You can secure a door by locking it and then locking away the key. But what if the key is a person, and that person grows lonely and escapes? In The Vault Between Spaces, Chawna Schroeder sets fantasy in a bleak world that dimly mirrors a twentieth-century police state. Faerie-like races creatively echo the six days of creation, and other creative religious symbols infuse the story. The blend of Faerie and grim modernity holds merit, yet may confuse readers’ expectations, fixing attention on the misery of totalitarian oppression only to push it aside for Faerie dangers. Still, The Vault Between Spaces is an inventive fantasy with heart for its religion and its characters.

Best for: Fantasy fans.

Discern: Several characters are murdered in cold blood, a helpless captive is abused, one battle, and a character drinks a concoction made partially of blood.