Weight of Silence (review)

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night.
Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler.
Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.
Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.
Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

Very gripping book, and hard to put it down. You will want to keep reading to find out what happend to Calli and Petra. As the stories unravel your eyes will be opened and new twists will be revealed. I recommend this book, and the author will keep you turning the pages.

In her literary debut, Heather Gudenkauf has crafted an affecting novel in The Weight of Silence. Says #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, "The Weight of Silence is a tense and profoundly emotional story of a parent's worse nightmare, told with compassion and honesty. Heather Gudenkauf skillfully weaves an explosive tale of suspense and ultimately, the healing power of love."

This review was made possible by Mother Talk.

Reading is so great!

Nathaniel is an avid reader, and lately, the bigger the book the better. He just loves keeping his nose in the books! I am so thankful that reading is one of his passions. Not all kids are into reading especially since our world is so overpowered from media overload. Many parents struggle with getting kids interested in reading when the video games are calling their names. Reading just may not seem "fun" to kids of today.
According to the 2008 Kids and Family Reading Report by Yankelovich and Scholastic, despite 80% of parents wanting their kids to read for fun, most kids claim there aren’t enough really good books for their age group. James Patterson , a father himself, knows that one of the main obstacles for young readers is a lack of books kids can truly connect with. We can all remember the joy of a great book from our own childhood; begging to stay up ten more minutes to finish a chapter, then hiding under the covers with a flashlight to read “just one more.” Patterson has made it his mission to give this experience to children everywhere and instill in them a love of reading. James Patterson has started a wonderful site called Read Kiddo Read. The site covers picture books that you are still reading to your baby/toddler to advanced reader books. Each featured book, hand-selected by Patterson, includes a synopsis, related themes, quotes from critics, links to find the book in any number of locations (including local libraries), and even similar suggested reads. In addition, the website provides resources for finding book discounts and promotions, features interviews and contributions from authors and celebrities, and even allows members to connect with each other via a Ning community. Providing kids with a love of and appreciation for books gives them something that will remain with them throughout their lives, and this resource helps make that possible.
Having visited the site, I saw the wide variety of books for recommendations. It makes it kind of fun for kids to see the books that may interest them. What a fun site to check out with your son or daughter. I recommend giving ReadKiddoRead a try, and maybe your child's interest in reading will grow.
Thank you MotherTalk for this review opportunity!