Every Bone a Prayer

Deep in Appalachia, a girl communicates with crawdads, and all manner of other things, by calling out to them from within herself. Sharing her name, listening to their stories, weaving her own life into the pulse of theirs, Misty tries to hold on to the truest part of herself in Ashley Blooms’ debut novel Every Bone a Prayer.

Misty’s ability is a secret. No one knows what she can do, but there are those who understand she is special. Her sister Penny senses it; her aunts Dolly and Jem tell stories of ancestors who had gifts—though they never name it, they seem to know Misty carries something. And William, the lonely boy in the trailer next door whose single mother tries on men like new cowboy boots, he senses Misty’s power and does something that nearly takes it from her.

An exploration of faith that borders on fanaticism, belief in the unseen wonders of this world, the fear that lives deep in the heart of girls whose innocence is stolen from them, and the resilience built by refusing to be destroyed are all beautifully, heartbreakingly, and magically at work in the brilliant Every Bone a Prayer.