SEEING THINGS
Sonora Taylor
June 23, 2020
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis

Well friends, once again, the Skullcave’s Wall Of Fame is making room for another excellent book by Sonora Taylor! Seeing Things is a 5 Star reading experience from a writer who gets consistently better every time I read her work. I’ve also been fortunate to be in the same publication with her more than once and I do consider that an honor! While Sonora’s previous release Little Paranoias was a mix of speculative short stories, flash, and poetry, Seeing Things is a novel. Another big difference is that this novel aims for a wider range of readers, while staying speculative and retaining Taylor’s voice. This will be a great book for teens but is complex enough to be enjoyed by adult readers as well. Let’s take a peek inside and find out what readers can expect.

Abby is the typical thirteen year old girl going through all the trials and tribulations of becoming a woman. That means a lot of blood is included in her daily life. But should she be seeing blood coming out of a locker in her middle school? How about the ghost of a dead girl or random dead folks that nobody else can see? Everybody thinks Abby might be having psychological difficulties brought on by her age. But adults aren’t always as sharp as they think. Turns out, Abby’s superpowers are real. Trouble is, she has no idea what she’s supposed to do with them, except try to keep them under wraps. The dead won’t talk to her and everybody living gets all squirrely whenever she says anything.

To top off all the “fun” she’s having, the summer vacation Abby was hoping for has been put on ice by hard reality. Abby used to visit her Uncle Keith and Aunt Sandra in the seaside town of Sangway Bluff every summer. But due to confusing circumstances, the visit with her uncle will be a short one this year. There’s a student missing from the high school her uncle taught at and he has changed employers rather suddenly. What the heck is going on? Not only that, but it appears that the dead have followed her to Sangway Bluff!

Abby is a kind and helpful person, who wants to help. She doesn’t understand her uncle’s erratic behavior or the way her parents are ganging up on him. As the book picks up pace with facts and questions flying, you won’t be able to put down this mystery until the last page. How many victims have there been and who’s the killer? Could there be more than one? Don’t jump to any conclusions right away, because you might be wrong! Angry boyfriends, corrupt local law enforcement, and adults who aren’t telling the whole truth. This book is very current with its look at men and the need for them to take responsibility for their deeds. Women are not just playthings to be used up and thrown away, they are human being who deserve respect.

The bottom line? Seeing Things is an excellent book with a very surprising ending that rates FIVE STARS! It also accomplishes something I really enjoy in a book, the sharing of the author’s ideals within the larger story itself. I’m not going to give them all away, but a few are that women are a lot stronger than mass media makes them out to be, friendship is golden, and the people closest to you can hurt you the most. Especially in the case of parents. Speaking of parents, I dig the two moms couple. Seeing Things by Sonora Taylor is a great summer vacation read with wide appeal for teens and adult readers alike. Currently available from your favorite bookseller or Amazon.com, grab a copy today! Want to find out more about Sonora Taylor and her other work? Then go to: http://sonorawrites.com or follow her on Twitter @sonorawrites You can also check her out in the 50^th issues of The Sirens Call e-Zine by going to their site: http://www.SirensCallPublications.com

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