This review came in today through Chapters Community, by Tiaamat, a Chapters employee and one of Community’s Top Reviewers:

I will be passing this along to my co-workers!

Stephens’ stories cover a wide gamut. Mythology, Fantasy and Sci-fi. From Father Brebeuf’s last moments, motherhood, Inuit legend, empaths, terrorism and survival, trauma and tweaked athletes to molestation, messing with time, assassins, environmentalists and lions. A little of everything seems to have inspired her works. This can make the collection seem a little scattered and without a direction at first, but they all pull together beautifully. Perhaps because Stephens’ voice is strong through out and her ability to make you care, even if just a little bit, for each character.

Some drive straight to the point. Others sort of creep up on you. Every story is precise and concise. Not a word wasted or over done.

One story in particular stays with me. Have a Nice Day and Pass the Arsenic may only be nine pages long, but it particularly struck me that it would make a great movie. It may take an hour and a half to convey all that is in those nine pages.

Some others I quite enjoyed and really made me think were: Summer Wine and Sweet Mistresses, Smile of the Goddess and A Memory of Moonlight and Silver.

Worth the read!