Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; however, I purchased a hardcopy version of this collection for full price.
I picked up this collection at one of the first conventions I ever attended, out near Pittsburgh, because I work in Baltimore proper and live near the city. Baltimore is a shared setting for these stories, but it does not necessarily function as a “character” as much as it could have. That is pretty much my only quibble about this otherwise extremely solid collection.
Favorite Stories
“Kissed by a Fairy” pulled all the heartstrings as it follows the life of a woman who becomes connected to the world of fairies. It’s about motherhood, but its also about how women should be able to choose what’s best for themselves at any point in their lives, even if what is best might change over time. This thoroughly modern urban fantasy tale is essentially timeless.
“The Gift of a Lifetime” is a must-read for any cat lover! It’s a bit of a tough read with a thoroughly lovely ending, that made me want to snuggle my own kitties close.
Story I Want Expanded Into a Novel
“Charm City” establishes a fun world of magic and charms with excellent rules that a lot of magic in fantasy seems to hand-wave aside. It’s clear that Sonnier has worked out a lot of background that we don’t necessarily see on the pages here, and I’d love to read a deeper dive into this world (especially since a secondary character pops up in a few other stories within this collection). Yes, the title is a pun. I love it anyway.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.