Review by Jasmine Sov, 15

The River Has Teeth By Erica Waters

Della Lloyd is a witch. And being a witch, she’s got some big secrets to hide—like her own mother, turned into a monster by the inexplicably souring magic of the Bend. Meanwhile, Natasha Greymont’s sister, Rochelle, has gone missing in the Bend without any solid lead. Frustrated, angry, and desperate, Natasha turns to Della for help. But Della believes the cause of the disappearance may well be her own river siren mother. For now, Natasha doesn’t know, but just how long can Della keep her secrets hidden? And what if Natasha’s emotions are the catalyst for something bigger than the both of them could have ever imagined?

The River Has Teeth is a mysterious, dark magical mystery with touches of sapphic romance here and there. The mystery aspect of it was very well done, with proper pacing and a great mix of paranormal, emotional, and shadowy vibes. I was truly left guessing until the very end. I understand why the romantic subplot was less emphasized, but it felt somewhat rushed; the book probably could have done without. As for the two POV characters, Della was a wonderful character who isn’t the type to let herself get pushed around and is a bit sharp towards outsiders, but is really a softie. I especially enjoyed reading from her perspective. Natasha was nice as well, but I did struggle with sympathizing with her constant lashing out on others. Though I understand that it’s her trauma making her do that, I did notice that her outbursts didn’t really feel like something new, and she seemed completely blinded by her anger until the stakes were at their highest. The River Has Teeth is a thrilling paranormal mystery, perfect to be read by moonlight at the eleventh hour.

3.5 stars.

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393 pages