Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

In Things You Leave Behind by ML Kennedy, Angela Brooks graduated from college a year ago and is still working a dead-end job in a mall. Angela craves some excitement in her life, a change from her monotonous routine and irritating co-worker. She decides to explore a lighthouse for hidden treasure, but what happens next results in her waking up in a hospital bed a decade later with no recollection of anything or anyone. When she is released from the hospital, she enters a parallel world filled with strange and unexplainable people and revelations. Angela is determined to uncover the mystery of what happened to her so she can reclaim her life. Unfortunately, this means returning to the place where her life was turned upside down; the lighthouse.

The book cover is brilliant and looks like an old VHS tape, but that is not where the strangeness ends. The author has created such an intriguing plot which begins in the middle of a crisis, only we are not aware of what that crisis is. The opening scene between Cliff and Tyler posed so many questions that I had to continue reading to find out what was going on. Slowly, Angela's plight is uncovered and I was completely hooked. The characters were brilliantly created, each with their own unique personality and the dialogue flowed effortlessly and naturally. I loved the relationship between Angela and Cliff; there were some excellent comedy moments between them and their friendship was enviable. There are so many twists and turns throughout, you become totally engaged with the story. Without giving away details of the plot, this incredible book makes you question everything that you believe to be true about the Universe. You will finish Things You Leave Behind by ML Kennedy and want to ponder if Angela's experiences could happen in reality.