Mt. Moriahs Wake, Melissa Norton Carro
Mt. Moriahs Wake, Melissa Norton Carro
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
Club: $9.97

Mt. Moriah's Wake
A Novel

Author: Melissa Norton Carro

Narrator: Amanda Stribling

Unabridged: 11 hr 37 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/06/2023


Synopsis

Orphaned at age eight, JoAnna Wilson was raised by her eccentric aunt in the bucolic southern community of Mt. Moriah. Now a twenty-six-year old would-be writer, JoAnna faces several crossroads: in her marriage, in her career, and in her faith.JoAnna left home for Chicago in 1997 immediately following the murder of her best friend, Grace. Now she comes back to Mt. Moriah for the first time in four years to attend her aunt’s funeral—and realizes that she must confront both the profound sorrow she feels over Grace’s death and the mysterious guilt she carries. She must finally grieve.A hauntingly sweet story of love and loss that alternates between JoAnna’s childhood in Mt. Moriah, her life in Chicago, and her present encounters upon returning home, Mt. Moriah’s Wake ponders deep questions: When we experience unspeakable tragedy, do we see ourselves as victim or survivor? Is it possible to regain happiness in the face of such? And how do we find our faith again, once it is lost?As her past and present worlds collide, JoAnna grapples with these questions—and her journey moves toward an unexpected conclusion.

About Melissa Norton Carro

Melissa Norton Carro is the author of the novel Mt. Moriah’s Wake. She has edited textbooks and been a nonfiction ghostwriter as well as a copyeditor for Gannett Publishing. She received her Bachelor of Arts with honors from Vanderbilt University, where she works. She also is manager of her own business, Norton Carro Communications.

About Amanda Stribling

Amanda Stribling grew up as a musical theater/show-choir girl and went on to pursue a journalism degree from the University of Tennessee. She loves all things performance and often lends her voice to audiobook productions. A southern girl, she currently resides with her husband and twins in Nashville, Tennessee.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Nidhi on September 28, 2022

I love complex, strong, and gray characters. Such is the case with Joanne Wilson in this immersive novel. Set in a Southern community of Mt. Moriah, Joanna is orphaned at a tender age and wants to be a writer in her mid-twenties. She moves to Chicago after her best friend, Grace’s murder. It is afte......more

Goodreads review by CallahansBooks on September 24, 2022

JoAnna’s aunt Doro raised her when she lost her parents. She taught her myriad life lessons and saw her off to Chicago after the loss of a friend drove JoAnna toward the wider world. So it made sense that JoAnna’s return to Mt. Moriah would be for something on the magnitude of Aunt Doro’s funeral. T......more

Goodreads review by Melissa on July 07, 2021

From Readers' Favorite 5-Star Review: "This is a novel that is beautifully written and while it is not explosive with action, it is filled with realism and humanity that will immediately rub off on readers. The story is about love, faith, and the experience of loss.... The prose leaps off the pages w......more

Goodreads review by Maria on August 19, 2021

I LOVED this book. I like the author's style of writing, and the story is beautiful and powerful.......more

Mt. Moriah’s Wake is an emotional and beautifully written story of humanity, family, faith, loss of faith, despair, love and ultimately hope. I absolutely loved this book. I don’t quite understand how few people have read it. I highly recommend it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️......more


Quotes

“An absolute must-read.” Nashville Lifestyles

“Carro pulls off a thoughtful account of JoAnn losing and regaining her faith. This will charm and inspire.” Publishers Weekly

“Carro sensitively chronicles JoAnna’s emotional struggle—upon Aunt Doro’s death, she returns home, and old demons barely silenced demand an audience…The author’s emotional astuteness and the depth of her characters remain impressive.” Kirkus Reviews

“A captivating writer who immediately drew me into her compelling story of mystery, love, and resilience.” Andrea Jarrell, author of I’m the One Who Got Away


Awards

  • Next Generation Indie Book Award