"Justina Uram’s THE CERULEAN LOCKET has a lovely cover design and nice production throughout—a standout in the contest in this regard. Thankfully, the book’s writing and content are just as good as the design. The plot revolves around a Roma woman from Bulgaria named Sofi Vadoma, who, through an encounter with an odd necklace, finds herself caught in a European scandal. What I like most about this novel is the fact that I find it somewhat difficult to classify; I’ve always been partial to books that could sit on multiple shelves in the bookstore. On the one hand, it’s something of a romance; on the other, it’s something of a globetrotting thriller. Thus, it should appeal to readers in both genres. The writing itself is often so good that it could also easily satisfy readers of literary fiction. I’m not sure what Uram’s background is (she’s a lawyer by profession), but her knowledge of Europe (both eastern and western) is extensive, and she either knows about it firsthand or has done terrific research. The characterizations are solid, the plot consistently interesting and well-paced, and, as I said above, the production design excellent. This is a book which I think could be sold in bookstores as is with no modification whatsoever, and the attention to detail—both inside and out—is very satisfying."