In the Garden of Souls

Reviewer: M. G. Armitrage:

I haven't been a faithful reader in years, probably because I find it very hard to be captivated in the first few pages. If I have to sludge through the first chapter, you lost me. I hated it when people would tell me, "oh just get through the first chapter or so, it gets good." If an author can't grab you into a story up front, I'm not putting my faith into the rest of it. That first taste of a book is what draws you in, what makes you keep coming back for more. A good book is like a gourmet meal...good from the first bite till the last.

This book, this fantastic book, was exactly what I was looking for! I was drawn in by the first page, and I wanted more. It's an incredibly fast read, and a book you frequently have a hard time putting down. I know I was guilty of sneaking peaks of it while at work. I jokingly called this book my time suck. You sit down at 6pm thinking you will read for an hour, and before you know it, it's 1am and you still want more.

This author has a way of writing characters you want to know in person. They are so real on the page you can almost reach out and touch them. The dialogue is fun and snappy, and the lead character is one you actually like and can root for. A lot of books these days have leads with highly questionable character values, like if you met them in person you'd probably hate them, and yet they are the ones you are supposed to be rooting for? But not Grant! This is a lead character you love to love. If you can fall in love with a fictional character, I fell in love with Grant.

The authors side characters are anything but throw away, and actually helped move the story along. And I must mention that I felt like the biggest character in this book was the Pacific Northwest. Having grown up in that area, the attention to details, roads, towns, weather, was impeccable. I felt like I was back there, and made me miss it all the more.

I am incredibly excited for upcoming books from this author. If they are anywhere near as good as this story was, this author has a reader for life.