Review: TWELVE SIGNS, TWELVE STORIES
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 16, 2013
Twelve individuals with twelve different Zodiac signs form the core ofSign of the Times.  Holly Jameson's story launches the tale as she flies to Pisa, where she will be doing research for a new travel book.Her fiance Tom stays behind, dealing with his business.Almost as though the book is comprised of numerous vignettes, we learn bits and pieces about each of the characters as they are introduced.  Several chapters spotlight each individual and the intricacies of his or her life, along with the relationships that define them.While I enjoyed the characters, there were so many of them that I often lost track of who they were as a new story launched another character.  Would they eventually be connected to one another?  How would each of the individual's stories unfold?Themes of challenged relationships, loss, betrayal, and illness form the major plots, even as subplots for each character thread their way through the canvas.Sometimes the reader is not privy to how the various individuals are connected until later on, which can be problematic for those who like to know who's who.  In the end, the author manages to weave together most of the loose threads in one final sweep.  But the style of this tale was too erratic for me; therefore, I'm awarding this novel 3.5 stars.  Recommended for those who enjoy unique twists and turns in a contemporary venue.