A Symphony of Cicadas: Sometimes the end is just the beginning

Rachel Ashby thought she had it all. She was in the midst of blending her family with her fiancé, and mere weeks away from her wedding. After a lifetime of disappointment, everything was finally falling in place.<br><br>That is, until she was killed.<br><br>Cast into the afterlife, Rachel finds herself in a fight for everything she once held close. As she tries to remain near those she cherished in life, the layers of her life are peeled back to expose the imperfections and flaws that exist in us all. She discovers the human side of being human as she learns more about what it means to live than she ever knew in life.<br><br>Crissi Langwell has written a novel of love and loss in a portrait of one woman's journey, as well as the journey of those she left behind. The story offers a beautiful yet somber glimpse into the mystical world of spirits, and the heartache and healing in the world of the living. The lives of the characters slowly unravel, coming apart at the ends as they endure drastic change and devastating loss. But a glimmer of grace is revealed in the midst of tragedy. The story expands beyond mourning the loss of carefully laid out plans, revealing the emergence of hope and the evolution of strength in learning how to let go.<br> <br><i>Now with a Discussion Guide and a preview to the follow-up novel 'Forever Thirteen' at the end.</i>