Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for advanced access to The Existence of Bea Pearl! This title releases June 15, 2021.

6 months ago, Bea Pearl followed her brother Jim to the flooding river during a storm. She and Jim were both caught up in the current and Bea was knocked unconscious, only to wake in the hospital and learn that her brother had not been found. But while the rest of the town and her family and friends have accepted that Jim is dead and try to move on, Bea is convinced that her brother is still alive and is determined to figure out the mystery of what happened to him.

It is rare that I come across an author that writes likes they are painting- that you can truly see each and every detail, and practically feel like you are right in the book with the characters- Candice Marley Conner absolutely has this talent. I live in the south, although not as deep in the south as Bea does, and greatly appreciated how beautifully the author painted the scenery, wildlife, and culture of the south. She made it seem truly magical.

I greatly enjoyed this book, and in fact, had a lot of trouble putting it down. Again, the author's writing is truly beautiful and she really develops her characters very well. Bea's character really kept me guessing- in some ways, she is very much an unreliable narrator which really moves the plot along and has you second-guessing every aspect of the book. I found the plot to be fast-moving and entertaining, and it really brought out a lot of empathy in me for Bea and her family. My only critique is that I wish the ending had been more fleshed out and well-rounded. It seemed to come very suddenly and didn't provide some of the resolutions I wish it had.

Lastly- how beautiful is that cover??

I love a good mystery. This book kept me hooked from beginning to end. I wasn’t a massive fan of the main character but that isn’t due to any fault of the author. This was a solid mystery.

I really liked The Existence of Bea Pearl. I think it would especially appeal to lovers of young adult thrillers. The story was exciting, and I appreciated how it kept me guessing for most of the book whether Bea Pearl was really onto something with believing Jim was alive, or if she was truly losing her grip on reality. I did find the ending a little confusing; it could have been explained more clearly what exactly was going on. Overall, though, a fun read.

BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR, so far!
Candice Marley Conner tells a unique coming of age story abut a misunderstood teenage girl who is convinced her missing brother is alive, against all odds - and the local belief that he was caught up in the river and drowned during a storm.
I especially enjoyed this book because it reminded me of one of my all time favorite family sagas, "Blackwater" by Michael McDowell, the way this author knew her way around a swamp and the creatures who lived there.
The characters were realistically fleshed out - the only one who remained an enigma was her mother. I think because it was Bea Pearl's narrative and they were both too caught up in their own grief and frustration to see each other's point of view.

The story kept me engaged through all the interesting twists & turns and I absolutely loved the ending!
Highly recommended as a suspenseful mystery for adults as well as teens.

If you're looking for a bit of mystery and thriller in one of your reads this summer, this book is it. With a backdrop of a small town set on a swampy river in lower Alabama, this book had the perfect uneasy atmosphere to fit its tone. The writing was so immersive and I really enjoyed the simpler, shorter chapters which made it a really quick read for me. And although the writing is on the simpler side, it has a great undertone of more meaningful questions that really hit deep inside you while reading.

The main character, Bea Pearl, made for a really intriguing narrator throughout the story. At times I had full confidence in her version of events and then there were times when I was uncertain if she was a reliable narrator since she even questioned herself. The story had a really interesting spin of most of the side characters essentially gaslighting Bea Pearl which added a really eerie touch along with the uncertainty of what was going on. My entire time reading, I was paranoid about who I could trust and which characters were telling the truth. I also liked how the book portrayed different versions of grief through Bea Pearl's parents and friends and the way it contrasted with Bea Pearl's refusal to believe her brother was dead. There's a lot of tension in the book which added another layer to the uncomfortable atmosphere of the story.

Although I felt the ending was rushed, I did enjoy its conclusion. There were some questions I was left with and I felt like some loose ends weren't tied up adequately but it didn't really dim my enjoyment of the book. I did think Bea Pearl read a little young for 16 years old which kind of feeds into the Southern stereotype of being naive but I did enjoy the unusual romance that crept up during the book.

Overall, I think the atmosphere really adds a special touch to this book. I was supremely entertained while reading and enjoyed its quick pacing. I also think the cover art fits so perfectly with the vibe of the book and I'm really happy I picked this book up.

"The Existence Of Bea Pearl" by Candice Marley Conner

Sixteen year old Bea Pearl knows her brother Jim isn't dead. She doesn't care if no one else believes her. When her parents choose to declare him legally dead Bea sets out to prove to those around her that they've made a mistake. Her heart says he didn't drown when the orders came to evacuate the river but only she followed him to the river that day and only she returned. Bea's persistence and love for her brother will send her on a dangerous quest full of clues and it's up to her to connect them to find out the truth.

This read started off pretty slow and I hate to say it didn't really pick up. Towards the end I found the ending quite rushed and also pretty anti climatic. I didn't care for Bea's character and I also found her to be quite unreliable as a narrator. I often forgot that Bea was sixteen because of how she spoke which I found to be confusing at times as well. I really wanted to love this novel but unfortunately I just didn't. 2.5/3 🌟

I was so caught up in this mystery I didn’t want to stop reading! The atmosphere was perfect, and I loved how the author showed how complicated family is—that it can both have so much love and also a lot of hurt and difficulties. I also loved how Bea Pearl worked so hard to believe in herself, even when no one else did.

I saw a comment saying that the author grew up reading Nancy Drew and I could totally feel the Nancy Drew inspiration as I read - especially in the quick pacing of the story and the slightly unrealistic turn of events. Are some aspects of “The Existence of Bea Pearl” a little far-fetched? Maybe. But for me, that just added to the charm. Overall, the writing is great and the mystery kept me intrigued. It was a quick, enjoyable read that kept me guessing. I loved it.

Bea Pearl knows her brother didn't die in the flood - but apparently nobody else does. Not her parents, her friends, the entire town in fact. And while everybody else tries to recover when he's declared officially dead, Bea Pearl tries to figure out what really happened. She doesn't know why he went back to the reiver, she doesn't know why she couldn't save him and she doesn't know if she really saw that boat near Jim either - she doesn't know where to start. But then there's Colin ... who may or may not be a Water Sprite, or a merman, or something equally suspicious - who always seems to appear whenever Bea is near water and he might just be who she needs to finally solve the mystery once and for all.

The existence of Bea Pearl was a southern mystery about family and deception - about really existing and what it means. The story was brilliant but for me it felt quite rushed, especially when we reached the climax and it left me feeling deflated. Bea Pearl as a narrator I found unreliable, and her voice felt very child-like so I just couldn't relate to her enough to get fully engrossed in the story. However, this was still a great little mystery with a very unique charm to it.

For a thoroughly enjoyable swampy, atmospheric read, look no further than the Existence of Bea Pearl. The suspense at the core of the story kept me guessing until the end, and I loved the relationship between Bea, the determined teen, and the mysterious Colin, who always seems to appear out of nowhere.

Brimming with delightful southern expressions, this breezy, yet suspenseful tale features a strong sibling tie and a teen who follows her beliefs no matter where they lead. The twists and turns along the way with episodes of possible gaslighting make for a great page-turning tale! Highly recommended!

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

This is such a weird little book. I can see why I've seen it compared to Nancy Drew a few times. The plot is a little ridiculous and all over the place. I'm not a fan of the formatting. That could be my Kindle copy or the book itself. And it might be fixed by publication. And the writing felt a little simplistic. But, if you like Nancy Drew and/or mysteries and have a free block of time, maybe give it a try. 👍

An absolute YES to “The Existence of Bea Pearl” - a fantastic YA story about hope, strength, and believing in yourself.

I loved everything about this book. It grips your from the very beginning and has you guessing through the whole story. So many twists and turns, and finally you think you’ve worked it out and then something changes or is discovered and has you back guessing again. I loved the characters how there all so real and relatable, and how your always second guessing whos good and who’s the villain in the story. I’ve never read a book as fast because I couldn’t stop wanting to know what happened next and what Bea would discover about herself, her brother or someone else...it was amazing.
It is truly a great book and the ending was not what I expected which was exactly what I hope for from a good book!

This had a good premise, with some interesting twists, but read at times like overwrought fan-fiction. The age of the main character was difficult to remember, as her thinking (“voice”) was often like that of an impaired 10 year old. Those inconsistencies and the rushed, ridiculous ending (local drug ring, including Sheriff, run by teenage girl?!) actually had me rolling my eyes.