Wow. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. This is officially the first book I am putting on my "favorite books of the year" list, for 2025.

• The Plot: A 13 year old girl shoots her 14 year old brother and gets arrested. The book follows the mystery of what happened that night, what her motives were, and what the consequences of her actions are. It also examines the people around who are affected by the murder and their own personal journeys with penitence and forgiveness.

• The Characters: The characters were so well developed that I found myself completely engrossed in their feelings, my heart being torn out along with their own. Koval does such a great job at making you feel like you understood their choices, no matter how wrong they may seem externally, and the struggle that each character faced as a consequence of those choices. This book had me thinking to myself, on several occasions, what would I have done if I was in their shoes?

• The Themes: There were a couple of really interesting themes through the book.
- Choices - those that are a split second decision and those that are pondered over for perhaps too long.
- Consequences - those that are understood and those that are not. It questioned whether or not a consequence was deserved or was too harsh or too lenient.
- Judgement - who is the right person to pass judgement? The law? The individual? The church? Peers? What if the person who is passing the judgement doesn't have the ability to consider all the facts. Should it matter?
- Forgiveness - Forgiving yourself and forgiving others, and how that might look different from person to person.
- Penitence - The amount of sorrow, guilt, and regret that someone can feel for a wrong they have committed, or a wrong that they have been affected by.

• Who would I recommend this for? Anyone who enjoys fiction that makes you think, changes the way you perceive the world, and is not afraid to explore the tough questions.

• My rating: Five Stars. So well done. This was a beautiful tragedy on so many levels. It had layer after layer of depth and emotion and it was all wrapped up really well. Bravo to Koval! What a great read.

That was a beautiful story of grief, loss, and really how much someone can go through, and still move on. Also, the exploration of forgiveness. I would put this in more of the literary fiction pile than anything thriller. It's a tragic experience any normal family can go through. This story does jump timelines and lets us know of everyone's experiences through their life. It was written very well. Thank You Netgalley and Kritin Koval for the electronic ARC. I did wait for the Audio to tandem read, and I did like the narration of this book. Please be aware of the content in this book and your mental state as losing someone can be a trigger.

This debut effort about grief and family and the frustrations of moving forward in the midst of pasts that just won't let go is excellent. There are two major events that serve as touchpoints for the "past" and "present" storylines, both involving the death of children. The families involved in the books are linked through both of these tragedies, and through enduring relational connections. Koval does well in weaving the two narratives together, taking on specific issues of health and the criminal justice system in ways that feel both informed and well-integrated into the narrative. The writing is also excellent in terms of setting, both the rugged landscape of Colorado and the streets of New York. In the end, there are reckonings to be had by all, but there is also hope that grief can be endured, and maybe even transformed. Oh, and this book has one of the most vividly written accounts of 9/11 I've read.

A heartbreaking, powerful read!
Angie and David are raising their two teenage kids, Nico 14 and Nora 13. This family was recently dealt a devastating blow. A bombshell! One child dead...the other arrested for murder.

Needing the best representation, but not having the resources to do so, David takes a bold leap in asking Martine to help. A big ask. Martine’s son Julian and Angie were not only childhood sweethearts, but were involved in an earlier tragedy that tore the families apart, eventually separating the two young lovers as well.

This is a wrenching tale of love, loss, grief and rebuilding.

It’s a slow burn, taking you back to when Angie and Julian were teens themselves. Their paths through life crossing once again when the stakes are the highest.

🎧 Therese Plummer provided the narration and did an amazing job as always. I never felt the need for an additional narrator.

💻 I also occasionally switched to an available digital copy.

My personal preference was definitely the audio! This is one of those books/audios that you can lose yourself in as the story unfolds. I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to Celadon Books and MacMillan Audio

I really really wanted to love this one after all the good reviews I saw, but I just didn’t.

Penitence is a debut novel about the twisty lives of two once teenage lovers in the future. The choices Angie and Julian make as teenagers in love twist their story for the rest of the their lives. Drawing them back into each other’s lives when Angie’s daughter, Nora, kills her brother Nico.

I was drug into the story and wanted to know what happened with Nora, but that revelation was anticlimactic and not worth it. I struggled with the lack of showing and the amount of telling. I also didn’t feel with the characters like I wanted to. They weren’t real people because of the way the prose was written. This is definitely mis-genred as a mystery and thriller. It doesn’t encompass either of the characters of those genres.

"Penitence" is a masterfully crafted narrative that delves into the complexities of human experience. Through a lifetime of events, the story expertly weaves together multiple perspectives, revealing how even the smallest actions can have far-reaching consequences. This poignant tale exposes the frailty of human nature, laying bare the struggles, mistakes, and regrets that we all face, and more importantly, forgiveness.

As the story unfolds, you're forced to confront the moral ambiguities of doing what's right versus doing what's perceived as right. The author's unflinching portrayal of tragedy and mental turmoil is both heartbreaking and thought-provoking.

While "Penitence" is a departure from my usual reading fare, I was captivated by the author's unique writing style. This haunting and deeply resonant story earns a well-deserved 5-star rating. Be prepared for a emotional and introspective journey that will linger long after you finish reading.

Wow. This might just be a top read of the year for me! This debut has stunning writing and it’s a story I won’t forget.

Penitence is a family drama that weaves together years of secrets between two families in a ski town in Colorado. I loved having the perspective of every character throughout the story and felt this really contributed to each one’s growth and arc. Every character has their own battle with forgiveness and it’s really moving to see how everyone navigates this differently, especially given the gravity of the topics and shocking realities faced throughout the story.

I can’t recommend it enough! One of those stories that makes you feel for the characters, and will continue to think about it for a long time.

A perfect wintertime read, I’m so excited for its release in February! Thank you NetGalley and Celadon for the eARC!

This was very different than I was expecting. It’s a very heavy topic. So prepare for that. It shattered my heart from the beginning. I felt like the author did an amazing job of describing some of the issues in the Juvenile justice system. You could tell she had done a lot of research for this book. I’m sure her background in law helped a lot. I loved that this book went through different levels of forgiveness and will make the reader really consider whether the worst thing we have ever done defines us. As a mother it really made me question how I would feel in these moments.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on January 28, 2025.

What a fantastic debut! I was thoroughly immersed in the story of a young girl who shoots and kills her terminally ill brother. But this is so much more than that. As this taut small-town drama unfolds, we meet a host of characters whose lives are forever entwined by fate.

The young girl's family is desperate to defend their family, and they turn to small-town lawyer and friend for help. But Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. Soon Julian and Angie are forced to confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago.

Told in past and present timelines through multiple POVs, this suspenseful page-turner explores themes of guilt and grief, love and forgiveness and the cost of each. These characters are well-meaning though flawed and I was completely invested in their lives and Nora's ultimate fate. I was heartbroken for Angie and all she endured through her life, even when some of it was of her own making.

I will say this was a bit of a sad, bittersweet ending. The last interaction between Julian and Angie broke my heart. I did want to know more of the 'why' behind Nora's actions but sometimes a more ambiguous ending just fits as it did with this one. And don't let that deter you. This was a stellar family drama, and I look forward to seeing what Koval writes next. Rounding up to 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Celadon publishing and BOTM for a copy of this debut.

Atmospheric and emotional are the two words I would use to describe this book. I really enjoyed this debut novel and I look forward to what the author writes next.

The ending felt just right and though I may not have all the answers, it’s obvious what they might be. I actually like more that it was not clearly stated and laid out.

Book Review: Penitence
Author: Kristin Koval
Publisher: Celadon Books
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: 28 Jan 25


The novel Penitence opens with an unimaginable act of violence. 13-year-old Nora Sheehan is jailed after calling 911, and confessing that she’s shot her 14 year old brother. Angie and David Sheehan’s lives will never be the same, and they hardly know how to begin to pick up the pieces of their shattered family. How does one simultaneously mourn the violent death of a son, try to understand the motives of their now only child, while mourning her anticipated loss to prison. Nora’s parents battle with the blame and shame game as they wrestle with their Gordian Knot of emotions. Lodgepole, Colorado is a small town, with few options for legal counsel. Nora’s parent are forced to enlist the help of Marine and her son Julian Dumont. As they fight the clock to discover why Nora has done the unthinkable, past entanglements, family tragedy, and long held secrets begin to unravel. And that’s all I’m going to say. 🙊

Kristin Koval’s debut novel will grip the reader’s attention and call to mind the likes of Jodi Piccoult and Cleste Ng. Koval presents a compelling narrative in which the reader is asked to consider the intricacies of regret and atonement, the corrosive power of guilt and secrets, and the complicated path to forgiveness.


Many thanks to the author @KristinKovalWriter, @CeladonBooks, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Penitence in exchange for an honest review.

Penitence is a book centered around a shattered family trying to move forward after devastating loss. It includes past and present timelines with characters reflecting on their choices and how those decisions have impacted the trajectory of their lives. The small town, rural Colorado atmosphere was well done. It’s a heavy, thought-provoking story that engaged me from the start.

This was an amazing book written by a debut author! The storyline is thought provoking and intense. I was engaged in this suspenseful read from start to finish. A family’s life is torn apart by a shocking murder. Angie and David need to hire a lawyer for their daughter and this is complicated because the big time criminal defence lawyer they hire is Angie’s old boyfriend. As all of Angie and Julian’s history is revealed it is intriguing to see how it affects the current situation. I don’t want to give away more plot lines to take away from the story so I won’t say more than this. The book is heartbreaking and poignant and it is beautifully written. Be sure to pick this one up.

Thanks to Celadon, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for early copies of Penitence in exchange for my honest opinions.
This was my fourth time participating in one of Celadon’s early buddy reads, and my group had some great discussions. Penitence is not a happy book, as it opens with the death of a child. The book follows the life of the family as they attempt to live with the aftermath. It gives the reader a window into the juvenile detention system (spoiler: it's not pretty) and the legal system (spoiler: not everyone is treated the same way). With plenty of time spent on grief and guilt, Penitence is a character-driven read, with some selfish characters that I didn't want to read any more about! Guilt and forgiveness/repentance are constant themes.
I'm very glad I was paired up with my discussion buddies, because we had similar thoughts on this book. However, it's interesting reading very different reviews from other groups. @bookofthemonth just chose this debut for one of its main picks for February!
I did a mix of reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook, and I think the narration is great on the audio. However, I think this heavy story is not for the faint of heart. I'm passing my book along to my mother to read, when I see her this weekend, and I look forward to discussing it with her, too.

What a debut novel! And it really grabbed my attention—-when a teenager kills her teenaged brother who has Huntington’s disease, it’s definitely not an everyday thing. Angie (mother) and David (father) are understandably beside themselves about it and trying to find defense counsel for Nora (daughter). Angie was once in a romantic relationship in NYC with Julian, a skilled criminal defense attorney, and he ultimately becomes Nora’s lawyer.

There’s a history that we hear bits and pieces of about the skiing accident death of Angie’s sister, and Julian and Angie are still carrying guilt over their role in the occurrence. The book definitely has themes of unresolved guilt, secrets, and lack of communication.

The threads of the story are revealed in bits and pieces, and we don’t get the entire picture in a linear fashion, but instead sort of in the way that memories appear in our minds, here and there. The writer does an excellent job of giving a glimpse of the horror and despair experienced by Angie. However, Nora’s mind is largely a puzzle to the reader throughout most of the narrative. Only towards the very end do we receive a clue or two.

Penitence is a monumental effort, and I don’t take that lightly. The pacing definitely could be better, as the book bogs down several times. Also, a more succinct prose would help. Because of these issues, I’m rating it as 3.5 stars, rounded up. I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author, as her talent is apparent.

I listened to the audiobook and also read the ebook. Therese Plummer’s performance was excellent.

The foundation of Penitence rests on a horrific murder: thirteen-year-old Norah shoots her older brother, then calls 911. She's immediately taken away from her family and into a juvenile detention center.

Norah's parents are ill equipped—as anyone would be—to deal with the simultaneous loss of both of their children. They do what's needed: they bury their son, and they hire an attorney, Martine.

As the narrative shifts points of view and timelines, there's a murkiness that shades everyone's understanding of Norah's motivation. Koval explores the history of Norah's mother, Angie, who dated Martine's son, Julian, for much of her young adulthood. It seems their relationship is in the past . . . and then Martine brings in Julian as lead attorney on Norah's defense.

I found Penitence to be a compelling read. I definitely wanted to know what happened, and I was intrigued by the complexity of each character and of the ways their lives intertwined. Ultimately, there was something about the narrative that kept me at a distance, but I admired it greatly and enjoyed the reading experience.

Penitence is a deeply heartbreaking novel about 2 families that are tied together through tragedy.
Angie and Julian were high school sweethearts until one terrible ski accident killed Angie's little sister, Diana. The two are forced to stay away from each other by their families after the accident.
Years later, they are brought together when Angie's 13 year old daughter kills her brother. Julian is one of the lawyers brought on to help with the defense.
This story spans decades and is told through multiple POVs. It explores the complexity of forgiveness and grief. Does everyone deserve forgiveness? Are we truly better than the worst thing we have done?
This is definitely a book that everyone should read. This is Kristin Koval's debut novel and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

I really wanted to love Penitence as the book's description sounded so interesting, but it was just okay for me. I was pulled into the novel initially, but then it seemed to move slowly. I also felt like having several perspectives and storylines sometimes made it somewhat confusing to follow. While I thought the ending was heartfelt, I wish more had been revealed and resolved by the end of the book. I think the novel was beautifully written, and there will be an audience that loves this book.

I really wanted to like this book but it wasn’t for me. The plot was interesting but I just didn’t like the characters. I’m sure others will highly enjoy this book.