*ARC Review + Mood Board* We Speak in Storms by Natalie Lund

Title: We Speak in Storms

Author: Natalie Lund

Publisher: Philomel Books

Release Date: September 3, 2019

Page Count: 464 pages

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magical Realism

Summary:

A powerful and haunting debut novel about friendship, acceptance, and learning to let go as the balance between the living and the dead is upended, perfect for fans of We Were Liars.

It’s been more than 50 years since a tornado tore through a drive-in movie theater in tiny Mercer, Illinois, leaving dozens of teens — a whole generation of Mercerites — dead in its wake. So when another tornado touches down in the exact same spot on the anniversary of this small-town tragedy, the town is shaken. For Brenna Ortiz, Joshua Calloway, and Callie Keller, the apprehension is more than just a feeling. Though they seem to share nothing more than a struggle to belong, the teens’ paths continue to intersect, bringing them together when they least expect it, and perhaps, when they need it most. Both the living and the dead have secrets and unresolved problems, but they may be able to find peace and move forward–if only they work together.

A beautifully told, haunting yet hopeful novel about pushing past the pain, facing the world, and finding yourself.

Purchase Links

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

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My Review

This gripping and atmospheric novel is astonishingly beautiful and heartfelt. We Speak in Storms is a powerful story about learning to let go of the past and the pain and finding yourself in a world constantly filled with tragedy. It questions what really happens after a small town tragedy and how one devastation can make it hard for anyone to move on and let go.

Fifty years ago, a deadly tornado tore through the town’s drive-in movie theater and killed many people, wiping out a complete generation. Now in present time, another tornado touches down in the same spot the drive-in movie theater was, which not only leaves the living clearly shocked, but brings together three teenagers that run into a few of the Storm Spirits, the ghosts of those who died. And through this journey, this connection, each character starts to understand the power of the past and how it can hold someone down if they don’t let go of the things they can’t change.

Natalie Lund is an extraordinary author, with gorgeous prose and beautiful world building. Lund brings readers a strong and poignant debut. Anyone who reads We Speak in Storms can connect with one of the characters in some way; the main three characters are all relatable, but each in a different way. Brenna is learning how to navigate school now that she is back to being an outcast after her boyfriend breaks up with her. Joshua is learning to be himself in a town that is not too keen on acceptance. And Callie has to learn that you can’t change the inevitable and that you only have so much time on this Earth. The different stories intertwine with each other to create a stunning debut novel that will easily leave readers pondering on their life.

Told in multiple point of views, We Speak in Storms will grip you and show you what people are like after a devastating aftermath that wiped out a whole generation. But We Speak in Storms doesn’t just address the storm, but also what we, as humans, have to do years after the devastation and while facing new and unforeseen obstacles. These depictions and scenarios feel so real and heartbreaking that it’s difficult not to feel something for these characters. The emotions and sorrow leap off each page as if it was the reader experiencing those emotions. And that right there, to me, is something I look for in any book I read: an emotional connection to share with the characters and the story. And Lund did a phenomenal job connecting it all.

We Speak in Storms is a beautifully haunting yet realistic story. Natalie Lund has weaved an emotional tale of the living and the dead, and it’s a story I will recommend to everyone.