Recently, a new book has been published that seems to rival several long-time favorites of many avid book readers, such as Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Sins Of The Bees by Annie Lampman gives readers a view into the life of an unsuspecting, young woman. Throughout the book, the reader is able to feel the pains of life along with the main character and her lover. The pain of abandonment, death, loneliness, loss of a child, natural disasters, the impact of a cult, and loss of love are common themes throughout the book and shape the plot.

The book is written around the wreckage that a cult of religious extremists–backed by a mysterious man from her past–has caused. Despite trying to run away over and over again, the main character is caught in the storm of the cult and is taunted by her past. The cult is prominent throughout her life, as well as in the lives of the women before her.

A wound that was opened generations ago is still trying to heal through all the hurt, a final attempt at closure. Bonsai trees and honey bees accompany the trauma, along with a plethora of animals. The author’s inclusion of these key elements brings forward the most important details within the story. Each of the elements takes her into the next chapter of life, revealing more about the women belonging to generations before her own and leading her to people she will later depend on. Every detail holds value and allows readers to feel the characters in real-time. The importance of prologue and epilogue are major in this story, tying everything together in the end. It mimics the possibility of real-life and actual trauma, heartbreak, loss as well as healing, love, and restoration. The Sins Of The Bees is a truly emotional and life-based story that readers will come to love for many years to come.