The Boatman's Daughter by Andy Davidson

Miranda runs drugs in and out of the bayou, deals with wicked preachers and a corrupt sheriff in the only way she knows because since her father died she has only herself to depend on. She also takes care of a special boy who lives hidden away with a witch deep in the swamp. Soon another will need to be rescued and it will take every magic trick and survival skill Miranda knows to control this strange world and take care of those who are defenseless. The book feels very mysterious like a horror story mixed with Eastern European fairy tales. It is a look at innocence, special abilities and the darkness that dwells in some people's souls. It looks at religion and people in power and pits them against children that are treated like sacrificial lambs. Violence on every page but the author excels in painting a picture of this strange world that is so vivid you can almost feel the damp heavy earth and hear the song of the cicadas.