There’s not a hundred characters for you to get to know, and there aren’t an equal amount of cities for you to remember. The character cast that shows up is likewise tightly knit. Most of the book takes place at a cabin, and people come and go from there. There aren’t a lot of long journeys and unexplored places. There’s a whole lot of worldbuilding being done, but Moyer chooses her cast and the setting carefully. The book itself is fairly narrow in scope. I truly enjoyed this sense of magic and wonder, and while some of these do carry a darker edge, I liked seeing how Moyer wove so many different elements together to make the California of this book feel both rooted in reality, and otherworldly at the same time. There’s also magic just about everywhere, from earth witches to sorcerers, to numerous other mystical creatures. Moyer draws on cryptozoology and the like to create some of her creatures, like Sasquatches (I suppose Sasquatch would qualify as cryptozoology? I’m not terribly well versed in this sort of thing.). It’s both recognizable in so many details, and yet completely different. Set in an alternative California, the world of Youngest really drew me in. If you aren’t a reader who enjoys savoring, then you might bounce off this book. A mix of elements and details that explode powerfully toward the end, but it takes time to get there. I will say, however, if you aren’t a fan of slow-burn novels, you should be aware that that’s exactly what this book is: a slow burn. I enjoyed the pacing, the slow and steady build of things that you don’t even really realize are building up to a pressure point until it happens. I’d qualify this one as a slow burn that leads to a raging inferno. Youngest is one of those books that crept up on me, I suppose I could say. I’ve just finished writing my own fantasy series set in an alternative Wild West, so I suppose the setting itself really got my blood pumping. When I realized it was a book set in an alternative West, I got really excited. When she asked me if I’d be interested in reading her newest release, and first foray into self-publishing, I jumped on it. I always savor her books, and I learn a lot from reading them. She has an unflinching ability to look at the whole human experience and present that in unique ways.

She doesn’t shy away from hard, darker moments, either. She has a way with dealing with emotions subtly that just works for me. I have loved every book of hers I’ve read. Jaime Lee Moyer is an author I hugely admire.

Delia's Shadow by Jaime Lee Moyer