Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review. Opinions shared are mine.

When I discovered Netgalley, I went a little overboard.  It was like letting me loose in Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, except the book version.  There are dozens of books waiting for me to update my review, so I’m making an effort to give them all some attention.  After reading What Lies Below by Barbara Taylor Sissell, I have to wonder why I waited so long!

The irony of this story wasn’t lost on me.  I’ve been home for three days tending to my unhealthy family.  My husband just had surgery, my daughter has flu and strep, and my son woke up with a stomach bug this morning.  It was all kinds of fun today.  What Lies Below was my escape from the craziness that is my house right now.  Most of the time at home has been spent feeding someone, cleaning up after someone, or giving someone medicine.  There were some moments, though, when I could sit down and wait for the next shoe to drop.  In the book, Gilly would have given anything to be the mama who took care of her sweet family.  As I realized that, it made me more appreciative of my role as caregiver.

There’s a paranormal element in What Lies Below, and it’s played to perfection.  Gilly hides her precognitive dreams, but they’ve been a part of her life since childhood.  It’s hard to get to know her, even though she’s the main character, because she doesn’t let down her guard even around herself.  On the other hand, Jake seems like he let loose for years before he finally settled down as a single dad.  I loved the town of Wyatt.  The population is comprised of the typical small-townies that you might expect, but they also show up for each other like people do in a small town.

There’s some profanity, drug use, alcoholism, and bedroom scene action going on in this book.  It’s not excessive, though, and it was easy to overlook since the story was so engaging. I’d love to see a sequel to this, especially one in which Gilly accepts her “gift” and uses it to help others.

If you enjoy books with a reluctant psychic character, consider reading the Ghost Gifts trilogy!