#Review of The Silent Sounds of Chaos by Kristina Circelli

A silent call for help began the friendship between two children. A bond unlike any other kept them together.

Finn was just a kid when he first heard Snow’s voice inside his head, two children in need of a friend and finding one in mysterious strangers. Never meeting in person, the pair grows up as opposites – Finn the boy who loves to get in trouble and works for the toughest drug lord in town, Snow the good, sheltered girl who wants to be a doctor.

The bond built upon a strange ability to hear each other’s thoughts is threatened when Snow is abducted, her screams for help consuming Finn’s mind until they disappear completely, submerging him in a terrifying silence he’s never known before. Now it’s up to Finn to save her, led only by Snow’s sporadic thoughts as she floats in and out of consciousness.

But the search for Snow leads him to a truth he isn’t prepared to face, a truth that has the power to unravel his entire world. The people he thought he knew, the life he thought he’d made, the best friend he thought he could protect – all point toward a brutal reality should he fail.

And as Finn struggles to find Snow before she slips away, he must fight to keep that reality out, lest he let the chaos in.

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**My thoughts**

I haven't been this impressed by a story in quite some time. I was looking for a different kind of read, because I had gotten myself into a kind of rut in genres. The blurb was captivating. The ability for the two children to communicate in their heads initially made me think of the original Escape to Witch Mountain. (Yes, I know, Tony wasn't able to talk back to Tia in his head, but the general concept is similar.) 

Just as the blurb was captivating, so was the story from the beginning. That initial moment when the two connect telepathically sparked a strong desire to understand how and why this was happening. Knowing that their connection was partially due to their horrid circumstances just tugged at my heartstrings. I wanted to do something to help these children, to protect them from their worlds. But they are only meant to have each other.

As their story went on and they grew older, I found myself starting to wonder what it would be like to have someone almost on speed dial in my head. An instant helper and cheerleader for anything life threw at me. I loved that they had that in each other. I also loved how Snow worked so hard at being good all the time and managed to keep Finn somewhat in check. I loved how Finn kept doing what he was going to do in his "bad ass life," and yet Snow's voice was like a Jiminy Cricket conscious in his head, preventing him from going all out. The two are total opposites, and yet still have so much in common and need each other. It's a beautiful thing that we could all use in our lives. They are so fortunate to have found each other, and in this way.

Snow's abduction made me hurt. This intense connection of theirs is put to the test. And how do you explain it to those around you? When I hit this point in the novel, it was getting pretty late and I really needed to go to bed. I knew I would regret it in the morning if I didn't. But I couldn't put it down. I needed to know if Finn could find her. I needed to know what was going to happen if and when they finally met in person. And I'd read in other reviews that there was a great twist at the end. So, of course I needed to find out what that was. The whole time I was reading, my head was coming up with every possible scenario I could think of. 

I plowed through to the end. And then that twist came. I was so confused at first and felt like I had missed something. I had to slow way down when reading, to make sure that I got all of the information and could process it. I went back through the story in my mind, to see if I had been given some clues to the twist. Perhaps they are there, but they are very well hidden, which I love in a book like this. I almost want to go back and reread it, knowing what I know now. I think the book the second time through would be a very different read.

So, all in all, I loved this book. It was refreshing to read something a little different in this saturated book market. I felt a lot of different emotions while going through it, which is always a good thing. I may have had a tear or two escape. I love this kind of reading experience. I also want to now check out some of Kristina's other books, to see how captivating they are for me, as well.

Meet the author:

Night owl, Dorito lover, and quiet eccentric – Kristina Circelli is the author of several fiction novels, including The Helping Hands series, The Whisper Legacy, The Never, and The Sour Orange Derby.

Her latest series, The Whisper Legacy, features Beyond the Western Sun. This book is what all fantasy adventures must strive to be: a complex, intricate examination of human emotion set within the context of worlds known only in our imagination. Melding fantasy and legend in an epic quest, this series signals the arrival of Kristina Circelli as a master storyteller and an important voice in Native American literature.

A descendent of the Cherokee nation and niece of a Cherokee elder, Circelli holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, where she teaches creative writing. She also heads Red Road Editing, a full-service editing company for independent authors and commercial clients.

She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband, Seth, and cats, Lord Finnegin the Fierce and Mr. Malachi the Mighty.

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Read an excerpt from 'Ivy Vines: Visions' by Judy Serrano

Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University, Commerce with a BA in English. She is a substitute teacher at her children’s school district and teaches developmental writing at a local college. She is also a freelance writer for certain on-line periodicals and does editing for indie authors. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, and The Ivy Vines, Visions Series.

Although she is originally from New York, she currently resides in Texas with her husband, four children, (all boys) and five dogs. She is also a singer/songwriter in her spare time.

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Book Blurb

Moving to Sedona was the only way Ivy could think of to start over. She would meet her high school sweetheart and work on making things right between them. Her psychic abilities were gradually becoming a curse and she needed a new start. Little does she know that when she applies for a waitressing job at a local, upscale French bistro, she will come in contact with the dark and mysterious Eli Dubois. What she doesn’t realize is she has just walked into the middle of the Vortex Murders, which involve a great deal of paranormal activity. Elijah’s army of seers are being murdered, one by one, which seems to be magnifying Ivy’s special abilities.

Eli's best friend, Jake, arrives on the scene and reveals the secret that changes everything. With nowhere to turn, Ivy leans on the two men who offer her solace. And who is the old woman in the shroud? Is she a vision, a dream, or is she real? Only time will tell.

-- Author of The Easter's Lilly Series and Linked published by Black Rose Writing Believe.com

Believe.com www.JudySerrano.com Amazon.com Dallas Parenting Dallas Book Reviews

Excerpt 1

My heart was beating almost out of my chest as I drove to the restaurant to see Simone. I checked my rear view mirror often; just to be sure I wasn’t followed. I parked the car and ran as fast as my legs would carry me to the front door. I felt like I was burdened with cement weights around my ankles as I forced my body to keep moving forward. Trying to catch my breath was futile when Eduardo met me at the entrance. I was in no mood for his pretentious smile and flippant tone, but still he would not let me pass. 

“I need to see Simone,” I told him, barely able to form the words due to the lack of air in my lungs. 

“Will that be one for lunch or two?” he asked me. I almost punched him. 

“Two,” I answered, regaining my composure. “Simone is off in a few minutes. She’ll have lunch with me, I’m sure.” 

“Very well then,” he answered. He slowly took out two menus and sat me at a table by the window. 

“Thank you,” I managed. “Please tell Simone I’m here.” 

He made an unfavorable face at me and walked away. I looked out the window and began to recapture a normal breathing pattern. I noticed an old woman walking by the creek. She had her head covered by a black scarf and she was wearing what looked like a black cloak over her body. It was warm out, being early September, and that’s why her clothing caught my attention. She took off the scarf and looked at me. When our eyes touched, I could feel my blood pressure rise. My face got warm. Long grey curls cascaded down, past her shoulders and her expression got very grave. Her nose looked like a misshapen staircase and she had a mole on the left side of her face along her jaw line. She pointed her finger at me, slowly straightening it out as far as it could go and I felt a surge of fear strike through my body. I stood up quickly, pushing my chair back with the backs of my knees and felt a hand on my shoulder. I let out a shriek that was certainly noticeable and when I turned, it was Simone’s hand on my shoulder. 

“Ivy, what is it?” she asked. “The last time I heard you scream like that…” 

I dismissed her, mid-sentence, knowing exactly what she was going to say. Since that day. The day we don’t dare talk about or even remember if we can help it. 

I turned my attention back to the creek but the old woman was gone. I could feel her. 

“It’s nothing I told her. Are you done with your shift yet?” 

“Yes, I’m done,” she answered. “Eduardo is making me change my clothes first. So, sit tight and I’ll be right back.” 

I sat back down and looked out the window again. A breeze blew open one of the side windows, unexpectedly and I almost fell out of my chair. I could hear a faint humming. It was all too familiar. There was still no old woman, but I knew she was there. She was watching me somehow. 

Simone finally came back and sat beside me. “What’s going on, Ivy? I haven’t seen you this unraveled in a very long time. It’s a little disconcerting to say the least.” 

“He’s after me,” I told her. “He knows I’m here.” 

“Who knows you’re here? Ivy, you’re not making any sense.” 

“Lucifer,” I whispered, leaning into her so that no one else would hear me. “He thinks I know.” 

“He thinks you know what?” she asked, looking at me as though I had gone mad. 

“When Jesus is coming. He thinks I know.” 

“Do you?” she asked. “Do you know?” 

A hiss filled the air in the room as the wind picked up and gushed through the open window. I drew a breath but I dared not answer. She was listening.

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