A 3.5 would be a better rating for this book (audio book). I liked the premise quite a bit- shades of The DaVinci Code, but sometimes the teenage OMG's and "valley girl" like tone was a bit annoying. The story kept my interest and ended nicely, if not a little cliche.

3.5/5

I'm impressed with the way this book treated grief and spirituality without crossing over into Issues territory. Plus, who doesn't love a good fictional mystery based in historical fact?

Check out my full review on FYA.

Started off promising, veered into woo-woo, then ended abruptly.

So few YA novels stray into any area of religiosity, so I was pleased to see a book that explored this area. In the aftermath of her mother's death, Riley has forged close friendships with Jay, Kate, and Noah, all part of her school's Back on Track program (basically for teens whose high school success was derailed by a tragedy at home). But when Riley puts on a relic necklace, which Jay's father discovered before his untimely death that supposedly belonged to Ignatius of Loyola, something unexpected happens. She sees her mother, in the flesh, while out grocery shopping. What is going on? Is she losing her mind? Is anyone seeing their dearly beloveds, too?

France does such a great job with setting up the mystery of this story (which in less skilled hands could come off as too cuckoo), and making me completely believe these characters. Jake and Noah and Kate are just as well-developed as Riley, and they're all wrestling with some pretty heady issues.

There are so many novels about grief that it can be tough to find a a fresh angle into the subject matter, but this feels more than unique -- it's deeply meaningful. Sometimes teens don't get enough credit for their intelligence and range of interests, and I love how this book just goes there. Why not go off on a research trip and decipher an ancient text in foreign languages? The literal journey of discovery felt entirely appropriate for the metaphorical journey these four teenagers are on. A uniquely compelling debut.

Okay, so I really loved this.
Maybe it was partly circumstance based on my recent life events and whatever else, but this book was so beautiful and moving to me. I really didn't expect the paranormal (spiritual?) elements, but they were so intriguing and I became incredibly invested in the resolution of it all. I think a lot of good, important messages and life lessons can be taken out of this book, and it doesn't try to fix any of the characters. It just creates a discussion about their grief and the choices that they can make at this point in their lives.
Anyway, I completely recommend it and cannot wait to check out more from this author.

This is a young adult book and it is one that is truly for young adults.

This was an excellent book. I highly recommend it. I read it in two days, which is unusual for me lately. It's a cool kind of spooky, gothic teen tale.

I breezed right through this book because I found it so intriguing. It definitely makes you think. :)