And the Creek Don’t Rise

FANTASY:  Lynnie Russell has always loathed her brother’s best friend. But on her twentieth birthday, she begins to question that hatred. But when that same twentieth birthday falls on the same date as a family curse begins, the course to true love does not run smoothly. Lynnie must run away to keep her family and friends safe from the beast within. As she grapples to come to terms with the truth, opposing supernatural beings vie for her trust. Who she decides to follow will determine much about the path her life will take. 

R.M. Gilmore is the master of unexpected plot twists. The first portion of the book has no elements of fantasy whatsoever, so it’s almost a bit of a shock when those elements finally do appear. The reader has no idea what to expect until it happens. When Lynnie and her beast are one, the writing can be a little confusing to keep up with at times: Lynnie is “I” and the beast is “she”. The concept can take a little getting used to, but with a little extra brainpower, the reader can easily get the hang of it. The storyline is unique, keeping the reader interested. Rusty, a character who is only a significant player early in the book, is perhaps the most fleshed out character. Many of the other characters could have used a little more depth. One of R.M. Gilmore’s strengths is achieving a genuine, conversational tone throughout the novel in Lynnie’s first person point of view. 

Shailyn Rogers