 |
| September 29-October 24, 2025 Virtual Book Tour |
Publication Date: August 1, 2025
Number of Pages: 320
Synopsis:
For 15-year-old Daphne Ann Post, the summer of 1976 at Lake Carlson should be filled with new friendships and carefree late-night parties. But something darker lurks beneath the surface—her chilling premonition that someone is going to drown.
Wishing she could escape the shadow of her fractured family and her mother’s too-soon rebound relationship, Daphne reluctantly heads to the family lake house in northern Indiana. The tension with her mother is thick—especially when Daphne is the only one who knows her mom's boyfriend is hiding a dangerous secret. But Daphne’s burden is far heavier than family drama. She harbors an unsettling gift—an ability to know the hidden truths of anyone she touches.
Last year that same intuition failed her when her best friend ignored Daphne’s warning before a tragic accident. Now everyone at school blames Daphne for what happened. Haunted by guilt, Daphne is determined to keep her ability a secret.
When she meets the Vaughans—cool, popular, and effortlessly perfect next-door neighbors—Daphne is drawn into their world, seduced by the thrill of fitting in. Over the summer, whispers of danger from the lake grow louder. Her intuition screams someone will die, and not even the haze of weed can numb her fear.
The clock is ticking. Daphne knows that to save a life, she’ll have to confront her darkest secret and risk losing everything she’s worked so hard for. Can she stop the inevitable without exposing her truth? Or will the lake claim a victim—this time, someone she loves?
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------- 🕮 -------BOOK REVIEWI don't spend time on plot summary, so please read the book synopsis above, and be aware that it's only representative of one aspect of the book. More on that below.
HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audiobook & eBook Review. Set
in 1976, Forewarned places readers deep into what seems to be an idyllic
Indiana lakeside summer getaway. But just a scratch at the surface, and it’s
clear it’s far from ideal. Several subplots
keep us curious and engaged and anxiously awaiting for what’s promised in the book’s
description.
“I
can’t drink; quaaludes are the only things that stay down.”
More
than anything, Forewarned is a coming-of-age story with a splash of
paranormal. It’s a summer-long snapshot of the lives of messed-up and misguided
teens and their dysfunctional families – and all the associated drama
surrounding that. Forewarned is a juicy read that unfolds much like a
daytime TV drama. Think of an HBO’d version of One Life to Live or As
the World Turns but with profanity-slinging sexualized primary characters, ages fifteen
to twenty-four years old, using and abusing drugs and alcohol. Like I said, juicy, right? Yet, that’s also what makes Forewarned
one of these books that I struggle to blanket-recommend for young adults. (I’d
categorize it as mature young adult / new adult and older.)
“Icy
dread laced with a sense of danger crept up my arms.”
Author Tracey S. Phillips shines in writing descriptive and evocative
scenes that make the reader feel the sense of time and place and mood. Though the issues
and problems depicted sadly span the ages, the 1976 touches accurately remind
readers that Forewarned is not a modern book. For those of us who grew
up in the ‘70s, the blasts from the past bring sentimental smiles: the freedom
of roaming around, needing a dime for a phone call, hanging out at the A&W, playing Ouija, listening to Casey Kasem on the radio, the introduction of the Rocky Horror
Picture Show, and the country’s bicentennial celebration. For younger readers,
the blasts from the past will likely be jaw-dropping and lead to Google
searches and Amazon purchases.
In addition to crafting authentic depictions of scene, Phillips writes realistic characters to love and loathe (I’m talking to you,
Tony. GRRR! ICKKK!). Though it seems like Forewarned
will be Daphne’s story, there are just as many chapters told from Lara’s point
of view, and a few from the oldest in this otherwise teen group, twenty-four-year-old
Mark. Daphne is the most intriguing of characters and seems a bit of an old
soul in how she speaks and thinks. For example, she says things like, it “warmed
my buttocks,” which is odd-speak for a fifteen-year-old who hangs out with the
fast kids. Yet, as she’s thinking through piano concertos, it also strangely
fits. Add to this that Daphne has the gift of clairvoyance (which definitely
takes a back seat to the kids-gone-wild plotline) and is riddled with anxiety
and anger, she’s fascinating. Fascinating for entirely different reasons is
Lara, and watching her make horrible choices and desperately needing attention
and affection is like watching a trainwreck. The addition of Mark to the story allows
the author to bring yet another subplot to the mix. Through it all, there’s an
underlayer of dread that drags on readers as we just know none of this can turn
out well.
ABOUT
THE NARRATION: I intended to read Forewarned only with my ears because I
love audiobooks, but those narrated by the author, like this one, usually have
another layer of authenticity. My listening preference didn’t sync with the very
slow, steady pace of narration, and I had a hard time finding the right speed
to work. I ended up at 1.5x, which made the faster-talking teenagers sound even
more natural. However, I discovered an audiobook glitch that left out a
significant portion of the book, so I switched to the eBook. I did see a
sprinkling of typos and errors in the eBook, which is distracting for me, so I went back and forth between
formats, and I’m glad I did. For one, I think the author became more
comfortable with her audiobook narration, and the caliber of her delivery was
greatly improved and enjoyable by mid-point, making listening at 1.5x perfect. But also, had I
just stuck with the eBook, I would have missed hearing the wonderful “End
Credits” where the author herself performs Chopin's “Trois Nouvelles
Études," No. 1! I slowed the listening speed back to 1x for that, and then
the audiobook referenced a playlist, and that information sent me back to the
eBook. There readers find the “Forewarned Soundtrack,” which ranges from
Hall and Oates, The Who, and Steely Dan to Beethoven and Chopin. BONUS: The
eBook has a hyperlink to an Amazon Music Playlist. Score! (See the preview below my review! 🠋🠋🠋)
Though
the countdown to an eerie ending is slow in coming around, with just
less than twenty percent left, the suspense really starts building and like
flies on the wall, we can’t stop watching the stories unravel. Some questions are answered and some
situations are neatly or messily resolved, but there are also some loose threads
hanging about, along with new information that could take Daphne’s life in a new
direction. With Forewarned’s subtitle being “A Daphne Ann Post Novel,” I’m
guessing there will be future installments where lingering questions are
answered and new adventures await. I’ll be there for it.
I voluntarily reviewed this book and received a print ARC from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.------- 🕮 -------
“I can’t drink; quaaludes are the only things that stay down.”
More
than anything, Forewarned is a coming-of-age story with a splash of
paranormal. It’s a summer-long snapshot of the lives of messed-up and misguided
teens and their dysfunctional families – and all the associated drama
surrounding that. Forewarned is a juicy read that unfolds much like a
daytime TV drama. Think of an HBO’d version of One Life to Live or As
the World Turns but with profanity-slinging sexualized primary characters, ages fifteen
to twenty-four years old, using and abusing drugs and alcohol. Like I said, juicy, right? Yet, that’s also what makes Forewarned
one of these books that I struggle to blanket-recommend for young adults. (I’d
categorize it as mature young adult / new adult and older.)
“Icy dread laced with a sense of danger crept up my arms.”
Author Tracey S. Phillips shines in writing descriptive and evocative
scenes that make the reader feel the sense of time and place and mood. Though the issues
and problems depicted sadly span the ages, the 1976 touches accurately remind
readers that Forewarned is not a modern book. For those of us who grew
up in the ‘70s, the blasts from the past bring sentimental smiles: the freedom
of roaming around, needing a dime for a phone call, hanging out at the A&W, playing Ouija, listening to Casey Kasem on the radio, the introduction of the Rocky Horror
Picture Show, and the country’s bicentennial celebration. For younger readers,
the blasts from the past will likely be jaw-dropping and lead to Google
searches and Amazon purchases.
In addition to crafting authentic depictions of scene, Phillips writes realistic characters to love and loathe (I’m talking to you,
Tony. GRRR! ICKKK!). Though it seems like Forewarned
will be Daphne’s story, there are just as many chapters told from Lara’s point
of view, and a few from the oldest in this otherwise teen group, twenty-four-year-old
Mark. Daphne is the most intriguing of characters and seems a bit of an old
soul in how she speaks and thinks. For example, she says things like, it “warmed
my buttocks,” which is odd-speak for a fifteen-year-old who hangs out with the
fast kids. Yet, as she’s thinking through piano concertos, it also strangely
fits. Add to this that Daphne has the gift of clairvoyance (which definitely
takes a back seat to the kids-gone-wild plotline) and is riddled with anxiety
and anger, she’s fascinating. Fascinating for entirely different reasons is
Lara, and watching her make horrible choices and desperately needing attention
and affection is like watching a trainwreck. The addition of Mark to the story allows
the author to bring yet another subplot to the mix. Through it all, there’s an
underlayer of dread that drags on readers as we just know none of this can turn
out well.
ABOUT
THE NARRATION: I intended to read Forewarned only with my ears because I
love audiobooks, but those narrated by the author, like this one, usually have
another layer of authenticity. My listening preference didn’t sync with the very
slow, steady pace of narration, and I had a hard time finding the right speed
to work. I ended up at 1.5x, which made the faster-talking teenagers sound even
more natural. However, I discovered an audiobook glitch that left out a
significant portion of the book, so I switched to the eBook. I did see a
sprinkling of typos and errors in the eBook, which is distracting for me, so I went back and forth between
formats, and I’m glad I did. For one, I think the author became more
comfortable with her audiobook narration, and the caliber of her delivery was
greatly improved and enjoyable by mid-point, making listening at 1.5x perfect. But also, had I
just stuck with the eBook, I would have missed hearing the wonderful “End
Credits” where the author herself performs Chopin's “Trois Nouvelles
Études," No. 1! I slowed the listening speed back to 1x for that, and then
the audiobook referenced a playlist, and that information sent me back to the
eBook. There readers find the “Forewarned Soundtrack,” which ranges from
Hall and Oates, The Who, and Steely Dan to Beethoven and Chopin. BONUS: The
eBook has a hyperlink to an Amazon Music Playlist. Score! (See the preview below my review! 🠋🠋🠋)
Though the countdown to an eerie ending is slow in coming around, with just less than twenty percent left, the suspense really starts building and like flies on the wall, we can’t stop watching the stories unravel. Some questions are answered and some situations are neatly or messily resolved, but there are also some loose threads hanging about, along with new information that could take Daphne’s life in a new direction. With Forewarned’s subtitle being “A Daphne Ann Post Novel,” I’m guessing there will be future installments where lingering questions are answered and new adventures await. I’ll be there for it.
Forewarned Bonus Content:
Author Bio:
Award winning author Tracey S. Phillips has played the piano since age three. She considers herself a serial artist who is an avid gardener, musician, piano teacher, artist, and author. She writes psychological thrillers and romantic suspense.
Her novel BEST KEPT SECRETS won a Hugh Holton Award and she is a two-time finalist for the Claymore Award. In 2020 she created Blackbird Writers, a community of like-minded mystery authors. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and like some of her characters, she occasionally speaks with spirits on the other side.
Catch Up With Tracey S. Phillips:
www.TraceySPhillips.com * Amazon Author Profile * Substack Newsletter - @traceysphillips
LinkedIn * Goodreads * BookBub - @tracey64p * Instagram - @traceys.phillips
Threads - @traceys.phillips * Pinterest - @traceyspnovelist * Facebook - @Traceys.phillipsauthor
Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!
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Thanks for your honest review! I liked this book. It felt very real to me. I was a teen in the 70's so I could really relate. I was also a not so perfect teen... so I could relate to that as well. LOL
ReplyDeleteHA! I was a tween in the '70s but lived vicariously through my older sister and brother, who were both in high school in 1976 (I did a lot of spying on them, but I was mostly celebrating my new Schwinn bicentennial 10-speed bicycle that was red, white, and blue!) The definition of teen is not-so-perfect, no matter what decade!
DeleteThank you for the great review! And now I'm curious- what chapter got left out in the audio book? I'll need to fix it!! Yeesh...
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome, Tracey. I think this has potential for a great series! The glitch was in chapter two; it stops abruptly after the words “mixed with the fruity” and then advances to chapter 3.
Delete