Kirsten Reviews: Feedback by Mira Grant

Feedback by Mira Grant

Newsflesh #4

FEEDBACK is a full-length Newsflesh novel which overlaps the events of New York Times bestseller Mira Grant's classic Feed and follows a group of reporters covering the Democratic side of the Presidential campaign.

There are two sides to every story...

Mira Grant creates a chilling portrait of an America paralyzed with fear. No street is safe and entire swaths of the country have been abandoned. And only the brave, the determined, or the very stupid, venture out into the wild.

Step inside a world a half-step from our own in this novel of geeks, zombies, politics and social media.

Feedback by Mira Grant, aka Seanan McGuire is the fourth book in the Newsflesh series and picks up the story with an entirely new cast of characters.This isn’t the place for new readers of the series to start, as there are spoilers for other books, but it does connect with previous events, from a fresh perspective.

Following the Rising, there’s been a shift in journalism, that being, it’s now done through blogging. Aislinn, Audrey, Benjamin, and Matt are housemates who all happen to be bloggers. They cover different industries, from makeup to news and fiction. Events start to move quickly when they’re picked to cover the campaign of Susan Kilburn, the blue pantsuit-wearing Democratic presidential candidate. Covering the Republican nominee are the Masons, who readers will remember from Feed.

Of course, no presidential campaign has ever run smoothly, and a zombie outbreak is the kind of disruption that makes more than a few headlines. On top of that, there’s a bigger conspiracy at work, and the bloggers soon find themselves targeted for uncovering and telling the truth.

For anyone who wants to be up to date on the series and the world, start at the beginning of the series, but anyone who doesn’t mind potential spoilers can pick it up here and enjoy a story full of zombies, journalism, and an interesting cast of characters trying to report the news and stay alive.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Hot Listens
     Brad K. Horner

Previous Books:
     1. Feed
     2. Deadline
     3. Blackout

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Kirsten Reviews: Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Sorcerer Royal #1

Magic and mayhem collide with the British elite in this whimsical and sparkling debut.

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho begins the Sorcerer Royal series slowly, but the book soon picks up and the series should be well-received if it’s as funny and fast-moving as it starts off to be.
Zacharias Wythe is a freed slave and an exceptionally good magician as well as being the Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations in all of Britain. In spite of this, he is constantly dealing with the insults, bigotry, and even threats on his life leveled at him by the “best” of upper English society. At the same time, Zacharias is not without his own prejudices, as he thinks that women are simply too fragile to handle the raw power of magic - that is until he meets one Prunella Gentleman, a powerful young woman who soon changes his mind, even as she turns his head.

Meanwhile, England’s magical stocks are dwindling, there are powerful witches and others interested in taking advantage of any perceived weakness, and things soon get very exciting, or dangerous, if not both and Zacharias and Prunella have no need to look for trouble, as it’s probably chasing them.

There’s a lot going on in the writing as well as the world-building, and stylistically, this book has a bit of Austen, a dash of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and even some of Georgette Heyer. All of these comparisons are valid, but the book manages to balance all of that nicely. The story is therefore easily read by anyone who isn’t a huge fan of historical fiction and might otherwise be put off by it, here there’s as much modernity as one can get away with while not ignoring the time period.

Although the book moves rather carefully at first, its pace accelerates to keep things lively and bring all the plotting to an ending that leaves one intrigued at where the story will go in further books.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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     The Bibliosanctum
     Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda Books

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Kirsten Reviews: Conspiracy of Ravens by Lila Bowen

Conspiracy of Ravens by Lila Bowen

The Shadow #2

Monsters, magic and the supernatural combine in this sequel to Wake of Vultures, in which a young woman must defeat the evil hiding beneath the surface.

Nettie Lonesome made a leap -- not knowing what she'd become. But now the destiny of the Shadow is calling.
A powerful alchemist is leaving a trail of dead across the prairie. And the Shadow must face the ultimate challenge: side with her friends and the badge on her chest or take off alone on the dangerous mission pulling her inexorably toward the fight of her life.

When it comes to monsters and men, the world isn't black and white. What good are two wings and a gun when your enemy can command a conspiracy of ravens?

Conspiracy of Ravens continues the exciting journey begun in Wake of Vultures as Nettie Lonesome discovers that she, and the world, are more than what they seem.

Conspiracy of Ravens is the second installment in author Lila Bowen (aka Delilah S. Dawson's) The Shadow series. The book picks up right where Wake of Vultures left off.

Nettie Lonesome had just realized that she could choose to be who she wants to be, that being transform into both a boy and a giant bird. She jumps off a cliff in order to literally spread her wings, lands as Rhett Hennessy and soon finds another shapeshifter named Earl O’Bannon.

At first there is some antagonism between the two of them, but Earl does tell Rhett a few things, including the fact that there is a railroad owner by the name of Trevisan who likes to cut limbs off monsters that he employs in order to use them in magic rituals. Whether the protagonist be Nettie or Rhett, as the Shadow, they share a stubborn streak that can get them into trouble at times.

Rhett decides that Earl’s story should be investigated and so takes him to the Durango rangers. Along the way, Earl assists Rhett in gaining more insight into his transformation and helps him learn how to remember what he sees as a bird after he changes form back into a man.

Going to see the Rangers gives readers the opportunity to catch up with a few characters from the previous book including Sam, the Coyote siblings Dan and Winifred, and The Captain. The Rangers have taken a commission to hunt down Sand Wyrms and this job will take them far away from Earl and Rhett’s destination. Rhett has to choose between going with the Rangers or act as The Shadow and follow the pull to track down the danger Earl has told him about. Winifred, Sam, and Dan decide to come along with Rhett and Earl and they make quite the troupe of characters.

While Rhett might want to burst into Trevisan’s camp and break up whatever evil scheme is playing out, that’s not the right move and it wouldn’t be as enjoyable as what does happen. The group works together to learn more about Bernard Trevisan, the way he runs his railroad camp, the horrible way he treats his workers as little better than dumb beasts to be used as labor until they give up, and the dynamics between the characters work well. Rhett has learned more about himself and continues to figure out how to use his abilities while also facing a few setbacks throughout the book which help him continue to mature.

The blend of fantasy and western elements give this series a lot of directions to explore and further adventures should continue to give it more depth.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Tenacious Reader
     The Tattooed Book Geek
     Shelf Quest

Previous Books:
     1. Wake of Vultures

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Kirsten Reviews: Skyborn by David Dalglish

Skyborn by David Dalglish

Seraphim #1

The first in an all new fantasy series from USA Today bestseller, David Dalglish.
The last remnants of humanity live on six islands floating high above the Endless Ocean, fighting a brutal civil war in the skies. The Seraphim, elite soldiers trained for aerial combat, battle one another while wielding elements of ice, fire and lightning.

The lives of their parents claimed in combat, twins Kael and Breanna Skyborn enter the Seraphim Academy to follow in their footsteps. There they will learn to harness the elements as weapons and fight at break-neck speeds while soaring high above the waters. But they must learn quickly, for a nearby island has set its hungry eyes upon their home. When the invasion comes, the twins must don their wings and ready their blades to save those they love from annihilation.

Skyborn by David Dalglish is the first book in the Seraphim series. In a world where the last of humanity live on six islands that float above the Endless Ocean, people fight war in the sky. Their soldiers are the Seraphim, soldiers who wield elements such as fire, ice, and lightning and being trained in aerial combat.

The last remnants of humanity live on six islands floating high above the Endless Ocean, fighting a brutal civil war in the skies. The Seraphim, elite soldiers trained for aerial combat, battle one another while wielding elements of ice, fire and lightning.

After twins Breanna and Kael Skyborn’s parents are killed in battle they decide to follow in their footsteps and learn how to wield the elements and fight while in flight. These lessons have to be learned quickly as the people on a nearby island are looking to take over their home. Not only that, but as they learn how to be Seraphim, they make friends as well as enemies and must also try and navigate the romantic and political landscape of a world that is undergoing massive changes.

The twins are well fleshed out, but are rather predictable in terms of their characterization and genre tropes. Bree is more impulsive, and while she excels at flight, cannot control her fire element ability while Kael is the typical ice-wielding character and is much calmer.

This book gets off to a bit of a slow start, but the plot and pacing pick up in the second half and brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Readers who are looking for a lot of world building and stories set in schools with training and magical elements will find this series to be a good fit and want to continue the rest of the series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The BiblioSanctum
     Bibliotropic
   

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Kirsten Reviews: Dr. DOA by Simon R. Green

Dr. DOA by Simon R. Green

Secret Histories #10

The name is Drood, Eddie Drood, also known as Shaman Bond. My family has been safeguarding humanity for generations, facing the hidden horrors of the world so you can sleep at night and remain oblivious to the existence of the monstrous nightmares that walk and stalk among us.

Speaking of predatory night terrors, there is a man who gets away with murder. A man who specializes in removing the problems from other people’s lives, by killing the people who cause those problems. He operates from the darkest shadows of the hidden world, coming and going unseen. No-one knows who he is, just his nomme du muerte. Dr. DOA.

Somehow, this demented doc poisoned me. I don’t know how he did it, when or where, but whatever is coursing through my veins seems to be immune to magic cures and treatments. But that’s not going to stop me from finding him and whoever hired him and give them both a taste of their own medicine...

Dr. DOA is the 10th book in Simon R. Green’s the Secret Histories series and by this time the characters and its world are well-established. In order to shake up what can seem in a long series like the protagonist’s solid grip on things, Eddie Drood finds himself in the most dire of straits.

Assigned by his family to investigate a matter causing all sorts of trouble for the Droods, Eddie isn’t expecting things to go wrong, but they inevitably do.

His girlfriend Molly, who is an extremely powerful witch and formidable even without using magic accompanies him, but even their combined skills do not prevent Eddie from being poisoned. His only hope is to find the mysterious Dr. DOA, a man who makes people’s lives easier by killing anyone who causes them problems.

With a character’s life hanging in the balance it’s a good opportunity for them to go on a long quest and encounter old friends and enemies alike. This is exactly what Eddie does, and although readers know that Green isn’t actually going to kill off the protagonist, it makes for enjoyable reading.

The entire series has a very James Bond-esque feel, from the titles to the way Eddie is written, the action sequences and some of the other characters. It should be noted that Molly is not a damsel wandering around in a bikini and needing rescue at key moments, which is a good choice by the author.

If one is a longtime fan of the series then they’ll undoubtedly be happy to revisit the characters’ latest adventure, but should be aware that this book ends in a cliffhanger rather than wrapping up the plot neatly by its conclusion.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     By Hook Or By Book
     Nerd Girl
     Citadelata

Previous Books:
     1. The Man With the Golden Torc
     2. Daemons Are Forever
     3. The Spy Who Haunted Me
     4. From Hell With Love
     5. For Heaven's Eyes Only
     6. Live and Let Drood
     7. Casino Infernale
     8. Property of a Lady Faire
     9. From A Drood to Kill 

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Kirsten Reviews: From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey

From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey

Elemental Masters #10

When a man is caught stealing from a walled garden owned by a strange woman, he bargains away his youngest daughter in return for food for his family. The woman, rumored to be a witch, takes the golden-haired child and locks her away in a high tower. Sixteen years later, Giselle has lived an isolated life, but her adoptive mother has trained her in Air magic, and Giselle must use her new skills to keep herself and her new friends safe...

From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey is the eleventh book in her Elemental Masters series and like the others it blends magic with a familiar story. In this case the fairy tale of Rapunzel is the basis of the protagonist’s story. As a baby, Giselle’s father stole food from a walled garden. The garden’s owner is rumored to be a witch and in exchange for food to feed his family, the man trades his youngest daughter, who happens to have long golden hair. In the next sixteen years, Giselle is kept isolated from the world in a high tower while her adopted mother teaches her Air magic.

However, Giselle is assaulted by a young man who ascends Giselle’s tower and is saved by Mother, who happens to be an Earth Master. It’s with the Foresters and Earth Masters of the Black Forest that Giselle stays for the next four years. They teach her their fighting skills and she becomes an expert markswoman and uses this ability to survive when Mother dies. Giselle eventually cuts off her long blond hair and pretends to be a boy in order to enter shooting competitions and supports herself with these winnings.

In spite of her success, Giselle can’t forget the man who attacked her, and that trauma manifests in another violent incident when her secret is discovered and she kills a man who also tries to assault her. Giselle’s escape is assisted by an Earth Master and she winds up in an American traveling show and her marksmanship earns her a job there. But she remains haunted by the spectre of the man who attacked her in the tower as his body was never found.

As a variation on the Rapunzel tale, this book is interesting, and there are a few new characters who would be welcome additions to future stories, and the return of a familiar one. However as a whole the story feels rambly rather than suspenseful and the villain is dispatched without much fuss, making the book feel rather uneven and new readers to the series should start at its beginning rather than with this book.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Open Book Society
     Fantasy Literature
     Amethyst Bookwyrm Reviews

Previous Books:
     1. The Serpent's Shadow
     2. The Gates of Sheep
     3. Phoenix and Ashes
     4. The Wizard of London
     5. Reserved for the Cat
     6. Unnatural Issue
     7. Home from the Sea
     8. Steadfast
     9. Blood Red

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Kirsten Reviews: Forbidden by Cathy Clamp

Forbidden by Cathy Clamp

Luna Lake #1

USA Today bestselling author Cathy Clamp reboots the Sazi universe in Forbidden, a tightly-paced, high-tension urban fantasy thriller.

Ten years have passed since the war that destroyed the Sazi Council and inflicted a horrible "cure" on thousands of Sazi, robbing them of their ability to shapeshift.

Luna Lake, isolated in Washington State, started as a refugee camp for Sazi orphans. Now it's a small town and those refugees are young adults, chafing at the limits set by their still-fearful guardians.

There's reason to fear: Sazi children are being kidnapped. Claire, a red wolf shifter, is sent to investigate. Held prisoner by the Snakes during childhood, Claire is distrusted by those who call Luna Lake home.

Before the war, Alek was part of a wolf pack in Chicago. In Luna Lake he was adopted by a parliament of Owls, defying Sazi tradition. The kidnappings are a painful reminder that his little sister disappeared a decade ago.

When Claire and Alek meet, sparks fly—but the desperate race to find the missing children forces them to set aside their mutual attraction and focus on the future of their people.

Forbidden by Cathy Clamp is the first book in the Luna Lake series, which reboots the Sazi books.

It’s been a decade since the war that obliterated the Sazie Concil and which gave the Sazi a “cure” that was also a curse. They lost the ability to shapeshift. Luna Lake, a small community in Washington State began as a refugee camp for the many Sazi orphans and has now grown into a small town with tension between the generations. The young Sazi are eager to test their boundaries but the elder Sazi have good reason to be concerned as someone is kidnapping Sazi children.

Claire is a red wolf shifter and an agent of the Wolven, those among the Sazi who enforce the laws. She is sent to investigate the kidnappings. She is distrustful of Luna Lake’s residents, having been held captive by the Snakes as a child.

Alek was once a part of a wolf pack in Chicago, and after the war, was adopted by a parliament of Owls which goes against the traditions of the Sazi. He is especially sensitive to the kidnappings, as they are a painful reminder that his younger sister disappeared ten years ago.

There is plenty of chemistry between the two protagonists, but their focus is on figuring out what happened to the missing children while handling the suspicions and baggage of an entire community.

The world Clamp is revisiting is full of many types of Sazi, from cats to bird and wolves, and all the groups have reservations or prejudices about the other. However, in Luna Lake most are doing their best to live peacefully in order to survive.

For readers who haven’t read any other books set in this world, the backstory is filled in well enough that it’s easy to begin fresh with this book and not feel lost. However, while the book is classified as being an urban fantasy, the romantic aspects are also very strong, and a good deal of the story depends on readers buying into the relationship between Claire and Alek.

As a whole, the world of the Sazi is interesting, the layers to the society well-drawn and in need of some serious shakeups and the romance believable in spite of some Claire and Alek feeling frustratingly limited in terms of characterization at times.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The Bibliosanctum
     My Guilty Obsession
     Nyx Book Reviews

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Kirsten Reviews: A Study in Sable by Mercedes Lackey

A Study in Sable by Mercedes Lackey

Elemental Masters #11

Psychic Nan Killian and Medium Sarah Lyon-White—along with their clever birds, the raven Neville and the parrot Grey—have been agents of Lord Alderscroft, the Elemental Fire Master known as the Wizard of London, since leaving school. Now, Lord Alderscroft assigns them another commission: to work with the famous man living at 221 Baker Street—but not the one in flat B. They are to assist the man living in flat C. Dr. John Watson and his wife Mary, themselves Elemental Masters of Water and Air, take the occult cases John’s more famous friend disdains, and they will need every skill the girls and their birds can muster!

Nan and Sarah’s first task: to confront and eliminate the mysterious and deadly entity that nearly killed them as children: the infamous Haunt of Number 10 Berkeley Square. But the next task divides the girls for the first time since they were children. A German opera star begs Sarah for help, seeking a Medium’s aid against not just a single spirit, but a multitude. As Sarah becomes more deeply entwined with the Prima Donna, Nan continues to assist John and Mary Watson alone, only to discover that Sarah’s case is far more sinister than it seems. It threatens to destroy not only a lifelong friendship, but much, much more.

A Study in Sable is the eleventh installment in the Elemental Magic series by Mercedes Lackey. In this volume. Sherlock Holmes as well as John and Mary Watson are introduced to the world set in the late Victorian era. Unsurprisingly Holmes is unwilling to believe in magic or get involved in such matters, it’s the Watsons who are masters of Air and Water.

Other characters who make appearances are Sarah Lyon-White and Nan Killian whose last adventures were in Home from the Sea and they are not only possessed of magical gifts, but are also psychic. Accompanying them are their avian companions, the raven Neville and the parrot Grey. As agents of Lord Alderscroft, the Elemental Fire Master, also known as the Wizard of London they are given various missions and now have been charged to work with the gentleman at 221 Baker Street, but not Holmes, but instead John Watson and his wife Mary.

In the course of confronting occult matters, Nan and Sarah must find and destroy the creature that almost killed them when they were children, the Haunt of Number 10 Berkeley Square, but it’s the next task that causes them to disagree. Sarah becomes involved with a job from a german opera star, but in the course of her investigation, matters take a darker turn, and Nan, John, and Mary must find a way to intervene before things end tragically.

As the stories in this series are often somehow inspired by fairy tales, it should be noted that in this case, it’s a folk tale or ballad called the “The Cruel Sisters” or “Binoorie” found in both Scandinavian and English folk culture that is the origin of this book.

The story is a combination of investigation and magic which makes for a plot that is easy to follow and the addition of various well-known literary figures lends this story a little bit something extra and will likely please long-time readers of the series or fans of Sherlock Holmes and related characters.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The Bookwyrm's Hoard
     Margy's Musings
     Book Carousel Blog

Previous Books:
     1. The Serpent's Shadow
     2. The Gates of Sheep
     3. Phoenix and Ashes
     4. The Wizard of London
     5. Reserved for the Cat
     6. Unnatural Issue
     7. Home from the Sea
     8. Steadfast
     9. Blood Red
     10. From a High Tower

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Kirsten Reviews: From a Drood to Kill by Simon R. Green

From a Drood to Kill by Simon R. Green

Secret Histories #9

Some call me Shaman Bond, but I was born Eddie Drood, the latest in a long line of folks who chase monsters out of closets for a living to keep humanity safe from all that is dark, demonic, and just downright evil. Needless to say, we’ve made our fair share of enemies over the centuries—and made some questionable bargains.

In exchange for the power to fight the forces of darkness, my parents signed over their souls. They’re not the only ones who’ve made deals with Heaven, Hell, and every otherworldly realm in between, but now the bill’s due for several big names in the supernatural community.

Including my girl, Molly. She, my parents, and other major players have been kidnapped so they’ll pay up—or participate in the “Big Game.” The rules are simple: get from one side of the pocket dimension to the other and kill your competitors. The winner’s debt is paid in full, and the losers get themselves permanently lost, body and soul, forever.

To save my loved ones, I’ve got to become a ringer in this deadly contest that’s undoubtedly rigged by the Powers That Be....

The ninth book in Simon R. Green’s Secret Histories series finds Eddie Drood, aka Shaman Drood, one of a family that works to keep humanity safe from darkness, demons, and anything evil. In this instance, Eddie has found himself entangled in a “big game” which consists of attempting to journey from one side of a pocket dimension to another by means of killing one’s opponents.

His object is to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend, Molly, which, considering her previous adventures takes a little convincing as she can certainly take care of herself. However, there is the matter of a debt, and no one, not even Drood and Molly can escape such consequences forever, and if Eddie cannot clear her debt, both of them will lose their bodies and souls. One huge hurdle is the fact that Eddie’s parents are also competitors in this contest, and there are no free passes in this game.

As with other books in the series, there is little need to have read the previous books in the series, and there are a number of long-standing questions which are finally answered. As always, new characters and gadgets are introduced, and Eddie is both good at his job and extremely destructive, which are hallmarks of the Drood family, something that comes into play.

As a whole the structure of the book is similar to all the others, and will be predictable, even if the specifics are not the same, and if a reader is looking for something entirely new they will need to try another book, but this series is a comfortable fantasy Bond-esque adventure.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     That's What I'm Talking About

Previous Books:
     1. The Man With the Golden Torc
     2. Daemons Are Forever
     3. The Spy Who Haunted Me
     4. From Hell With Love
     5. For Heaven's Eyes Only
     6. Live and Let Drood
     7. Casino Infernale
     8. Property of a Lady Faire

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Kirsten Reviews: The Cake House by Latifah Salom

The Cake House by Latifah Salom

Part mystery, part compelling coming-of-age tale, The Cake House is a riveting debut novel that re-imagines the classic story of Hamlet amidst the hills of suburban Los Angeles.

Rosaura Douglas's father shot himself when her mother left him . . . or at least that's the story everyone is telling. Now her mother has remarried and Rosie is trapped in a new home she calls The Cake House, a garish pink edifice that's a far cry from the cramped apartment where she grew up. It's also the house where her father died—a fact that everyone else who lives there, including her mother, Dahlia, and her mysteriously wealthy stepfather, Claude, want to forget.

Soon, however, her father's ghost begins to appear; first as a momentary reflection in a window, then in the dark of night, and finally, in the lush garden behind the house where Rosie spends most of her days. After he warns her that Claude is not to be trusted, Rosie begins to notice cracks in her new family's carefully constructed facade. Dahlia is clearly uncomfortable in her marriage; her stepbrother, Alex, is friendly one second, distant the next, and haunted by troubles of his own; and Claude's business is drawing questions from the police. And as the ghost becomes increasingly violent--and the secrets of The Cake House and her family’s past come to light--Rosie must finally face the truth behind the losses and lies that have torn her life apart.

The Cake House by Latifah Salom is the story of a family disintegrating, a mystery, and a ghost that only its teenage protagonist Rosaura Douglas can see.

According to her mother, stepfather and the police, Rosaura's father shot himself when her mother left him. That leaves her trapped in a new house, The Cake House, as she calls it, a pink building that's nothing like the tiny apartment where she spent her childhood. Suddenly there is plenty of money, her step father buys her mother all sorts of gifts, and she is told that things will be different now. Everyone else, from her mother Dahlia to her stepfather Claude would just as soon forget all about Rosaura's father's death, but she can't, because his ghost is haunting her, and he warns Claude cannot be trusted.

Soon Rosaura notices that things are not as perfect as Claude would like them to think, his relationship with his son Alex is tense, there are strange phone calls that nobody will explain, and Claude always has money, but no apparent job. As Rosaura deals with her own loss, she has to reconcile her family's history with their current trajectory and finds that a ghost is far from the most frightening specter she faces.

This debut will be of interest to anyone looking for a coming of age novel that is unafraid to delve into family dysfunction, greed, and the ways tragedy can linger, whether or not readers believe in ghosts.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
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