The Hum and the Shiver

3.5 stars. Originally posted at FanLit.

The Tufa are a clan of black-haired natives who live in the Smoky Mountains. They keep to themselves, stay close to home, and have some strange beliefs and mysterious habits. Much to the disappointment of Craig Chess, the enthusiastic young Methodist preacher, every single one of them refuses to come to church.

Chess gets to know the Tufa a little better when Private Bronwyn Hyatt returns to Cloud County as a war hero. She was captured and tortured in Iraq and has come home to recover. All of America is worshipping Bronwyn, but the Tufa don???t seem impressed. They???re much more concerned about the death omens they???ve been noticing recently and the ghost that???s been waiting for Bronwyn. A death in the Hyatt family could affect the entire future of the Tufa tribe. Will Bronwyn step up and take her place in the Tufa clan, or will she continue to be the rebellious troublemaker she was before... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/the-hum-and-the-shiver/

Small town politics
lustiest minority
jailbait loverboy.

Probably more like a 1.5, but I'm rounding down because of the ending.