I started this book quite late the other evening, only meaning to read the first chapter. But it was impossible to put it down. I galloped through the whole thing that night. Rebecca Chase is an immediately likeable protagonist and the dynamics in her life feel fully relatable. The gradual uncovering of the mystery of her father's disappearance is brilliantly done, and the fairytales that form a key part of the plot are like little narrative jewels - things of beauty in themselves - glinting inside the story, revealing their secrets. I cannot believe this is Amanda Block's first novel. She holds the reader in her skilled storytelling hands from first page to last. As well as an utterly compelling page-turner, this is an intelligent, heartwarming, poignant book, brimming with wisdom and heart.
Out July 8th