[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Beyond The Veil" by Michael Thursby.]

4 out of 4 stars

Growing up with abilities different from other teenagers made Cael's life difficult. He didn't know who he was. Asides from his three younger brothers and his mother, Ida, Cael didn't know any other family. Ida found him under an oak tree fifteen years ago. Life had progressed smoothly for fifteen years until one night, terror rained on his home, and all was lost, including Ida, the boys, and their home. That night, Cael began his journey into a world he never knew existed. A world of Faeries, Trolls, Elves, Barghests, and Druids. A world where he would discover himself. This could only be achieved if he traveled to the Isle of the Blessed, the land of the dead, to restore the veil that has kept the Faeries hidden from the humans for thousands of years. Faced with an unknown destination, in an unfamiliar world, without any family, burdened with the most tasking responsibility a teenager could handle, would Cael restore the veil? Or is there more to the veil than he was told?

Beyond The Veil is a novel by Michael Thursby about young Cael, who was robbed of his opportunity to grow as a dependent child. Cael had grown up handling so many responsibilities, one of which was being his brother's parent because Ida was always away, which only caused him to miss out on the teenage social stuff. This was coupled with the loneliness that stuck to him like a stigma because of his difference. This story did not begin with the slightest hint of the many astounding dramatic turns it would take. I initially considered it an average novel, only to be astonished by the thrills and secrets hidden behind the book's cover. The author did an excellent job masking the wonders of his creativity.

The first part of the book that really caught my attention was the humor. Cael could make a joke out of just anything. One of his significant victims was Duane, the class bully. “Duane always acted like he was king of St. Augustine’s. Cael only saw the court jester." A court jester is a pretty hilarious name to call one's classmate, but I believe it suited Duane well. However, Cael had difficulty getting his newfound acquaintance, Brendon, to understand his jokes in the other world. And when he finally did, I could picture the smile on Cael's face. This part would place a smile on any reader's face, and I liked it.

The plot of this novel was perfectly weaved to fit the imbalances of the characters. The book teaches about individual and collective responsibility. The problem from the beginning was misappropriated blame, and it was mentioned twice that “just like humans, I am sure there are good and bad Fae. And just like humans, you have to treat each one as an individual and judge them as such based on their actions." This is another positive aspect of the book.

Handling a bully–whether Fae or human requires the same procedure. It was a joy to read my second favorite character, Brendon, step out of the shadows of being bullied to being the hero. There is a universal way to handle the pest-like creatures we call bullies. Also, the characters displayed a true sense of value for friendship and family. However, this did not conceal the betrayal and hurt that became a threat.

I do not find any part of this book negative. The book was well edited with only some errors. My rating of Beyond The Veil is four out of four stars. The story was indeed beyond the veil.

I recommend this book to young readers who enjoy mystery thrillers. Specifically, this book would serve as a good read for family and friends.

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Beyond The Veil