A Stillness of Chimes Review

Once in a while I come across a book that I’m not sure how I feel about it when I’m reading it. I’m entertained and into the book while I’m reading through it, but when I’m finished I’m somehow a little disappointed. Hopefully writing this review will help me workout my issues with the book I just finished, A Stillness of Chimes by Meg Moseley.

Laura Gantt returns home to Prospect, Georgia to take care of things after her mother has passed away. Growing up in the small Georgia town, Laura and her two best friends, Cassie Bright and Sean Halloran, were inseparable and when they were twelve made the promise to always be there for each other, no matter what. But, time, age, and circumstances have a way of making people drift apart. Laura’s father had drowned in the lake when she was eighteen, but now that she’s home rumors are starting to circulate that he has been seen around town. Laura wants to know the truth. Is her father, a man who suffered from PTSD, alive out there. Is he hurt? Is he mentally all right? Sean Halloran, Laura’s former boyfriend, wants to protect Laura from disappointment and hurt. He is still in love with her, still longs to be with her, and to protect her but Laura won’t admit her feelings for him.

There was just so much going on in this story, and while it made the book a very quick read, it also felt like there wasn’t great resolution to a few of the things that were happening in the book. The story is about love and sacrifice, giving something up to protect something else, and understanding the different parts of someone’s life that makes them the person they grow into. I guess my problem with this book is with the ending. I understand that not everything is always wrapped up in the perfect little happily ever after, but the ending of this book was abrupt and I felt like I wanted more. I wanted more of Laura and Sean’s story and I wanted more of how they recovered from the truth of what Laura discovered while looking for her father. So, overall, I would give with book three out of five stars.

***Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers and Blogging for Books provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. I was not compensated in any way for either a negative or a positive review.