"From the impeccable world building to the strong plot points and the sophistication in character, Susan Wingate weaves a yarn that is absorbing, balanced, and deft. It is twisty and unpredictable. The strong opening pulls the reader in and plunges them into the world of Mac and Tess, characters that are memorable. The tension grows in intensity as the conflict deepens, escalating to a surprising denouement. It is nothing short of a page-turner." ―The Book Commentary
"A girl comes into her own following a tragedy in Susan Wingate's poignant novel." ―Foreword Clarion Reviews
"From the ashes rises the phoenix. As a family descends into an abyss of pain, so Mackenzie fights to discover her own way out of the overwhelming circumstances of her sibling's death. Wingate is gifted at capturing these shifting nuances as events continue to pull characters apart and put them back together like puzzles, albeit in a different way. HOW THE DEER MOON HUNGERS carries the reader through this process, creating a powerful and memorable saga that is hard to put down and lingers in the mind long after the story is over." -Diane Donovan, Senior Editor, Midwest Book Review
"A coming of age story that is both intriguing and captivating." ―MoreThanAReview.com
"Vivid characters, a harrowing story line and amazing ending. What more could a reader want? Everything that can go wrong in Mac's life does-her parents divorce, her sister dies, and she's arrested for something she didn't do. She has to learn how to assimilate it, learn from it, and move forward. But that won't be easy." ―Terry Persun, Amazon Bestseller
"Mac and Tessa are part of my life now." ―Billie Hobbs, Independent Editor
"I found HOW THE DEER MOON HUNGERS amazing!" ―Kathryn Lane, Award-winning author of the Nikki Garcia Thriller Series
"I was terrorized. Then, I cried." ―Elizabeth Ajamie Boyer, author of Memories of War
09/28/2020
Wingate (Storm Season) spins pure literary heartbreak in this wrenching coming-of-age tale set on an island near Seattle. MacKenzie “Mac” Fraser’s parents are separated; her seven-year-old sister, Tessa, is seriously annoying her; and her best friend, Gemma, is bugging her to try smoking pot. These mundane problems are transformed in an instant when Tessa is mowed down by a drunk driver and Mac is caught holding Gemma’s pot. Mac is sent to juvenile detention, and her mother, blaming her for Tessa’s death, throws away Mac’s possessions and gives away her beloved cat—but those are the least of Mac’s worries once she gets to the abusive environment of juvie.
Wingate’s top-notch worldbuilding skills easily draw readers into her well-plotted, often brutal story. The graphic descriptions of sexual abuse may trigger survivors, but Wingate pulls no punches in fully delivering the horrors of prison rape (committed both by those in authority and by prisoners), urging readers to empathize with and understand Mac as well as anyone sentenced to that traumatic environment. She allows readers to experience events from multiple characters’ perspectives—including Tessa’s as she’s dying—but the tale is primarily told in Mac’s pained and ultimately resigned voice.
The lyrical prose will enchant readers, and the searing plot twists and a surprising yet emotionally satisfying wrap-up command close attention. Survivors of dysfunctional families and traumatic, tragic events will find many of their experiences reflected. Though Mac is a teen, her story may be too emotionally devastating for many readers close to her in age, but adult and new adult readers will fall headlong into it. No one who picks up this heartrending story will emerge from it unchanged or unmoved.
Takeaway: This powerful and poignant novel is ideal for new adult readers seeking to immerse themselves in rage, grief, and pain.
Great for fans of Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, Lois Lowry’s A Summer to Die.
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: - Editing: A Marketing copy: A
