THE NOAH CONFESSIONS

Letters detailing her deceased mother’s shocking past prod a teenage girl to learn more of her family’s dark history. Instead of the VW Bug she craved for her 16th birthday, Lynnie Russo received a series of letters written by her mother when she was a teenager, all addressed to a mysterious Noah. In the pages, Lynnie learns her family’s tumultuous story, culminating with the revelation that her grandfather strangled a young woman in front of her mother. Revealing his own involvement with the murder, Lynnie’s father unwittingly drives her towards a near-death experience, which results in a final mother-daughter confrontation. Hall effectively juxtaposes character traits: Lynnie is both confident teen and insecure girl, while her father moves from overprotective to nurturing within a moment. The mature voice in the letters reflects both tragic events and a trying home life, but a contemporary flavor taints the reminiscences. Though it covers no new ground, both the easygoing narrative and the solid characters provide a pleasant read. (Fiction. YA)