Reviewed by Brenda Ballard for Readers' Favorite

A young American-born girl is taken to her mother's home country of India to "visit" for the summer. Sensing estrangement between her parents, she is skeptical that it is merely a trip to the homeland. What she finds over that summer launches her into a web of deep, dark secrets and information that leaves her in a tailspin (yet desiring even more to seek the truth, no matter what the mode).

This book is a wonderful, colorful tale that is filled with suspense, humor, sadness, plot twists and a strong sense of character building. I reviewed the audio book and am glad that I did. The narrator's voice and correct accent pulls the reader into the scene and enables picturing the characters. It was as if I could feel the heat of the sun, the wet of the rain, the wisp of the wind, and the shade of the trees in the forest.

The tone of the book is gentle but it is recognizable when a serious situation is at hand. The reader will easily be able to fall into the story; I found myself wanting to get in the car at every opportunity just to turn on the CD and hear more of the journey. The family dynamics were believable and true to what I believe to be part of day to day Indian culture. The foods, the teas, even the warm milk for the children made me smile as my mind's eye pictured them all, sitting around the table, eating their meals from a large leaf with their hands. I highly recommend this to every library. It is appropriate for just about every age level!