Jerri Hines

Every reader has one. That book you stumble across when you're not even searching for it. The hidden gem that quietly works its way into your heart. The story that lingers long after you've closed the cover. For many readers, The Waking Bell is exactly that kind of book. Set in the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains during the final years of World War II, The Waking Bell is more than a mystery. It's a journey into a small Southern town where secrets are carefully guarded, whispers travel faster than truth, and one young girl finds herself caught between what people believe and what is real. Cady Blue has never quite belonged. Poor, misunderstood, and burdened by the mysterious "bells" in her head, she lives on the edges of Oak Flatt—accepted by few and judged by many. When a child disappears and suspicion spreads throughout the community, Cady becomes entangled in a web of jealousy, fear, and long-buried secrets. What follows is a powerful story of courage, bel...