
First, let me say I almost passed this one up just because it had the words 'a gripping fantasy thriller' in the title. I thought that was weird. And as I read the book, I thought it weirder because I don't think it's gripping or a thriller. I'd lean more toward 'young adult paranormal'. That said, I liked the story very much. It's based on native American lore, which I love. I love Juliet's struggle to live in two worlds and the glimpses into her heritage. I love the believable conflict between her friends and her grandfather and her mother. The characters came alive for me and were a pleasure to follow even when they did dumb things (remember, I said young adult, and I love to complain about immature teens). Since reading this book, I've started sharing a plate with my son regularly. Juliet's grandfather introduced me to the idea of eating from one dish, and I loved it. (Not only is it more intimate, but who wants to wash plates if she doesn't have to?). We have magic, villains, and a quest of sorts, as well as what might become romance. I'm not saying there isn't any suspense, only that it hardly defines the story.
I don't remember being irritated by typos and the like, but I've read a lot of books since this one. Sorry if I'm wrong about that, but it apparently wasn't enough to keep me from thoroughly enjoying the story.
Language: Very mild if anything.
Sexual Content: None.
Violence: There's a murder, not super graphic, and some attempted murder. Not much more than you might find in the mildest of PG13.
Overall Message/Plot: Weird things are happening. Why? What can we do about it? I don't think the writers relied on plotting as much as they did on characters, which I love, but at the same time it wasn't weak. I left the story feeling both satisfied and interested to know where the rest of the story goes. Some questions are answered, but there's a lot more to be revealed in future installments.
Find it HERE.