Thirty years ago, Sharon and I were contemporaries

W is for Wasted (Kinsey Millhone Mystery) (Kindle Edition)

Sharon McCone has been a friend for over 30 years. I want to figure out a way to expand the alphabet so that I can keep meeting with her each year. I was about her age when the series began, and she is now the age of my daughter. So I have a sentimental attachment to her.
I don't believe this relationship would have last for me if Sue Grafton was a less skilled writer. Sharon has grown and changed, more and more of her history has been revealed over time, and there are sacrosanct elements that appear over and over.
This books begins with a body found dead on the beach with Sharon's name and phone number on a piece of paper in his pocket. When she goes to the morgue to try to identify this John Doe, she realizes she has never scene before. Sharon has no pending investigations so she decides to put some time into discovering who he is, why he had her name, and how he died.
Asecond plot devlops when a former co-investigator if shot to death. She pays little attention until her former love, Dietz, shows up flaming mad about her referral od him to the murdered PI.
Sharon is more reflective and has less of a hard edge. She is more forgiving, and notices her loneliness more. She is not as sarcastic and more kind and forgiving. Our dear Sharon is growing up. I am a romantic, so I hope she finds her soul mate (or recognizes him if she already knows him) before the series ends.
Iwas in grad school when the series began, and I am now retired. I hope the whole series will be available on Kindle so that I can ready the series over. If you have never read an Alphabet Mystery, I suggest that you start at the beginning of the series. While each book can stand alone, the richness of the characters can be lost if you don't know the history. Another winner in my book. 

Refreshing, Creative Teens; not just a young adult read.

The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by  Kate Hattemer


I receive advance copies of books through NetGalley in order to write and share reviews of the books. I am not paid other than to receive the books, and I have no association with either the authors or the publishers.

I enjoyed the book very much. I am a sucker for anyone who stands up for what is "right", for stories of friendship, and for intelligent, creative young people. I was a bit put off initially by the three "beginnings" to the story, but as it progressed, I realized the creative approach to sharing background information. And the three endings provided a way to gather the threads together.
I loved the self-effacing Ethan, the intellectual geek Jackson, and the bold Elizabeth. I was very disappointed in Luke's changes, but that just demonstrated how invested I became with the characters. 
I loved the study of Ezra Pound's Cantos and the juxtaposition of the students' ContraCantos. The parallel was very powerful. And I was never taught half the information about punctuation and English form when I was in high school.
My only "hesitation" about promoting this book wholeheartedly is that I wonder how many teens are self-reflecting enough, intellectual enough, and have a broad enough vocabulary to enjoy this book. I know there are teens very much like the Vigilantes but are there enough to make this a best seller. And I doubt there are very many 12 year olds who would be able to "get into" this book.
Because of all the different layers in this story, many adults will thoroughly enjoy this book, and I hope it is marketed for adults as well as teens.

A Nice New England Lawyer Follows a Trail Through Time

I receive advance copies of books through NetGalley in order to write and share reviews of the books. I am not paid other than to receive the books, and I have no association with either the authors or the publishers.


Death at Charity's Point: 1 (The Brady Coyne Mysteries) [Kindle Edition]
William G. Tapply

This is a reprint of the first in the Brady Coyne series, written almost 30 years ago. The story has held up over time. You have to think back to the early 80's and realize they didn't have cell phones to whip out, and folks were not connected by the Internet.

Brady Coyne is a Boston lawyer with just enough ambition and enough luck to have fallen into a lucrative practice serving the super-rich elderly. He draws up wills, fights minor battles, and does a lot of hand holding to earn his money. One of his clients, Florence Gresham has never needed nor wanted hand-holding; not when her elder son died in Vietnam, not when her husband committed suicide. But when she was told her younger son, George, jumps off of a cliff near the school where he taught, she is sure it is not true. She asks Brady to investigate, even though he is concerned this is the beginning of a break with reality for Florence. When Florence offers to pay him 10% of George's insurance, Brady feels enticed enough to help Florence find the truth.

Brady talks to the medical examiner, the police chief, and several faculty at the prep school where George taught. No one seemed to know him well, but all agreed that the behavior didn't seem in line with what they did know of George, and, none had noted a downturn of his always dour demeanor.

In helping Florence to clear out George's apartment on campus, Brady finds a paper written by one of his students. Having only rated a "C" grade, Brady was curious why the perfectionist George had kept it. Brady also sees that George has been doing some research on the same topic as the student paper: the bombings in 1971 by radical groups wanting to overthrow the government.

Brady ploddingly follows each piece of a clue he can muster up, as we get to know several students and faculty at George's school, and the day-to-day life of Brady's law practice. There are interesting people, and enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. I give this book 4 stars for being well-written, moving forward (though slowly at times), and developing some interesting characters. I will be interested to see which ones become regulars in subsequent stories.

For those who like well thought out characters, a nice lawyer with little ambition, and little to no gore, this book is for you.

Dreams of Being a Secret Agent

I receive advance copies of books through NetGalley in order to write and share reviews of the books. I am not paid other than to receive the books, and I have no association with either the authors or the publishers.




Noah's Rainy Day by Sandra Brannan is the 4th book in a series. I have not read the first three books, and had no problem following the story. It easily could be a stand-alone book, so don't worry if you haven't read the previous books in the series.


The story centers on Liv Bergan, and, her nephew, Noah. She is an FBI agent fresh out of the training academy at Quantico, stationed in the Boulder, CO office. She is living with her sister and her family, including 11 year old Noah and 9 year old Emily. Noah has Cerebral Palsy and is not able to walk, control his limbs, or talk. He and Emily have worked out a personal system for spelling words so that he can communicate. 


On Christmas Eve, a child traveling alone disappears at the Denver airport between flights. Liv is called in to help find the child. She is the handler for Beulah, a trained tracking dog. Beulah eventually tracks the child to the airport parking garage, where the sent ends.


While the FBI is painstakingly piecing together information about the child, Noah is at home trying to understand who the child is that is visiting his reclusive next door neighbor.

For the rest of the story, you will have to read the book.

Things I liked: As a former therapist, I loved Noah. He is bright and interesting, trapped in a limited functioning body. His inner ruminations make it clear how frustrated he feels by people who assume his mind is as crippled as his body. He is bullied by being called names, having his lunch stolen at school, and shunned by most of his class mates at school. But he perseveres.

I like Noah's sister, Emily, who loves her brother and understands him better than anyone else. I find the painstaking spelling system so difficult and time consuming, I can't imagine anyone actually using it, but I love the idea of the siblings working together to communicate.

The writing is suspenseful with some things predictable but many surprises as well. I was compelled to keep reading to find out what would happen next.

Things I wasn't so thrilled about: early on in the book, Noah ruminates about his lot in life too often and for too long. The repetition became boring, to me. There were times when Liv obsessed on things for too long, and both of these brought the story to stand-stills. Fortunately, this stopped once the action in the story got moving.

I also didn't like Liv waffling between the two men to whom she was attracted. Some of this is probably better understood by reading the early books in the series. But her remunating about them seemed very immature for her age; more like someone in high school.

I will definitely read the next book in the series and give this author and series another chance. With my reservations, I still very much enjoyed the overall mystery and am glad that I read it.

Like, man, Sarah of the Moon captures an era

My Central Tucson Book Club has Sarah of the Moon for this month's selection. Even though I will not be there to share with them, I decided to read it, in order to be with them in spirit. I had no idea what it was about or what I was getting into.

It is an excellent, well written book. I had never heard of Randy Mixter before, but I genuinely wonder why because his writing is exceptionally gifted. Within a very few pages, I was completely pulled into the story, to the degree that I did not feel I was reading but was watching a movie.

This is the story of Alex, a young man doing a summer internship for a Baltimore newspaper. The time is 1967 (I was 17 years old, between my high school junior and senior years). The major setting is the Haight-Ashbury area in San Francisco. Alex comes to SF to write weekly stories for his Baltimore paper, trying to give the "straight" adult (whole different meaning back then!) a picture of the Summer of Love and the counterculture scene. This is the setting.

The story is about Alex's coming of age, learning to accept people who are very different from him, to understand how this culture grew, and to find his own place in the world. Alex moves in to a house that his editor pays the rent on for his nephew. The scene of his entry into the house is quite funny, picturing out totally out of place Alex is. As Alex gets to know the houseguests (as they are called), we get to know them as individuals. At first, they are painted by a broad brush of "hippies". But over time we realize they each have their own story and are not so very different than "straight" young people.
I give this book 5 Stars! It is literature, well-written, interesting and an historic record of a life-changing era in the history of this country.

No Show: A Person's Worst Nightmare

No Show is the story of an English scientist (Terry Sheffield) who fell in love while on vacation, met with Sarah several subsequent times, married her in Las Vegas, and is relocating to CA to live with Sarah. He arrives at SFO, but Sarah is not there to meet her. The rest of the book is Terry's journey to find his wife.
I have a mixed response to this book, and from other reviews, I am not alone. The premise of the story is interesting and full of intrigue. But the characters often come across as caricatures, with predictable good guy/bad guy traits. Terry is befriended by an arcade owner, Oscar, and their dialogue is repetitive and oftens drags on too long. And there are two mysteries that emerge, but are eventually not related. The second theme seems to be more of a red herring than a necessary element. And I found the ending personally dissatisfying. But I am someone who always wants to good guys to win, and real life often does not follow this inner wish.
With all that said, I still enjoyed the book and recommend it. It is tense and surprising throughout the story, it is believable and drew me into the desire to find Sarah. I give it 3 1/2 stars. 

Sometimes the Truth Hurts

I follow 149 series, plus enjoy many stand alone novels and read and review books about to be published. I say this to explain why some of my reviews are years past publications dates.

The Brutal Telling: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny is a case in point. This is #5 in the series, published in 2009.

I love this series. Chief Inspector Gamache heads a detective team from the Sûreté du Québec. He has investigated several murders in and around the village of Three Pines, south of Quebec. During these investigations we have met the inhabitants, gotten to know their hopes and dreams, and their flaws and heartbreaks. They are an eclectic groups, arriving in Three Pines through many paths.

The Brutal Telling begins with a body being found in the local bistro. No one seems to know him. As the Sûreté du Québec team investigates, a feud comes to light between Olivier, the owner of the bistro and a B & B, and, the owner of a new spa in the area. The reader is privy to information about a friendship between Olivier and a recluse living deep in the woods. As Gamache digs deeper, he begins to wonder how Olivier has been able to afford his purchase and remodeling of the bistro and the B & B.

As some of the less appealing sides of some of the residents of Three Pines came to light, I had very mixed feelings. People I had grown to care about had darker behaviors than I wanted to face. I was compelled to keep reading because I had to know how it all turned out, but I was disquieted at the same time. I have come to appreciate the more realistic portrayal of these people. Ms. Penny makes the village seem more real and less of the fairy tale the first four books seemed to show.

I do recommend that if you have not read any of this series that you start at the beginning: Still Life. 

I feel that Ms Penny is masterful in creating a place and situations and characters of which you want to be a part. This is a five star recommendation!

A Story Within a Story

I receive advance copies of books through NetGalley in order to write and share reviews of the books. I am not paid other than to receive the books, and I have no association with either the authors or the publishers.

The Salinger Contract by Adam Langer is a novel that reads like a biography. The premise is bazaar, but plausible, and, since the author writes as himself, gives the reader a sense of this being a true story. It is a thriller that is slow paced most of the time. It is an indictment on the current state of publishing, and skewers the "big house" publishers for the ways authors are treated. It is a sociological exploration of what makes people (especially, but not exclusively, authors) tick, and, what it would take to sell one's soul to the devil.

A one-book-wonder author, is approached by a more prolific author with a tale that is told in installments. The story pulls in references to many famous authors such as J D Salinger, Norman Mailer and Truman Capote to B. Traven. It explores what constitutes inspiration, practicality of profit, "formula" writing, and delving into one's own creativity. 

As an overly cautious person, I found the risks that each author takes foolhardy, but I was compelled to keep reading. I had to know how it all turned out. 

The book is well written, intriguing, and very original. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers, psychological explorations, and social commentary. This book has it all.

The Bones of Paris by Laurie R King

     I have read several books in the Mary Russel series by Laurie R King. I have thoroughly enjoyed each one. So when I had an opportunity to preview The Bones of Paris, I agreed. I was not disappointed.
    The setting is Paris during the summer and early fall of 1929. The story takes place mostly in Montparnasse and Montmartre, areas of ex patriots from England and America and the art community of Paris. The lead character, Harris Stuyvesant, is a former FBI agent working as a private detective across Europe. He has been hired to look for a young American women who has been missing since the end of March. He has a personal vested interest in finding her because he had had a brief affair with her, and had wanted to reconnect and develop a more long-term relationship. He was conflicted because he was also in love with a women he met in England and had wanted to marry. But after a terrible event, she did not want to see anyone and did not want to pursue their relationship.
     There are many colorful people and locations, both real and part of Ms King's imagination. She has woven together a highly suspenseful story, beautiful and hideous settings, and participants from quirky to psychotic. Paris is as much a character in the story as any of the people.
    This book is intelligent, challenging, filled with interesting (at times frightful) characters and a story with more twist and turns than a ride in the Alps. If you like mystery and suspense, historical settings and colorful characters, this book is for you.

     As an aside, Harris reminded me of the venerable Toby Peters of the mysteries by Stuart M Kaminsky: hard-headed, a tough exterior with a romantic heart, and continually charging into physically abusing situations to find the person in distress.

Review of Death of Time

I have always been intrigued by stories of time travel. I have often wished that I could time travel, and I love to see what new way of travel has been invented by each author.
Ms Price starts the story with a 21st C divorced woman, self-employed, with 2 young children. She lives in Oakland and takes periodic forays into San Francisco. She begins to have odd dreams, and over a few days begins to sense she is entering into another time in San Francisco. I found the first 20% of the book a bit tedious and slow. Ms Price put so much time into describing what Robin was seeing and experiencing, but was very short on plot movement. If I hadn't made a commitment to write a review, I may not have finished the book. But I am very glad I stuck with it.
Robin begins to recognize that she enters into another body when she awakens in 1900. Without giving away any more of the plot, I found the story to be creative and interesting, filled with heart-pounding moments, and episodes of caring and sensitivity. Robin searches for her purpose in moving between the two time periods, and learns that her actions can have effects that she cannot foresee. She and her love interest in 1900, move cautiously to try to prevent a catastrophe caused by 2 people trying to rob a bank. I found it very satisfying that their first few attempts did not turn out as they had hoped, and, the consequences increase with each attempt to intervene. From a gentle strolling pace, the story begins to gradually accelerate until it becomes a heart-pounding race to save the potential victims. And as the story concludes, Ms Pace creates a very satisfying full circle to the story.
This is one I highly recommend. Another review alludes to other books in this series, and, if tru, I will be first in line to get the next book!

Provence, France, Wine & Food, and Murder

Death in the Vines has just been published. As an amateur reviewer, I received a free copy. I did not initially realize that this book was the third one in a series. But I had no difficulty completely enjoying this story.
It takes place in Provence, France, and area about which I know almost nothing. So the cultural practices and scenery descriptions were wonderful. I felt as if I had literally seen a small glimpse into the area, and I would definitely like to visit it now.
The story inter-weaves three plot lines in a masterful manner. There are a series of rare wine thefts at one winery, there are two disappearances of an elderly lady that ends with her being found dead after her second disappearance, and, there seems to be a serial killer starting a spree. 
One knows there are interactive relationships between these three plots, but it is not clear in what ways until the very end.
One element that I liked especially is that all the plot lines were not resolved in a neat package at the end, but each one resolved in it's own time over the last third of the book. 
I am highly recommending this book. It is a good piece of literature. It is a finely crafted mystery. There are interesting, multi-layered characters. And then there is the setting of Aix-en-Provence, the wine country, and small town life. I am going to find the first two books in the series and finish those as well!

Book Review: The Gifted by Gail Bowen

     The Gifted is the 14th book in the Joanne Kilbourn series by Gail Bowen, a renown Canadian author. It is due out on Aug 13, 2013. I have the privilege of reading it early in order to post a review. I am a volunteer reviewer.
      The book focuses on Joanne, her husband, Zack Shreve, and their daughter, Taylor. Taylor has come to live with Joanne and Zack through partially reveal circumstances that have probably been more fully explained in earlier books in the series. Taylor is a soon-to-be 15 year old with considerable artistic talent. She is the birth daughter of a famous artist and there is much concern by Joanne and Zack that Taylor follows a much less destructive path that her mother.
     The story is set in Regina, Saskatchewan, and the beauty of the area is deftly folded into the narrative. Taylor has had two paintings chosen for a charity art auction, her first public showing. She is well aware of her birth mother's life and talent, and is very afraid of not living up to her mother's standards. (Her mother died when she was only 4 years old, and came to live with Joanne and Zack when she was 11 years old.) 
     Taylor's model for one of the paintings is a 19 year old fellow artist in the same art school. At the art auction, it becomes obvious to all that he is having an affair with the sponsor of the auction. Taylor is clearly upset. Her parents are concerned because little is know about him and he is beginning to have a strong influence over Taylor. When the older woman is found dead Joanne and Zack confront the older woman's husband, one of Zack's best friends. Who killed the socialite? Zack's friend? The young model/lover? And how can Joanne and Zack shield Taylor form all the gossip and danger?
     This is not a high-speed chase, bloody, action story. This is an exploration of who is "family", how the past informs the present, what friendship means, and can our love protect those we love. Ms Bowen is a skilled writer. She is explores family dynamics, informed parenting, life-style decisions, and the gray areas between "good" and "evil". I was "hooked" very early on in the book and followed all the twist and turns with interest, at times, anxiety, and always a desire to find out how all is resolved. It felt as if I was watching a movie; I was very much drawn into the story.
    I highly recommend that if you like a good mystery without all the gore and violence, you read The Gifted. It is available for pre-order.

The Orphan Master's Son: A Review

The Orphan Master's Son, by Adam Johnson, is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. It is the story of a man's journey from childhood throughout his entire life. It is a story of North Korea in the recent past. It is a story of evil, brutality, the human need to connect with others, the meaning of love, and ultimate triumph.
This book is not for the faint of heart. In it, unspeakable atrocities are described in vivid detail. What is more disturbing to me, is the cold determination of the abusers, and their ability to justify what they do in the name of loyalty and national security. It makes me weep for the slippery slope we have embarked upon in our own country. Photos of our own soldiers torturing and humiliating captured "enemies" too often came to mind.

But Mr. Johnson is a master storyteller, weaving glimpses of hope, humanity, and even love, into the story so that one is compelled to continue. I began to feel I was in the story, and it was very hard to put it down to do mundane things like laundry, grocery shopping, and cooking dinner. It is easy to see why he won a Pulitzer prize for this book.  The picture of North Korean life reinforced my gratitude for living in this wonderful country, but it also highlighted areas where we have so much to improve: the poverty and lack of decent education of so many of our citizens, the high rate of people incarcerated compared to the rest of the Western world, and the level of violence in our country. There are large areas of our country where people live with just as much fear and despair as the citizens of North Korea. This book has compelled me to do more to work toward improvement here at home.
I highly recommend this book, but warn that it is not an "easy" read. I had to pray constantly as I read; for the millions (billions?) of people throughout the world for whom the life described is a reality, for the wisdom to see whatever part I play in creating this awful reality, and for the courage to work toward peace and safety for all.

Hope Strikes Again

I have been hooked by Maggie Hope. This is the third book in the series, and I think they just keep getting better. There needs to be a suspension of belief for all the coincidences that place Maggie in an ideal position to serve in the British intelligence, and, that she has the particular (and unusual) set of skills to make her useful. She is moving up the hierarchy in her spy craft, and this time she is sent into Germany on a quick delivery of radio tubes and the planting of a receiver device for eavesdropping, but ends up staying longer than originally planned, putting her life and her "handler's" life in jeopardy. And the on-going intrigue with her parents just keeps getting more and more complicated.
If you like period stories (WWII), intrigue, strong women and danger, this is the book for you. Publishing date in May 21, but can be pre-ordered now.

An Equal Opportunity Death Review

This is the first book in the Vejay Haskell series. Years ago I read several books in the Julie Smith series and thoroughly enjoyed them.

This book starts with an introduction to the main character and the town in which she lives. I felt that Ms Dunlap did a skilled job of blending the needed background information into the telling of the story. Then gradually all the characters are introduced. And the town is laid out. All very skillfully.

Vejay is an interesting woman: an escapee of the San Francisco pace and pressures. She is now a meter reader for the utility company. She is strong, fit, and attractive.

The plot was well crafted. It took many twists and turns, keeping me interested and engaged. I did not foresee the ending until almost the end of the book.  I have a mental formula for evaluating the books I read, from pedestrian/formulaic to intriguing/edge of the seat. An Equal Opportunity Death sneaks up on you; very placid initially, picking up momentum as it goes, much like the ever rising Russian River in the story.

I enjoyed the book and will read others in the series, but there is a BUT… I found Vejay a bit annoying at times. For someone so accomplished and self-reliant, she could be incredibly immature (her opening argument with Frank, the character who is murdered), and ignorant (taking dangerous risks on her own). What is it about smart women that cause them to think they know better than the police in a case? I know, there wouldn’t be a story without Vejay going off on her own. But I know there are other authors who keep suspense alive without the main character acting as ignorantly as Vejay does. (China Bayles, Maisie Dobbs, Maxie of Maxie and Stretch, to name a few) I found myself annoyed with her immaturity or know-it-all attitude to completely immerse myself in the book.

I class this book in the “fun but not profound” category. If you enjoy mysteries and location-linked stories, this one is for you.

The Keeper of Lost Causes

The Keeper of Lost Causes 
by Jussi Adler-Olsen 

Gee-Gee Smith's review 

Jan 23, 13  ·  edit

Read from January 19 to 21, 2013

The publisher review said that this series is reminiscent of the Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who..." series. I agree that there are descriptions of grittiness and physical abuse that are vivid and disturbing. This book is not for the faint of heart.
But is is also well written with interesting characters. The lead character is Morck, a recently injured detective, who had one comrade die and another paralyzed in the same incident. He struggles with guilt that he should have prevented the attack, and he no longer cares about the job he has always been motivated to do well. His supervisor does not know what to do with him when he returns, and, sees an opportunity to receive more funding for his department by setting up Morck as a one man department of cold cases.
His first case seems a dead end from the beginning, but step by step, little glimpses of a different conclusion begin to emerge. He is able to hire a janitor/assistant who is Arabic in heritage and mysterious by nature. Where is he from? What kind of work has he done in the past? Whatever his past, he clearly has skills for charming people, whereas Morck seems able to only alienate others.
As they stumble around trying to piece together clues, there are flashbacks to the situation they are investigating. I will say no more so as to not spoil the story for others.
Though gruesome at times, the narrative is also touching, interesting, funny, and intense. If you enjoy stories set in another culture, with complex characters and enough stress to bring on agita, this book is for you.

One Was a Soldier

(Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #7) 
by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Goodreads Author) 

Gee-Gee Smith's review 

Jan 11, 2013 

Read from January 01 to 09, 2013

One Was A Soldier

[CD] One Was a Soldier By Spencer-Fleming, Julia (Google Affiliate Ad)

I really like this series, and suggest that if you want to read it, start at the beginning with In The Bleak Mid-Winter.

In this book, Clare Fergusson has recently returned from active duty as a helicopter pilot. She is in a support group for returning vets, helping them to re-assimilate back into civilian life. The plot develops as each vet finds his/her way back. I don't know how real vets feel about the portrayal, but the issues with which they struggle seem genuine to me from my therapist perspective.

I am fairly uncomfortable with the group's therapist, Sarah. There are too many times her comments and behavior seem very unprofessional to me. But I am also afraid it may be a very accurate representation of what is available for our vets.

Clare is an Episcopalian priest in civilian life, and, she is in a relationship with the chief of police, Russ Van Alstyne. As their relationship deepens, the fears that Clare has come to the surface. Being an old romantic, I like the way they resolve their differences, and, address her concerns.

The characters are interesting, multi-dimensional, and humanly complicated. I enjoy the series because Julia Spencer-Fleming brings true-to-life characters to life.

Georgia S's review of Bel Canto   

by Ann Patchett

Dec 06, 2012

Read from December 01 to 06, 2012

I have been completely enthralled by this book. I am writing this review at 2am because I couldn't stop reading until I finished the book, and now I can't get to sleep; I am so filled with the characters, the opera singing, the unfolding of life and love.
The story was first conceived during the Japanese Embassey take-over in Peru in the mid-1990's. The idea of how the terrorists and the captives would interact intrigued Ms. Patchett.
There is a gentle unfolding of trust, friendship and even love. Hidden gifts bloom is this space where it seems there is nothing to do.
If you love explorations of characters, the struggle to understand those who are different from us, and then to discover similarities, this book is for you. I felt as though I was taken to the heights of that is good in humankind, and plunged to the depths of hell that is created when fear reigns.