A review by mystereity
Lost Coast Literary by Ellie Alexander

challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 
I was unprepared for how good this book was going to be. You know what I mean? You know the author writes quality books, the blurb fascinates, the cover is perfection so you eagerly crack open the pages (figuratively of course, I would never crack my beloved iPad) and fall into a new world you never want to leave. This whimsical masterpiece is cozy mystery bliss.

What I liked most is the mystery in this book; cozy mysteries are usually about investigating a murder but this one was investigating the past – family, relationships, heartbreak and reconciliation and all the turmoil and pain that gives way to a new beginning. Poetic, no? So gratifying to see it all come together and the healing begin.

Now living in NYC, Emily gets a call that her grandmother died and she must return to the California coast to fulfil the tasks set out in the will. When she gets there, she’s presented with a mysterious job she must accomplish – edit the forsaken manuscripts. I’m sorry, what? Emily has no idea what that means (which is where the mystery comes in!) and so it begins, the slide into the heart of the mystery; untangling the events that kept Emily and her father estranged from the rest of the family. As the book progressed, more of the story came out and it was heartwarming, tragic and cathartic all in one. Truly, this was a great piece of writing.

I loved that the mystical elements were so well balanced and integrated within the reality of the story that it felt natural, I don’t know that my reactions would’ve been any different from Emily’s as she navigated and assimilated her new role as Book Therapist and when you add in all the beautiful scenery (I could almost smell the scent of salty sea air, piney forests and slug slime!) a diverse cast of characters, and a compelling narrative of healing the pain of lost loves, this book will keep you in its tight grip long after you finish. I don’t know if this book will become a series or not (fingers crossed) but I very much want to return to Cascata and the new community I desperately want to be a part of.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sweet Lemon Press and Ellie Alexander for the opportunity to read this amazing book. 

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