Melody Murray's Books

I am at best lukewarm about this book. The problems I had with it range from the niggling (why does everyone have to have such a stupid-ass name?) to the troublesome (these people are all too good or too bad to be true). I hated the dog's name, because I couldn't get away from the feeling that Dismay was Sorrow Lite (less flatulent, unstuffed). OTOH, I found the protagonist's journey through some tough times to be well-imagined and accessible. I liked the unrelieved sadness, of course. But I can't get over the twee factor.