Review: Nothing Without Shadow

When my friend's wife published her first novel, I honestly did not want to read it. The description indicates offered me fortune tellers and werewolves, and, while I love a good horror story, these are not my favorite topics. In the case of Nothing Without Shadow, I am happy that I did not let my initial reaction keep me from reading!

On Amazon: 
As a fortune teller above a popular Baltimore speakeasy, Iris has seen it all. Still, she is surprised when her estranged beau, Bartleby, appears on her doorstep soaked in blood and claiming he's been attacked by a werewolf.

Bartleby’s fear becomes undeniable as he draws Iris into his quest to find a cure before the next full moon. Iris is appalled, however, when she learns that this quest has led him to steal a priceless relic from mysterious antiquities dealer Jason Salter. Unwilling to follow Bartleby’s insane mission further, Iris braces herself against the attraction she feels for Jason and strives to return the relic.

My thoughts: 
Jamie Jean Welebob has woven a thoughtful, well-crafted, and genuinely interesting story about antiquities, werewolves, relationships, and the ties that bind us to our past. Iris, vivacious and principled, guides the reader through the story of a woman dealing with a bad boyfriend who is turning into a werewolf. If that description is trite, nothing about the story is.

The three main characters are fully developed, each with their own particular "ghosts of the past." There were many moments I feared the author would tread towards cliche. Each time, she instead presented fresh views on a slew of the most common issues, like coming to terms with religion and one's past.

A period piece, my only issues with the text were occasional hiccups where more modern language and phrasing disrupted the mood and pulled me out of the past. However, these were very few, and far between, and did little to temper my overall love of the book.

All in all, very much worth the read. For 99 cents on Kindle, it is, perhaps, too much of a bargain!