Named a Most Anticipated book by Newsweek * USA Today * CNN * Parade * Buzzfeed * Medium * GoodReads * PopSugar * Frolic Media * Betches * The Nerd Daily * SheReads and more “Smart and searingly passionate…an illuminating snapshot of nature, betrayal, and sacrifices set in the evocative New Hampshire wilderness.”–Kim Michele Richardson, bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
A startling and timely debut, Julie Carrick Dalton’s Waiting for the Night Song is a moving, brilliant novel about friendships forged in childhood magic and ruptured by the high price of secrets that leave you forever changed.
Cadie Kessler has spent decades trying to cover up one truth. One moment. But deep down, didn’t she always know her secret would surface?
An urgent message from her long-estranged best friend Daniela Garcia brings Cadie, now a forestry researcher, back to her childhood home. There, Cadie and Daniela are forced to face a dark secret that ended both their idyllic childhood bond and the magical summer that takes up more space in Cadie’s memory then all her other years combined.
Now grown up, bound by long-held oaths, and faced with truths she does not wish to see, Cadie must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to protect the people and the forest she loves, as drought, foreclosures, and wildfire spark tensions between displaced migrant farm workers and locals.
Waiting for the Night Song is a love song to the natural beauty around us, a call to fight for what we believe in, and a reminder that the truth will always rise.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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This story is about people hurting each other because of their legality and being there for each other when they are needed most. About friendships that are sacred and deep yet also surrounded by a few lies. Lies to protect and lies that could and do hurt. Lies that are meant to protect. Friendships will be put to the ultimate test. Can they survive after all these years or will they break a childhood friendship? This is a very touching and heartfelt story.
This line was my favorite from this book: “Why do you love that bird so much?” Daniela whispered. “Because no one else notices it. You hear the day sone all the time. Most people don’t even know it sings at night sometimes,” Cadie said.
This is the story of two young girls, barely teens, and one boy. The summer that changed all of their lives forever. It’s so well written and so full of nature. The things that pull me to a story. The descriptions are beautiful. From the forest, the beetles, the lake, the sky. It’s all written in a way that makes you feel like you are there. Even the smoke from the fire. It’s a great story filled with such emotion. You will laugh in parts and cry in others. Hold your breath and hope for the best in a few. But in the end you will be happy you read this one. It’s that good.
Cadie and Daniela became best friends during a summer filled with so much. Boating around a lake, picking blueberries to sell and in a way befriending the Garrett. Garrett is a boy who they call the boy on the pier. Quote from the book: The boy on the pier in the ratty lawn chair. The kid who cherished her books as much as she did. The author of her first love letters. Cadie pushed down the ache swelling in her chest as they walked up the stairs to the police station side by side.
I love this line from the end in the acknowledgments: And, lastly, to the real-life Summer Kid-the boy who sat alone on the end of his pier reading, fishing, and daydreaming-I have no idea who you are or what your name is, but as I paddled by your pier, summer after summer, you inspired a story in my mind that took on a life of its own. I hope your world is rich and full of the adventure I imagined you to be dreaming of.
This is a beautiful story. Even with all the bad, the good outweighs it. The good things are so good. There are a couple of stories going on in this book. There is the before and the present. What happened during that summer and what happened many years later. This is a book you need to read.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #Macmillion-tor/forge, #JulieCarrickDalton, for this ARC. These are my own true thoughts about this book.
5/5 stars and a very high recommendation!
Smart and searingly passionate, Dalton’s absorbing mystery debut explores many timely issues including global warming, female friendships, childhood secrets, and the lengths we take to protect them ― Waiting For The Night Song is an illuminating snapshot of nature, betrayal and sacrifices set in the evocative New Hampshire wilderness.
Human nature clashes with Mother Nature in this riveting and heartbreaking coming of age story―gorgeously written, and wonderfully told. With its combination of powerful themes and intensely immersive setting, fans of Delia Owens will swoon to find their new favorite author. A phenomenal debut!
Waiting for the Night Song is a deftly woven novel of friendships, youthful love, the plight of illegal immigrants, and small town life, up against the backdrop of murder and the threat of environmental collapse. It sounds like a lot but Dalton manages to stitch it all together into a rush of a book. I really enjoyed the characters, Cadie in particular. Every character has another side to their story and that made for a really rich telling. Absolutely loved it.
Cadie Kessler is an entomologist, and it is her turn to protect the forest. New England is the “canary in the coal mine” with its problematic migrating vegetation and ever shifting habitats. The forests are being destroyed by beetles whose telltale blue fungus, the color of the autumn sky before sunset, stains wood everywhere. Even Bicknell’s Thrush, Cadie’s favorite the tiny songbird, has all but disappeared. Her findings describe the extent of the damage, and there could be ramifications if they are published because she went onto restricted federal lands to make observations and gather samples. As academia discusses what to do about her conclusions, a nearby wildfire rages through trees killed by the infestation.
Dalton places readers in the midst of New Hampshire geography with multi-sensory descriptions: the reedy flute of a distant hermit thrush, the wind stretching the clouds like raw cotton on a comb, the rusty tips of dead pine trees, the dull grays and browns of granite, streaks of silver and layers of radiant amber, and the brownie-batter mud.
A second story-line, a tragedy from the past, unfolds in alternating chapters. It is no longer possible to pretend that the long-ago summer never happened, and the past reaches into the present for a resolution. It is time for people to grow up and start over. If every action has an equal and opposite reaction, what is the opposite of covering up a murder? Does one moment define a person’s life, or is destiny determined by what one does after that?
“Waiting for the Night Song” balances environmental activism with a secret from the past that must be resolved. Oh yes, there is that fire with embers floating in the purple air like fireflies. I received a review copy of “Waiting for the Night Song” from Julie Carrick Dalton, Macmillan Publishing and Forge Books. It is not a book in my usual reading category, but it was a nice change; it is an enchanting story with an environmentally friendly message.
#WaitingForTheNightSong #JulieCarrickDalton #EnvironmentalActivism
3.5 stars
Thanks to the Goodreads Giveaways program and Tor Books for an advanced readers edition of Waiting for the Night Song to read and review.
I had mixed feelings about this book. There were a few things I didn’t like about it but also quite a bit that I did!
The story alternates between the past and present. Cadie, as a young girl, witnessed a murder that left her life in pieces in many ways. It splintered the relationship between her and her best friend and also left her longing to escape from the only place she ever had really considered home. When, in present day, Cadie receives a message stating that the body has been found, she knows the past has come full circle and she must right her wrongs, even if it costs her everything she loves.
What I enjoyed:
– The book has quite a few great ideas. The murder mystery is interesting and keeps things moving along.
– I like that Dalton tries to incorporate some real world problems into this tale. She addresses three big current issues facing the world today: environmental destruction (as a result of global warming), immigration issues, and racism.
– I also felt that the characters Dalton created were well thought out. The reader really gets a good feel for each character and the events that have shaped them into who they are.
– I loved the setting for this book. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the woods and the childhood adventures Cadie has in them. As I read, I could almost hear the birds singing, the streams running, and the leaves rustling in the wind.
What didn’t quite work for me:
– There was a lack of cohesiveness in the story. It almost seemed like the author was trying to tackle too many things. She wanted to write a great murder mystery, a coming of age story, and also bring attention to social and environmental issues. As a result, I felt each idea never reached full potential.
– I also thought certain scenes became weighed down with too much detail. Towards the end, the scenes with the fires felt a bit too drawn out and also made me want to skim the pages.
All in all this was an enjoyable book though and one I would recommend to others. I look forward to reading more by this author.
A killer, gorgeous debut that tackles love, racism and even climate change. Waiting for the Night Song will break your heart, leave you breathless and wanting more.
Both a timely and timeless literary mystery, Waiting for the Night Song is as seductive as it is smart, blending the allure of Julie Dalton’s beloved rural New Hampshire setting with the dark undercurrents of a community’s racial divisions and betrayals. This is a story of love, of home, of friendship and family, of a childhood’s innocence and an adult’s comeuppance, all of which are in the line of fire in this beauty of a page turner.
Waiting for the Night Song is not just a coming of age story, but several coming of age stories. It’s a novel about how time passes and how time stands still, ties that bind and ties that constrict, place and our place in the world, what keeps us together and what keeps us apart, all of which is to say that Julie Carrick Dalton has written a novel of elegant contradiction, intimately explored, beautifully woven together.
I marvel when I come across a book that is at once timely and timeless… It’s a novel that burns―figuratively and literally―with sharp prose and uncommon wisdom. Do yourself a favor and have a look for yourself.
Dalton weaves the vagaries of friendship, the wonder of the natural world, and the power of truth to create a powerful and unforgettable story.
From the first chapter, I connected with Cadie and loved the relationship she has with her friend Daniela. As a tree-hugger myself, the parts of the book that focused on the devastation of the beetles killing the trees, leaving a lot of dead wood for forest fires were interesting and engaging.
The story incorporates a lot of tough issues, prejudice, climate change, drought, immigration and that is a lot to pack into one novel. But that worked for me. Mainly because the characters were so real and relatable. If you give me great people in a story, I’ll follow them everywhere.
The novel is written with beautiful descriptions that took me back to my childhood, tromping through a wooded area near my house that I pretended was a huge forest.
I enjoyed everything about this novel and look forward to reading more by Ms. Dalton
I first read an excerpt for Waiting For The Night Song on BookishFirst and loved it so I was so excited to read the entire book. I’ve seen comparisons to Where The Crawdads Sing and I definitely see the similarities. Both books focus heavily on nature and the environment while also featuring a crime. Waiting for the Night Song also addresses immigration and anti-immigrant sentiment in a powerful way that is organically woven into the story.
This is a slower-paced story that alternates between the past and present day. The writing is really beautiful and descriptive and I can’t believe this is a debut novel because it is so well written. I loved that this book features so many interesting topics from friendship to climate change to immigration. It also crosses over genres. There’s some mystery mixed in with contemporary fiction, which made it more appealing to me. I sometimes struggle with books that are very descriptive but this one had enough of the mystery element to keep me flipping the pages.
If you enjoy beautiful, descriptive writing, Waiting for the Night Song is a book to add to your TBR. I really enjoyed reading this wonderful debut novel.
Reading Waiting for the Night Song is similar to reading the lyrics of a piece of music and becoming enthralled with each note, with every silence between the notes.
I loved, loved, loved this book for so many reasons. The friendship between two young girls. First love. The suspense. The belief in something bigger than your own little piece of the world.
And the bear. Oh, my lord, but I loved the bear.
Julie Carrick Dalton also had the guts to take a few genres and blend them, something seldom seen from a debut author.
I’m a firm believer that educational topics can be taught through fiction, and Waiting for the Night Song will educate many concerning environmental issues and climate change. It should be required reading in high school – just my two cents.
Not to mention that it is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Kudos to you, Julie Carrick Dalton!
A beautifully written novel weaving an exciting story together with the timely hot topics of climate change and immigration. Dalton’s prose had me stopping in several places to repeat a phrase or sentence aloud, to feel the words on my tongue. I highly recommend this masterful debut.
I’ve seen this book being compared to “Where the Crawdads Sing” more than a few times in reviews, so this is my humble take from the perspective of someone who hasn’t read WTCS (yet! I do plan on reading it).
Cadie Kessler is an entomologist studying beetles and pine trees in a New Hampshire forest when she gets a call from her past best friend, Daniela. A body is found in their hometown and they were involved somehow. The story remains relatively suspenseful as the story progresses and the mystery unfolds. This was the selling point for me, and it’s the main thing that kept me reading. Considering Cadie’s profession, it’s fitting that one of the main topics in this book is environmental issues, including climate change and wildfires. “Waiting for the Night Song” is a book that strives to cover more than one important topic in the background of its main plot, though. I would call it ambitious, and not unsuccessful, but not quite successful either.
The heart of this book was unquestionably Cadie and Daniela’s friendship and it was them that kept me engaged, to the point where I failed to see merit in the less substantial and less convincing romance aspect with another character. I’m getting a bit tired of male love interests being forced in these kinds of stories where they add nothing to the story.
It was good, just not as good as I hoped. I loved Dalton’s writing; she especially excels in describing landscapes in beautiful detail.
Waiting for the Night Song, is far more than a mystery and suspense novel. It is a powerful, compelling, genre-defying intersectional debut.
Cadie and Daniela grew up in rural New Hampshire on a beautiful lake. The setting is atmospheric and an essential part of the story. They were enjoying an idyllic childhood summer, until they became involved in a shocking murder. The trauma of this event fractured their friendship until decades later Daniela calls Cadie back to her childhood home; something they have feared will happen has finally come to pass.
Cadie is an entomologist and ecologist. Her research involves investigating a beetle that has invaded due to climate change and is harming the trees and causing the forests to become more vulnerable to fire. The exposure of the crime committed many years ago may threaten her career and important research.
The story involved two timelines: the haunting events of that summer, and decades later when Cadie returns home to confront the fallout from the crime with Daniela. The tension is skillfully built, the writing beautiful, descriptive and lush. I especially appreciated the theme of how a place become an integral part of someone, even right down to a molecular level.
Waiting for the Night Song explores the issues of family, friendship, courage, global warming, the government suppression of science, immigration, racism and xenophobia. These themes powerfully intersect throughout the story and the reader is captivated from the beginning. Waiting for the Night Song is not to be missed. Highly recommended.
Cadie is an entomologist studying beetles in New England. A long lost friend, Daniela, sends her an urgent message. Cadie and Daniela now face a dark secret which they have both held close to their chests. Now they both have sacrifices to make.
The writing in this story is very unique and quite beautiful. But the story itself is a little too slow paced…for me. That being said…someone else may find it much more enjoyable. It is well written, it just did not grab me quite like I needed it to.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
With such a beautiful cover and enticing description, I had high hopes for this one. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, but it wasn’t the unputdownable read I craved. It did have a very satisfying ending, and some interesting portions. But it drug on in too many spots. And there was too much repetitive information.
I struggled with rating this book. Some portions were a solid 4, but I considered not finishing it during the slower parts. I usually read thrillers, so I don’t think there was enough excitement to keep me engaged. But anyone who enjoys women’s fiction should find it entertaining.
Cadie is an entomologist and her talk of pine beetles and Colorado were the main items that kept me reading. The story is told in past and present, with the past being far more interesting.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Julie Carrick Dalton and Forge Books, for this free digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
My Rating: 3 ’s (not enough excitement for me)
Published: January 12, 2021 by Forge Books
Pages: 336
Recommend: Yes, for anyone who enjoys Women’s Fiction
@juliecardalt @ForgeReads @edelweiss_squad
#NoRulesJustThrills #InExchangeForReview #WaitingForTheNightSong #BookReview #WomensFiction #DebutNovel
Waiting For The Night Song starts with a languorous, sensuous dive into remote New England forest, but from page one it’s like a little rock rolling downhill, picking up speed every minute. The sense of urgency surrounds a long-ago disappearance, questions of immigration and racism and climate change. I spent the whole book wondering which of those would be the spark that lit the fire; I should have realized the answer was “yes.”
Not every author can tie together so many huge tributaries and make them all converge in a single direction, but Julie Carrick Dalton managed it. This was a book I gobbled, but I know already I will need to go back and reread it at leisure to really appreciate the experience.