MY OWN LIGHTNING

Difficult life lessons are learned against a backdrop of rural America during World War II.

In this sequel to 2016’s Wolf Hollow, Annabelle is still processing the grief and guilt of the previous year’s events. After she befriended Toby, an anti-social veteran, both of them became the targets of a vicious young bully and her accomplice, an escalating dispute that resulted in two tragic deaths. Now, as Annabelle struggles to understand the nuances of her grief, she experiences a lightning strike that upends her world yet again. With dim memories of aid rendered by a mysterious stranger, Annabelle knows she is lucky to be alive. She is physically healthy despite the brush with death but finds that all of her senses are heightened—including her ability to interpret the body language and signals of animals. Annabelle falls into old habits of suspicion and deception but with good cause: Several dogs have gone missing in the community, and neighbor Andy, one-time sidekick to her former tormentor, is behaving oddly. Annabelle may be the only person equipped to help the missing dogs. Written with warmth, Wolk’s complicated characters keep readers guessing. Annabelle learns tough lessons about making assumptions and building trust on the path to forgiveness. All characters are assumed White.

Steeped in themes of growth and acceptance, a solid continuation of an impactful first installment.