Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

From the Publisher: Jack St. Bride is twice damned. Just released from prison for a statuary rape he did not commit, this ex-teacher has become a dishwasher in a remote New Hampshire town. Hoping to maintain a low profile, St. Bride begins to develop a relationship with his attractive boss almost against his will. Healing, however, is turned to exposure, when our mild-mannered ex-con is accused once again by a teenager. This high-voltage legal thriller has a nice human edge.

My thoughts: I literally could not put this book down. That's the case with the majority of Picoult's books for me. I enjoyed how it was loosely based on The Crucible, giving the story a modern bent. The author bent over backwards in her research about Wicca and sexual abuse and it shows. She does an amazing job of showing both sides of the story and remains sensative to both sides as well.

I was abused by a teacher as a teenager, and as difficult as I thought this would be to read, it wasn't. I was wisked away to a little town of Salem Falls and into a totally different situation. But having personal experiences of my own, I could appreciate how delicately the events were written and how accurate. And I gained insight from a completely different point of view.

There was a certain point in the book where I couldn't have put it down if you paid me. The final 75 pages were a whirlwind. I only wish I had taken the time to savor it more instead of powering through. There is quite a surprise at the end, which I had actually seen coming, but I still didn't want to believe it. I found myself re-reading it to make sure I wasn't mistaken.

I think I'll find myself visiting Salem Falls again, if just to enjoy it more and take my time. That's the only disadvantage to Picoult for me. I get so wrapped up in her story, that I find myself reading until way past my bedtime, and stealing moments in waiting rooms. Picoult's prose should be savored.