An entertaining romantic fantasy with engaging characters. The author wove the romance well, with believable complications and a heroine that feels relatable without being submissive or passive; she is flawed but has agency. Also, we get an imperfect love interest, and the antagonist is sufficiently annoying, while feeling authentic. The pacing is well-balanced and the fantasy elements are satisfying, expressive, and delightful. Overall, I would recommend the book.

A lovely mix of fiction and essays that is a delightful cozy read. Cat lovers will especially enjoy the tales which put our feline friends front and center to give them a deserved spotlight.
Definitely recommended.

An excellent booklet that offers a peek into the HWA, the Bram Stoker Awards, plus offers some great interviews and wonderful short stories and poetry.

A good solid mystery with entertaining characters and an excellent historic setting. An enjoyable read and recommended.

A solid anthology that pays a robust homage to its gothic roots while still putting an entertaining steampunk twist on the genre. While Dracula and Frankenstein are the prevalent influences, the book has a few stories that find inspiration from other Gothic sources, and also from international mythos.
All the stories are enjoyable, well-written and a wonderful blend of gothic and steampunk, with a nice mixture of sci-fi and fantasy aesthetics. Some stories, as with all anthologies, resonated with me as a reader more than others; my top three are: Notre Dame de Linceul, The Lambton Wyrm, and The Man Who Was Not Me. I will say though, the stories have a very Gothic style, which is something I like, but that might not be for everyone.
Overall, I highly recommend the book.

A nearly flawless book that pulls you into its world from page one and sweeps you up on a marvelous and fantastic ride. It is rich and deep, cathartic and beautiful; a profound and cozy fantasy that is more than its parts. It is a story of love, hope, and grief, and something exquisite.
I highly recommend this book.

An engaging and entertaining story collection, infused nicely with a menacing, creepy tone, edged with a bit of snark. The framing narration that leads in a out of the stories works well and overall, I highly recommend the book.

An excellent collection of creepy, Lovecraftian inspired steampunk where the stories range from chilling to tragic and never disappoint. If you like your fiction on the weird occult horror side, then this is the book for you.
I enjoyed all the stories, and liked the thread of a time theme that ran through the book, and while some stories were more delightfully disturbing than others, they all had an excellent creepy vibe. I highly recommend the book.

Overall, I found this book delightful and an enjoyable reading experience. The main character of Hyde was utterly adorable, and I loved the relationship between them and the other main character, Teresa. The setting was fascinating, peppered with diverse and intriguing secondary characters that brought the book to life. And the cats, the cats were perfect.
Unfortunately, the mystery aspect of the book was not so perfect. While it unfolded nicely, gave some hints and clues and a red herring or two, the ending fell a bit flat for me. It gave a conclusion that made sense, but left a few too many “whys” unanswered for my taste.
Still, I can recommend the book, especially if you prefer the cozy paranormal aspects over the mystery.

Another superb book from John Linwood Grant that combines subtle social commentary with artful storytelling, and gives readers an unforgettable main character. This collection of short stories weaves a magical, grounded tale of Mamma Lucy and travels a delightful and entertaining path. Melding magic, hoodoo, and a no-nonsense, sassy protagonist, Ain’t No Witch delivers a silky smooth reading experience you can savour.
There wasn’t one story I didn’t enjoy and highly recommend the book.

A thoroughly delightful and lyrical historical novel. The book wove a fascinating narrative of Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s relationship without painting it in rose-coloured tints or favouritism. I loved the underlying love of literature that shone in the prose, and the author gave a distinct feel of the time period. The book was captivating and immersed me as a reader within the world created on the pages.
It is also clear the author well-researched the subject matter and did a fine job in balancing the facts and the fiction.
I highly recommend this book.

The anthology does what it sets out to do: capturing the mood and atmosphere of Edgar Allan Poe’s writing while transposing that ambience into the world of steampunk. Each story is carefully crafted as an homage, but retains its own flavour and style. And, as with every anthology, some stories resonated with me more than others.
A couple of the tales, A Heavy Air and Proof of Life or Death take inspiration from Poe’s detective stories and are intriguing, well-rounded glimpses into enjoyable steampunk worlds. Others like Crowbait or Annabel Lee, take a darker approach or are steeped in bittersweet melancholia, but still draw the reader in for an engrossing journey. One story, Angel de la Muerte, felt more like a sequel than a standalone story but was beautifully written and darkly emotive. The book was a quick read and a nice sampling of the authors’ work
Overall, I would recommend A Cast of Crows.

The Farm from Hell was an enjoyable read, well structured, with a nice flow and pacing. It held my interest and offered the facts and background of Belle Gunness's life in a detailed and informative manner without any sensationalized tone. Don’t expect an in-depth analysis, but it was a solid, straightforward, well-researched true crime read. I recommend it for anyone looking for a quick bit of true crime or who wants to know more about this ignoble bit of history.
Note: I received an ARC copy of this book through the Early Reviewers program.

An exquisite collection of superbly written short stories that hits all the right emotional notes. With well-rounded and relatable characters this anthology realizes all the nuances and realities of grief while leaving a spark of hope that things will improve. From heart-wrenching to quietly poignant every story delivers.

I loved this book. Now I might have been a bit pre-disposed to enjoy it considering it’s full of things that interest me: ghosts, history and circus performers, but there is enough charm and grace in the book to entrance any reader.

The book essentially tells the story of two women, Marisa, who is starting her life over after loss, and the ghostly Lucinda, whose truth has been lost in time. Their stories interweave in a fascinating tale of mystery, ghosts, romance, and circus history until they collide in a tense conclusion.

The perspective of this novel is told from two points-of views, Marisa’s and Lucinda’s, and shifts the reader back and forth from the modern day to the early 20th century. Now this change could have easily become disjointed, but the author makes the transition seamless, and as a reader I flowed through the story effortlessly. Both Marisa and Lucinda are compelling characters -never seeming helpless or weak, even when they faced adversity- and you are naturally pulled into their captivating parallel stories.

The book is also rich in alluring backdrops of setting and description. Both worlds come to life exquisitely as the book takes you on a charismatic journey through modern Florida and the bygone era of the heydays of carnivals and circuses. This lovely detailing keeps the book’s pace flowing perfectly until the end.

The Midget’s House is an easy and enthusiastic recommend.

Symphony of Blood is a fascinating mix of hard-boiled detective novel and paranormal thriller. It melds two genres in an excellent fast paced style that keeps you turning the page.

Hank Mondale is a down-on-his-luck private investigator who drinks too much and gambles too much. In need of some quick cash he takes a new case where the rich client has an unusual problem: a monster is trying to kill his daughter. Hank doesn’t believe in monsters, but takes the case anyway, only to find the facts leading him into the unknown.

Symphony of Blood was a chilling delight to read. The book is basically divided into three parts, with parts one and three telling the story from Hank’s point of view. These sections are an old school, hard-boiled mystery story, unfolding Hank’s investigation slowly, and playing out the tension before we return to his voice for the conclusion. Both parts are well told, have nice flow with gritty atmosphere and substance, engaging characters, and I enjoyed what I read. But it was the second part of the novel that truly excelled for me, when the author unexpectedly switched points of view and told the story through the killer/monster’s eyes. Here, the story is woven from an alien perspective and draws the reader in with fascination, repulsion and even sympathy. Secrets hinted at are now revealed and the subtle contrasts and truths give depth to the plot. I adored this section of the novel and the sudden change between characters was seamless.

I did show more have some small disappointment with the ending, though. It wasn’t that it was badly written or a cheat, and it wrapped up all the threads conclusively, but it just felt a bit detached to me. I think I would have liked something a bit less restrained. Still, I can happily recommend Symphony of Blood as a great book. show less

Act of Will by M. Darusha Wehm is the second book in the author’s Andersson Dexter novels and is as wonderful if not better than the first book, Self Made. It is a cyber-tech sci-fi novel rich in fascinating characters living in a world where the virtual and real have melded.

The book continues the story of detective Andersson Dexter (Dex) of the Cubicle Men, now in the middle of a complicated relationship with fellow squad member Annabelle Lewis. A missing co-worker leads him into an investigation and puts him on the trail of a serial killer.

The crime plotline of the book is fairly standard serial murderer story, but the author brings a fresh angle to it by tying both the killer and the crimes into her sci-fi world. She keeps the cat-and-mouse perspective creepy and suspenseful and the killer walks in the nameless shadows until the very end.

But as brilliantly as Ms. Wehm weaves her thriller, it is the characters and the society of her virtually integrated world that make this novel truly shine. Her characters breathe and feel, are flawed, and have sticky, messy problems in a world where lines of gender, law and reality have blurred and often disappeared. It is a future world you can see evolving from our own, but one in which people are still seeking love and escape.

This is the second novel starring the character Andersson Dexter, but it can be easily read as a standalone novel (though I recommend reading both just for the delight of it). Act of Will it is a stellar book.

On Dark Shores: The Lady by JA Clement is an enthralling page-turner and I adored the book. The marvellous story sucked me in from page one and the way the author weaves her narrative elements together, I believe she may be the literary child of Charles Dickens and Ursula K. le Guin.

In the town of Scarlock, a series of events are unfolding on a course to collide with unforeseen consequences. The thief Nereia and her sister Mary, the moneylender Copeland and his enforcer Blakey, the fence Mickel seem to be headed toward the mysterious forces surrounding the Mother of the Shantari.

Sometimes you find a book that is such a delight to read, you don’t want to pry your eyes away from the page; On Dark Shores: The Lady is such a book. You fall in this world of fantasy from the first word, swept along by a wave of mystery, struggle, fear and appealingly genuine characters. The author serves you a world you can almost smell and taste and hear, where people act from hidden motives, spite, desperation, honour, duty and even cruelty. There is an entrancing spell woven from every fibre, with characters scheming revenge or thievery, manipulating for their own ends, fighting to escape and survive. But still, a certain thread of hope or fate winds a subtle touch through the book to elevate any grim or bleak ambience, giving the plot a radiating spark.

The only bad thing about this novel is that it ended too soon, but as it is the first in a series I can look forward to more. The end left show more tantalising questions still pending and I’m salivating to read the next instalment. Lucky for me, there was a sneak peek at the next part tucked away at the end of the book.

On Dark Shores: The Lady is one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a while, and I recommend you beg, borrow or buy this book. You won’t be disappointed. show less

What do you get when you cross a 1950’s sci-fi satire with a gangster flick and throw in some emotional subplots for good measure? One heck of a good book, that’s what. Die Laughing by Louis K. Lowy is an impressive and terrific novel.

Sam E. Lakeside is a 1950’s Las Vegas comic on his way up the show biz ladder, until he finds himself on the wrong side of some gangsters and gets kidnapped by aliens. And the trouble keeps coming, as Sam lands right in the middle of a plot to steal the world’s oil that involves his guest spot on the Steve Allen show. Now it’s up to him, and his two friends Lee and Cricket, to stop the aliens.

On the surface, Die Laughing is both a satire and homage to the culture of the 1950’s, rifting through such icons as comedians, gangsters, science fiction movies, comic books and television. The author knows the era and recreates 1950’s America -from Las Vegas to New York- perfectly. There are subtle touches masterfully done and as a sci-fi geek, I loved the references to the old movies and comic books. It even has a good dose of jokes, sprinkled in 1950’s cheese.

But Die Laughing also has a subtle and well crafted emotional depth that lifts it above light entertainment and gives the reader strong, flawed characters. There is also a multi-layered plot undercurrent that moves the pace and tension of the book to keep the reader hooked. This novel steers you in familiar directions, but still manages to keep you guessing until the finish with show more ambiguous possibilities and outcomes. Even the end itself was left a little up in the air, while still concluding the storyline. Die Laughing is complex, fun and highly enjoyable. show less

The Egyptian is an engaging blend of corporate espionage and paranormal conspiracy wound together a tense, gripping thriller. It has a tight, well constructed plot, engaging characters and did a nice job of pulling me, the reader, through to the end while retaining that air of mystery.

The Egyptian is the second novel featuring Dominic Grey first introduced in the novel The Summoner. In this go-round Grey is working for Viktor Radek, professor of religious phenomenology, investigator and consultant on the subject of dangerous cults. Viktor is contacted by an Egyptian businessman, Al-Miri, and he puts Grey on the case to track down a mysterious stolen test tube. As the case progresses Grey has to unravel lies, murder and the secrets of a strange and ancient Egyptian deity, while navigating the perils of a possible romance with a beautiful reporter, Veronica Brown.

I liked the book and found it a compelling read. The characterizations in this novel are excellent, bringing vigorous personalities to life with both strengths and flaws. All the individuals portrayed are absorbing as they play their parts in the taut cat-and-mouse drama of the story. And I appreciated that the romance subplot was built without the overkill of the typical “damsel-in-distress” mentality.

I enjoyed the subtle undertone of the arcane in the book. It never develops into a full-blown paranormal, but maintains its hint of the unknown enough to keep the reader intrigued. The author walks the fine line show more between realism and fantasy expertly. Also, the plotline was logical, flowed with a good pace and the science was worked in to the story without boring the reader. A few times I thought the book was headed into standard thriller territory, but the plot never became overly predictable. The ending was an especially nice surprise, avoiding any inevitable showdown clichés.

The Egyptian is an entertaining, fully satisfying book that kept my rapt attention from start to finish. show less

Shadow of a Dead Star by Michael Shean is grungy, slightly nihilistic, fabulously enigmatic cyberpunk at its best, painted in the hues fashioned by Philip K. Dick. The world inside the pages is screaming neon, ad driven, nanotech chic laid over top a seedy underbelly of dissipation.

The novel begins with Agent Thomas Walken investigating the arrival of contraband tech into the futuristic city of Seattle, just another corrupt excess imported from a place called Wonderland. But this routine bust turns into a something else, a blood-soaked conspiracy that turns Walken into a fugitive looking for elusive answers to a very sinister problem.

The author knows how to build a futuristic world, and some of the best passages in the book are the way he describes the landscape and surroundings in which the characters live and breathe; he vividly creates a Seattle fallen through a cyber-tech rabbit hole. And the inhabitants that dwell among the distorted spires are brought to life with equal skill, showing a darker side of humanity, with their flaws and self-interest on display. Even the protagonist has a murky, bitter side that unfolds as he plummets into the mystery he is trying to unravel.

It is that mystery that is at the center of a well-written, complex, multi-layered plot that peels away with suspense and tension, drawing the reader ever further into its web. I thought I knew where the book was headed until the finale took a sudden turn, morphing from the body of the story, and show more twisting everything that went before into an enigmatic question. While I suspect some readers may find the conclusion disconcerting, I thought it was an interesting and bold choice. It may not have been the ending I wanted as a reader, but I think it fit with the overall tone of the book and it does leave you thinking.

Shadow of a Dead Star is a fascinating book, and a definite recommend. show less

The Circle Cast by Alex Epstein is an excellent addition to the genre of Arthurian folklore and legend. The author crafts worlds past with a deft hand, easily pulling a reader into the story.

The book tells the story of the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay. The Circle Cast portrays the early years of this character, first as the child Anna and then as Morgan after she flees Britain to Ireland. It tells the story of her life as a stranger in a strange land, enslaved and surviving hardship to return to Britain and reclaim what she lost.

The plotline is fresh, delving into a piece of Arthurian legend not excessively written about, yet still keeping to the traditional lines of the tale. The author has a nice take on the magical aspects of the story, weaving a mysterious aspect in to the narrative by his effective use of Celtic religion and myth.

The writer also does an exceptional job at creating the main character, making her a full person with fears, doubts and weakness, while still showcasing her strength of purpose. The people surrounding her are also nicely sketched, interacting and bringing the world around Morgan to life, filling a past age with solid reality.

Being a devotee of the Arthurian legends, I’ve read many books on the subject, both fiction and non-fiction, and this delightfully enchanting novel is a welcome complement to the mythology.

The Empire by Elizabeth Lang is accomplished, multi-layered entertainment, unfolding strategic plots, subplots and characters to the delight of the reader. It is a strong, skilful entry in the world of science fiction.

The novel is set in a future where the human race is in the middle of a galactic war and the military complex all but runs an Empire. Caught in this tangled web is Adrian Stannis, a pawn in the games of the military who want to use his genius to build weapons.

The Empire is intricate, intriguing, and full of fascinating characters while the author twists her plot threads admirably. Like all good science fiction the narrative ponders controversial issues and questions, but it deftly maintains balance between plot and character. You are pulled into the story effortlessly; her world is well-realized. The author seems to be comfortable with science fiction, and I had the sense of influencing echoes as I read her prose.

One of the more appealing aspects of the book, for me, was the characters. Lines were drawn in the beginning of the book that appeared straightforward, but as motivations and personalities came to light antagonists became sympathetic, reasons less black and white. The interaction of characters highlights the tension, romance, rivalry, and unhappiness adeptly.

The ending was a bit open-ended with some sub-plots left to speculation (leaving me hope there will be a sequel) but it was still satisfying. I enjoyed reading The Empire and hope to read more show more of this author’s work in the future. show less

The Ash Spear by G. R. Grove is an entertaining fantasy novel with a lyrical, engaging narrative; it is a spirited book with a strong voice. The book is the third entry in the author’s Storyteller series (Storyteller and Flight of the Hawk being the others). I haven’t read the other books, but I found this novel stands on its own without confusing the reader on what went before.

The Ash Spear is set in sixth century Britain and tells of the continuing adventures of the bard-in-training Gwernin as he encounters kings, politics, war and hardship. I was impressed with the setting and background; the author did impeccable research and the history is brought to life with magnificent detail.

Written in the first person, the tale is spun with an effective tone, well flavoured in nuance and the right inflections. The narrating character is a genuine portrayal, coming across as a three-dimensional person with flaws. He was at various times amusing, heroic, irritating and unsympathetic, but always interesting. The book also does a nice job in depicting other characters and having them interact as a whole.

The Ash Spear does have a few problems, with occasional lapses in grammar and some poorly compiled sentence structure in the beginning of the novel. Also, the author ended the chapters with the same sentence, which I found quite annoying and repetitive. The novel, perhaps, could have benefitted from a shorter length as well; while beautifully written, some of the scenes had show more expansive descriptive passages which caused the pace to meander a bit.

Still, it was an enjoyable novel to read and appealing enough for me to consider reading the rest of the series. show less

Gone to Gonega by Brenda Lee Renwick is a sci-fi novel with a quirky sense of humour, a buoyant pace and a well-spun narrative. A customary alien abduction/experiment plotline is re-done with a nice fresh take and some interesting religious undertones.

The novel is Lorna’s story, an average woman with a failed marriage and bipolar disorder, who finds out she is part of an alien hybrid experiment and the aliens are back to collect her. She is not entirely thrilled with that plan, but eventually goes with them and finds out that life with aliens might not be so bad after all.

This is a sci-fi book about themes and characters, with emphasis on emotion, opinion and personality as opposed to high action, although there is some dramatic tension near the end of the book. It is the likeability and real nature of the main character that makes the story work and charmingly draws in the reader. The novel has wit, an interesting plot direction and accomplished character interaction that includes a little romance and sexual heat. The subplots and background are intriguing and I found the matter-of-fact spiritual plot support (a sort of “God exists, deal with it” attitude) especially fascinating.

There were one or two things I found less than stellar, such as the ease at which Lorna went with the aliens, after their full disclosure. The situation wasn’t implausible, but it seemed a bit rushed to me. And while the ending was sufficient and wrapped up the plot lines, I was hoping show more for more planetary scenes; I guess I have to wish for a sequel. There were also a few minor grammar errors or typos in the copy I read, but nothing too glaring.

Gone to Gonega is an enjoyable book and well worth the time to read. show less

I have to say, I know nothing of translating the Spanish language or the art of Spanish poetry, so I cannot comment on any technical aspects of the book, A Salute to Spanish Poetry: 100 Masterpieces from Spain and Latin America. However, I do think the creator of the book, John Howard Reid, did an excellent job; the Latin flavour comes through the translation and you can almost feel the Spanish sun as you read the words.

I loved reading the book; the poems within the pages are truly beautiful. A Salute to Spanish Poetry contains the works of the various poets of Spain and the other countries such as Mexico, Chile and Peru. I was not familiar with any of these poets before reading the book -being more inclined to read poets of Britain and Ireland- but I certainly gained an admiration for their talent set on the pages.

The majority of the poems are about the various states of love: in love, out of love, unrequited love, finding love. They are wonderful and haunting, as are the verses on other subjects of country, death and life. Romantic idealism abounds in the words, whether the poems reflect passion, Spain or existence.

Like all books of poetry, there were some verses I liked better than others, but the book as a whole is very evocative and almost ethereal. There is also a nice biographical index included with a short history of each of the poets. A Salute to Spanish Poetry is an excellent book of poetry and I recommend it.

Healey’s Cave by Aaron Paul Lazar is a wonderful, mellow mystery, gently wrapped in a mist of paranormal phenomenon. This is not your typical whodunit with detectives, amateur or professional; it is more of an absorbing unravelling of secrets, heartbreak and murder.

Healey’s Cave centers on Sam Moore, his family, friends and the unsolved childhood disappearance of his brother Billy. When a grisly discovery reopens Billy’s case and links it to a serial killer, long kept secrets and fresh danger start spilling into Sam’s life. If that wasn’t bad enough, the unearthing of a strange green marble is pulling Sam back into the past to his and Billy’s childhood. Is Sam time-travelling, going crazy or is Billy’s spirit trying to tell him the awful truth? That a killer might be closer than he thinks.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from its engaging plot, to the realistic setting and characterization. Even the haunting paranormal aspects of the book meld seamlessly and add an extra depth to the story; the supernatural side of the plotline is not overplayed. The reader may wonder at the how of the strange happenings caused by a small green marble, but there is never a feeling of being cheated. The author is very skilled at convincing you of the urgency and the need of these inexplicable events. The rest of the book satisfies as well, with the mystery elements pulling just enough twists and turns (plus one or two red herrings) to keep you guessing. There are ample show more suspects, a demented killer, motives, tragedies, and a bittersweet conclusion to gratify the average mystery lover.
However, the best part of the novel is contained in the rich depiction of the characters and their interaction. These characters are three-dimensional, well portrayed people, be they strong and family oriented, flawed with secrets or the puzzling dark villain. And they live in a world just as fully realised; you can almost smell the fragrant flowers on a wafting country breeze as you read the words.

Healey’s Cave is a superb book that anyone should take pleasure in reading show less

Cyber-punk, near-future sci-fi, urban-sci-fi, any one of those terms could describe Under the Amoral Bridge by Gary A. Ballard. It could also be described as a good yarn featuring an ambiguous, yet relatable, main character.

The plot centers around Artemis Bridge, a slightly shady go-between who can get you what you want, be it illegal or immoral. It is business as usual until one of his deals goes sour and he finds himself with killers on his tail and in possession of information he doesn’t want.

The book is a fairly standard cyber-punk sci-fi novel, but it does have a nice touch of nihilistic cynicism set in a scruffy, corrupt future. The characters are well-rounded, with the focal character neither heroic nor completely indifferent; he is just a guy trying to get himself out of a bad situation in one piece. Also, the author does do a splendid job of painting his future world, a gritty, dark place full of people turned jaded, corrupt or apathetic. The book isn’t perfect, though; the review copy had a few formatting mistakes and typos, if nothing major or overly distracting, but the novel itself was worth ignoring a few errors.

Under the Amoral Bridge started life on the blogs as serial fiction, but it translates well to book form and it is a satisfying, entertaining read.

Warped and Wired by Joshua Caleb is an enjoyable adventure novel, part sci-fi, part fantasy. You are not going to find any deep meaningful angst or heavy introspective character development, but you will find an amusing, delightful book full of sly humour, action and an intriguing premise.

The book follows the escapades of two girls: Portia, a magical Sky Wryter, and Mlina, who has a serious computer problem. They are on the hunt for Mlina’s father so he can shed light on the secret of both girls’ past. Complicating matters are Portia’s odd relatives and a malevolent Dark Wryter who wants both Mlina and her father for his own malicious purposes.

The book is breezy and an easy read, giving the reader a fast-pasted plot and engaging characters, nicely realized. The tone blends the conflict and peril with just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek wit and homage. I did think it faltered a bit in the emotional resolution; I found it somewhat rushed and shallow, with all the family threads tied up a bit hastily. Also, there were a few grammar gaffes here and there. Still, overall it is an entertaining book.

Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman is engrossing, charming and a strong novel about family, heartbreak and emotional repercussions. It is unabashedly sentimental, dramatic and it tugs at your heartstrings, skilfully entwining the reader into the prose.

The book is Samantha’s story, a girl who seems to have the perfect family. It becomes obvious after a terrible tragedy she does not. She suffers loss, and from a lack of trust all her life, until she meets Tim and becomes a part of his family.

The characters are the best part of this novel, with all the empathy and plot flowing through their genuine portrayal. The individual renderings are gently and beautifully crafted to form the nucleus of the novel. I thought the author did a wonderful job with the central character of Samantha, and conveyed just enough sadness with her strength to engage the reader and bridge the connection.

Sometimes the pace of the novel was a bit uneven, occasionally drifting faintly in its course, with parts of the book crammed with information lending the narrative a slight passive feel at times. However, none of that slowed the flow of the book terribly or detracted overly from the story.

I enjoyed the book, and found it a satisfying read that easily kept my interest from beginning to end. It is very much recommended.