First impression: unusual, unique and lovely. Holly is a young lady caught up in her parents’ expectations of who and what should she should be. All she wants to do is get through the last year at school, attracting little attention as possible. And then she sees Theo. And that’s strange, because no one else can see him. While The Earth Painter can be described as a paranormal / fantasy story, the focus is really on Holly’s changing relationships with her family, friends and Theo, and her maturing vision for herself. I really enjoyed Melissa Turner’s uncluttered writing style, although there were a few scenes that felt rushed to me. There was also a good dose of humour, especially with Theo’s rather unusual set of friends. Overall, I definitely recommend this, and have already purchased the second book. My rating: 4 stars
My rating: 4 stars