Do you know that feeling we sometimes get as readers when we find ourselves sad to finish a book?  Friends, I can't begin to tell you just how wonderful it was to hold a Patti Callahan Henry book in my hands once again, but oh how I didn't want it to end!  Her writing is exquisite. In The Secret Book of Flora Lea, she managed to weave a tale set amidst World War II while simultaneously threading in that shimmering sense of magic that I've come to know her for.  The effect was breathtaking. This also ended up being one of my very favorite uses of the dual timeline narrative that often crops up in this genre.  This book truly has it all - absolutely swoon-worthy writing, a strong sense of place, historical fiction, a sprinkling of magic, and - at the heart of it all - a mystery. I can't recommend this one enough!