Review Detail

I loved Another Little Piece and was very excited to see what Kate Karyus Quinn had in store for this novel. Again, I adore her world building. The town of Gardnerville is like nothing I have encountered before. Magic simmers just below the surface and erupts with volcanic power and devastating consequences. I am a huge fan of the premise that great magic requires great sacrifice and the way KKQ has created an idyllic small town with a very dark secret was whimsical, but with a serious bite.

Each inhabitant of Gardnerville seemed more interesting than the last. Each had their own story and I loved seeing them play out through Skyler's story. I found it hard to sympathize with Skyler as she numbed her pain with pills but I could see how she struggled to maintain a grip on a reality she had spent so long altering. I was not a fan of the love interest and could really have done without it or him. Likewise, the "Bad Guy" (whose name I have forgotten). Perhaps I could have enjoyed his character a little more, had it not been for the fact that he was a teacher who was (at one point) involved with a student. The ick factor on that one is just too high for me and I cannot deal with it nor get past it.

KKQ's manner of storytelling continues to be unique and intriguing. We chase Skyler's memories through the rabbit hole and end up in a place that is even more dark and disturbing than the Gardnerville we had thought we had known. I will say, though the twists were interesting and well-planned, I did figure them out far in advance of the plot. This is certainly not meant to be a deterrent for another reader, I just was so hoping for a shocking surprise and didn't get it.

I love Kate Karyus Quinn's writing and will be signing on for anything else that she writes.