Whispering Pines has been named a National Indie Excellence Award finalist for 2021.

A disruptive, heartbreaking, yet equally redemptive coming of age story. Whispering Pines is an astute dissection of family and friendship, reminding us that our lives are forever shaped by the events of our adolescence.

Three young characters reside at its heart-Jon Wright (aka Midnight), a soft-hearted, sentimental young man wise beyond his years, Claire, a beauty in the traditional sense who lacks confidence and feels invisible in a household with nine siblings, and most notably Bryn Wilson, a smart, soft-spoken, promising girl, who feels unattractive and lost. Bryn longs for someone extraordinary in her life who can make her feel extraordinary too.

She meets Chris Bello. He is the answer for Bryn. Everything seems so utopian that she glides through the months of summer as if on a magic carpet, but Chris exits her life as quickly as he came into it. Losing him seems insurmountable, but when greater tragedy strikes, Bryn is faced with reevaluating all her relationships and coming to terms with who she is and who she has the potential to become as she rounds the corner of adolescence into adulthood.

Ms. Lansen's novel is a beautifully written and memorable work of fiction, displaying an economy of language, believable plots twists, an arresting description of rural Wisconsin and well-developed characters who will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.