Stunned, stunning, stuntabulous! Okay. The last was absolutely not a word, but Talking to the Dead a novel by Bonnie Grove is simply the kind of book that takes you places you never have been to before. Following Kate as she suffers the grief of her husband Kevin's death at such a young age is mesmerizing. Certainly, Kate's first response of quiet withdrawal makes perfect sense. How do you move on when the love of your life has died? But also how do you move on when there are pieces of your life that are also missing? Lastly, what do you do when you hear the voice of your dead husband clearly speaking to you?

The ride is amazing. I seriously did not know what direction Kate's story was going to take. Every detail and chapter led me closer to the conclusion, but I certainly was not sure of what that conclusion was. I LOVED THAT! I cannot tell you how often I have read a book and have completely figured out the ending. This doesn't always take away from a story, but it is sure nice to really be taken along for an adventurous ride. A ride that was sad, happy, frightening, thought provoking, and fully moving.

This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed with fresh characters from an author whose work I will now highly anticipate. ( )

Kate’s husband Kevin has just died. She’s barely gotten through the funeral when she starts hearing his voice. With her memory filled with holes and no one she feels she can trust, Kate begins to doubt her sanity. As Kate tries to figure out exactly why Kevin is talking to her, life begins spiraling further out of control. Finally, after having a mental meltdown, Kate is forced to deal with, the return of her memory and many other issues.

Talking to the Dead is one of those books that is hard to classify. While it is Christian Fiction with a message of faith, it is not preachy. Kate is funny, vulnerable and human but man, is she surrounded by a bunch of stinkers. Everyone who should be there for her lets her down. But Kate finds support in a quirky support group filled with a bunch of frail, vulnerable people just like herself. She also meets Jack, a pastor, but a different sort of pastor and through his example of unconditional love and acceptance, she comes to understand her need for God. Then she begins on the road to healing.

I enjoyed Talking to the Dead very much. It has a little bit of everything: romance, suspense, humor and there were even a few times when Kate’s pain was so intense that a lump formed in my throat. I wanted to comfort her because no one else was. I highly recommend this one if you enjoy clean, faith-based, fiction. ( )

At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like this book. It started off very slowly, and I was having a hard time getting into it. I suppose that maybe the author wrote it that way on purpose, to show Kate’s grief. After Kate started seeing Dr. Alexander, though, the storyline started to pick up, and I found myself having a hard time setting the book down.

The themes of love and forgiveness are strong, but the spiritual component is very mild — not at all overpowering. In fact, I believe anyone could read this without feeling put out, even if they don’t normally care for “Christian” fiction.

The only thing that bothered me (other than the slow start) was the rushed ‘conclusion’ Kate comes to near the end of the book. It felt too fake for me, and I also felt the ending, itself, was a bit rushed. Not too badly, like some other books I’ve read, but still a bit.

I do hope there’ll be a follow-up book with the same characters! I’d like to know what happens from this point!

Rated: B+ ( )

Every once in a while a book grabs from the first sentence and doesn't let go until the reader turns the final page. Even then, like a magnet, the reader is drawn back to reflect. This is that book.

Written in the first person narrative of Kate, and interspersed with her snippets of memories in third person narratives, this tale of a grief stricken, young woman is told. Even though the topic is glum, the story shines with brightness. This is a must-read.

Interview with the author and discussion topics are included. ( )