is a well told story of the daughters of a poor family living in Kensington, a run-down community in Philadelphia known for its association with drugs, prostitution, and homelessness. Schiller does a good job of telling their stories, as well as with humanizing the setting. She doesn't pretty anything up about Kensington or about the poverty, addiction, neglect, and general disorder that run in and out the lives of all the characters, major and minor, but at the same time she is never patronizing and never fetishizes or exoticizes any of it. These are ordinary people, living real lives, under difficult circumstances, yes, but they are regular lives. Their stories are interesting, the characters are interesting, and you care about what happens to them.
So, if you're looking for a compelling crime thriller, you'll have to look elsewhere, but you could do a lot worse than Watermark for a solid character-based story of human relationships set against a background of social disadvantages that are too often seen as the story itself.
May 5, 2020
Phew - this is a bit of a somber read. At the beginning, I wasn't sure I was going to connected with this read. However, as I continued on, I started to really feel for Angel and her siblings... and gained an absolute disgust with their mother, Pic. I'll say it again, PHEW.
Schiller truly brings the reality of a problematic life for a first born who has to take over the duties as a mother - sometimes acting as a mother to her own mother. Not only are there problems at home, they also have to deal with the rough area where they live. Nothing is easy for these girls. Then Angel disappears... now what?
You'll obviously have to read this to find out. I wish I had connected with this book earlier in my journey with Angel. By the time I was finished, I was a bit emotionally spent. And like the gritty life that felt all too true, and likely is out there somewhere, you're left feeling a bit bereft.
Well written, I would definitely recommend this for those who love a character driven read with a bit of mystery involved.
Schiller truly brings the reality of a problematic life for a first born who has to take over the duties as a mother - sometimes acting as a mother to her own mother. Not only are there problems at home, they also have to deal with the rough area where they live. Nothing is easy for these girls. Then Angel disappears... now what?
You'll obviously have to read this to find out. I wish I had connected with this book earlier in my journey with Angel. By the time I was finished, I was a bit emotionally spent. And like the gritty life that felt all too true, and likely is out there somewhere, you're left feeling a bit bereft.
Well written, I would definitely recommend this for those who love a character driven read with a bit of mystery involved.
May 30, 2022
Angel Ferente is a girl that had to grow up fast to be able to take care of her three sisters, while trying to earn a swimming scholarship to go to college. It wasn't easy, living in Philadelphia in the early 1990s, in poverty, with drug dealers, sex workers, along with killings. Angel had a bad relationship with her mother and a hateful one with her stepfather. She had a part time job at the laundromat and also had to do the family's laundry. A very sad and heartbreaking story of a girl trying to make a better life.
October 13, 2021
Watermark is the story of Angel, a troubled teen whose reality is so much more complex than that hackneyed phrase suggests, who goes missing on New Year's Eve. More accurately, it is the story of the family, friends, and swim teammates trying to come to grips with what led up to her disappearance. The story is incredibly nuanced and layered, with characters who are all living in poverty, but show the diversity of circumstance within that group that often gets viewed as a monolith.
Angel herself is deeply complex--making choices again and again that make me wince--and Schiller pulls no punches in this book--and yet showing fierce devotion and loyalty to her friends and family. It's a difficult, but incredibly rewarding read.
Angel herself is deeply complex--making choices again and again that make me wince--and Schiller pulls no punches in this book--and yet showing fierce devotion and loyalty to her friends and family. It's a difficult, but incredibly rewarding read.
March 14, 2022
I received a signed copy of this book from the author sometime ago. I started reading, put it aside for awhile, picked it up again and read it, crying, to the end. Such a well written book about four girls mostly raising themselves because their parents weren’t up to the task. They endured neglect, were sometimes cared for by friends, family members and helpers in the community, suffered an unthinkable tragedy and mostly made it to the other side. Even though it may make you sad, I recommend reading this book.
June 9, 2021
Amazing…and sad
Angel and her younger sisters, especially Jeannine, and her friend Alex fairly leap off the pages. I couldn’t put my iPad down until I finished the book. Here’s a family that put the dys in dysfunctional and the whole time I was rooting for Angel to rise above them, swim away from them. And then she disappeared. Where did you go, Angel?
Angel and her younger sisters, especially Jeannine, and her friend Alex fairly leap off the pages. I couldn’t put my iPad down until I finished the book. Here’s a family that put the dys in dysfunctional and the whole time I was rooting for Angel to rise above them, swim away from them. And then she disappeared. Where did you go, Angel?
June 30, 2018
I really liked this book, and gave it five stars because it had the added bonus of being written by someone I knew a long time ago. I am such an avid reader (on the way to jaded at this point) - that I rarely give five stars, and probably would have given this one four stars, but it was a fun experience while reading to know that a person I knew when we were young teenagers managed to write and publish a novel -- something I have dreamed of doing for the past 50 years! This story was quite sad, and also charming in a strange way. The characters were well developed and I cared about what happened to them. I am not able to relate to the swim team experience and I am sure the story becomes even more meaningful to those who are familiar with swim team psychology and training.
May 9, 2020
Wow. I can’t even begin to put into words what a powerful, moving story this is. I don’t think I knew exactly what I was signing up for when I picked up this book. It’s almost as though the premise doesn’t really do this justice. I found this one through the BookSparks newsletter and I was gifted a copy of this book for review. I think I only vaguely read the premise because when I started this one, it wasn't at all what I expected.
I guess this is marketed as a mystery? But it almost felt like a character study of struggling families and how so many lives can be affected by addiction. At times, this was a hard book to read. But it’s also an important one. So many children grow up like this. So many families have similar struggles. And so many of us never truly know what they go through. This book provides a window into that world.
This book is told from two perspectives and of the two, I enjoyed following Jeannine a little more. As a fellow bibliophile, I definitely identified with a lot of her habits. But she was also the heart of this novel and it was her that I felt for the most (along with Angel, of course). More thoughts under this spoiler tag:
This is a book about a lot of things. But family and relationships are first and foremost. Sometimes we’re born into the wrong family or, at least, we draw a short straw. We're born into a situation we don't deserve. But this is a story about surviving a world where blood is more of a curse than not and even overcoming those terrible circumstances. And that is what spoke to me most in this book. Overcoming the pain and the stupidity and building something better. Getting out and finding your true place and making a better world. That's the message I took from this book.
I can already tell this is one I’ll be thinking about a lot and revisiting again. I know I’ll definitely be continuing this series when more books are released! I HIGHLY recommend this book! It's already been on my mind a lot and I only just finished reading. What a wonderfully powerful novel. Read this book!!
I guess this is marketed as a mystery? But it almost felt like a character study of struggling families and how so many lives can be affected by addiction. At times, this was a hard book to read. But it’s also an important one. So many children grow up like this. So many families have similar struggles. And so many of us never truly know what they go through. This book provides a window into that world.
This book is told from two perspectives and of the two, I enjoyed following Jeannine a little more. As a fellow bibliophile, I definitely identified with a lot of her habits. But she was also the heart of this novel and it was her that I felt for the most (along with Angel, of course). More thoughts under this spoiler tag:
This is a book about a lot of things. But family and relationships are first and foremost. Sometimes we’re born into the wrong family or, at least, we draw a short straw. We're born into a situation we don't deserve. But this is a story about surviving a world where blood is more of a curse than not and even overcoming those terrible circumstances. And that is what spoke to me most in this book. Overcoming the pain and the stupidity and building something better. Getting out and finding your true place and making a better world. That's the message I took from this book.
I can already tell this is one I’ll be thinking about a lot and revisiting again. I know I’ll definitely be continuing this series when more books are released! I HIGHLY recommend this book! It's already been on my mind a lot and I only just finished reading. What a wonderfully powerful novel. Read this book!!
June 10, 2020
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
An emotional read, Watermark by Elise Schiller, captures the times in this evocative novel, following the disappearance of a young girl living in a troublesome neighborhood and a complicated home.
Watermark was certainly not something I would pick up on my own; I tend to go more toward fantasy when it comes to stories. However, I never turn down a recommendation. Furthermore, it was impressive.
Impressive
Watermark follows the disappearance of Angel following the perspectives of her younger sister Jeannine and friend Alex. At first, it is a bit jarring how it goes between these two perspectives because in a way, they are not that cohesive. These two perspectives come off as disjointed in the beginning, but as the story progresses, it is clear why Schiller chose these two perspectives.
The reader gets to know Angel through her sister and her friend, offering up a full person. Human beings are often different when they are in a private setting to a public one. So the reader gets to know Angel in both of these settings, seeing both sides of her to give insight into her relationships with her family and her friends.
It was a unique way to approach the story Schiller executed it well. Jeannine and Alex have distinct voices, and each perspective gives depth to the story, influencing how the reader sees Angel.
Getting to know Angel
Angel is a headstrong character; she is practically the mother of the household, often keeping the family together. Her mother had her at 15, so there is a lot of resentment there, and her mother is jealous of her as well. Pic, her mother, is jealous of the chances she has in life, of how thoughtful she is, how her children prefer Angel rather than their mother. Pic is a disaster of a person; she is a recovering addict with a husband who has a sketchy side business. It is an unsafe household, and Angel is the core, she is the safety net.
Schiller goes back and forth from the past to the present to show the reader who Angel is and what may have led to her disappearance. The revelation, both startling and horrific, impacts the reader, enticing a second read to see all the hints the author dropped.
Final Thoughts
Watermark is an emotional read; it captures the turbulent times of the early 1990s, highlighting some of the struggles many faced. By following Angel through the eyes of her sister and friend, the reader is drawn into the drama and tension, relating to Angel as she struggles to save herself and care for her sisters.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
An emotional read, Watermark by Elise Schiller, captures the times in this evocative novel, following the disappearance of a young girl living in a troublesome neighborhood and a complicated home.
Watermark was certainly not something I would pick up on my own; I tend to go more toward fantasy when it comes to stories. However, I never turn down a recommendation. Furthermore, it was impressive.
Impressive
Watermark follows the disappearance of Angel following the perspectives of her younger sister Jeannine and friend Alex. At first, it is a bit jarring how it goes between these two perspectives because in a way, they are not that cohesive. These two perspectives come off as disjointed in the beginning, but as the story progresses, it is clear why Schiller chose these two perspectives.
The reader gets to know Angel through her sister and her friend, offering up a full person. Human beings are often different when they are in a private setting to a public one. So the reader gets to know Angel in both of these settings, seeing both sides of her to give insight into her relationships with her family and her friends.
It was a unique way to approach the story Schiller executed it well. Jeannine and Alex have distinct voices, and each perspective gives depth to the story, influencing how the reader sees Angel.
Getting to know Angel
Angel is a headstrong character; she is practically the mother of the household, often keeping the family together. Her mother had her at 15, so there is a lot of resentment there, and her mother is jealous of her as well. Pic, her mother, is jealous of the chances she has in life, of how thoughtful she is, how her children prefer Angel rather than their mother. Pic is a disaster of a person; she is a recovering addict with a husband who has a sketchy side business. It is an unsafe household, and Angel is the core, she is the safety net.
Schiller goes back and forth from the past to the present to show the reader who Angel is and what may have led to her disappearance. The revelation, both startling and horrific, impacts the reader, enticing a second read to see all the hints the author dropped.
Final Thoughts
Watermark is an emotional read; it captures the turbulent times of the early 1990s, highlighting some of the struggles many faced. By following Angel through the eyes of her sister and friend, the reader is drawn into the drama and tension, relating to Angel as she struggles to save herself and care for her sisters.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
June 8, 2020
See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/yafict...
WATERMARK is a dark historical (takes place in the 1990s) suspense. The book follows Jeannine, Angel's sister, and Alex, her friend, after her disappearance on New Year's Eve. Angel and Jeannine's mother, Pic, has an alcohol and drug addiction that often leaves her unable to care for the children. Pic remarried when Angel was 13, and the new husband, Frank, is abusive. Now, several years later, they have two daughters who Angel mostly looks after, sometimes leaving Jeannine in charge as she is now 13.
Angel's disappearance is heavily noticed by Jeannine and Alex, and the whole she has left in their lives lead them to try to seek answers, even when the police treat it as a missing persons case, assuming Angel left of her own volition.
What I loved: The book often felt very raw, with the text resembling flow of consciousness and not always flowing in a straight-line. This added to the suspense and the characterizations of Angel, Pic, Jeannine, Alex, and others.
What left me wanting more: The plot can be difficult to follow in places and the stories are not smoothly connected. I had to reread sections to try to understand more and place all the people together. We are thrown a lot of names at the beginning, and its tough to remember how they all connect.
The book deals with some big topics in a realistic way, and I would add warnings for child abuse, incest, addiction, child neglect, abortion, and domestic violence.
Final verdict: This raw book will appeal to readers who like to read mysteries/suspense with heavy topics.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
WATERMARK is a dark historical (takes place in the 1990s) suspense. The book follows Jeannine, Angel's sister, and Alex, her friend, after her disappearance on New Year's Eve. Angel and Jeannine's mother, Pic, has an alcohol and drug addiction that often leaves her unable to care for the children. Pic remarried when Angel was 13, and the new husband, Frank, is abusive. Now, several years later, they have two daughters who Angel mostly looks after, sometimes leaving Jeannine in charge as she is now 13.
Angel's disappearance is heavily noticed by Jeannine and Alex, and the whole she has left in their lives lead them to try to seek answers, even when the police treat it as a missing persons case, assuming Angel left of her own volition.
What I loved: The book often felt very raw, with the text resembling flow of consciousness and not always flowing in a straight-line. This added to the suspense and the characterizations of Angel, Pic, Jeannine, Alex, and others.
What left me wanting more: The plot can be difficult to follow in places and the stories are not smoothly connected. I had to reread sections to try to understand more and place all the people together. We are thrown a lot of names at the beginning, and its tough to remember how they all connect.
The book deals with some big topics in a realistic way, and I would add warnings for child abuse, incest, addiction, child neglect, abortion, and domestic violence.
Final verdict: This raw book will appeal to readers who like to read mysteries/suspense with heavy topics.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
February 2, 2020
Told in alternating narratives by Angel’s sister and Angel’s best friend, this gritty urban fiction novel takes place in Philadelphia with oldest sister, Angel, ardent protector of her three younger sisters while juggling school, swim team practice, holding down a job at the laundromat all while their mother, Pic, is selfish, absent, abusive, drug addicted, alcoholic and married to Frank (who hates Angel, does not work, feeds Pic drugs and invective). What I loved about this book are the many supportive people in Angel’s life who step in and make a difference. When their mother is in rehab, their grandparents take them and provide a very stable environment. CJ is the coach of the swim team who sees Angel’s worth on the team while also grooming her to succeed in life; he is tough but fair and pushes Angel to swim her best time and time again, even when her life is falling apart. Angel is a teen; strong, flawed, but very likable; she speaks her mind (which pits her against her mother and Frank), is devoted to her sisters and friends. From Jeannine and Alex, their story/life of Angel, is riveting, shocking, and just so real. Jeannine has so much inner turmoil, she stops going to school, self medicates, rarely eats and leaves the house. Alex has the nice house, is best friends with Angel, and has a friendly mother where Angel feels comfortable enough to relax and even confide. The desperate search for Angel when she does not come home New Year’s Eve is heart wrenching. What happened to Angel and will she be found in time? A highly recommended ripped from the headlines read that teens and adults alike will not be able to put down. Even better, this is the first in a series, Broken Bell; I can’t wait for the second book. I love Elise Schiller’s writing, her characters, and portrayal of Philadelphia with beauty and authenticity. A must read! Due out in May, 2020.
May 5, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5: As a swimmer, I’m loved all the swimming descriptions. They way they describe swim practices and trainings and meets and their coach, is exactly how I remember it when I swam like that. I really felt like I was able to identify with the swimmers and their swimming experiences. The author hit the nail on the head when it came to describing swimming at an elite level, which is something that I feel other authors miss the mark on sometimes. I felt like I was reading about my own swimming experiences and it kinda made me miss the sport! I miss the competition and the hard work you had to put in, but I definitely don’t miss the morning practices lol! In terms of the book, while the story had me interested and I really did love reading about swim team life, the ending fell flat for me. The ending was anticlimactic in my opinion. I did like how the author created the character of Angel though. Through hearing about her from Angel’s sister Jeannine and Angel’s friend Alex, we discover how complex and multi-faceted Angel really is. While Angel can be defiant and indifferent at times, Angel is also extremely loving and caring. And it is clear that while she can push people’s buttons, people really do care for. All in all, I enjoyed this book, mainly for the swimming components.
May 30, 2020
This was such an interesting book that caught my attention from the beginning and held it until the very end. The story takes place in Philadelphia, and centers on a troubled family with the eldest daughter, Angel, being the glue that holds the sisters together while the parents are busy doing everything but being parents. It is told from the POV of her best friend Alex and her younger sister Jeannine, which was very different but worked very well for me. Angel is a star swimmer, and met Alex when she joined the swim team in high school. Angel had moved around so much that Alex was her first true friend. One night after a New Year’s Eve Party, Angel goes missing, and things change for everyone afterwards.
The synopsis follows, and my heart broke for these kids, as they are not in the best environment at all. What I loved about this story was that Angel had swimming, and was determined to succeed and go to college on a scholarship, all while dealing with a troubled home and making sure that her younger sisters are ok as the parents are a hot mess. This was a quick read, and the first in a series, and I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out!
Thank you to BookSparks for the gifted copy.
The synopsis follows, and my heart broke for these kids, as they are not in the best environment at all. What I loved about this story was that Angel had swimming, and was determined to succeed and go to college on a scholarship, all while dealing with a troubled home and making sure that her younger sisters are ok as the parents are a hot mess. This was a quick read, and the first in a series, and I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out!
Thank you to BookSparks for the gifted copy.
September 12, 2020
Watermark offers an unsentimental look at family dysfunction through a teenage girl’s heroic efforts to escape her mother’s downward spiral of anger, self-abasement, and drug use. 18-year-old Angel Ferente is a star swimmer in a working-class Philadelphia neighborhood where swimming pools are hard to come by. She’s also a rebel, a surrogate mom to her three younger sisters, and the object of her mother’s vindictive rage. As the novel begins, Angel has gone missing, a development that could mean escape or tragedy—or something in between. From there, the author cycles back through Angel’s recent past, revealing a world on the edge of chaos and a character on the edge of brilliance—if only she can hang on long enough to get a coveted athletic scholarship.
The author does a great job of capturing this particular world in its nuance and complexity. The story is told by alternating first-person narrators: Angel’s sister Jeannine, and a teammate from a more stable family. These voices complement each other. Jeannine—imaginative but damaged—reveals the inner workings of the family, while the less talented (and less desperate) Alex clues us in to Angel’s life on the swim team. Angel’s disappearance is resolved in an unexpected way, at least for this reader.
The author does a great job of capturing this particular world in its nuance and complexity. The story is told by alternating first-person narrators: Angel’s sister Jeannine, and a teammate from a more stable family. These voices complement each other. Jeannine—imaginative but damaged—reveals the inner workings of the family, while the less talented (and less desperate) Alex clues us in to Angel’s life on the swim team. Angel’s disappearance is resolved in an unexpected way, at least for this reader.
September 11, 2020
3.5 STARS
SYNOPSIS; The oldest child in a troubled Philadelphia family, Angel Ferente struggles to care for her three sisters while pursuing her goal of attending college on a swimming scholarship. She has a problematic relationship with her mother, Pic, who uses alcohol and drugs to self-medicate and at one point lost custody for a year, and an outright hostile relationship with her stepfather, the only father figure in her life. Angel is the center of stability in the household—making sure the younger girls get to school, ensuring that holidays are observed, doing the family’s laundry at her part-time job at a Laundromat, and even taking care of Pic when she is sick or depressed. It’s 1993, the midst of the crack epidemic, and Angel and her sisters are witness to the everyday events of life in a community beset by poverty and drugs: dealers on the corner, shoot-outs that kill bystanders, prostitutes on the job, and more.
Then Angel goes to a team party on New Year’s Eve—and doesn’t come home afterward. In the wake of her disappearance, her teammates, her coach’s church, and her family search the city for her. The result changes their lives forever. •
SYNOPSIS; The oldest child in a troubled Philadelphia family, Angel Ferente struggles to care for her three sisters while pursuing her goal of attending college on a swimming scholarship. She has a problematic relationship with her mother, Pic, who uses alcohol and drugs to self-medicate and at one point lost custody for a year, and an outright hostile relationship with her stepfather, the only father figure in her life. Angel is the center of stability in the household—making sure the younger girls get to school, ensuring that holidays are observed, doing the family’s laundry at her part-time job at a Laundromat, and even taking care of Pic when she is sick or depressed. It’s 1993, the midst of the crack epidemic, and Angel and her sisters are witness to the everyday events of life in a community beset by poverty and drugs: dealers on the corner, shoot-outs that kill bystanders, prostitutes on the job, and more.
Then Angel goes to a team party on New Year’s Eve—and doesn’t come home afterward. In the wake of her disappearance, her teammates, her coach’s church, and her family search the city for her. The result changes their lives forever. •
May 6, 2020
Angel Ferente lives in Philadelphia amidst the crack epidemic with her three younger sisters, drug addicted mother, and abusive stepfather. Now a high school senior and talented competitive swimmer, Angel struggles to balance caring for her sisters and pursuing college on a swim scholarship. When Angel vanishes after attending a party on NYE, some are more concerned than others. Angel’s community hopes for the best and joins together to search for the her on the rough inner city streets.
Watermark is the first book in Schiller’s Broken Bell Series. It is told in alternating POVs between Angel’s troubled younger sister, Jeannine, and her best friend from the swim team, Alex. The characters were well written and I did not predict the ending! I grew up in South NJ and worked as a pediatric RN in the inner city there, so this one hit close to home for me. I think my high school was even mentioned towards the end! I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Watermark discusses some heavy topics including: addiction, poverty, child neglect & abuse, and violence.
Read if you like:
📺 Shameless
📖 Long Bright River
Thank you Booksparks and Elise Schiller for my gifted copy of Watermark and including me on this tour! This one is available today 5/5/20!
Watermark is the first book in Schiller’s Broken Bell Series. It is told in alternating POVs between Angel’s troubled younger sister, Jeannine, and her best friend from the swim team, Alex. The characters were well written and I did not predict the ending! I grew up in South NJ and worked as a pediatric RN in the inner city there, so this one hit close to home for me. I think my high school was even mentioned towards the end! I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Watermark discusses some heavy topics including: addiction, poverty, child neglect & abuse, and violence.
Read if you like:
📺 Shameless
📖 Long Bright River
Thank you Booksparks and Elise Schiller for my gifted copy of Watermark and including me on this tour! This one is available today 5/5/20!
May 6, 2020
Angel has spent her entire life taking care of everyone. She works, she’s an accomplished swimmer and she takes care of her three younger sisters, because her mother is too busy with her husband, drugs and her own life. When boy-crazy Angel goes missing after a New Years party, those closest to her become concerned when she doesn’t show up for a few days. This story takes place in the mid-90’s so not only is Angel’s South Philly neighborhood not the best, it’s also a lot harder to track someone down. The novel is broken up into two perspectives: Jeannie, Angel’s younger sister with some psychological issues of her own and Alex, the better off best friend. I really enjoyed this book although the ending fell a little flat for me. I’m encouraged by the fact that this is the first book in a series and I really look forward to see how the author intends on building up the close-knit community she described in this book.
May 4, 2020
4.5 stars for Watermark!! This book reminded me a little of Long Bright River but with a different premise and not entirely focused on the drugs, etc. in Philadelphia.
This story is based in Philadelphia, around a high school swim team with some troubled families. Angel, one of the swim team members, goes missing. The story switches POV between Alex, Angel's best friend, and her younger sister Jeannine. The beginning felt a little slow but once I got through about 100 pages, the story picked up a lot. I loved how unlikable most of the characters were honestly - it made it so much easier to root for Angel! Pic and Frank were the absolute WORST. I couldn't believe the way some parents treat their children.
The ending was absolutely unexpected and the author leads you in a different direction the entire time! I really enjoyed it!
This story is based in Philadelphia, around a high school swim team with some troubled families. Angel, one of the swim team members, goes missing. The story switches POV between Alex, Angel's best friend, and her younger sister Jeannine. The beginning felt a little slow but once I got through about 100 pages, the story picked up a lot. I loved how unlikable most of the characters were honestly - it made it so much easier to root for Angel! Pic and Frank were the absolute WORST. I couldn't believe the way some parents treat their children.
The ending was absolutely unexpected and the author leads you in a different direction the entire time! I really enjoyed it!
May 17, 2020
I had a feeling I was going to like Watermark from the very beginning when the young narrator introduces us to her family, guts and all. Told in dual narration, we learn about Angel, a streets-smart teenager who is forced to grow up fast while trying to save herself and her younger sisters from a drug-addicted absentee mother and a stepfather who is equally dangerous.
The dialogue is real, and the reader gets to know Angel through the eyes of her younger sister and her best friend. Both narrative voices work, giving us an in-depth look into Angel’s world—both at home and at the rec center where she excels as a swimmer. Watermark will appeal to young readers and adults in the same way Outsiders gave us a peek into the lives of kids living with little guidance under challenging circumstances.
Watermark is a bittersweet tale, and Elise Schiller delivers raw emotion and heart.
The dialogue is real, and the reader gets to know Angel through the eyes of her younger sister and her best friend. Both narrative voices work, giving us an in-depth look into Angel’s world—both at home and at the rec center where she excels as a swimmer. Watermark will appeal to young readers and adults in the same way Outsiders gave us a peek into the lives of kids living with little guidance under challenging circumstances.
Watermark is a bittersweet tale, and Elise Schiller delivers raw emotion and heart.
May 8, 2020
This character driven novel centers on Angel, a very promising young woman on a Philadelphia swim team. But the story is told through the eyes of her younger sister Jeannine and best friend/teammate Alex.
Angel is the main care taker for her family... Her mom, Pic, is always turning to drugs/drinking and is not a good adult for her kids to have in their lives. Their stepdad (dad to one of the younger girls) is not much better. Angel is working toward a better future for herself.
Then one day, Angel disappears.
This was a very sad book. These kids have to live in a rough neighborhood and tough town. They needed better adults in their lives.
Thanks to Booksparks and She Writes Press for the free book.
Angel is the main care taker for her family... Her mom, Pic, is always turning to drugs/drinking and is not a good adult for her kids to have in their lives. Their stepdad (dad to one of the younger girls) is not much better. Angel is working toward a better future for herself.
Then one day, Angel disappears.
This was a very sad book. These kids have to live in a rough neighborhood and tough town. They needed better adults in their lives.
Thanks to Booksparks and She Writes Press for the free book.
August 18, 2017
Really good book. I enjoyed this book on two levels. First the story itself was very engrossing. I could hardly put it down. I found myself drawn into the story of Angel and wanting her to do well. She was a well-developed strong character. Secondly, a lot of the incidents reminded me of my time teaching high school in Chicago. I thought that it was very true to life and something that should be said about inner city high schools. But that didn't detract from the story. Highly recommended! You will love the book.
August 17, 2020
I love character-driven stories, so I know Elise Schiller's enthralling story about 18-year-old Angel is going to stay with me for a long time. Angel is the sassy and irresistably sexy kind of girl that vigilant mothers hope their teenage sons will stay away from, so she's kind of hard to like at first. But Schiller gradually pulls back the curtain on Angel's hopelessly dysfunctional family life to reveal a young woman with intelligence, a soft heart, and an inner strength that defies her bleak circumstances. I'm looking forward to reading more in the forthcoming Broken Bell series.
January 24, 2017
I enjoyed reading the book even though it is a sad story of a poor, inner-city, disfunctional family. The characters were well developed. I thought the ending should of gone into a little more detail of what happened to the girls, it covered Alex and Jeannine, mentions Kathleen but nothing on Joy.
May 21, 2020
The flow of this one was done really well. I was totally invested in the characters and loved their story. They gave me all the feels and I just loved them all. The way the story was told was amazing and I wished more authors would use it. The voices used were true to the story and I just couldn't put it down.
May 24, 2020
This novel is full of team spirit and teen angst. Swim teams are a great place for kids to be athletes and still be themselves. This novel shows that while developing the story of Angel, her many boyfriends, her sisters, her swim team family, and her mother and stepfather. So many relationship dynamics, and everything blended very well. You will enjoy this book!
May 5, 2017
I didn't know a thing about competitive swimming when I started this novel, but now I do and it is a wonderful framework for introducing us to likeable, complex and flawed characters that we wish to know better. The author displays both precision and compassion in the crafting of her characters.
May 21, 2018
Quick, good read. The mother infuriated me, the sisters broke my heart.
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