REVIEW: The Moon Tells Secrets by Savanna Welles

An intriguing take on shapeshifters, this novel explores the mystery of Navajo skinwalkers when a woman’s son is faced with his destiny.

The Moon Tells Secrets by Savanna Welles
Category: Paranormal Suspense with Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (March 24, 2015)
ISBN: 9781250061164
Rated 3.5 out of 5
Format: eBook ARC read, Print also available.

Raine and her eleven-year-old son, Davey, have been running from evil since it killed her husband just before Davey was born. Raine had been told to keep running and to not trust anyone with their secrets until Davey is old enough to face his destiny. When they once again encounter danger, they meet a cousin whose kindness gives them a safe place to stay for a little while. That’s where Raine gets to know Cade because he’s her cousin’s neighbor and dear friend.

Cade is attracted to Raine but he is still grieving his wife who was murdered. Can Raine and Cade get past their individual grief to allow love to grow between them? Will Davey finally have a positive male influence in his life to guide his growth into a man?

I accidentally chose this book for review by clicking on something without reading what it said. Sometimes those one-clicks are dangerous for the TBR pile! I was all “oh shiny” about the book cover and wanted to read more, then next thing I knew, I had requested the book for review. Not one to go back on a request, I decided to try a new-to-me-author. Sometimes I experience happy accidents and this book is one of them.

Shapeshifter books are one of my favorite paranormal categories and I especially enjoyed the Navajo skinwalkers twist in this one. I love anything to do with Native American history, plus all the weird things that go bump in the night, and this book has all those attributes in addition to interesting characters. If you love suspense, then this book will keep you intrigued until the climax.

Raine is a protective mother who acts in her son’s best interests but while trying to safeguard him, she has also alienated him from a normal childhood. Not that Davey is anything like a normal child because of his special gift, but he’s now tired of running and wants them to stay put. Raine’s cousin Luna introduces herself at her mother’s funeral, a wake she had over and over while waiting for Raine to show up, because that’s what her mother, who was also Raine’s Aunt Geneva, requested before she died.

Luna has the sight, in that she can sense the future but not always the full details. Her gift will prove invaluable to Raine and also help her feel more comfortable staying with a woman she has never had the chance to get to know. Cade’s story is very sad and it’s hard to imagine that he will heal fast enough to be what Raine needs, but he’s also full of surprises.

An exciting suspense that kept me on edge until the end, THE MOON TELLS SECRETS has a cool spin on shapeshifters. It’s also a coming of age story for Davey and I sense that there might be more to tell about him in the future. If you enjoy paranormals with a little romance mixed in, then I think you’ll appreciate this story.