I think the key to writing a successful story of any kind is to make the characters come alive, leaping off the page and pulling the reader into whatever universe they (the characters) belong to. A story has to feel alive, and this one has a strong pulse. The prologue grabbed my attention, and I was surprised to discover how much I cared about the characters after reading only a few chapters. These characters are vivid and fascinating, tragic and beautiful, and hard to forget. The chapters are also infused with just the right amount of suspense; Allison provides the reader with just enough information to get them hooked without revealing all of the characters' secrets. Some aspects of the chapters are reminiscent of the traditional fantasy genre and established tropes about supernatural characters, but Allison has also added her own twist, which I can't wait to learn more about. So, in summation- read the chapters and vote so I can read the rest of the book!