The Ties That Bind

By: Robert J. Halliwell

Narrated by: Tawny Platis

Everyone wants to be seen for who they really are.

14-year-old Zoey Thompson is no exception. Problem is, no one does. At least, not since the death of her dad two years ago. Everyone seems convinced she’s either some tragically sad, lost child, or a troubled kid hurtling down a dark and dangerous path. Whatever the reason, nobody wants her around anymore.

Not even her own mom.

Enter Zoey’s great aunt and uncle. They’ve got a big old Victorian with tons of room, and are happy to take Zoey off her mother’s hands. It doesn’t matter that Zoey hardly knows them, or that they live three states over.

She doesn’t have a lot of other offers.

Her new life is going as smoothly as can be expected, until strange things start happening around the house.

It would be easy to write them off as quirks of an unfamiliar setting, if not for Aunt Carol’s insistence that there are spirits all around us.

Is it possible that the only person who can recognize Zoey for her true self is someone that no one else can see?

©2025 Robert J. Halliwell (P)2025 Robert J. Halliwell

This was a sweet, emotional ride.

The audiobook reader was fantastic.
I loved this sweet story. The author writes inner dialogue so well. The details were vivid and beautiful. I’m looking forward to more from this author.

The Release of Grief

Holding onto grief can hold you back from so many things that are happening all around you. But grief doesn't have to start when there is loss. You can grief the inevitable loss you see coming your way. The author did an amazing job setting the stage with these two characters from different walks of life, both revolving around grief or the idea of grief. Coming together at the end to show the importance of the ties that bind each of us together. The narrator did an amazing job. She did great at the different tones so that you knew who was talking before she mentioned it. She also was animated enough that I could easily see the scene playing out in my head, showing the emotions of each character talking.

A story of young grief with mesmerizing narration

I think I might be a bit older than the book's intended audience. The story took a while to get going, but had some really sweet scenes in the final act that tugged at the heartstrings. At first I wasn't on board with "using magic to solve grief" but as I ruminated on the final chapters, I really enjoy how it all wrapped up. The mesmerizing narration also really elevates this story.

Must-Read, Fantastic Debut Novel

An amazing debut novel! This story is a captivating and heartwarming journey of processing incredibly complex emotions regarding death and loss while also battling all of the angst that comes with being a teenager. Highly recommend, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!