My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book belongs in the lovely, rare category of "I sat down and read this for hours and it felt so good". Bray gives us an atmosphere and intertwining plot that is a pleasure to get absorbed in. She masterfully unfolds the ways in which her characters are connected, and her research (discussed in her very cute author's note) is evident. I feel like there's a lot of YA out there that takes an historical setting and uses it like flimsy window dressing. The Prohibition era/Roaring Twenties, for example, is such an appealing time to write about (and many have tried). I believe that Bray really captures the language, time and place without sounding forced or hokey. She accomplishes the same thing with her paranormal elements, which are everywhere in YA fic, but here feel so fresh, frightening, and magical. Loved. Can't wait to hunker down with the next installment. Highly recommended if you enjoy richly layered mysteries, historical fiction, twenties era NYC, the occult, and if you want to believe in the thin veil between spirits, dreams, evil and ourselves. Yeah, it's a tall order that satisfies.
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