Eden

Eden...

Let that roll off your tongue

What do you think?

I can tell you what I know, and what I know is this book is riveting . Life changing, and will have you thinking long after you finish.

I sometimes have to wait a day or two after reading a book before I can give a proper review. I need to sit and think about it and truly grasp how the book made me feel. Well, there was no need to ponder when it came to Eden. My emotions have surfaced and I need to let everyone know how powerful this book really is!

W.A. Schwartz was a new author to me . I have since gone back and purchased The Weight of Water, after concluding this one. I was absolutely consumed by Schwartz' writing style and I needed more ASAP . I am a little over 40 percent through and I can easily tell that this will be an author I will love for years to come,

This is a story you will never forget. You will read and reread this book and you will find more and more details to love each time you do. This one is destined for the big screen. I only pray they do the book justice.

My best advice to you, as a fellow book lover, buy the book, preorder the book, and go slowwwww, absorb every moment of this sure to be best seller.

Teaser:
On a hot, muggy afternoon in Eden, a tiny, rural town deep in southeast Louisiana, two boys make a grim discovery: they unearth the decades-old remains of a child, strands of hair and clothing still attached to the bones.

Meanwhile on the other side of the country, in California, forty-one-year-old Evelyn Yates, a single mother is struggling to maintain psychological equilibrium despite problems with alcohol, a difficult teenage daughter, and her own traumatic past. Evelyn is devastated by a phone call from the Eden coroner informing her that officials suspect the remains are those of her sister who disappeared over thirty years earlier.

Evelyn, who has mentally reduced her childhood to a series of blotchy and painful memories, fled Eden years ago and has no desire to return. Her fragile internal world is suddenly threatened with collapse by this discovery and the pressure to return home to help identify the remains.

The discovery of the body sets in motion a series of events leading inevitably to the uncovering of secrets dating back nearly a century; terrible events that may involve the entire town of Eden. As Evelyn pursues answers, she finds her sanity, her life, and the life her daughter threatened. She must face her memories and delve deep into her family's history to find answers.

Eden explores the devastating nature of secrets and the power of love to overcome.

Wow, what can I say but wow. I cannot believe this was a debut story. This was a fast paced, keep you on the edge of your seat, and so entertaining that you cannot put it down. I hope there is more going to be coming from this author. If you write it, I will read it.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

When Evelyn gets a call at her California home saying a body was found and they think it was her sister she doesn’t believe it but agrees to fly down to Eden Louisiana to figure it out. Before she leaves she hast to call her ex and ask him to take care of their daughter Lily she’s a teenager and has typical teenage girl issues issues that Evelyn is worried about but sadly she has issues of her own not including the body they found at her child hood home. Evelyn drinks a lot and isn’t known for being the most honest person and she also has very stick and go memories because somethings she remembers and somethings she just cannot. When things are the hardest to recall she instead makes up a story about it. While she is in California getting ready sheriff Tom is on his way to his Eden home for lunch with his wife’s favorite pie on the passenger seat he makes his way through the town only to be accosted by an F150 with no license plate trying to run him off the road when he pulls the truck over he is surprised to see he knows the driver and even more surprised when the driver pulls gun and shoot him. This is why detective Nick gets involved and put on the case. Soon after Evelyn‘s arrival in Eden someone breaks in and roughs her up and tells her she better leave or he will kill her she cannot leave however and it seems the more she doesn’t know the more she wants to know and the more clues she finds the more she remembers but will she remember who the illusive man in the picture is and also what happened to her sister Caroline? Because if she didn’t die in the New Orleans mental hospital then who killed her and also did her mom really commit suicide due to being insane? Evelyn Detective Nick only become closer more than once her life will be threatened but Evelyn seems to be coming into her own not only with the investigation but also with her daughter Lily who is still having trouble both socially and mentally can Evelyn redeem herself enough to be there for her daughter and figure out not only who is killing all these girls but how old is top people in town or involved I really have not done this book justice this summary pales in comparison to the greatness of Eden by WA Swarts I do believe this book could’ve been 20 chapters shorter but even though I see that I read each chapter from beginning to end and couldn’t wait till they get to the next one I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be a great thriller/crime mystery and another awesome read from black rose writing. I received this book from NetGalley but I’m leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Eden is a story of small-town life, and how hidden evil can poison and infiltrate an entire community.

Evelyn, an alcoholic bringing up her troubled teen daughter Libby alone, is horrified when the police summon her to tell her that the body of her elder sister has been discovered by two local boys at her home town, Eden. As far as she remembers, surely her sister Carolyn had been taken away and locked up in an asylum?

She feels compelled to return to her home town, where she discovers more secrets in her old home. Meanwhile her daughter discovers the diary of Evelyn's mother, who also disappeared under unclear circumstances.

A local detective is drawn to Evelyn despite her troubles, as it becomes clearer that there are people within the community who don't want Evelyn to recover the truth behind her fragmented memories, borne of unimaginable trauma. But can he rescue Evelyn and her daughter before the murderer or murderers silence her for good?

This is a slow burn, saturated with an oppressive gothic vibe as cloying as the humidity of the area to which Evelyn returns. However, there is a feel-good factor too as the redemptive power of love gets to the root of the evil that
has propogated familial trauma for more than one generation can restore a family to wholeness.

A highly satisfying read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Eden by W.A. Schwartz is a gripping novel set in a small, rural town called Eden in southeast Louisiana. The story begins with two boys uncovering the remains of a child buried for decades, still connected to strands of hair and clothing. Simultaneously, in California, forty-one-year-old Evelyn Yates, a single mother, is battling her own demons, including alcoholism, a difficult teenage daughter, and a haunting past. When Evelyn receives a phone call from the Eden coroner suggesting that the remains might belong to her long-lost sister who disappeared over thirty years ago, her fragile world is shattered. Having fled Eden years ago, Evelyn has no desire to return, but she is forced to confront her painful memories and return home to help identify the remains. As Evelyn embarks on this journey for answers, she unravels a web of secrets dating back nearly a century, potentially involving the entire town of Eden. The book masterfully explores the destructive power of secrets and the redemptive force of love.

So, there are two things I want to address right away. First, the book cover is not doing it any favors. It’s terrible, #sorrynotsorry. Second, why doesn't this book have more reviews? Maybe people are passing it by because of the cover? However, that should not deter readers from picking up this gem of a novel. Eden is exquisitely written, immersing readers in the hot and humid atmosphere of the Louisiana setting. While the pace may be slow at times, it works well in building suspense and tension throughout the story. The multiple points of view and timelines are skillfully executed, providing a rich and engaging reading experience. The characters are well-developed and intriguing, adding depth to the narrative. Although the ending could have been more satisfying, overall, Eden is an exceptional read that comes highly recommended.

**ARC Via NetGalley**