Thistle Down
Irene Radford
Daw, Jun 7 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780756406707

Now in her twenties, Dusty Carrick remains wary and reticent with an obsession for safety after battling childhood leukemia. She believes she survived her ordeal due to her best friend Thistle Down the Pixie who no one else ever saw.

The Pixie exile Thistle Down is in the mortal realm in human form. She needs help to survive so she seeks the girl who she comforted when she was an ailing child. Thistle brings her chaotic charm with her though it lacks her magic as she nukes Dusty's safe world. She hopes to get the young adult to embrace not run from life. A bullying developer threatens Thistle's home and Dusty's museum so the Carrick family and friends fight back though they need money to succeed.

This enjoyable romantic urban fantasy is an entertaining tale mostly because of the havoc caused by Thistle as she and her Pixies are experts on disrupting human life. Her adjustment issues and antics in mortal form make the tale fun to read. Although the ending lacks closure as there are too many major subplots going forward into apparent sequels and scene changes too abruptly, readers will root for the two BFFs.

Harriet Klausner