When I go on vacation to the beach it means that there will be lots of reading. It's the perfect time to rewind and catch up on all the reading that I haven't had time for with school, work, and other commitments. Before I left home my mom told me I had to bring her copy of Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. She had read it already and thought that I would really like it. My grandmother had also told me she loved it and my boyfriend's parents had also just finished it and enjoyed it. I knew I had to give it a chance especially with all the praise it has been getting online.

The book is set on the coastline of North Carolina which was perfect because that's where I was vacationing. From reading the back cover of the book you can learn that it is a murder mystery as well as a coming of age story. The characters are rich and the plot moves swiftly throughout the 350 and some pages. The chapters flip back and forth between present day and backstories and eventually, near the end of the story, the backstories catch up and the two times merge into the thick of the present story.

This book was one of my favorite books that I have read in a while and it deserves all of the praise it has been receiving lately. The story is interesting and layered with so many details, feelings, social issues, relationships that all unfold with every page. This book celebrates the beauty of our world while simultaneously highlighting the inherent danger that comes with all beauty. I couldn't put this book down and finished it in a day and a half. My heart broke for Kya when her family abandoned her and I was impressed by her fortitude and resilience to survive for herself and no one else. The relationships she forms with Tate, Chase, Jumpin', and the marsh are all intricate and involved like Kya herself. This story is inspiring and heartbreaking and wonderful and hard to put down until you know everything there is to know and finally understand. I highly recommend Where The Crawdads Sing and I don't think you will be disappointed if you give it a try.